There's no question that the proliferation of summer festivals has taken the fine art of camping to a whole new audience. Most of us are used to a modern tent which can be put up in minutes but there's a lot to be said for the traditional Bell Tent too.
Bell tents require a bit more effort to put up; they have a separate ground sheet and you need to peg out the canvas to make the shape of the tent rather than just inserting the poles to form a skeleton as you do with most tents these days. One key advantage is that the canvas is cotton and therefore breathable, so you don't get that nasty sweaty feeling when you wake up on a sunny morning – and if it gets really hot you can roll up the tent walls to allow a breeze in.
Tents in varying sizes are available from www.belltent.co.uk, starting at £319 and if you're serious about camping you can buy all sorts of extras too – from stoves and mattresses to sheepskin rugs and tea-light chandeliers.
