The more popular sites get booked up very quickly, and if you really want to camp in a specific location then it is worth organising that as soon as possible. Delaying your booking might mean missing out on the campsite you had your heart set on, and therefore a lot of research and phoning around to find something similar nearby. If you always return to the same site then booking early will mean you can relax until your holiday time, safe in the knowledge that your favourite pitch is reserved for you.

We have all been guilty of looking forward to an expected holiday, thinking that it’s too early to book and you could wait a while, but if you have a funds to secure your place it is best to do this at the earliest opportunity. Otherwise, you will find yourself with the greatest plans for a camping holiday, only to find that the site you had your heart set on is suddenly booked up. Remember, some sites take whole-site bookings for stag and hen weekends, or large groups, so you could find that one day there is full availability, and the next day the whole site is booked out for the exact dates you wanted. Getting in early means your plans don’t need to change.

It is not easy to plan an outdoors holiday too early in advance, as the weather is so unpredictable that it might be either snowing in April, or incredibly warm. It is risky booking a camping holiday for the early spring, but taking advantage of off-peak rates means you can save money on pitch fees, and put those funds towards indoor activities if the weather does take a turn for the worst. Booking for the late spring and summer months gives more of a guarantee that the weather will at least be warm, but as ever, there is no foolproof way of knowing what it will actually be like on the day.

Booking an early spring camping holiday for a weekend is a lovely idea for camping enthusiasts. It offers a chance to test out your existing kit and make sure everything is in working order, and prepares you for the excitement of the whole summer season. If you think it might be a bit cold for traditional tent-based camping then consider a glamping weekend in a hut with a log burner. You still get the outdoor experience but without any danger of getting chilly, and the best thing is getting back out into nature before most people have dared leave the comfort of their central heating.

You may be able to take advantage of early-bird discounts on campsite bookings by getting your reservation in early, allowing you to put the saved money towards something else (perhaps the second camping trip?), and when it comes to school holidays it is definitely worth booking up well in advance. If you intend to camp somewhere not local to you then it is a good idea to check the term dates of the schools in that area. Many schools have different half terms, so while your kids may be off, the area you’re camping in won’t be over-run with children. In the same vein, the campsites will probably have slightly higher rates over their local half terms, so you could save money by booking a site that doesn’t have the same term dates as you. If you have left it too late, then don’t worry too much. You might find an even better campsite as a back up and decide to book for 2017 as well.