How To Find Your Tent In The Dark

Step 1: You will need

Step 2: Pick a landmark

Some things you can do in the daylight. When you roll up on day one, choose a camping spot near a landmark that will be visible as a silhouette in the dark – camp near a tree, a big pole or - even better – park yourself next to a neighbour with tent that towers over the smaller ones.

Step 3: Get your bearings

Before you head for the arena , familiarise yourself with your new surroundings. Survey the scene around your tent for objects that mark out its location and memorise them. Walk from your tent to the nearest path and count how many steps you take, and the point where you join the walkway. Make a mental note of distinctive landmarks you pass en route from your tent, and any obstacles you encounter such as gazebos, windbreaks or inconvenient guy ropes – they're even more likely to catch you out in the dark.

Step 4: Take a torch

Unless you're blessed with night vision, or a fondness for guy-rope related injuries, take a small torch with you any time you leave your tent in the evening. Many can be strung around your neck for convenience.

Step 5: Make your tent distinctive

Some people graffiti their tent to mark it out from those around , but if you don't want to mark yours permanently, buy some brightly-coloured or reflective tape. Stick a big cross on each side of your tent and you'll spot it from any direction, plus your torchlight will catch it in the dark. You can also mark guy ropes with tape so you don't trip. Mind you don't go overboard, though – making your tent totally over-the-top means festival thieves can also find you in the dark.

Step 6: Fly your flag

To guide you at night, raise your very own festival flag on a pole...anything goes as long as it's distinctive. Better yet, paint one with glow-in-the-dark paint...

Step 7: Create an early warning system

Still lost? Make sure you don't miss your tent by dangling empty beer cans close together on some of your guy ropes. Use strips of campers-best-friend the bin liner to tie them on. Audio clues work wonders when you can't see: the cans will rattle together if you accidentally stumble upon your own tent without realising.

Step 8: Make a hasty exit...

Finally, if the worst happens, and you climb into bed with a stranger, be prepared to either make a new friend very quickly, or escape before they wake up!