So much of what is good practice in camping is so obvious that it is often overlooked in the rush to set up camp. One of the truths that most campers regard as an immutable truth is that the best site on which to pitch a tent is a level one. This is not always so.

A nice flat site can often turn into a pond when it rains and at best is slower to dry out. If you have to dig trenches (which you should NEVER do because the water mostly goes into your tent and mostly the trenches are never filled in ) then you've picked a bad site in the first place.

Flat is nice if it is elevated however a gentle slope is often a much better choice particularly along river banks and in the lee of sand dunes. The trick is to make the slope work for you. It is also important to consider the wind direction and the sun.

At the risk of stating the obvious,site your tent so that you will be sleeping up the slope rather than across it. Head down and feet up even on the gentlest slope will result in a lousy night's sleep at best and at worst a stuffy morning headache.

A good night's sleep can make or break a camping trip. Nothing is more crucial to enjoying the day's activities than an uninterrupted sleep in a warm comfortable bed; the right combination of mattress, bedding and pillow.

For the vast majority, camping means sleeping in a tent - which of course needs to be both water-proof and wind-proof - on a folding camp stretcher, an inflatable air mattress, a self-inflating mattresses or a foam pad. Mostly it’s a combination of personal choice and sufficient space in your vehicle.

For these reasons inflatable mattresses are popular, convenient and comfortable but they can and do develop leaks, which means you end up either lying on hard ground or having to give it the "kiss-of-life" during the night. They offer very little in the way of insulation which means they can become very cold so it's a good idea to put a blanket or rug under and over them for extra warmth in winter.

Sleeping bags are the most popular and convenient form of bedding and it is important to choose one that is in the correct temperature range for you. This means that if you usually pile on the blankets at home choose a bag with a minimum temperature rating 10 degrees below the lowest temperature you expect to encounter and if you usually sleep with very few blankets do the opposite. Or you may prefer a "four-seasons" style sleeping bag which opens out in summer and can be doubled over in winter. But whatever you choose it's always wise to take extra blankets with you in winter.

Also when choosing a sleeping bag you should consider ease of maintenance - opt for machine washable, warranty, lining material, shape, colour, weight and fill.

All you need then for a comfortable and warm night's sleep is your own pillow from home.

Oh, and you may consider earplugs, for two reasons:

• Peaceful Silence! Nothing is worse than being woken by the sound of the Camp Pest who is up at the crack of dawn cooking a breakfast that requires the extended use of every pot and pan available or who decides to hammer in a few more tent pegs. Alternatively you may want to turn in early and not be disturbed by the usual late fireside revelry, the hooting of owls or other unusual bush noises.
• They keep parasites and insects from crawling into your ears. Nuf said.