Author praises festivals for expanding appeal of camping

A camping blogger has praised festivals for encouraging people that wouldn't ordinarily go camping to try it out.

A Magazine segment on bbc.co.uk detailed ten things that festivals had brought to a much wider audience - or started from scratch. Among them was the trend for patterned tents.    

Journalist Denise Winterman noted that long-gone are the days when tents only came in black, blue or green. Now, an array of patterns, colours and shapes are available to suit all needs. These include designers such as Cath Kidston, as well as patterns of friesian cows and even rocket-shaped dwellings.

Winterman then sought the opinion of Matthew De Abaitua, who wrote 'The Art of Camping: The history and practice of sleeping under the stars'. He said that such new additions weren't trivialising camping but instead providing a way in for those who may otherwise have never give it a try. He did add, however, that such novelty tents shouldn't provide encouragement people need to leave them behind after just one use.

He told bristolwired.co.uk: "I don't mind them. If a flowery tent appeals to someone who would never have camped before then that's good. The problem is when people just dump tents after the fun is over. Festivals are like a big party when no-one wants to clean up."