For years I used to try and take sandwiches with me on the hills. When it came to lunch time they always came out of my rucksack as a crushed, soggy mess. Those days are now long gone as I take wraps, most supermarkets stock them in the bread isle but sometime they can be found with the fajita's and other mexcian stuff. Any way, they take much more of a pounding than bread ever does and and seam to cope with even the moistest of fillings. En route to this discovery I also tried pita's these are better than bread, but tended to be a little brittle.

Pulling out modern angled tent pegs can be pretty painful, especailly if your've got cold and wet hands. If you don't have pegs that allow you to thread some cord through them, just use a spare peg to hook the other ones out. That spare peg can also be used to scrape off all the mud stuck to the others.

Most of us have learnt to pack our bags in such a way as to make them more comfortable and to ensure the things we need the most are closest to hand. The same idea should be used when packing the car for a trip. Don't bury your tent at the bottom of the pile, as its one of the first things you'll need when you get to the campsite. The same goes, for your waterproofs, your boots and maybe even a torch. It's an awful feeling, pulling up to the campsite knowing you're going to have to empty half the car to get to what you need. The philosophy can be taken further. Most of us will pack some snacks for our time outdoors and take some drink, use the door pockets of the car in the same way you would the side pockets on your pack. Little things close to hand. This way you avoid the outrageous prices the service stations charge.

If you try to pack the heavier things closer to the bottom not only will it limit things getting crushed, but also means the handling of your car won't be as effected by the extra load you're carrying.

This might not be particularly revolutionary idea, but by stopping and thinking about it for a few seconds, saves hours at the other end.