MASTER CAMPING
Learn the skills. Practise them. Prove what you can do.
29 Lessons | 5 Quizzes | 6 Levels
YOUR PATH TO MASTERY
Camping Mastery takes you from the foundations of choosing and preparing a campsite through to shelter building, weather management, warmth and outdoor living. Work through the lessons in order, practise the skills and complete the knowledge checks and practical challenges as you progress.
Survival Beginner
Learn the foundations of camping, including campcraft, campsite selection, ground conditions, hazards, weather and preparing your tent before pitching.
Explorer
Learn how to establish an organised campsite, pitch in suitable locations and create a safe and practical camp kitchen.
Apprentice
Develop your ability to manage camp in wet conditions, protect your equipment and deal with condensation, leaks and other common problems.
Practitioner
Develop shelter-building skills, learn how to create insulation and discover how to adapt when normal camping equipment is unavailable or damaged.
Expert
Develop your outdoor living skills by managing warmth, food, clothing and responsible camping practices during longer or more demanding trips.
Survival Master
Complete the final practical assessment and demonstrate that you can plan, establish, manage and dismantle a safe and functional campsite.
Your Camping Lessons
Work through each lesson in order. Learn the skill, practise it outdoors where appropriate and complete the knowledge checks and challenges as you progress.
STAGE 1 — SURVIVAL BEGINNER
Lesson 1 — What Is Campcraft?
Learn what campcraft means and how the skills involved help you establish, manage and live safely and comfortably at an outdoor campsite.
Lesson 2 — How to Choose a Campsite
Learn how to assess a potential campsite by considering ground conditions, weather, hazards, access, water and the needs of your group.
Lesson 3 — How to Check the Ground Before Camping
Learn how to assess the ground before pitching your tent or shelter and identify problems that could affect comfort, stability or safety.
Lesson 4 — How to Spot Hazards at a Campsite
Learn how to identify common campsite hazards and make sensible decisions before setting up camp.
Lesson 5 — Choosing a Campsite in Windy Weather
Learn how wind affects campsite selection and how to choose a more sheltered and suitable location.
Lesson 6 — Camping Near Water: What to Know
Learn about the advantages and hazards of camping near rivers, lakes and other water sources and how to choose a safe location.
Lesson 7 — How to Get Your Tent Ready Before Pitching
Learn how to inspect and prepare your tent, equipment and pitching area before putting your shelter up.
KNOWLEDGE CHECK
Survival Beginner Quiz
Test what you’ve learned before moving on to the Explorer stage.
Practical Challenge – Choose and Assess a Campsite
Description:
Choose a suitable outdoor location and identify a potential campsite.
You must:
Identify a suitable pitching area.
Check the ground conditions.
Identify potential hazards.
Consider wind direction and shelter.
Consider nearby water and drainage.
Explain why you selected the location.
Identify anything that would make the site unsuitable.
Evidence:
Submit a photograph or map of the site and a short explanation of your campsite assessment using the hashtag #CampingBeginner
STAGE 2 — EXPLORER
Lesson 8 — How to Choose a Good Tent Pitching Site
Learn how to position your tent within a campsite by considering drainage, wind, ground conditions, shelter and surrounding hazards.
Lesson 9 — How to Set Up a Scout Campsite
Learn how to establish the main areas of a campsite and organise equipment so that the camp is practical, safe and easy to manage.
Lesson 10 — How to Organise a Campsite
Learn how to arrange sleeping, cooking, equipment and activity areas so that your campsite remains organised and functional.
Lesson 11 — How to Set Up a Camp Kitchen
Learn how to establish a suitable camp kitchen, including equipment placement, food preparation areas and safe working practices.
Lesson 12 — Camp Kitchen Hygiene
Learn how to maintain good hygiene when preparing, cooking and storing food at camp.
KNOWLEDGE CHECK
Practical Challenge – Set Up an Organised Campsite
Description:
Set up a small, suitable campsite or create a detailed campsite layout.
You must demonstrate:
A suitable tent position
Organised sleeping and equipment areas
A suitable kitchen area
Safe food and equipment storage
Clear movement routes
Sensible waste arrangements
An organised campsite layout
Evidence:
Take photographs of the completed campsite or provide a clearly labelled campsite plan and upload them to the Activity Wall using the hashtag #CampingExplorer
STAGE 3 — APPRENTICE
Lesson 13 — What to Pack for Wet Weather Camping
Learn how to prepare clothing and equipment for wet conditions and reduce the problems caused by rain.
Lesson 14 — How to Keep Clothes Dry While Camping
Learn how to protect dry clothing from rain, damp ground, condensation and wet equipment.
Lesson 15 — How to Keep Your Sleeping Bag Dry
Learn how to protect your sleeping bag from rain, condensation, wet clothing and damp camping equipment.
Lesson 16 — How to Dry Wet Camping Equipment
Learn how to safely dry tents, clothing and other camping equipment when conditions are wet.
Lesson 17 — Preventing Tent Condensation
Learn why condensation forms inside tents and how ventilation, equipment placement and campsite choices can help reduce it.
Lesson 18 — What to Do If Your Tent Leaks
Learn how to identify the source of a tent leak, protect yourself and your equipment and make temporary repairs where appropriate.
KNOWLEDGE CHECK
Practical Challenge – Manage a Wet Weather Camp
Description:
Plan how you would manage a camping trip during wet weather.
You must demonstrate how you would:
Protect dry clothing.
Keep your sleeping bag dry.
Manage wet equipment.
Reduce tent condensation.
Deal with a leaking tent.
Organise your campsite to minimise exposure to rain.
You can complete this as a real camping exercise or as a detailed practical planning exercise if conditions are unsuitable.
Evidence:
Submit photographs of your setup or a practical plan explaining how you would manage each problem using the hashtag #CampingApprentice
STAGE 4 — Practitioner
Lesson 20 — 5 Survival Shelters Every Scout Should Know
Learn about different emergency and survival shelter designs and understand how they can provide protection from weather and the environment.
Lesson 21 — Improvised Ground Insulation
Learn how to reduce heat loss to the ground using suitable natural or carried materials.
Lesson 22 — Tarp Shelters for Different Weather Conditions
Learn how different tarp configurations can provide shelter and how to select a suitable design for the weather.
Lesson 23 — How to Build a Lean-To
Learn how to construct a basic lean-to shelter and understand how its design provides protection from weather.
Lesson 24 — How to Repair a Damaged Tarp in the Field
Learn how to make practical temporary repairs to a damaged tarp so that it can continue to provide shelter.
STAGE 5 — EXPERT
Lesson 25 — How to Stay Warm Outdoors Without a Fire
Learn how clothing, shelter, insulation, movement and campsite selection can help reduce heat loss without relying on a fire.
Lesson 26 — How to Stay Warm in a Sleeping Bag
Learn how to use your sleeping bag and sleeping system effectively to retain warmth overnight.
Lesson 27 — How to Keep Food Cold While Camping
Learn how to manage food temperatures, storage and cool boxes safely during camping trips.
Lesson 28 — How to Wash Clothes While Camping
Learn practical methods for washing and drying clothing when you are camping away from normal facilities.
Lesson 29 — Responsible Camping UK
Learn how to minimise your impact on the countryside, respect other people, manage waste and camp responsibly.
Practical Challenge – Manage an Overnight Camp
Description:
Plan and complete an overnight camping setup that demonstrates your ability to manage yourself and your campsite.
You must demonstrate:
An appropriate sleeping system
A method of staying warm
Protection for your clothing and equipment
Safe food storage
A practical campsite organisation system
Appropriate hygiene arrangements
Responsible waste management
A plan for changing weather
Evidence:
Submit photographs of your campsite and explain how you managed each area. Include a short reflection on what worked well and what you would change. Be sure to use the hashtag #CampingExpert
STAGE 6 — SURVIVAL MASTER
You have progressed from choosing a campsite and establishing camp to managing shelter, warmth, food, equipment and outdoor living.
Camping Master Challenge
Complete your final assessment and demonstrate that you can put all of those skills together to live outdoors safely, confidently and responsibly.
Camping Master
Complete the Camping Master Challenge and have your practical proof checked to earn the Camping Master achievement.