Camping Made Easy...in Cornwall - Camping does't get much better, or more stylish, than this... (The Independant: July 2008)

It's not as hard as you may think...


We advise 2 people to erect the tent if new to it as it will significantly simplify the work. Find a flat place big enough to put up your tent comfortably (including the guy ropes) and remove all sharp objects, rocks/roots etc. to prevent damaging the groundsheet and yourselves if you were to tread on it. Make sure all zippers are closed and tension is being created in the line of the seams. Try to keep the tension even. Try and take away as much tension away from the zipper as possible by crossing the ropes. Putting up the tent: 1) Unpack and lay out the bell tent 2) Now peg the two rubber loops either side of the door together right next to one of closest peg in the ground sheet. Now repeat this all the way round the tent making sure each peg is right next to the corresponding peg in the ground sheet. This makes sure the tent will be the right shape when it goes up. Put the guy ropes out, when you put the large pegs into the ground do it through the loop and try and have the plastic at least 50cm from the tent. This allows you to adjust the tension both ways. 3) Get the Main pole and extend. Unzip the door and take the main pole with rubber stoppers in. Find the inside of the top of the tent an match it with one of the stoppers. Then pull the pole in and up so you raise the roof of the tent. This is easy as there is very little tension at this point. 4) Stand next to the pole and adjust the bottom to make it as upright as possible. Leave the tent, the pole should stay upright as the small the amount of tension should hold it. Drooping is fine as long as the pole doesn’t slip out of position. 5) Get the A frame and enter the tent. Carfully place and put the metal spike on the top of the A frame through the matching hole in the canvas above the door. Now edge the A frame forward into the door space until it’s vertical. 6) Leave the tent and using the large pegs attach the first guy rope above the door. Zip up the door and do the guy ropes either side of the door. Guy ropes are in line with seams leading to the roof. Make sure the guy ropes follow the line so the bell tent stays symmetrical and the tension is evenly spread. It is also important not to have too much tension on any of the guy ropes at this point. Get all the pegs in then go round adjusting the guy ropes to the desired tension. Once those three are in place go round to the back of the tent and repeat. Now do the remaining guy ropes and adjust the ropes to get everything tight. By following the seam lines your bell tent will be without creases. To put the walls up. On a hot day there is nothing better that rolling the walls up and letting the breeze in. Simply unhook the bottoms of the walls from the pegs, roll up the sides and tie.

We advise 2 people to erect the tent if new to it as it will significantly simplify the work.

Find a flat place big enough to put up your tent comfortably (including the guy ropes) and remove all sharp objects, rocks/roots etc. to prevent damaging the groundsheet and yourselves if you were to tread on it.

Make sure all zippers are closed and tension is being created in the line of the seams. Try to keep the tension even. Try and take away as much tension away from the zipper as possible by crossing the ropes.

Putting up the tent:

1) Unpack and lay out the bell tent

2) Now peg the two rubber loops either side of the door together right next to one of closest peg in the ground sheet. Now repeat this all the way round the tent making sure each peg is right next to the corresponding peg in the ground sheet. This makes sure the tent will be the right shape when it goes up.

Put the guy ropes out, when you put the large pegs into the ground do it through the loop and try and have the plastic at least 50cm from the tent. This allows you to adjust the tension both ways.

3) Get the Main pole and extend. Unzip the door and take the main pole with rubber stoppers in. Find the inside of the top of the tent an match it with one of the stoppers. Then pull the pole in and up so you raise the roof of the tent. This is easy as there is very little tension at this point.

4) Stand next to the pole and adjust the bottom to make it as upright as possible. Leave the tent, the pole should stay upright as the small the amount of tension should hold it. Drooping is fine as long as the pole doesn’t slip out of position.

5) Get the A frame and enter the tent. Carfully place and put the metal spike on the top of the A frame through the matching hole in the canvas above the door. Now edge the A frame forward into the door space until it’s vertical.

6) Leave the tent and using the large pegs attach the first guy rope above the door. Zip up the door and do the guy ropes either side of the door.

Guy ropes are in line with seams leading to the roof. Make sure the guy ropes follow the line so the bell tent stays symmetrical and the tension is evenly spread. It is also important not to have too much tension on any of the guy ropes at this point. Get all the pegs in then go round adjusting the guy ropes to the desired tension.

Once those three are in place go round to the back of the tent and repeat. Now do the remaining guy ropes and adjust the ropes to get everything tight. By following the seam lines your bell tent will be without creases.

To put the walls up.

On a hot day there is nothing better that rolling the walls up and letting the breeze in. Simply unhook the bottoms of the walls from the pegs, roll up the sides and tie.