Until recently, you would have been considered mad to turn your nose up at a holiday in Crete and opt for the Welsh hills, with a tent on your back and a compass in your hand.

But as more families start to feel the financial pinch, Brits are swapping holidays abroad for tents and caravans at home.

"Last year was phenomenal in terms of new campers and it's a trend we expect to continue," says Ruth Walmsley of the Camping and Caravanning Club.

"We've noticed that the types of people using our club sites has changed – mostly it used to be over-60s who would go camping, but now the vast majority are in their late 40s, joining to get their families on camping holidays."

Major retailers, such as Tesco Direct, have reported that sales of camping equipment are up 40 per cent this year.

With campsites charging about £5 for a tent or £15 a night for a caravan, it's no surprise that so many more Britons are eager to camp: A two-week holiday in Malaga could cost a family of four up to £3,000. Camping in Devon would set the same family back about £242 plus travel costs for two weeks.

Ian Peet, from holiday specialist Go Camping UK, said: "Everyone is tightening their budgets so it appears there is no better time to get back to nature and discover the joys of camping."

It is easy to get bowled over by the romanticism of being at one with nature, but anyone who has roughed it for a few nights will tell you it is not always easy. So, for those camping virgins, here is a guide to sleeping under the stars.

"Try hiring a pre-pitched, equipped tent now offered at many campsites," suggests Denise Peet, founder of Suffolk-based company Go Camping UK (www.go campinguk.co.uk). "Finding out how much you enjoy the camping experience before you commit yourself to buying all the equipment will save you money and time.

"Spend some time looking around camping stores to see what's on offer and think about what you will require for all the family," suggests Denise. "Budget tents may appear good value but are very likely to let you down in windy weather and you could be returning home earlier than you hoped."

"If you haven't got a lot of money to spare," says Ruth Walmsley of The Camping and Caravanning Club, "then look at second-hand websites like eBay, which have seen a massive upsurge in people buying and selling second-hand caravans and tents. You'll be seriously surprised at the kind of equipment you can get now."

Being at one with nature doesn't always mean that nature is on your side, as anyone who has spent hours setting their tent up – only to find that they're sleeping in a pool of water when it rains – knows only too well.

So for a wet place like Britain, getting a tent that is pitched outer first means the inner bits can be kept dry if you're setting up in the rain, says Denise.

"Always prepare yourself," she says. "Try putting the tent up in your garden first so that you can familiarise yourself with what goes where and prepare the tent, as this will avoid you standing around looking at the instructions and arguing with each other on site in the rain!"

If you have to set up in the rain, don't be tempted to pitch under trees, says Camping Expert UK (www.campingexpert.co.uk), as the wind could knock branches or trees over, and provoke lightning strike.

How much stuff to take? "Think of all the things you really need, cut that in half, and then cut the remainder in half again," say camping enthusiasts. By writing it all down, you have a clear idea of what you need, what you have, and what you can leave behind. But certain items, like toilet paper, wet wipes, a first aid kit, a torch, and water are very necessary, says Camping Expert UK.

By ditching hotels for tents, we get one step closer to nature and all her glory. So why not make an effort to make your impact on her an easy one? Compostable utensils are friendlier on the planet and biodegrade just as nature intended – making your next camping trip much more sightly – without plastic cups and forks ruining your view.

Eco-friendly company Biome (www.biome lifestyle.com) has an eight-person picnic kit, with napkins, glasses, mugs and plates, that would be perfect on a campsite.

Another thing to watch out for is the toxicity of your cleaning products. By remembering to use only ecologically-safe soap, such as Ecover (www.ecover.com) or Maison Belle (isabellasmith.net.dynamicweb.dk) to wash your dishes, cups and utensils, you'll be cutting down on the chemical content in the water table of wild plants and animals.

Be sure to take any recyclables home with you, instead of binning them at the site itself. Glass, aluminum and tin are now commonly accepted by councils across the UK, as well as most plastic bottles.