Don't leave home without it

With the difficult economic situation, people are forsaking holidays abroad in favour of inexpensive camping and caravanning breaks in the UK. Sadly, many newcomers to such holidays may have their enjoyment diminished by lack of experience and knowledge. How do you light a gas stove safely? What are the lighting requirements for a camping trailer? When towing a caravan, what speed are you limited to?

For those new to the delights of camping and caravanning and even those who are more experienced, Haynes has a range of manuals packed full of useful information, guidance and handy tips. Describing The Camping Manual, Auto Express wrote: Don't leave home before reading this.

Haynes is, of course, the world's foremost publisher of manuals covering subjects from washing machines to cars to babies. They are written in plain language by experts and contain many illustrations and drawings.

For the camper, there is The Camping Manual – the essential step-by-step guide to camping for all the family. Written by acknowledged expert, Peter Frost, this book tells you all you need to know about planning the perfect family camping trip. It takes you through choosing, buying and looking after tents, trailer tents and the many other accessories and equipment you will need.

Reviewing this book, Camping and Caravanning Magazine wrote: With the increasing popularity of camping there has been an urgent need for a detailed guide to help people get the most of this delightful pastime – Haynes' latest tome, is that guide and deserves a place on even the experienced camper's bookshelf.

The Caravan Handbook and the Motorcaravanning Handbook deal with these forms of camping in equal depth and contain similarly useful information.

Haynes also publishes The Trailer Manual, which explains about buying (or constructing) trailers for a wide range of uses – from transporting camping equipment through to towing a boat or jet ski.

Costing from just £12.99, Haynes manuals are a bargain and could save you a lot of wasted money – not to mention tears and water dripping onto your pillow.