Camping lanterns and torches are essential camping equipment. They allow you to read a book, cook on the camping kitchen or pitch a tent in the dark, and they can light your way when you stumble back from the pub late at night. But there is a vast choice of camping lights on the market, so I’ve handpicked a few of the best.

The Makita BML185 18V Torch is designed for workmen but works well on the campsite too. Its powerful beam illuminates a wide area, providing adequate light to pitch a tent or illuminate its interior.

Maglite is a company with a worldwide reputation for quality, and its torches have been a favourite with campers and outdoor enthusiasts for years. The Mini Maglite flashlight has three different beams from spot to wide-angle, making it good for all purposes.

Here’s one for environmentally conscious campers - the Ring Cyba-Lite Wind-Up Torch. This eco-friendly LED torch gives you super bright light whenever you need it - no batteries required. One minute of winding provides up to five minutes of super bright light.

Another option for alternatively powered lanterns is the Solar-Powered 1 Watt Hand Torch. With its solar power storage battery, with three hours life when fully charged, this torch is ideal where there is no power supply. Just remember to let it soak in the sun before you arrive at the campsite at dusk!