How to Love Camping - Part 2 of the journey…!

Last year, I wrote a piece for Raemona called, It’s Okay to Hate Camping. I spoke my own truth in how, despite having tried to embrace it over the years for festivals, glamping and even an Eid trip to Oman, I just kinda hated it.

They say a leopard never changes its spots…

…well.

I’ve just been camping. And honestly, I loved it.

So, what happened between then and now? Did I lose my love for hotels? Have I found a way to roll in the mud and relish the dirt? Does the weather no longer affect me? No, no, no. But I did rethink my feelings towards camping. Maybe there was something I was missing, something I wasn’t doing quite right. I decided to give it another go, on certain terms, of course.

You see, when my piece was published, I received many comments and DMs from people who wholeheartedly agreed with me. They were relieved to know they weren’t alone and suddenly felt less pressure to fake being up for the faff that IS camping. However, a certain somebody was not impressed with my public hatred for a weekend in the great outdoors; my husband. “So this means we’re never gonna go camping, ever?” he asked. I was like, nah, it’s not for me. So flippant, so whatevs. But he was upset. He’d imagined us getting our own family tent, reminiscing of the camping trips he’d loved with his siblings whilst creating new memories with our kids…Oh. God.

This came as quite a surprise. Usually, he’s so laid back, the perfect counterbalance to his whirlwind of a wife. But I had made a bold decision for all of us to Not Camp, hadn’t I? Suddenly this seemed a bit selfish. Yes, I had written about “you doing you,” with an air of sticking to your guns, staying true to oneself and not being afraid to admit what you like and don’t like. But I also hadn’t taken my family’s feelings into consideration. Eek. I was gonna have to go camping again, wasn’t I?

There had to be a solid plan in place, though. If we were to become The Family That Camps, then we needed some simple rules to ensure we wouldn’t bicker and play a blame game. I promised to ask around our friends and find a good gang to go with, a few families who loved camping and had kids around the same ages as our kids, so we could all muck in together. We chose a no-frills camping spot a short drive from London into the countryside and put a date firmly in the diary. Once all that was sorted, it was over to my husband…

I’d done the groundwork. Now he needed to build the castle upon it! I was out of my depth researching tents, stoves, mattresses, night lights, chairs, pumps, I mean, woah, the list was endless. Besides, when it came to our regular family holidays, I’ve always been the one to make sure the kids have the right clothes, swimmers, shoes, toiletries, medicines, books and electronics (fully charged) for trips. I pack their things, know where every Calpol syringe is located and which hat won’t fall off in the pool. You might think that camping is another level of “stuff”, but I’d done all the holiday prepping for eight years, so this felt like a compromise.

Anyway, he was in his element ordering camping equipment, even if it was a workout to pack and unpack the car. It made my husband happy, which made me happy, and so we were already onto a winner of a weekend. Parking up beside our pitch, the tent was up pretty quickly. The kids roamed the fields with a ball and a water pistol, and we made sausages and toasted marshmallows. We layered up once the sun set and I saw four shooting stars on the first night alone. So here are my top tips for those who hate camping…but might have to suck it up and go camping anyway (and maybe, just maybe, learn to love it!)

1.  Go in a group - A few years ago, we went camping just us; two adults and two very little kiddos (one still in nappies at the time), and it was HARD work. We saw groups sitting around together and felt like we had no mates! It made such a difference having friends to share the experience with and seeing the kids all playing together allowed us to sit back and raise a glass!

2.  Pitch your tent beside your car - Make sure you don’t have to park your car far away and lug your stuff across fields. Pick a place that allows you to keep your car beside your pitch because this makes the set up and pack up a thousand times easier.

3.  Don’t venture too far - From the UAE to the UK, it’s easy to drive somewhere remote within two hours from home. You don’t need to spend seven hours in a car to find the perfect spot for a couple of nights. All you need is space and fresh air. Remember, the tremendous night sky and its stars will be the same whenever you are.

4.  Plan your food - BBQ on the first night as your food will be fresh, and plan to make noodles or pasta for the following night. Or choose a campsite that has a pizza oven and order some takeout.

5.  Layer up lots - Even if the daytime is set to be a scorcher, the nights get cold out in the wilderness! Take a couple of extra sweaters and a hat, and if in doubt, just throw in the spare duvet you keep at home for guests.

6.  Get a little toilet - For those who aren’t natural campers, let’s face it; it’s the toilet situation that can freak us out. But there are so many options available that are easy to use and easy to clean. You don’t have to pee in a bush if you don’t want to!

7.  Have a camping enthusiast on your team - This could be a friend, a parent, a child…In my team is my husband. Thanks to him loving camping and all the frills (faff) that goes with it, I was able to play a different role within our team whilst feeding off his positive energy.

8.  Accept the kids will be up late - Let go of expectations that kids might go to bed at their usual time. They are so excited to be outside and safe to roam around within reason. The good news is, they tire themselves out eventually and should sleep very well.

9.  Less is more… - We chose a campsite that didn’t really offer many activities which meant we made our own fun and games. There were no worries about missing a yoga class or anxiety about getting into line for crafts and face painting. We just hung out, laughed lots and gazed at the stars.

10.           Pick a spot close to an attraction - If you’re in walking distance to a castle or spot of natural beauty, you can enjoy a lovely group walk to get there. There might even be a gorgeous country pub or beach bar when you arrive so you can celebrate your efforts!

// Hayley Doyle