5 Reasons Why You Should Try Wild Camping
If you’ve never been wild camping before, now’s the time to try it!
It’s a magical experience that can transform your holidays and weekends away, relax you, and leave you with a sense of accomplishment.
Here are five excellent reasons to try wild camping:
Why people Try Wild Camping and Fall in Love with it
Many people love the idea of getting away from it all and spending some time in nature. However, traditional camping can be expensive and often requires booking well in advance.
Wild camping offers a more spontaneous and affordable option, and it can be a great way to connect with the natural world.
When wild camping, you can choose any location that you like, as long as it is legal and you follow the leave no trace principles. This means that you can camp almost anywhere, from your local park to remote mountains.
The best thing about wild camping is that it allows you to get closer to nature and experience a sense of tranquility that is hard to find in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. So why not give it a try? You may just fall in love with it.
1 . You’ll adore the peace!
Most of us lead such hectic lives.
From commuting to work to running around after our families, there’s little peace and quiet to be had in our normal, daily routines.
Wild camping allows us to get away from it all. No radios blaring on a campsite, car doors being slammed, or someone else’s tent pegs being driven in. No queuing for the loos or washing up area. No social media alerts and emails to deal with.
Just you, nature, birdsong, a bubbling stream, and the soft sound of your camping kettle boiling for that first cup of tea in the morning. Bliss!
Whether you choose to camp in woodland, in the hills, or at the coast, there’ll be ample opportunity to let the cares of everyday life wash away.
TOP TIP: If you camp in woodland try forest bathing where you concentrate deeply on the nature around you. Scientific studies have shown that it can reduce stress hormones and lower blood pressure. The Japanese call it ‘shinrin-yoku’.
2 . You’ll learn new skills and gain confidence
Being self-reliant is a wonderful skill, and wild camping helps us to realise that we can achieve it.
Whether you choose to camp alone, with a partner or friend, or with the family, you’ll learn valuable skills like how to choose the best wild camping site, how to pack the right kit, how to ensure you have enough food and water, camping stove cooking, safe navigation while walking, and how to ensure you leave no trace on the natural environment.
Your essential kit should include a tent with a waterproof rating of at least 3000 hydrostatic head (to be sure you beat any downpours), a camping stove, bivvy bags or sleeping bags, matches kept in a waterproof bag, a trowel to bury your waste, an emergency first aid kit, a whistle to raise the alarm if you need help, torches, and enough food and water for your stay.
If you need to use river or stream water, take purifying tablets with you to ensure it’s safe.
If you wild camp as a family, you can also teach your children the importance of cooking safely and avoiding wildfires, how to put up a tent, and how to survive without constant access to an iPad or smartphone!
TOP TIP: Take a hill or mountain navigation course before you camp to ensure you can find your site safely in the mountains or a map reading course (as you’re probably not going to have GPS signal for your phone when you go off-grid).
3 . You’ll connect deeply with nature
Wild camping allows us to see wildlife we would never see on an ordinary campsite, enjoy beautiful scenery without the crowds, and feel a real connection with nature.
From spotting rare birds like red kites and peregrine falcons in the hills, to deer and foxes in the woods, and dolphins, otters, and puffins at the coast, there’s so much to see and enjoy.
There are more than 70,000 species of animals, plants, and fungi in the UK, so immerse yourself in our flora and fauna.
Look for some of the species you only find in Britain, like the grey seal, wood mouse, Scottish wildcat, and the little owl.
Having that special time with the people you love will also allow you to connect deeply with them and make memories to last a lifetime.
TOP TIP: Research the wildlife you might see where you wild camp and take a handy guide to the UK’s flora and fauna with you. Get the children to compete for who can spot the most or draw the animals and plants they’ve seen.
4 . You’ll save some money
Camping is one of the cheapest ways to get away for a holiday or short break, but even site fees can add up.
Pitches can cost anywhere between £8 a night for a basic grass pitch to £50 a night for a pitch with an electric hook-up in high season.
Wild camping allows you to have a great holiday while saving on those campsite fees.
As you’ll be cooking your own food and taking your own drinks with you, it will also help you save money on food and entertainment.
TOP TIP: Keep enough cash on you to ensure you can pay a fee to a farmer if they want one when you camp on their land.
5 . You’ll experience things you simply couldn’t if you stay on the well-trodden road
Wild camping allows you to experience some of those ‘wow’ moments in life – watching the sun rise over a mountain as you sit together, spotting shooting stars in the night sky, hearing birds of prey in flight, seeing seals playing in the water, watching your children set up a tent for the first time.
Dark Sky Reserves are an excellent place to spend the night when you wild camp. Without the light pollution we normally experience in towns, cities, and even villages, the stars become brighter and clearer, and you’ll be able to pick out constellations, and teach your children about Orion, the Plough, and the Northern Cross.
TOP TIP: Take a star constellation map with you and do some star spotting!
Conclusion
Wild camping is an amazing way to connect with nature, save money, and experience things you simply couldn’t if you stayed on the well-trodden road. So go find your perfect spot, set up camp, and enjoy all that wild camping has to offer!
Get some great tips for your first wild camping trip from this blog we wrote recently: How to Go Wild Camping in the UK
Now, all you have to do is get planning!
