Your Camping Trip Safety
While you’re away from home on your camping vacation, remember that safety and first aid becomes even more important. Accidents can happen during your camping trip that you may have to deal and being prepared for cuts, scrapes and injuries is very important, as well as knowing what to do in case of an emergency.
Every camper should have a first aid kit and survival aids packed alongside their tents and coolers, and it’s a wise thing to know something about handling injuries and the people that are suffering from them.
To increase your camping safety and keep your grounds as accident-free as possible, begin by walking the area and looking for hazards such as broken glass, sticks jammed into the ground at dangerous angles, slippery spots to avoid or rocky areas that could be dangerous in a fall. If there is deadfall on the ground, remove as much as possible and clear the area.
Accidents such as being jabbed by a branch during a fall could be avoided by a little prevention. During your stay, always try to keep safety in the forefront by making sure you’re handling your equipment carefully and clearly marking ropes that can be a trip hazard with colored fly tape. Another good way of ensuring safety around your campsite is putting things away once you’re done using them. A cluttered camping area has plenty of potential for small accidents that can cause a lot of grief.
If you’re planning on building camp fires for warmth, enjoyment or cooking, be smart, wary and safe. Find out if there are any restrictions for the time of year or dryness in the region - many areas don’t permit fires when there has been a recent dry spell and the spread of fires is a concern. Avoid building fires on a windy day, as the breeze can transport smouldering ashes and start them burning elsewhere.
If you know it’s safe to build a fire and it’s not a windy day, do make sure you have a proper fire pit dug out and ringed with stones. Containing and controlling your flame is extremely important. Always have a bucket of water handy, as fires can get out of control very quickly - and you’ll need to extinguish your fire properly before turning in. Letting a fire die down unsupervised is asking for trouble.
Wilderness camping can be one that holds a lot of risk for injuries. Accidents are never expected to happen but even the most cautious camper can end up in an emergency situation and needing quick help.
First aid courses can provide you with the know-how to deal with concussion or severe cuts, and the amount of time it takes from your schedule usually isn’t more than a weekend. The advantages to being able to provide quick, proper emergency care out in the woods, where qualified help and sometimes hospital resources aren’t available, is a must for anyone planning a camping trip.
While there are a lot of things you can do to keep your camping trip safe and pleasant for everyone, staying aware of potential hazards can mean the difference between needing stitches and bringing back good memories.
Learning good first aid skills and getting into the good habit of keeping your campsite clean and safe is never a wasted effort. No one wants to have accidents or emergency situations happen and avoiding them is the best prevention of all.
John Edmond runs and writes regularly for http://www.livingandcampingoutdoors.com/ where you can read many more articles on outdoor living and recreation. Also go to http://www.wellspokenaudio.com/ for entertaining audiobooks on camping and much more.
Creating A Signal For Survival
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that saying goes double when you’re planning a trip into the great outdoors. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to leave word with someone before you leave about where you will be going and at what time you plan to return.
Should you find yourself stranded in the outdoors, the key to your rescue is your ability to create good signals for potential rescuers to see. The first thing you should do is light a fire. A large fire creates a signal in the daylight and darkness of night. At night, choose kindling for a fire that does not create a lot of smoke.
Create three fires in the outline of a triangle, because if these are seen from the air they will be recognized as the symbol for distress, and will be less likely to be mistaken for a simple campfire. When choosing the location for your fire, make sure it is an open location without a lot of foliage blocking the view. Also, have water on hand should the fire spread beyond your control. A raging forest fire would endanger your life and make rescue impossible.
If there is an isolated tree nearby, you can create a tree torch by setting it on fire. If it is a pitch-bearing tree, you simply have to ignite the tree. If it is not pitch bearing, pile dry kindling around the tree and ignite it. The kindling fire will spread to the foliage of the tree. Keep your tree torch burning by adding to it as it consumes the tree.
Keep the home fires burning; you’ll need fire night and day. At night, it’s obvious that the light will attract rescuers. During the day, when the firelight is less visible, you can still attract attention using smoke. Add green kindling or grass to your fire, or if they’re available, try using evergreen boughs, which will produce a thick, dark smoke sure to catch someone’s attention.
Another way to signal for help is to signal to low-flying aircraft. Using a mirror reflecting the sunlight, you can flash the S-O-S symbol at low-flying aircraft. Avoid flashing the mirror directly at the cockpit, as that will cause the pilot to have difficulty seeing. At night or in times when there is not a lot of sunlight, the same affect can be accomplished using a strong flashlight. Always carry a flashlight and extra batteries when venturing outdoors.
If none of these techniques work, use brightly-colored clothing to attract attention. Hang a bright scarf or coat from the top of a high tree, or arrange clothing in a pattern on the ground to draw attention from the air. Do not leave yourself too vulnerable to the elements by removing too much clothing though.
You can even create signals using natural materials, such as tree branches or rocks, that can be viewed from the air. Try spelling out S-O-S or HELP with rocks or branches. Remember to use a material that will stand in contrast to your surroundings. If there is snow on the ground, walk in the snow to form the letters, and fill in the path with dark material, like rocks or tree branches.
Creativity is the key. Use whatever resources you have available to create something that is out of the ordinary in the surrounding landscape. The idea is to get any observers to stop and take a closer look. Safety is still the ultimate goal, though. You don’t want to create a signal that will threaten the safety of you or anyone else. Do your best to find something to drink, food, and shelter from the elements, and create a good signal to attract help so that you can soon be on your way.
John Edmond runs and writes regularly for http://www.livingandcampingoutdoors.com/ where you can read many more articles on outdoor living and recreation. Also go to http://www.wellspokenaudio.com/ for entertaining audiobooks on camping and much more.
Which Is It To Be: Renting An RV Or Camping In Tents?
Camping is a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. You can choose a destination you’ve never been to and discover the sights and attractions around it or get back to nature for some real rest and relaxation. Choosing what type of camping you’d like to do is part of your holiday planning, and you may find yourself wondering if you should be outdoorsy and use tents or go for comfortable accommodations and rent an RV.
Kitting yourself out with some good-quality, solid camping equipment and tents can set you back a few hundred dollars. The advantage to camping with tents is that you’ll be investing in long-term equipment that will serve you vacation after vacation and will last many years if well maintained.
Tents, sleeping bags and mattresses have come a long way and you’ll find the equipment light, easily transportable and quick to set up. The disadvantage to camping with tents is that you’re more at mercy of the elements, and a few days of rain can leave you slightly damp and humid. Space is also problematic, even though today’s tents have expanded to fit eight to twelve people.
Camping with tents also means that you’ll have to make arrangements for bathroom facilities and washing up. Most campgrounds offer public washrooms with toilets and showers, but many people consider the walk to the facilities an inconvenience. Also, the cleanliness of campground washrooms is important for personal hygiene.
With an RV rental, you’ll have good solid shelter, leg- and head-room, and you’ll have the comfort of tables, benches and proper sleeping accommodations. There’s very little set up involved with an RV, as you’re basically just parking the vehicle and hooking it up to the camping installation’s amenities.
The added advantage of having the conveniences of a shower, a bathroom and hot water at your disposal is often appreciated. However, RV rentals can be pricey and you’ll need to consider how you’re going to haul the equipment around. You may end up having the extra cost of a truck rental added on to your budget, and you’ll have twice as many worries about damages to equipment that you don’t own. Also, you can’t just set up an RV wherever you please and will have to find a campground with free space to accommodate your equipment.
It’s up to you to decide if you’re the kind of person that prefers all the creature comforts or that enjoys feeling as close to nature as possible. There’s a style of camping for everyone and trying to force someone who likes space and conveniences into a tent won’t work, the same way that taking someone who likes the outdoors and shuns modern life won’t enjoy being contained in an RV. Think over what each option can offer you and try to determine what type of accommodations are best for you on your camping trip.
John Edmond runs and writes regularly for http://www.livingandcampingoutdoors.com/ where you can read many more articles on outdoor living and recreation. Also go to http://www.wellspokenaudio.com/ for entertaining audiobooks on camping and much more.
Camping is Quality Family Time
A lot of families today are looking for a way to reconnect with their children. A great way to disconnect from the wear and tear of daily life is to pull up stakes, pack some tents and a cooler and head out camping. The break from electronics and the letting go of pressures to run free in the outdoors is a fantastic gift to give your children, and camping will most likely leave an impression of fond memories with your kids for years to come.
Camping is a simple, natural way of providing this quality time for your children. The fast-paced action of television and the video games that are played for hours at a time are gone, left well behind at home and replaced with the great outdoors, trees and sometimes even a lake or beach. The novelty of having absolute freedom a camping trip provides can often be exhilarating for kids, and more often than not, parents won’t hear much complaint as the camping site and its surroundings are scoped out and explored.
Changing environments changes behaviours and you’ll probably be surprised to see a different attitude from your children once the camping trip begins. Usually, kids are pretty thrilled to pitch in with daily chores and simple tasks they would have normally turned their noses up at home.
It’s amazing how we take things like dishwashers for granted and washing cutlery in a plastic pan with water hauled over in a bucket can become a novel experience for kids. Not only that, they’ll be learning that they certainly can make do without most of today’s luxuries.
Another thing that’s amazing about camping is that you’ll find your kids enthusiastic to visit places and scope out attractions. Walks in the woods become amazingly important, and trips to the grocery store a focused affair as kids try to help choose what would be interesting to cook for supper.
Your children will also learn new skills as you model practical independence by building a small campfire at night and make hot chocolate before their very eyes with water heated from hot cinders. They’ll be able to discover that not having electrical appliances isn’t the end of the world and that bed hair and no makeup is perfectly acceptable attire.
While camping, your children will discover facets of their parents they never knew of, and parents will also see that their children, away from home and in the fresh air and sun of the outdoors, really aren’t video-addicted creatures with no more motivation than the newest Xbox game or latest DVD out on store shelves. Camping trips can strip away the craziness of a fast-paced, throwaway society, revealing good natured people enjoying life and each other’s company just because they can.
John Edmond runs and writes regularly for http://www.livingandcampingoutdoors.com/ where you can read many more articles on outdoor living and recreation. Also go to http://www.wellspokenaudio.com/ for entertaining audiobooks on camping and much more.
What To Do If You Get Lost While Hiking
Ever have this feeling?: That tree looks a little familiar… or maybe not. Have you passed that bush already? Hey, where’d that rock come from? That wasn’t there the last time. You could keep going, but the sun’s sinking fast and it will be dark soon. Face it, you’re lost.
You may have even had this experience happen to you, but you have always managed to find your course again with no problem. This time, though, the fear is nearly choking and it is not the situation you hoped you would be in. Relax. There are still a few things you can do to get your bearings again. Take a deep breath, clear your head and follow these steps.
First, it is very wise for you to take every precautionary measure you can to make sure you do not get lost in the first place. It does sound overly simple, but hikers often get lost due to poor planning. Be sure that you take a map with you. Make sure that it is an updated map, as trails and landmarks often change.
Bring two compasses with you. Many hikers have doubted their compass, so it is a good idea to have another one to compare it to. If they are both saying the same thing, trust them! If you have no prior experience with a compass, you can most likely find out all that you need to know at a local community center or outdoor store. Before you embark on your journey, you need to study a map of the area you will be traveling. Get to know the trails, streams, and mountains that will make up the land you are traveling.
It is also vitally important to tell someone you know that you are going to be hiking. This is important because it ensures that someone will notice your absence if you are lost for an extended period of time. You do not want to be missing without someone knowing that you are missing! Tell your family or friends exactly where you are going, and how long you plan to be there.
As you hike, take notice of all of the topography around you. Pay attention to ridges, summits, rivers, etc. These natural reference points just may end up saving your life. Again, make good use of your map and compasses. You have them, so use them. If you find yourself even the slightest bit unsure of where you are, access your map. Hikers often dig themselves a deeper hole by thinking that they can fix the situation on their own. Use the tools that you bring with you.
If you do find that you are becoming disoriented, stop. Take out your map and search your surroundings for a familiar landmark. Most of the time, people are able to regain their sense of direction by taking five minutes to study their map and surroundings. Five minutes is all it can take to prevent the situation from escalating into a more serious, dangerous matter.
If you have already tried backtracking to locate familiar landmarks and have had no success, S.T.O.P. - stop, think, observe and plan. Don’t go any further and stay where you are. Getting distracted and changing your direction will only make things worse, so stay focused and calm. Panic will use up stores of energy that you might need later on.
If you have a whistle, blow it at timed intervals to alert rescuers. If you have to, start gathering materials for a rescue signal. At the very least it will keep you occupied and at the most you will have made something that rescuers could spot easily.
As with anything, the right amount of preparation, planning, and precautions will help you to avoid getting lost while hiking. If you do get lost, knowing what to do means you will have a better chance of being found or finding your way back. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best, as the saying goes. Knowledge is power and armed with that fact, you should have an enjoyable hiking experience.
John Edmond runs and writes regularly for http://www.livingandcampingoutdoors.com/ where you can read many more articles on outdoor living and recreation. Also go to http://www.wellspokenaudio.com/ for entertaining audiobooks on camping and much more
How I Safely Build a Fire
Ah, autumn! That time of year when you can smell that cold chill in the core of the air and you know that winter isn’t too far off. Nothing beats a crystal clear blue sky, the crunch of leaves beneath your feet and the sounds of geese starting their long trek south. In celebration of this turning of the seasons, I decided to invite several close friends over for a small party.
We’d maybe start with a blood-pumping game of football, complete with spiced cider and hot chocolate on the sidelines. After that, perhaps there would be offerings of hot dogs and s’mores over an open campfire. Of course, my wife agreed that the food and football would be feasible, but when it came to the fire part, I got one of those looks that said, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Apparently, a New York boy couldn’t possibly have fire building in his repertoire. I rose to the challenge. I would have a roaring bonfire capable of warming a small, third-world nation!
I started the process by recruiting my four-year old son to help me build an adequate dwelling for the fire. I did this because I remembered accidentally overhearing somebody who knew something about the outdoors say that it is very important to contain the fire, so that there is nothing close to it that might catch fire.
If a fire is built too close to bushes, trees, or people wearing clothing made of hemp, there is always a chance that the blaze could spread. Since we live in an area so heavily wooded that I sometimes get lost checking the mail, I figured that it would be wise to prevent the fire from spreading if it happened to be feeling frisky. We were fortunate enough to have several large stones at our disposal, so we placed them in a circle on our lawn.
I soon found myself obsessed with the idea of building more than just a house for the fire - I now wanted to create an altar of biblical proportions. I somehow convinced myself that we would need something large enough to hold a fire capable of roasting a wild boar.
Remembering that we would be cooking hot dogs and marshmallows instead of boars, I soon ditched my brief woodsman fantasy and got back in touch with reality. My son and I settled for a nice, little rock wall, about two feet high. It would more than suffice in containing our blaze.
That was when I came to speed bump number two; I had never started a fire before - at least not on purpose. Sticks, I thought. Two sticks rubbed together would work, because if MacGyver could do it, so could I. It turned out not to be as easy as it looked and less than thirty seconds of stick-rubbing later, I piled my son into the car and we were off to WalMart.
After picking up such modern conveniences as cedar blocks and lighter fluid, we headed back and tried starting our fire again. In the space of a few hours, we had the fire going. The weather turned out to be perfect, unusually cool for the time of year, and the party was a success.
Of course I wouldn’t have put any Neanderthals to shame, but for a guy from the urban jungles of Central Park, I had to admit what I’d done wasn’t half bad. Now the leaves of autumn are buried beneath the encroaching winter, but that rock wall my son and I built together is still standing. Every so often I find myself fighting the urge to remind my wife who built it.
John Edmond runs and writes regularly for http://www.livingandcampingoutdoors.com/ where you can read many more articles on outdoor living and recreation. Also go to http://www.wellspokenaudio.com/ for entertaining audiobooks on camping and much more.
Your Guide To Mountain Survival
Why climb the mountain? Because it’s there! North America’s many mountainous regions hold a certain fascination for numerous people on vacation from around the world. But every year, thrill seekers are hurt and sometimes killed from accidents that have happened while traversing these mountains. Most of the time, if precautions are taken, you can keep you and your family safe.
If you are going to be traveling in the mountains, there are a few things to consider before you head out, to ensure you are safe should a problem arise. First, dress in layers. One of the main difficulties when traveling through higher altitudes is the huge variance in temperature that you will face. Should you be stranded in the mountains at night, it can become very cold. To avoid problems that come as a result of the weather, dress warmly but in layers that can be removed if it becomes too warm.
Before leaving, make sure that someone knows where you are heading, and when you expect to be back. This is crucial to your rescue if you should become lost. If there is someone expecting you to be back at a certain day and time and you do not return, a search party can begin. However, if no one knows where you are and when to expect you, then it may be weeks before they start looking.
One item that is indispensable on any outdoor excursion is a pocket knife. You can mark your trail by carving a notch ever few feet into a tree or a rock so that if you ever do get lost, you’ll have a trail to follow back home. Marking your trail clearly is important, as sometimes it is all too easy to get turned around and end up walking in circles.
Always travel with a flashlight and extra batteries. Also, make sure you take waterproof matches along with you. A space blanket and a small tarp are essential to your survival in the mountain wilderness. Bring along some water purification tablets in case you should need to search for something to drink. A container that can hold water is also a must.
If you do find that you are lost in the mountains and do not know how to return to where you came from, the best thing to do is to stay where you are. If you move around, you will be harder to find when rescue comes. However, if you are near a stream and you feel you must keep moving, head downstream. This will take you towards the bottom of the mountain, which is usually closer to a road or town.
If you can find shelter where you are, stay put and get out of the elements. Leave a marker, like a brightly colored jacket or tarp, so that rescuers might find you. Then you need to get into shelter.
Stay away from any animals you might encounter. The animal you will be most likely to encounter is a bear. Whatever you do, do not surprise an unsuspecting bear! Catching a bear off guard is the reason for most bear attacks.
The most important thing if you become lost and need to survive is to stay hydrated. Having a source of water available at all times is key. Food can be easily found by observing the local wildlife to see where the animals might go to find nuts or berries. Out in the wild, you can live for up to three weeks without food, but you can only survive for three days without water.
John Edmond runs and writes regularly for http://www.livingandcampingoutdoors.com/ where you can read many more articles on outdoor living and recreation. Also go to http://www.wellspokenaudio.com/ for entertaining audiobooks on camping and much more.
A Few Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Camping Experience
When you go camping, you want to have a fun time. You don’t want to have a never ending list of problems to deal with. Well, at least I doubt you do.
Following are helpful tips to ensure a great time in the great outdoors. If you follow these tips, you’re much more likely to have a great trip.
Start by making a checklist so that you won’t forget anything. Nothing can mess up a camping trip like forgetting an important item.
Remember hygiene items like toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, toilet tissue, etc. Baby wipes are another really convenient item to have on-hand. Don’t take more than you need, though, as they are heavy.
Pack warm clothing even if it’s the middle of summer. Nights can tend to get a little chilly out in the woods, especially if you’re camping close to a lake or other body of water.
Check your tent before you leave on your excursion, even it’s brand new. Make sure there are no tears, broken zippers, etc., and if so, repair them. You don’t want your vacation ruined by waking up sopping wet if it were to rain and/or being bombarded by pesky mosquitoes and other insect annoyances either.
Check sleeping bags, air mattresses, pillows and blankets for mold and tears. You should air these items out during your camping trip as well.
Bring bug spray and/or citronella candles/torches, depending on your preference. Bugs can be a real pain on camping trips.
Bring a flashlight and check the batteries before you leave! When you’re out in the woods, there are NO lights…it gets dark!
Be sure to pack a First Aid Kit! If you already have one, check the expirations dates on all the items and replace if necessary. Also learn how to do basic first aid procedures.
Make sure to pack all food properly, perishables in particular.
Don’t forget utensils, charcoal and/or kerosene if you’ll be cooking at your campsite.
If kids are going along, have a talk about rules and safety guidelines both before and after you arrive at your destination.
Once you do arrive at your campsite, keep it clean! Any trash lying around, especially food items, will most likely attract uninvited, unwelcome and possibly unfriendly visitors, like raccoons, bears, etc.
BE SURE to extinguish all unattended fires while on and before ending your camping trip. Be very careful with fire and don’t take any risks - it’s not worth it.
Being properly prepared is the best way to ensure that everyone can relax and enjoy the camping trip. So make your list, check it twice and have a great time in the great outdoors!
Get the outdoor gear you need at Thompson Outdoor Supply. Be sure to check out our Military Survival Gear, too. http://www.thompsonoutdoors.com
Waterproofing While Camping
The leather kind of shoes is much more comfortable and flexible, especially at lower altitudes. There are commercial waterproofing confounds. There should be at least two layers of protection between the boots and your feet. You may consider use a synthetic sock for carrying moisture away from my feet and a synthetic/wool mixture for the outer sock for warmth and cushioning. You may want to add another sock the outer layer for additional warmth. It is recommended some form of waterproofing but I don’t think plastic boots are necessary at 6000 meters.
People have been walking in leather shoes on the snow. The only safety and health considerations would be if the boots are waterproofed (waxes or oils will keep your feet from getting wet and exacerbating hypothermia), or the tred is sufficient to prevent slips and falls (the number-one cause of death and injury in the outdoors - bar none).
There is an old recipe for waterproofing using bees wax and petroleum jelly melted together in equal parts and rubbed vigorously into a warmed shoe or boot (it softens the hands at the same time). You will need to dry and heat shoes and boots on the open door of an oven, heated to about 200 degrees. When the boots were dry and hot, they would brush Neat’s-foot Oil into the pores of the leather. It is called the weekly shoe-bake.
There are a lot of good commercial waterproofs for boots that work as well. Snow Seal is one that was produced out west in the U.S. and works pretty well waterproofing they advise. It’s be either silicone, a polymer, or some sort of organic oil or wax. Clean the boots, let them dry, and apply the waterproofing according to instructions provided with the product.
There are important advices on products & methods of waterproofing a tent. The best suggestion is to go to a camping store and buy commercial seam sealer and waterproofing supplies. A lot can depend on the type of fabric and where it is leaking.
If your tent is leaking around the seams, this is because there are tiny pin holes in and around the seam created by the sowing process. If this is the case, seam sealer alone will probably do the trick. Seam sealer can come in two types, seam tape or liquid seam sealer. A urethane-based seam sealer is better because it is more flexible in cold temperatures and creates a better bond with the tent fabric. A disadvantage is that it is messier to use than tape.
If the fabric itself is leaking you can get a silicone-based water repellent treatment for all kinds of tent and tarp fabrics. Most pretreated tents come from the factory with the coating on the inside. If you touch the inside of the tent with your fingers, the oils on your fingers can react with the treatment causing it to become less effective. Spraying it on the outside can help by preventing the material from absorbing water, causing it to be lighter when carrying a wet tent. Products with UV treatment can slow fading and reduce fabric degradation from harmful UV rays.
Just make sure that you get the right product for the fabric of your tent. If you wanted to make your own you just need a substance that doesn’t mix with water. Some items that you could use includes…
Lanolin - boil some sheep’s wool and scrape the oil of the top. Do you have any sheep? This is flammable.
Coal Tar - Heat powered coal over a fire in a metal container and collect the liquid evaporating from the heated coal with a pipe leading from the container into a series of bottles. This is creosote and is used to waterproof railroad ties. This is very flammable.
Beeswax - You can buy this or raise bees. This is quite flammable.
Flax - Can be taken from the fleshy flax leaves, just underneath the tough skin. Not real flammable but will burn.
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for http://www.CombatCloth.info/ . CombatCloth.info carries the best selection of combat clothing, gear, and accessories on the market: http://www.CombatCloth.info/categories/adventure-clothing-foot-head-handwear-rain-gear-logo-apparel.html
Camping: How Not To Get Cold, Wet And Muddy!
For many people camping in the great outdoors is a fantastic and uplifting experience. For some it is plain hell. This Article takes a look at some reasons why - and what to do to put things right!
Some years ago a friend suggested we go on a camping trip. He’d just bought a new tent and was bursting to ‘christen’ it somewhere. At that time I’d never been camping in my life so I agreed and off we went.
Just to show the depth of our lack of know-how, we chose to go to the English Lake District in February. I’ll say no more - ask anyone who’s been there at the tail end of winter! Suffice it to say we arrived pretty wet and cold (we both rode motorcycles back then) and hurriedly pitched the tent then scurried off to the nearest pub to thaw out.
We got back and what followed was probably one of the worst nights I have ever spent. I was freezing and the thin sleeping bag I had was useless. I think I managed to get to sleep at about 5a.m. - sheer exhaustion claiming me.
When I woke I glanced at the radium dial on my watch. It was 9.30a.m. - and still pitch black. I couldn’t figure this out so opened the tent flap to discover about four inches of snow were covering us!
My friend woke up, teeth chattering. We ‘discovered’ quite quickly that we had -
No stove
No matches
No food worth a damn
No drinks
No dry clothes
All I can say in our defence is that we a were very young!
We packed up the tent as fast as we could and headed home, blue with cold and swearing never to go camping again. It was in fact some time before I did - but it was with someone this time who knew what they were doing. What a difference!
My first two times camping taught me a very important thing. It brought home the fact that, being accustomed to a cosy home and a nice warm bed, I hadn’t the first clue how to stay comfortable in the great outdoors. Why should I? As a product of modern civilization My habits were ingrained by a lifetime of relative ease.
And yet it’s just as easy to stay dry and warm when camping, except in the severest of weather - and even then you can get by. It’s all down to knowhow. I’m not talking about being a ‘wilderness expert’ or having the survival skills of a member of the SAS either. It’s just knowing a few points on living outdoors and applying them.
So how do you learn these points? Well, you can either do as I did (no please don’t do that!) or you can read up on it or join an outdoor centre or group. A lot if it lies in the ability to ‘think outside the box’ of modern urban living - the creature comforts we all take pretty much for granted. Manage to do this and you won’t be wet, cold and muddy!
So don’t let my first experience put you off. Choose a nice summer night, stay somewhere not too far from habitation and assimilate the necessary know-how before you leave. I’m sure that then you will enjoy your camping experience and it will become for you, as it has for so many, a lifelong passion.
Steve Dempster writes articles such as the one above as part of his working day. Learn more about how to enjoy camping at http://www.anewlife4u.co.uk/camping.html or visit his walking website at http://www.countrywalkers.co.uk for tips on walking generally.
