Where to Start

Deciding where to go can be a minefield. Some adventures will please some but often not all.

The key thing starting off is this, there is probably more on your doorstep than you realise.

When you think of going for an adventure, your mind may start thinking about places like Durdle Door with its picturesque beach cliffs or Pen Y Fan with its Insta worthy summit picture opportunity but unless they are on your doorstep, a 3-hour car journey will overshadow any idyllic picture in your head.

Whether you live in an urban or rural setting, there’s adventures to be had all around us. There is a high possibility that no matter where you live, you will be near either of the following, beach, coast, river, hills, parks, forests, woodlands. You may even be lucky to have a few of these!

The good news is that we have all the answers in the palm of our hands. If you are a pro or just starting out, there are lots of websites and even more people on social media who have been there, done that and posted about it online.

A good trail to follow is this:

·      Google something like, Child friendly walks near me. Or Sandy beaches near me. Etc.

·      Pick your adventure

·      Work out how long it takes to get there (and most importantly back)

·      Search the location on social media (Instagram is best for this)

·      Ask around if anyone else has been there.

·      Go and make memories

When you get back and you have loved it, share it. Most parents will follow other parents on social media and the best recommendations come from people who are like you and without realising it, you will soon be keeping a closer eye on those who share their family adventures and before you know it, you will be battling the other parent to find the next cool location!

TOP TIP

When you are next on your commute to work or on the school run, have a look for potential adventure opportunities. Is there a bridge that goes over a river? If it does, chances are, there’s a footpath that goes alongside it. Is there a park? If there is, there’s probably greenspace where games can be played or opportunities to talk about nature with your children.

If you want to start going further afield, they you need to do your research. How long is the adventure, are there interesting features to this place that will keep the kids interested, is it pushchair friendly? There are many questions you need answers to but the key to finding a good adventure is to know your kids limits. How long are they happy hikers? Do they get bored easily?

·      Start local – you’ll be surprised what’s on your doorstep

·      Do your research

·      Look for interesting features to keep the kids entertained

·      Know your limits and more importantly, your kids limits

DON’T DO

Don’t worry about finding new places every time. If you child has a favourite place to go, then visit it regularly. It’s an easy win. However, being a parent, you will know kids can quickly change their minds. So, work out what they liked so much about that place and find similarities in other places to keep their interest.

Summary

·      Start local

·      Know your limits

·      Do your homework

·      Have fun

·      Share the knowledge

Camping tips – Getting a good nights sleep

My biggest advice I can give on camping with kids is this, forget about time!

If you are having a break from your day to day life, don’t get hung up on getting the kids to sleep at their usual bedtime, let them have fun, stay up late, burn as much energy as they can in the fresh air. Chances are, they will probably still wake up at their regular time but, unlike a school day, there’s no rush to get out the door, embrace the fact that you have nothing to do and no time limit to do it in.

Can’t beat a good camp fire with some marshmallows for toasting,

One of the hardest things to do as an adult is to switch off and go with the flow, our lives are filled with deadlines, appointments and “doing the right thing for the kids”. Camping in nature gives you that freedom to forget about time, your only priority is to eat, sleep and relax.

Everyones set up is different, do what works for you.

When the kids eventually get tired, the key to a good night sleep for them and us is comfort and warmth. Like tents, air mattresses have come a long way in the last decade. If you are like me, your early memories of sleeping on a air mattress will consist of it being lumpy to start and flat by the morning. Thankfully, this has changed, even the budget products retain the air and are designed to evenly distribute your weight allowing for a better sleep. Equally important is the material used these days are no where near as noisy when you inevitably roll over in the night!

Along with air mattresses, folding camp beds have developed into worthy alternatives. Previously they would be a construction nightmare with poles and canvas that never quiet go together as they should. Nowadays, they fold out effortlessly and given that they are off the ground, can offer better warmth.

Now, the next bit is probably going to be a bit controversial. For years I stuck to the sleeping bag and travel pillow (or even a folded up jumper) but I’ve moved to the comfort over practicality version of camping and it makes sense, why suffer? Sleep can make or break a camping trip. If the pillows from your house are comfy, take them, if the duvet is warm, take that too! Basically, if it will make you, your partner or your child a happy sleeper, then it’s worth taking.

No matter how much you go before you get in to bed, someone in your tent will, without doubt, need to pee in the night. You can fight the urge but if you do need to get out of your warm sleeping bag, then the next few lines could make that trip to the can more smoother.

Our luxury toilets at Everest ABC, Intermediate camp toilets were over a 20m drop!

Everest Advanced Base Camp

Firstly, know where you will put your bits that you will need. Depending on what you are sleeping in will determine what you will need. If you are clothed sleeping then just a hoodie our a coat will do but if you are going all naturey then you don’t want to scare your fellow campers by dashing out with it all out, get some kit on.

When on expeditions in the high mountains, a pee bottle is a great idea as going outside the tent could mean going into extreme conditions so a quick unzipping of the sleeping bag and a quick pee into the bottle can be very convenient. However, being woken up by the sound of pee hitting a plastic bottle is not the best wake up call. Sharing a tent with one other on expedition is one thing but when sharing with the family, you may not everyone’s best friend in the morning!

Essentially, what I am trying to say is this, camping is a time to take a break from the norm. Accept before you go that it’s not your house, not a 5 star hotel, it’s different. There are no rules (except keeping the noise down after 10pm).

You make the rules for camping!