Photo by Kezadri Abdelhak on Unsplash
Most people will instantly think of camping as being muddy, damp, wet and cold at the best of times! So the very idea of adventuring out to camp in January might well put you off!
However, camping in January can be just as fun and enjoyable as in June - you just might need to make some additions and adjustments to how you go about it!
Take out the hassle of tents and wet weather by booking a site with glamping pods! Have a reliably dry place to shelter and adventure from, without a lot of the work that goes into maintaining a dry tent! No standing in the snow attempting to hammer tent pegs into the frozen ground! Also there’s noise reduction - being in a pod is like having walls those of you who are light sleepers will appreciate quieter surroundings! In Pembrokeshire, Fishguard Bay would be somewhere we highly recommend for just this purpose. Keeping warm when camping in the cold is vital and knowing how to capitalise on staying warm is really important. So with that in mind:
Make sure there is something between you and the ground. In a tent during the winter, something more than your normal ground mat will probably be required. You don’t want your body heat being pulled away from you and into the ground! A blow up mattress would be helpful here, but anything that will give you protection from the ground will help.
Get to your campsite early - because it’s cold, getting pitched up early - in the daylight and having the facilities set up to make warm drinks is vital. Get your tent up as soon as you can because pitching in the dark is a nightmare and in the winter is going to be much harder.
Think layers. Of course you will have your sleeping bags with you and your normal camping equipment, but we can’t recommend more highly, that you have multiple blankets with you - extra layers for sleeping with at night - but also for during the day if your activities are more stationary - and therefore you won’t be keeping your body warm through movement. Be prepared for snow! Especially in areas like Scotland and Wales where snow can hit without warning, preparedness here is key. You may think that the weather looks like it will be perfect for your camp, but just like with rain, snow will show up and you could have issues if you haven’t brought everything you need. Yes it may take up more space in the car, but you will be glad of having the equipment if you need it. Take a shovel with you and maybe something you can use for grip under the tyres of your car should you be stuck or need towing. (Spare pieces of carpet can be great for this)
Make sure blood can flow to your feet and hands - too many layers will constrict blood flow and could cause other issues - but beyond that, your hands and feet will be cold if blood flow is reduced.
Do not go to bed cold - under any circumstances. If you need to do star jumps, run laps, bounce up and down (turn this into a game for the kids) do that Have a warm drink and make sure that you are all tucked up whilst you are actually warm - rather than feeling the chill and getting into your sleeping bag to warm up.
So there you have it, our top tips for camping in January! If you regularly camp in colder weather and have any extra top info to share, we would love to hear from you and you can email us at: ecoescapecampsite@gmail.com.