Camping in itself can be a very enjoyable experience. You’re brought back to basics which can be a welcome change from our busy high tech lives.
However, after you camp a few times you might begin to wonder if there is anything to do that can enhance the experience. To make more memories. You will be glad to know that there is. Lots More!
The list below is by no means exhausted but I wanted to keep the list focused on activities that aren’t local specific. Your local campsite might offer additional activities such as archery, horse riding or even beekeeping. Check out what is available in your area before your leave a make plans for a great time.
1.Hiking
Hiking is about the easiest things you can do while camping. Not only is it a great form of exercise but it also helps to clear the mind. However, there are a few thing you should know before just walking off into the wild.
Know where you are going
There a thousands of trails throughout the countryside. Some are well marked while others expect you to know what you are doing. Buy a map of the area and study it before you leave. You should know how to read a map and navigate in case you get lost. It is a good idea to take a gps in case things go really bad. If you want to know how to navigate without a GPS then read my post here.
Know your limits
Pick out a trail that you will be fit enough to complete. If you’re with others make sure you consider them too. This is meant to be a fun experience, not a fitness test. Start small, especially if you have never went hiking before. It is a lot harder to walk 10 mile on an uneven trail than it is on pavement.
Check the weather
I’m not saying don’t go hiking if the weather is bad. There lies an extra challenge in hiking in the rain but make sure there isn’t anything silly about to happen, like a storm or severe heatwave. You will need to know this so you can pack accordingly.
Pack the right gear, not all your gear
Your backpack should contain everything you will need and nothing else. The biggest problem newbies have is packing too much stuff into their backpacks. Even though they may start off feeling light when they’re a few hours into a hike and the sun is beating down you will be cursing every item you have with you. Unfortunately, this is just something you will learn over time but there are some things you should always have with you. They are the 10 hiking essentials which are;
- Navigation
- Sun Protection
- Insulation
- Illumination
- First aid
- Fire
- Repair kit and tools
- Nutrition
- Hydration
- Emergency Shelter
Click the link above for more information on the 10 essential hiking items.
Footwear is essential
The only way you will be getting around is on your feet so make sure you look after them or you won’t be going anywhere. Invest in a good pair of hiking boots. You can get light hiking boots at very reasonable prices these days. Why boots? When you are walking uneven terrain it is very easy to turn over on your ankle. The high walls of the boot will help stop ankle strain. Socks are also very important to get right. Make sure they aren’t cotton. Cotton will hold moisture which will make it easy for you to develop blisters. A thick pair of wool or synthetic material will work best.
Clothing is important
Like your shoes it is important to be comfortable if you want to enjoy your hike. Again, avoid cotton like the plague. Lightweight modern materials are the way to go.
Take enough food and water
If you have never went hiking before then it will be hard to know how long it will take. Always expect to be away longer than you planned.
Be mindful of wildlife
Try to stay to pathways. If you walk off track you may run a greater risk of encountering aggressive wildlife such as snakes. Be mindful of the foliage as well. Don’t go chopping your way through thick bush unless you need to. There is nearly alway an easier way if you take the time to look. Respect the surrounding you’re in and, as I always say, work with nature, not against it.
Let other know your plans
If you get lost then you will want to have the knowledge that someone will eventually come looking for you. When you make a plan, let someone else know and don’t change them afterwards. If someone knows your plans you will be much easier to find.
Leave no trace
As I said above, respect your surroundings. You are being treated to the wonders of nature and we all have to keep it as clean as possible so that we can all enjoy it in the future. Unfortunately not everyone shares this view so you may come across rubbish from time to time. Why not pick it up and dispose of it properly when you get back home. I know it isn’t yours but it only takes a second and if you don’t it will just be there the next time you go hiking.
2. Fishing
Fishing is one of those activities that you love or you hate. For those not able to relax and want your next fix of adrenaline then this will not be for you. I have went fishing only a few times in the past and I have enjoyed it each time.
I would like to add that I didn’t catch very much but I don’t think that is what fishing is all about. When fishing alone you have time to really think without feeling like you should be doing something else, because you already are doing something. I found this extremely relaxing.
And when I was with company the conversation was able to get really deep, probably for the same reason. Some of my best chats with my son have been when we were fishing.
And the added bonus is if you actually do catch something then preparing it and cooking it on a campfire, well, it just makes you feel great.
Before you go running off the your nearest river there is a short list of things that you may not know about.
The main thing you need before starting is a fishing licence. This is in place to stop overfishing. Make sure you have one or you could get in trouble.
It may seem like a no brainer but make sure you keep your stuff dry. A simple ziplock bag for you phone and wallet will save them.
Get to know what equipment you need. I’m not going to list all the gear here as we would be here all day. If you are just starting out then it might be a good idea to rent the gear and go on a guided fishing tour. This is a great way to meet new people and to learn a few fishing tricks.
Make sure you take enough food for yourself. Sometimes you are thinking so much about the gear you should be taking that it can be easy to overlook the basics.
Make sure you know the surroundings. There could be dangerous wildlife in the area. Have a chat with the local bait shop guy and you will soon know the best places to try.
3. Climbing/Abseiling
This is a great way to spend a few hours but you don’t want to be trying this on your own if you’re a beginner. I only went climbing once before and I had mixed feeling about it. It was in a location where climbers went often so there were carabiners already in place. It was a 100 foot vertical climb. There were plenty of places to grab onto but it was really tough. After a few minutes my arms were dead. When this happens you have to lean back on the rope and let you hands dangle until they work again. You have to have complete faith in the rope and the guys holding the other end of it. Needless to say I probably wouldn’t have made it by myself because by the end the guys were taking up a lot of my weight so that I could make the climb.
Once I got to the top I had to abseil back down. This bit I really did like. Climbing can be very complementary to camping especially if you are planning a multi day trip. Always plan your trips in advance and let people know your plans. It is also a good idea to check in via sat phone on a daily basis. If you would like to learn more about climbing then check out this link.
4. Canoeing/kayaking
Traveling by river is one of the easiest way to get around. You can travel miles with very little effort and it offers you with a completely different perspective of the area. Canoes are also perfect for carrying your supplies.
Plan your trip in advance. Know how far you want to go each day and make sure you get off the river with enough time to make camp.
For those wanting a bit more excitement, then a kayak may be the way to go. These can tackle whitewater much easier than canoes however you do need to know how to use them. There is much less cargo room in a kayak so they aren’t great for traveling huge distances. They are more suited to day trips where you will be returning to your camp at the end of the day. You will have to plan how to get back. If you would like to learn more about canoeing then click on this link.
5. Cycling
Bikepacking has been growing in popularity over the past few year. You basically load up your bike with your gear and off you go. As always, I advise having a plan before you set off. Some countries don’t allow you to just set up camp anywhere. You may need to stay in campsites but if you’re conspicuous enough then you will be able to get away with it. Just pitch late, stay quiet and be up early.
The beauty about bikepacking is that it’s not just the camp that is great but you will also be able to fully enjoy the journey as well. When you travel by car from campsite to campsite you just don’t have the same appreciation of the countryside and the distances between places.
Just a little tip, if you’re not planning on using a campsite then make sure you plan to stop somewhere close to water. You will need to collect more and you will want to wash after a long day cycling. Click on this link to learn more about bikepacking.
However, if cycling all day to get to where you want to go doesn’t sound appealing to you then maybe you could try mountain biking around the campsite area. It really is a great way of seeing massive areas in a short space of time. Just remember to stop often to have a look around. When riding off road, especially on uneven terrain it is likely that you will have to focus on the trail ahead instead of the views.
6. Climbing Trees
This might sound like something just for kids but I promise you that you will love it. It has evolved over the years and has actually become an extreme sport, much like mountain climbing. I prefer this over mountain climbing because if you get tried you can stop for a rest on a branch and feel relatively safe.
However, just because you could climb to the top of the tallest trees when you were younger doesn’t mean you can do it now. Make sure you climb responsibly and don’t take any unnecessary risks. If you explore the sport of tree climbing further then the first thing you need to do is take a climbing course. You can then invest in ropes and all the other gear that is now part of tree climbing.
For me, if I find a comfy looking tree that has a few branches that are easy to get to then I will sometimes have a picnic in the tree. There is just something nice about being up high when I’m eating that I love. Maybe it’s the monkey in me. For more tree climbing info, click here.
7. Hunting
If you’re planning an extended camping holiday then you’re going to have to restock your food. If you’re way off grid then hunting is the most obvious choice.
Believe it or not I have never actually went hunting before. I dont class trapping as hunting. That being said, it is something I might do in the future if I need to. There is just one thing you never do, you should never hunt for sport.
If you are stalking an animal with the intent to kill it then you should be doing so for its resources. Even that sounds wrong. What I mean is, don’t waste the kill. Harvest the animal for its meat and anything else that you can use. Respect that you are taking a life so only do so if you need to.
You will need a hunting licence along with a registered weapon. If you’re a beginner then always go with experienced hunters to learn the ropes and know how to harvest and animal correctly. Check out your local hunting clubs to get started.
8. Bushcraft
This is actually one of my favourite camping activities and to be honest I really don’t do it as often as I would like. Every now and then (and when the weather is good) I will go off camping with nothing but a camping knife, a bottle for water and the clothes on my back.
Bushcraft is an exercise in survival. You need to know how to forage for food, trap fish without a fishing line, build shelter, make fire and cook on that fire. There is nothing more satisfying when your sitting eating food that you caught that was cooked on a fire that you started without matches in a shelter that you built.
You don’t have to go all the way. Simply trying the light a fire without matches is an enjoyable pastime when your not depending on it. For more bushcraft info then click on this link. And if you want to read my post on
9. Bird watching
When you’re lazing around your campsite most of us chat, read books but some of us just have our minds fixed on problems we might have back home. I have found birdwatching to be a great way of forgetting my problems, at least momentarily. You’re forced to focus on your surrounding and look and listen for new sounds. I have a small field guide book of birds for different areas. It is amazing the amount of different birds there are.
All you need to get started is a field guide, your eyes and ears. I set of binoculars or a monocular is also recommended but not essential.
This is something most people brush off as a silly past time that doesn’t really bring any benefits. This is not true. As I have already alluded to, this is a great stress reliever.
10. Reading
When we’re at home there always seems to be something to do but when we go camping you get to leave most of your responsibilities behind. When you have your camp set and you have no other activities planned then simply getting comfy and getting stuck into a good book can sometimes be the best activity of all.
If the weather is going to be bad but I had already planned on going camping I will always still go. Reading is great for when the weather isn’t and you’re stuck in your tent. It really shuts you off from the entire world so you can read without distraction.
For other things to do if it rains then read my post on the subject here
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