Do you ever come home from camping more tired than when you left?
Between putting up the tent, feeding everyone and finding lost wellies, a camping trip can feel like hard work. The calm we were hoping for slips away.
This week, why not take 15 minutes for a little hygge moment and try a mindful camping activity? One small, slow thing, just for you, in the middle of the outdoors.
Sitting on a log with your tea is a mindful activity.
Make it cosy
Find a quiet corner of camp and bring:
- A camping chair, cushion or blanket
- A warm layer, even on a summer evening
- A hot drink from the stove or a flask
- A small notebook and pencil
- A kind word to the family that you need 15 minutes
Your 15 minutes of mindful camping
- Choose one thing. Listening, sketching, stretching or simply watching.
- Breathe the air. Take five slow breaths and notice the smell of grass or woodsmoke.
- Use your senses. Name three things you can hear and two you can see.
- Do it slowly. Whatever you choose, do it at half your usual speed.
- Jot a line. Write one sentence about how this moment feels.
Slow it right down
There will always be another job at camp. Let it wait for 15 minutes. The tent will still be standing when you get back.
As you sit with your activity, try to notice:
- The layers of sound around the campsite
- How the light falls through the trees or across the field
- The feel of the ground, the chair and the cool air
- How your shoulders soften when you stop rushing
Finish gently
Take that calm back to camp with you and see if it changes the pace of the evening. If you would like more ideas, there are lots of mindful camping activities for wellbeing to try.
You could also:
- Take a slow barefoot walk on the grass at dawn
- Sketch the view from your tent door
- Invite the children to a five-minute listening game
- Do the same activity at home in the garden
Your 15-minute challenge
On your next trip, give yourself 15 minutes.
Step away from camp. Choose one thing. Do it slowly.
Then come back feeling a little lighter.
It does not have to be clever. It does not have to look like meditation.
It just has to be yours.
Camping is better when you remember to be there.
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