Camping is an escape into the wild, where you leave behind your everyday work life and exist in an entirely different way. Camping is a low cost and interactive way to enjoy your holidays, with many treasuring fond childhood memories of spending their summer holidays camped out in a variety of areas and playing in the great outdoors.
Camping is a fantastic way to spend the holidays with friends or family, camping offers a way to disconnect with the technology we use while working and immerse yourself in nature. From beachside camping grounds, to wild camping areas in national parks there is a huge variety of places and activities to explore. With spring starting to gain traction and sunny weather ahead, here are some fun camping activities to enjoy this season.
Fishing
A relaxed sport for those of all ages, fishing is a fantastic way to experience nature.
Fishing is a popular activity for visitors to Bewl, attracting many to fish the banks around the reservoir each year. While many experienced fishermen come to fish each year, here at Bewl we encourage newcomers to try their hand at fishing as well. We offer classes with experienced fishermen and tackle hire for those new to the pastime. As the largest reservoir in the south east many fishing enthusiasts come to our reservoir and congregate along the banks as well as fishing from the reservoir in boats which are available for hire. At our tackle and fishing equipment shop we have a wide range of permits available for junior and experienced fishermen alike!
Please note that to fish in Bewl Reservoir we will ask you to book a permit beforehand.
Open Water Swimming
When you are camping a large part of the charm is the enjoyment that comes with immersing yourself in nature. Whether you are swimming in the sea, or a reservoir like Bewl, it is an incredible feeling swimming in the outdoors, surrounded by incredible scenery.
We would of course recommend that if you go open swimming, you choose an area with a lifeguard or bring other competent swimmers with you to ensure you stay safe out on the water.
Rounders or Cricket
Whether playing rounders, cricket or baseball, these activities are a great way to spend time in the sunshine. Great fun for all the family, these games can allow everyone to spend an enjoyable time together. Some people bring the kit to set up a game with them in the car and others can create a DIY court using jumpers or rocks as markers.
Be considerate of other campers and stay well away from other tents when you are playing. As fun as these games are, knocking over someone’s morning cup of tea with a well struck baseball is unlikely to make you any friends!
Capture the Flag
A fantastic way to enjoy the evening, capture the flag works best in woodland. Each team has a flag and a territory which is marked out. Each team must attempt to capture the other team’s flag without losing their own. Any team members ‘captured’ in another team’s territory can be taken to a ‘prison’ area until they are released by another member of their team.
If it has become dark, playing the game with torches can add a fun twist to the game, although reminders to be careful may be in order for younger players.
Board Games
A rainy evening can present the opportunity to spend quality time together playing games under canvas. Teaching your kids how to play or even arranging a tournament for them to compete and compare their chess skills is a fantastic way to spend an evening.
If you want to expand the number of players past two, there are other board games such as monopoly, jenga and articulate that will entertain the whole family. Games such as monopoly can sometimes take over an hour to complete and can act as a fantastic bonding experience as a larger number of people can join in the game and play. Make sure you pack a game or travel chess in case the weather rules out games outdoors.
Card Games
Having a pack of cards in the car has saved many a rainy camping weekend. From twenty-ones and snap, to poker and blackjack, there are a wide variety of games you can play with a deck of cards. A popular way to measure who is winning or losing, is to bet using matchsticks.
These games are fun and fantastic bonding experiences, and the element of luck involved in many games means that everyone has a chance of winning no matter the experience of the players involved.
Another card game to try, Uno is a family favourite for people of all ages. Starting a game in the afternoon after a long morning hiking or sightseeing can be a great family activity for everyone to participate in. Uno has the advantage of being small and compact and as such is very easy to stash in the car to be brought out in a lull between more active pursuits.
Campfire & BBQ
Setting up a campfire for a barbeque for cooking and to warm up is an iconic part of the camping experience. While using a gas stove to cook your food can be less work, you may lose some of the magic of the experience. From roasting marshmallows and creating the perfect barbeque hotdogs, enjoying a campfire is a universal experience.
If it is still early in the evening, telling stories and creating a sing a long can be fantastic ways to close the evening. Sitting around a campfire telling stories and enjoying the company of family and friends has been a human activity since time immemorial. The experience is almost always an icebreaker for creating new friends. If you do decide to stay up past sundown around the fire, singing for example, please be considerate of other campers who may have small children or early sleepers. Of course, you can always invite them to join you! Campsites are often great ways to make new friends.
Not all campsites allow fires or barbeques so make sure to check any site rules and regulations ahead of time.
We would welcome a visit from any prospective campers at our Bewl Water campsite. To learn more about our camping experience, please contact us here.