Welcome To Camping with Style – This Is Our Story

March 22, 2014 ShellyWelly

Like it? Help us by sharing it!

I am a passionate camper and a lover of the outdoors. I write blogs professionally for a large number of clients, but what with working full time, being a mum, running a freelance training business and having an active social life as well as numerous hobbies, I never felt like I had time to write my own blog. This is something I have wanted to do for such a long time and I’m delighted to finally be writing my first post!

Me walking Catbells in Cumbria

In March of this year, we bought yet another new tent after spending weeks researching. Much of our existing camping gear has been very well used and as a result, had seen better days, so at the same time, I started looking for pretty, yet practical camping gear that would allow me to continue camping after my accident (read about how I broke my back here) but was disappointed by what little I was able to find. I found only a handful of websites specialising in design driven camping gear, and the other blogs I found were more aspirational and lifestyle in their focus. Others were aimed at providing the glamping experience, but there was nothing aimed at the DIY glamper.

I realised that there might be a teeny tiny gap for a blog like this, written from the point of view of a passionate and very much hands on camper, who also happens to have a keen eye for design and likes anything that is both practical and pretty – and so my blog was born!

The first bell tent I bought after starting this blog

Glamping Doesn’t Have To Cost The Earth

It’s easy to go ‘glamping’ if you have a limitless budget, but the glamping websites I did find, featured fancy tents and products that were all prohibitively expensive and well beyond my budget. I love design but I am adept at finding bargains, and whilst my blog is by no means aimed at budget campers, it does provide plenty of ideas and shows you where you can get beautiful and practical camping bargains from.

The Natural World Makes Me Happy

I’m happiest when I’m outdoors and regularly need a nature fix. The Great British weather provides limited fair weather camping opportunities and as a result I’ve camped in all weathers, from blistering sunshine to torrential storms that have flooded my tent and gale force winds that have snapped poles. The wellbeing benefits that can be reaped from spending outdoors whatever the weather though, keep me coming back for more.

How I Discovered My Love For Camping

I started out camping as a child with my dad in the summer. His friend would take his son, who was a similar age to me, and the four of us would spend just a night or two camping in the countryside. As soon as I could drive, I bought myself a little 3-man Lichfield dome tent. Any time I could afford to, I’d set off in my little Fiat Uno and 4 hours later I’d arrive in Wales ready to pitch up. When my daughter was born, as soon as she could walk I took her camping and for the next few years, for 3 or 4 weekends each summer the two of us, along with my sister, would set off on a little adventure, usually ending up near the coast somewhere in Wales.

I’m not a huge fan of rigidly organised campsites with set pitches, I like the freedom to choose where I want to be, and I prefer the wilder feel of simply rocking up and pitching wherever I fancy in a field, on the river bank or in the sand dunes.

Back in those days, and with youth on my side, I didn’t even have an air mattress, just a change of clothes and toiletries, my sleeping bag, torch, pillow and little ghetto blaster. It’s hard to get much more basic, but over the years, whilst my love of camping has continued, I now prefer to do it in comfort.

One of my hobbies (LARP Live Action Roleplay) involves camping events which typically last 4 or 5 days. I go to a minimum of 4 such events each year, and when you start spending anything more than a day or two living in a tent, you quickly learn how to utilise space and what essentials you need to ensure the experience is pleasure rather than an ordeal.

I’m also a keen amateur photographer, and so with my trusty Canon at my side, I’ll be sharing real life camping trips and outdoors adventures with you. I will also be sharing some of my best camping related finds along with tips, advice and reviews, to help you go camping in style.

Shelly x