Solo Glamping to Reset Your Mind
Glamping is a great choice for families and groups of friends but it’s also the perfect solo vacation. A long weekend with your own company, plus that of a few good books can do wonders for the soul, acting as a kind of reset against the stresses of modern life. Getting back to basics is a wonderful, but underrated mental tonic, allowing you to focus on what is really important in the moment. Glamping provides this, but with a few luxury touches to make it a stress-free experience.
Most glampsites have a communal area, whether it’s a kitchen or a barbecue area, for people to congregate. This means you can seek out company when you want it, but you can also have your privacy and the freedom to do what you want in your own time and on your own terms. If you blow the budget on a high-end glamping experience complete with hot tub, then you’ll get it all to yourself to soak and unwind of an evening without having to make conversation.
At a time when we may all be struggling to get back into the swing of a normal social life it’s important that we take time for solitude and reflection. It’s so easy to lose sight of your own wants and needs when you’re spending a lot of time catching up with people you haven’t seen in months; it is vital to get that alone time to decompress and think. A solo glamping trip gives you the chance to do this in nature, which we know is an incredibly healing environment.
A solo glamping trip needs careful planning, as you want to ensure you have a balance between down time and activities. Without the company of others you get to set the agenda, however, this can be a bit daunting if you don’t have an idea of what you’ll do with your time. Select a few good books that you’ve looking been forward to reading, or load up your Kindle with your reading list and you’ll have instant entertainment. You’ll want to have some physical activities too, such as some nice walks or yoga sessions in the wilderness, so make sure you pack your walking boots or trainers, and a yoga mat.
At night you can engage in some stargazing or wildlife spotting – there are many places (often part of, or linked to glampsites) offering badger watching or night safaris and this can be a lovely way to spend an evening. Stargazing doesn’t need a telescope and lots of knowledge of the heavens, there are many apps you can use that will identify planets and constellations so you can wrap up, lie back and gaze upwards. If you live in a city you’ll be stunned by how many stars there are in the night sky, that you can’t normally see because of light pollution.
There are few things that can rival a leisurely morning; we love the slower pace that glamping insists on and this lends itself to a lie in, a pot of coffee and a long brunch before a steaming hot shower and a couple of hours with a good book or some gentle exercise. We think that when you’re glamping, you should succumb to this slower pace and free yourself from the crazy time restrictions we place on ourselves in everyday life, savouring every moment.
All the ideas we have mentioned are forms of mindfulness, and learning this practice can really boost your mental health and your resilience. If there’s something you do for the first time on your solo glamping trip that you really felt refreshed by, then try to incorporate this into your normal life. You might find you’ll take yourself away for several more solo glamping trips to relax and unwind away from the hustle and bustle of modern life, and the demands of people.
