Wrap Up Warm for Winter Glamping
Although the end of the summer break felt more like mid-autumn, with leaves falling from the trees, we still have most of autumn and winter ahead of us to enjoy. We had a real scorcher of a summer so we’re absolutely ready to embrace the changing seasons and all the fun that goes with it, and glamping is a big part of that.
Summer glamping has a lot of appeal, but in 2022 it was simply too hot to enjoy a campfire, and many places banned them due to the risk of wildfires. In autumn we can light the fire once more, get the marshmallows out and wrap up in a blanket with a piping mug of hot chocolate. There are loads of tasty treats you can make on a fire, including baked apples, stuffed bananas, and even sweetened damper breads. Look online for other campfire recipes – there are ideas for whole meals plus ways of using barbecue techniques to create mouth-watering and warming dishes for the whole family.
The crispness of an autumn morning can’t be beaten for atmosphere, and in the early part of the season you can even enjoy an afternoon of t-shirt weather before it’s time to break out the knitwear once more. It’s that first cup of tea, enjoyed in the hazy morning light against the backdrop of a frosted landscape that brings a sense of groundedness and calm, and you can’t ask for much more from a holiday than that sense of inner peace.
Glamping in the autumn (and into winter) does mean it’s more wellies than sandals, and you’ll want to pack a warm coat and gloves and leave the swimwear at home. That said, it doesn’t mean you’ll spend the whole time trying to get warm. Glamping accommodation for the colder months needs to have a log burner or another heat source – many purpose built glamping pods have electric radiators that are ideal if you’re not confident in your fire lighting skills, not to mention convenient.
Electric heating is great if you’re glamping with kids, and there are many ways to stay warm at night with extra blankets, hot water bottles and even an electric blanket for that extra snuggle factor. Lots of people are put off glamping in the darker months of the year because they assume it means sleeping in all your clothes with a hat on, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’re prepared for the cold you won’t even notice it!
The activities you choose on an autumn glamping trip are likely to be a bit different from your choices in the summer. Paddle boarding is less attractive in a freezing cold river, and the beach probably isn’t going to entice you for more than a bracing walk, but there are lots of fun things to do in the autumn. A woodland walk is an ideal way to pass an afternoon and if there’s a country pub with a roaring fire at the end of it so much the better. Museums and stately homes will be open and are a great way to spend a rainy day.
Be sure to pack your walking boots, wellies, good socks and waterproof outer layers to keep you one step ahead of the weather, plus a good book, some favourite board games and a pack of cards to keep you entertained in the evenings once you’re gathered around the log burner or campfire. A head torch, hot water bottle and a warm blanket are also advisable at this time of year.
Wherever you choose to glamp this autumn, you will be prepared and equipped to make the most of this beautiful season.
