Wild camping with kids
Well, we did it. We made it! All the way to the Isle of Mull for our camping trip we sailed! And what an adventure we had. I must say, the trip was particularly successful because of the people we camped next to, and the community that we became part of. We discovered new places, tried new activities and ate delicious food (all food is delicious on a beach, even with a healthy coating of sand curtesy of our (obsessed) digger dog). Was it perfect? Far from it. The word everywhere might sum up our experience. Sand was everywhere, water was everywhere, accidents (all kinds) were everywhere, unscrupulous sweets were everywhere – I’m still finding the remains! Wild camping with kids turned out to be unpredictable, and could be described by a whole list of there is no should be-s.
https://thereisnoshouldbe.com/wild-camping-in-scotland/
Accounting for character
Dogs
Take for example my dogs. My old collie dog, Fingal, quiet and curled up, usually feardy around other dogs, and increasingly sleepy, was the most out going of us all. He was joyously digging in the sand at any opportunity, letting out barks of excitement, which was basically tourettes for “happy happy happy!” 
My young pup (nearly 2) who is normally the most loveable doodle, bounding around everyone and anyone like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, became increasingly withdrawn, planting himself in the ground with a doleful expression, asking when on earth we can go home, and eventually digging himself a hole in the sand and rooting himself in.
Children
This is how it was with the children. Anytime I knelt down to cook, or bang in some pegs, or adjust the guy ropes I found my child clambering on my back. We returned to an ape like state, with my infant glued to my back.
New place, new routines to build from scratch – my children thrive on routine – not set by me of course, but they have found the things in life that float their boat, make them tick, and give them comfort and assurance. These could not all be found in our camp, and an adjustment was required. Don’t you think this is resilience?
But there is no should be, and other areas of resilience that I could normally expect, were much thinner spread. Normally my construction loving children could build the fire pit. They set their tents for fun regularly in the garden. 
They take great pleasure in cooking over a trangia. Not on this trip. Their resilience was employed in other departments. Wild camping with kids – a new reading place had to be established. A new set of activities had to be discovered. Dinner bowls became digging implements, and swimming trunks became the new trousers. There is a limit to the amount of resilience for limited departments of interest.
Boredom when camping
Though they had caught little minnows and created an aquarium (with no sun my sun dial idea was nowhere to be found), I was surprised that the children did get stir crazy in our little bay. Our first full day there, and with a morning of midges and rain, everyone was ready to see beyond the four walls of the sea and the coast. We piled into the car in search of new horizons – an island, Ulva was recommended to us, with an old croft house display and a bistro, just a very short ferry ride away. Only after a short drive we were turned back due to road works.
In the end we happened across a sculpture park, of all things in the supposed wilderness, with an ice-cream bothy, a cafe and a gallery. On this trip I had hoped for discovery through nature, and now we were in the civilisation of a woodland sculpture park. The children, it seems, are far less bothered by civilisation than I. What delight, imagination, even ornithology, finished off with a flying fox (zip wire). The children at least managed to find a rain appropriate activity, that turned the day around. The no should be of wild camping with kids, it seems, must also include an openness to art and civilisation!
But no matter, at dinner I determined to pack for breakfast on the beach, where I felt sure that the next day would get off to a much better start if the midges were not also breakfasting on us.
Day of sun
At last, the predicted day of sun arrived, for which the entire camping trip hinged. I had waited out the rain of the previous day, and hand washed many pairs of trousers from the accidents of the day before. And my son was still in his very last tiger onesie having completely run out of clothes. Travelling is a big deal for littlies! This was the day I was waiting for, and was it worth it? Slowly the layers came off, waterproofs and jumpers, like shedding cares. The sun glistened, the children played, and finally the clothes on the line of twine between our two tents were drying.
Likeminded campers
Wild camping with kids awakened the hearts of other multigenerational campers: One gentleman went out fishing and brought us back mackerel which we had for lunch. He advised the boys on leaving out crates, and they caught two rare blue trouts! Our neighbours took their very new puppy onto their paddle board, and let my oldest son take a turn to paddle out, which became his highlight of the trip. Another camper gave them a turn in her canoe. The community of people who choose to ‘wild’ camp were
generous and open minded people. They were all there for different reasons, some had no home, some were down memory lane, some were drawn back to the same spot for that sense of community, and some were forging new paths and adventures.
Camping for self discovery or community
How interesting that our trip, originally intended to expand our horizons and strengthen our family dynamic, was so enhanced by people around us. It was very mind opening the presence of likeminded people. Our very kind neighbours and their tiny puppy were high entertainment for the boys, and a moment here and there for me.
Church
This week we discussed the question around being a christian independently, or in a church. There is a lot that can be said around this subject. But I felt convicted on this camping trip, that finding likeminded people can be enormously encouraging, especially when you’re on your own with three cheeky boys, and two cheeky dogs. Also, I like to think that our boys encouraged others too. They had a lot to say.
As we move forward on this unravelling road of homeschooling, I feel more sure than ever that we can endeavour to meet likeminded people that can mutually encourage, and be encouraged.
Parents wild camping with kids
As for me, and completely unrelated to the above, I feel sure that I need to master sleep in a whole new way. Extreme sleeping – that is to become my new hobby of passion. It simply doesn’t do to take children camping and not sleep. Taking it to the extreme I would learn to sleep in any old place. But more realistically, I will need to stick to the tent challenge, possibly on weekends… every other month…
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