"

As a creative person, is there anything you get from going camping in the wild as an artist?

I find being surrounded by nature and the wild is such a huge inspiration to my work and process, camping gives me the space and time to see and think creativity. It allows me to take a step back to appreciate and explore my surroundings and the environment I’m in.

Reading fiction in the woods

Camping by day and night

Talk us through a wild camping experience

Often when we are camping it involves lots of walking and exploring our environment, we forage a lot and I am often reading a foraging book or examining different mushrooms. Whenever I go camping I try to bring a fiction book (almost always fantasy) to read in the woods, there isn’t a better feeling of escapism than reading with no one else around for miles! 

We were at a campsite one time and we noticed a strange object in the sea. With further inspection through our binoculars, we noted it was a car that had poorly judged the tide times, there were so many warning signs! Looking back it probably ruined their whole holiday but we had quite a giggle at the time (apologies to whoever it was). 

It is always fun attempting to creep around the camp at night with a lantern and not bump into anything or anyone. I have quite often heard a noise in the middle of the night, opened my tent to have a sneaky look outside because I have convinced myself a wild animal is near but it is usually one of my friends sneaking off to the toilet. I am very thankful I do not live in a place where serious wild animals such as bears are a problem, it would make wild camping quite a different experience altogether.

"

What about wild swimming?!

I love wild swimming! We always try to make sure we are within walking distance of the sea or water, a camping trip is not complete if I haven’t been in a body of water. I would recommend it, 100%. I always jump or run straight in, it's the best way to do it. There aren’t many experiences which live up to the feeling of being submerged in wild water. I will say be careful, know your surroundings, tide times and any dangerous currents – stay safe out there! I made the mistake of staying far too long in the sea when the water was particularly cold and spent the rest of a hot summer's day in multiple layers, a coat, scarf and hat, haha whoops.

Exploring the environment

How do you choose a good spot to camp, what are you looking for?

It is tricky to find a good camping spot, I would say do your research as there are plenty of great places out there. We look for what surrounds the area, how quiet it will be and if it is near a body of water. We go on a lot of walks so we always check to see if we can do a lot of walking near our camping spot.

If the ground isn’t right and you lose the daylight, it can be incredibly stressful. I would recommend researching exactly where to go before you arrive just in case the environment has changed or is inaccessible. 

And finally, what are the top 5 camping essentials you’d recommend for a wild camping trip?

My top 5 essential items for wild camping are:

– A good quality lightweight tent, there is nothing worse than waking up to water in your tent.

– For me, a sketchbook and materials are essential – I forgot my trusty brush pen one time and we had to turn back for it.

– Waterproofs, thermals and a good quality coat to keep you warm at night.

– A reliable gas stove and matches!

– A Moka Pot or Cafetiere and coffee, even though we are wild camping there is always room in someone’s bag for coffee.

As you can tell, when I went wild camping I overpacked far too much, I do not recommend it – only pack what is essential, which of course is easier said than done.

Links

About Jemima Muir

Jemima is a multidisciplinary illustrator based in Birmingham, UK, with a background in film. Her playful illustrations lend themselves to story telling, suiting a wide variety of outputs from editorial pieces to packaging and branding.

Monthly
     Matter

        Cookie & Privacy Policy         Terms of Use       © Grand Matter 2023