LOVE CAMPING? PERIOD

Does getting your period mean you should skip your next camping trip? Here’s why so many of us worry about camping during our periods –and why we don’t need to

This International Women’s Day (8 March), the world will be celebrating the adventurous spirit of females past and present. Yet many women, along with other people who menstruate, still find ventures into the natural world daunting during their period.

“I run a lot of expeditions, and I get a lot of questions from young ladies about it,” says expedition leader, Dawn Adam. She owns Wild Women Camping, a business that offers women in the UK courses in navigation and camping advice.

Adam has noticed women under 30 are especially nervous about camping on their period due to unpredictable menstrual cycles. “They are not sure when their period will start or finish,” she explains. “As women get older, they know when their period will be, so they can plan for it better.”

The Devon-based instructor says that while campsites have become a lot better at accommodating for menstrual needs, more should provide bidets and sanitary product vending machines for people who get their period unexpectedly. “So, if they do get caught short, they can get some sanitary towels from the machine.”

Roughin’ it

Another major concern for women, Adam mentions, is cleanliness. Women feel that, away from home comforts, changing their period pad or tampon may be a messy business. “What puts women off is being unclean,” says Adam.

Outdoor instructor Harriet MacMillan also agrees that a lot of young women avoid camping on their period due to hygiene reasons – especially when using pads. “If you’ve just started your period, some religions teach that you can only use sanitary towels,” says the owner of Navigation with Harriet, a navigation course provider for those who identify

Words by Frances Daniels

as women. “It makes it difficult to find a private spot to change and to keep your hands clean.”

Your period: A survival guide

So, what can women do to overcome these problems? First of all, make preparations –especially if you are prone to unexpected periods when travelling. Both Adam and MacMillan recommend bringing handwash and hand sanitiser in your backpack in order to keep your hands clean after changing your pad or tampon.

Fun fact: Getting outdoors on your period can help soothe cramps

MacMillan says you can also limit the number of times you need to change your product by opting for a menstrual cup. “I would say cups are easier to use because you need to clean them less often, as you only need to change them every 12 hours,” says the Cumbria native. “Plus, they are made of silicone, which is more environmentally friendly than plastic.”

A major problem with pads and tampons is their environmental impact, and MacMillan also points out that many products contain chlorine, which she calls a “hormone disruptor”. She advises: “If you can get some chlorine-free or organic ones, that would be much better.”

But if menstrual cups aren’t an option, are pads less hygienic and more high maintenance? “They are actually easiest to dispose of,” says Adam, who says that changing your pad while wild camping should not be a problem. “It’s remote, so no one can see you and you’re not relying on camping facilities –you can go behind a rock or a bush and use a friend as a lookout.”

It’s also important not to leave any waste behind and spoil the natural beauty of your surroundings, which can be accomplished by creating a waste system that works for you. “What’s really important is that we leave no trace of us being there,” says MacMillan.