Camp Wilderness

It is no exaggeration to say that the events of the past few years have been life changing. The world has altered forever, and terms like pandemic, face mask and social distancing have worked their way into everyday conversation. The impact of these events on the youngest in our society is obvious; with children exploring their social interactions differently to generations of the past, but what does this mean for the Camp Wilderness experience and those that are lucky enough to visit our woods?

With an action-packed itinerary full of bushcraft activities as well as advanced camps designed by adventurer and explorer Ed Stafford, there is plenty to get stuck into on camp. Ed explains that these camps provide unique experiences that cannot easily be replicated in everyday life. He emphasizes that children can benefit greatly from this opportunity, whether they attend alone or with their families. “During their time at camp, children can enjoy spending quality time in the fresh air, making new friends, and rising to new challenges. Camp Wilderness has created a rare opportunity that is not often available when looking for a kids camp or family holiday”.

From the very moment the children arrive in our woods to the second they step back into the car, their performance is not marked, graded, or analysed. The “tribes” that the children are split into are not based on academic achievement or physical ability. The children explore at their own pace, and our fantastic staff are encouraged to draw the thoughts and ideas from every child over the course of the camp.

We do not learn historical dates, recite times tables or write essays. Our range of activities rely on teamwork, imagination, humour and empathy. With every activity, the children receive instruction as a whole group, then again within their tribe - from a different voice, and then individually if needed. There are no barriers on creativity here. I have first-hand experience of the levelling effect our camps can provide. Indeed, what inspires me most is how the children quickly and regularly work as a team and make new friends with those they would never have mixed with in normal life. Our camps are a phone-free zone. This encourages children to look up, to see the world through their own eyes, and to share their experiences using their own voice. Outside influence stays at the entrance gate, and this effect encourages children to communicate more with what is in front of them, free from judgement or pressure. Rather than taking a photograph, children look carefully. Rather than watching wvideos, children create their own trends.

It is also a perfect antidote for young minds in this ever-increasing world of social media. For the duration of the camp, we are immersing the children in nature and removing outside influences, we can help them develop new perspectives and insights that will serve them well beyond the camp experience.

In a world where hand-washing and wearing face masks became the norm, sometimes all we wanted to do is splash around in the mud and get a little mucky. Our Camp Leaders teach children that there are times and places when we absolutely must but also that the dirt is your friend. There is immense power in children seeing adults set this example. We sit on old tree stumps, lie in piles of leaves, and gather round a smoking fire. We paint our faces with charcoal, pour water over our heads, and charge around the forest. And after a long day, we wash our faces, clean our teeth and change into clean clothes.

The term “getting back to nature” is very often used, but for me, the real experience is understanding that we are nature. We belong in the woods, and we can learn from our environment. Mud is not an obstacle and the noises of animals at night should not be scary. We respect our environment and learn from it.

The result of all this is what we like to call the Camp Wilderness effect. As one parent recently shared with us, their son emerged from our camp more confident, independent, and happy than ever before. He had abandoned the screens that had been dominating his school year and was busy playing “tribes” with his friends in the garden. We believe that this is the kind of transformation that all children can experience when given the chance to explore the outdoors and connect with nature.

We’re excited to welcome your children into to our woods and help them discover all the joys and wonders that nature has to offer. It’s not just a break from the real world; it’s a chance to create life-long memories and inspire a love of nature that will stay with your child for years to come.

If the idea of getting outdoors appeals to the adults in your family too, we also run weekends where you can come along which offer the perfect chance to reset and reconnect with each other in nature, while participating in wholesome outdoor activities. These weekends encourage you all to spend time together and learn something new as a family while having fun in the great outdoors.

In short, we are perfectly poised for an incredible summer ahead. I cannot wait to meet those who are lucky enough to visit our camps. Not only is it a once in a lifetime experience, I believe that there has never been a better, and more necessary time, to do it than right now.

We have 5 camps across the UK with prices starting from £239 per child and £409 per family. You can find out more at campwilderness.co.uk