As people turn to camping for their holidays in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic, a recent survey shows that as many as two thirds of people aren't sure how to pitch a tent.
With changing times, a camping trip that was once a rite of passage for any teenager, isn't as common as it once was and the skills once learned by all are no longer a ubiquitous part of growing up.
Camping in the Forest, with 16 sites in England and Scotland, is running a free class to cover the basics of camping and outdoor holidaying, to fill the gaps and help novice campers learn to pitch their tent, how to set up and use a camping stove and basic outdoors first aid.
The "Elemen-Tree School" courses are designed to give a fun grounding in the essentials needed to enjoy camping and related outdoor activities including taking a compass bearing on your Ordnance Survey map, cooking a delicious one-pan meal and bandaging a bruised arm, giving the confidence to go ahead and embrace all that camping has to offer without worrying about what to do.
The sessions are being run at selected Camping in the Forest sites in late June to early July, at their Holmley, Hollands Wood and Ashurst campsites in the New Forest and Bracelands Campsite in the Forest of Dean
Bracelands Campsite - Image: Facebook (Camping in the Forest)
Places on the camping classes are on a first come first served basis and details can be found at the Elemen-tree School page
Speaking to Gloucestershire Live, Kevin Wells of Camping in the Forest explained that with soaring demand for camping and restrictions around the pandemic, many new campers aren't able to take their first camping trip with someone experienced and that these courses are designed to enable new campers, saying that
"With so many trying their hand at camping for the first time this year, we want to give people....the chance to improve their outdoor knowledge and learn new skills, all whilst re-connecting with nature - and having fun too."
