Those considering a West Highland walking tour will need to consider the camping options they will have along the way.
Wild camping is legal in Scotland unlike the rest of the UK, meaning you can camp pretty much anywhere you want. There are some exceptions in places of overuse, where local bylaws are in place such as Loch Lomond, but if you want to head into the wilderness you can pitch up pretty much anywhere.
The main thing to remember is to leave no trace, in order to protect the local environment, but other than that pretty much anything goes.
There are of course many campsite which families may find useful as they will have various facilities that can be helpful for those travelling with children. Some brave souls may even attempt camping with a toddler, here are some tips for people attempting this.
Packing
The success of your campaign trip may come down to the packing. Going away on any trip with young children involves taking everything but the kitchen sink, and a campaign trip that actually involves taking some kind of sink with you is going to involve military operation levels of packing.
You have two options: submit yourself to the fact it may take days to pack or go to a campsite with a range of facilities such as charging stations, fridges and washing up areas.
Sleeping
Taking a toddler camping will probably involve a travel cot. This is beneficial for a number of reasons: 1. It will be warmer than sleeping on the floor and 2. It will be safer as they won’t be able to get out and go roaming around in the middle of the night.
While this means more to carry it is ultimately beneficial as your toddler may sleep better in a travel cot than a sleeping bag in a new environment.
Eating
Toddlers and children are going to get hungry according to their schedule, not when you have managed to build the campfire. This means you need to pack a lot of quick to prepare food or out of the packet snacks.
Once you have managed to get your camp stove or fire going then you might actually find the food preparation fun. While children obviously can’t go near the fire they may like to sit around it and watch this. Consider things you can toast and prepare on the fire itself.
First Aid
While adults may be able to grin and bear minor injuries, children won’t so make sure you take age-appropriate first aid for children. Take products to deal with cuts and scrapes, stings, bites and blisters.
Playing
This probably won’t require much encouragement with a toddler who will be thrilled to be able to access wide open spaces to run around and be noisy in. Take some outdoor play equipment for them but be prepared for them to not need it as they explore outside areas that are new to them.
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