Here is probably the best way to make the most of the time spent in wild camping ! Preparing meals in advance has many benefits. First, it allows you not to break your head once there. What could be better at mealtime than having only to heat up your little dishes? It is not necessary in wild camping to settle for hot dogs or meals in canes. By planning and cooking in advance, the menu becomes more interesting and complete.
Ready-to-eat food, to ration water needs during wild camping
Here is another very useful trick to limit water needs when you go wild camping : wash everything in advance! What I mean by that is to wash at home, while you have access to running drinking water, vegetables and fruits, but also to rinse the legumes that you will use to make your salad beans for example. For my part, I cut and store individually some vegetables that keep well even sliced, such as carrots, broccoli, lettuce and cauliflower, but I keep whole other vegetables that tend to deteriorate quickly such as cucumbers or peppers.
Assembling and slicing everything also saves time, space and limits waste. If I plan to make a salad of legumes, in a large dish, I will have assembled the different beans. Then, I will have separately prepared a small jar of vinaigrette and other small bags with my herbs, etc. Fruits and vegetables will also be counted in anticipation of accompanying such a meal or serving as a snack on such a day. As almost all meals are prepared in advance, the need for fresh food is minimal and does not take up much space in the cooler.
Drinkable yogurts
In addition, the water you plan to consume can be frozen in large canisters to obtain huge blocks of ice. These blocks keep much longer than bags of ice or traditional “Ice-packs”. As a bonus, they allow you to have fresh water for days, a luxury in wild camping in my opinion.
Wild camping and respect for the environment
As wild camping takes place in the middle of nature and sanitary facilities are not always available on site, there are a few simple actions to apply to avoid leaving human traces, and damaging these magnificent places in nature where we are the intruder. Very often, I was able to make the sad
It’s logical and very easy to set up if you do it from day one. Everything we bring to the camp must also leave with us when we leave. The ideal is to provide several garbage bags for the different types of waste: garbage cans, recycling and returnable bottles. If there are no containers available on the site, all this waste must be taken and disposed of in the right place. It may involve leaving with your garbage bags at the end of the vacation. During my stays on an island in Lanaudière, I have the opportunity to use the garbage collection service twice a week. All you have to do is be ready when you pass the pontoon that goes around the islands and give them my bags. This therefore makes it possible to limit the emptying to be brought back when returning to the mainland.
Bring a portable toilet, an essential when camping
If you’re like me and like to be isolated in wild camping , chances are that traditional toilets are absent on the premises or at least a little far from the camp. This is why the portable toilet is essential. For years we used our portable toilet full time when we went wild camping.. Even after the addition of an outhouse on the island, we continued to use it, preferring to take only a few steps at night, than to walk for 2 minutes in the middle of the forest in total darkness. That said, there are several types of portable toilets and it is essential to empty its contents properly, so as not to cause a mini-ecological disaster. Since the introduction of the dry toilet, we have become accustomed to keeping our personal toilet clean by frequently emptying it into the dry toilet tank and using it only for liquids.
Make a final inspection before leaving the premises to respect your neighbor
When the holidays are over and the big departure has arrived, taking a last tour of the place and making sure nothing is left behind allows everyone to have their own site and makes the experience positive for everyone. Care must be taken to clean the fire area and pick up any small waste that may have ended up on the floor. A friend of mine even brings a rake, to clean the sand well, which leaves a spotless site for future visitors.
Some obstacles that can hinder you from wild camping and solutions
Yes, wild camping when we are well organized and equipped is fantastic, but sometimes the weather is not on our side and the dream can turn into a nightmare. The absence of a shower on site can be distressing for some and the presence of biting insects a horror for others. Despite the unexpected, there is a way to turn the negative into a positive by applying a few solutions.
What to do in wild camping on rainy days?
In Quebec, the temperature varies a lot, but although rainy days in the city are not too problematic, in nature it is another story. This is why quality equipment is essential and why a mosquito net shelter is a good idea, so as not to be confined to the tent all day .