Camping with a stoma | by Anna
Who doesn’t love a camping trip, especially during our British summers (this one has been surprisingly good)? Camping with a stoma can bring its challenges but that shouldn’t stop you enjoying the great outdoors.
I have so many great memories from camping holidays as a child with a stoma and have been on a few camping and glamping trips since my stoma made a return a few years ago.
The glamping trip was with my partner as he’s not keen on the bugs and mud but more recently I went camping with my mum and I had a blast (quite literally as the wind almost blew the tent away!)
Here is some advice for you if you are considering a camping trip:
- Do your research, whether you plan to wild camp or stay on a site, is the location good? What facilities are available and are they well maintained?
- If you can pick your camp/glamp pitch, choose one that is close to the bathroom but also comfortable – running across a field in the rain at 2am is not ideal.
- When picking a tent to buy, consider a pop-up tent as it saves a lot of time in setting up and requires a lot less bending and stretching.
- Take plenty of spare supplies with you – there is nothing worse than getting down to your last few bags whilst being away from home, particularly if you’re in a very rural area.
- Always have a small emergency grab bag with all your essentials in case you have an issue; it is much easier than going through all your things in an enclosed space.
- Crocs and Dryrobe! They have been a life saver for me, so easy to quickly put on even in the dark and rain to dash to the bathrooms.
- If you need to, don’t be afraid to empty your bag off the beaten path and wipe with a leaf (natures toilet roll) or into a black bag. Always make sure you dispose of waste appropriately in a bin and leave no litter behind.
- I quite often change my bag in the tent so having an electric power socket for a lamp is helpful but if not, a torch is worth packing.
- Plan your food – take easy to make food with you and stay well hydrated.
- If you are travelling by car and fancy a more luxurious experience, I would recommend taking duvets and pillows to stay cosy, it can get cold even in the summer.
Most importantly, go and enjoy yourself and make the most of being in nature!
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