Spring Glamping: packing essentials

The May long weekend is upon us! Warming campfire snacks and layers are as much apart of Spring camping adventures as Bug Repellant.

But don’t be fooled by short-term forecasts, sunny today, gone tomorrow. Spring Glamping takes a little more strategic thinking.

Here’s what’s on our Packing List so you can Keep Calm & Glamp On:

Lovely Layers: Evening temperatures in the Maritimes can drop to a mere 4 degrees celsius. Once the sun dips, even around the campfire it’s bone chilling cold. But it’s still worth hanging around for those clear starry skies.
- Layer up; Hoodies are great to keep the black flies off the back of your neck in early evening;
- Wool socks and cozy slipper boots keep toes snug
- Toque: The quickest way your body chills is through body heat escaping from your head. Don’t pack away your winter hats as they’re the perfect accessory for Spring Camping. And speaking of keeping that heat inside your head – pack a little Dry Shampoo and save the shower for when you’re back home.
- Hand & Foot Hotties – shake ’em up and stick them in the foot of your bed and under your pillow. Like a hot water bottle to get your bed cozy before tuck in for the night!
Comfort Food | Quick & Easy: If the sun hides behind a cloud, it can feel more like early Apr. rather than mid-May and BBQ’ing can prove chilly. A hot-pot of noodles and sauce can help your inner-glow.
- Make ahead as much as possible; one-pot meals are easy around the campfire and makes clean up short and sweet;
- Hot-Pot: Think Spaghetti Bolognese: Pre-Cook your pasta prior to departure for extra simplicity and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Spicy curries warm you from the inside out. Bring plenty of Naan or your favourite breads for scooping out your bowls and pots – another pre-cleaning trick for easier wash-up.
- One pot meals are easy to heat on a propane stove after that first day set-up.

- A wheel of brie! Beer and nachos perfect in July. A Spring ‘must-make’ of ours is a hot wheel of brie, melted in tinfoil on the BBQ and baguette to tear & dip. Some local honey or chutney from a farm market adds to the Glamping experience.
Spring Swimming? Last weekend we visited one of our partner South Shore Glamping locations for a little off-grid adventure. The lakes, the ponds, the streams at Windhorse Farm; they called to us (or at least some of us) and resistance was futile: our annual ‘Mother’s Day’ plunge was ON. Instead of a lake, we chose the Beaver Pond for it’s nearby proximity to a ferociously toasty wood-fired sauna. If you’re going to take the plunge this weekend, make sure you’ve a little pre-thought put into your plan:
- How will it take to warm you up afterwards?
- Have a… Toque, Campfire, Sauna nearby?
- Don’t wait too long to get the heat on. One of our nature lovers strolled in the streams, then plunged in the lake and by the time we were making our way to the wood-fired sauna, his toes and legs were already feeling the effects of the cold water temperatures. While he insisted on a Beaver Pond plunge after a brief reprieve indoors, we made sure he spent long time under blankets after the sauna. So don’t fool around with the cold waters, know the signs of hypothermia and make sure if you’re plunging, you’re smart about the re-heat process.
The Evening Clean-up:
- Don’t get bogged down with the clean-up. Have a big pot of water onto boil early.
- Get your team involved in the wash-up! Eco-friendly wipes can help as can compostable plates. Although we prefer multi-use dishes with a focus on sustainable travel.
- Remember, for short getaways, dishes can be thoroughly washed back at home. A little healthy dirt is good for the immune system! (said my Grandmother, Mother…and now apparently me).
BUG-off: May is all about the Black Flies in our neck o’ the woods. Here’s a few deterrents:
- Smokey fire
- Citronella candle;
- Natures Natural Solutions ‘Pestoff‘ spray. We particularly love Pestoff for it’s essential oil and 100% natural composition. It smells good and it’s safe to use on your pets too!
Hot water bottles: Great if you are off-grid or don’t have an electric plug-in mattress.
The Earth is Soggy: That winter thaw makes for squelchy ground in the shadowy forests. Consider packing hiking boots, close toed bang-around-in shoes or Wellie boots incase the ground is mucky – early mornings can make a campsite soggy. Water-proof wellies to keep out the damp and your toes toasty dry.
Flannel PJs & Wooly Slipper Boots: I love my toast wooly slipper boots on a cool campy weekend. Long warm wool socks and a cosy hat can also keep the bugs at bay. Here Melissa rocks all the looks in one red-carpet outfit!