Tent tensions @janetchristie2 Mum's the word

Why we're all wild about camping

As lockdown is eased, is wild camping cool?

Too far. You’ve taken it too far,” says my friend. “You were doing so well but then you went and overdid it. I do that with teenagers too,” she says.

My mistake? To offer Youngest a lift to the place she and her friends were planning to wild camp after restrictions were lifted this week.

I’d been doing well too. I hadn’t said, “No way you’re going camping,” and list the reasons. Mainly because I knew I was on shaky ground, having looked at the Scottish Government website and Phase 3 of the route map through and out of the crisis (I know, who knew I could do responsible parenting? All we needed was a pandemic).

The pertinent bits seemed to be: “The limit on the number of other households you can meet per day (indoors or outdoors) does not apply to young people under 18”. Check. As for camping, official campsites are open and there’s no specific advice on wild camping – although the online chat suggests it will be policed for any shenanigans (Boomers beware, we all know you’re much more likely to get up to the capers than the traumatised teens, or is that just the ones I know?) – so that’s OK too.

“No mum, I don’t need a lift,” says Youngest.

I was trying to be helpful, honest. OK I could also check her location so when the temperature dropped and I got The Call I’d know where I was heading in the dark to collect her.

“Have you thought this through properly?” I say as my friend shakes her head. She’s right, I’ve lost Youngest, but still I persist: “How are you going to get there?”

“Uber. Obviously. Cheaper than the bus, even with just a few of us in one taxi.”

I suppose an uber’s good; means they’re not going far.

“So, are you all set with everything you’ll need?” I ask.

“Yeah. Do fake tan, make sandwich, take water, suncream (I suppress a snort), portable phone charger…”

“And...” I prompt.

“What?”

“A tent maybe?” Now I’m just being annoying. Well, I’m a parent not a friend.

“Oh yeah. Do we have one? NOT the pop-up one,” she says quickly – previous popping-down again problems having made for a bus ride of shame home with the tent taking up the back seats.

“We’ve a four person tent. That would be good," I say. "And that would mean I could…”

“No. Just no.”

Didn’t fancy it anyway. Bet it rains.

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