Longer days mean more time for adventures!

It’s getting closer to the time of year the clocks change, which means the start of British Summer Time! The days get longer, the skies stay lighter for longer and the flowers start to bloom… AND glamping season is coming!. To get you excited for the new season we are sharing our favourite Springtime activities with you, read on to find out more…

Go foraging

Foraging is one of the great pleasures of life, in our opinion. Getting outdoors, walking, exploring and hunting for your dinner from what Mother Nature has to offer - What a treat! There’s something truly special about cooking what you’ve found with your own hands, and experiencing the freshness and the connection with the earth. It’s also a highly sustainable way of living and reaffirms our dependence on the earth and what it has to offer us.

Some of the best things to go foraging for are mushrooms, berries, flowers, nuts and seeds. For more ideas read this article about foraging in March by the Woodland Trust. If you’re new to foraging then this beginner's guide by the BBC is a great place to start.

We’re also obsessed with  making wild garlic pesto! Head to your nearest local woodland or riverbank where you’ll find wild garlic in abundance. Found in shady woodland areas, with  its fresh, unmistakable garlicky smell, you’ll want to weave this ingredient into all of your springtime cooking! Before you go, make sure you read up about the best ways to pick this punchy plant and how best to enjoy it.

Get crafty with leaves and flowers

All of the new flowers are starting to bloom - Daffodils, tulips, bluebells, snowdrops. Why not make the most of the bright colour palette that nature has provided for you and head out for a walk to paint or draw some wildflowers! If you don’t post artistic stories to your Instagram did the walk really happen…?!

Foraging for sticks and seeds for crafts is another great way to get your children involved in something creative (and out for some fresh air!). They can use their floral artwork as gifts for upcoming celebrations such as Mother’s Day or Easter. As with all foraging, ensure you’ve done your research so that you can all safely enjoy this activity without the fear of touching something you shouldn’t.

Lay under the stars

As we approach the Spring Equinox on Sunday 20th March, the sky is getting lighter by a few minutes each day and by night time we are seeing clearer skies - which is the perfect canvas for spotting all your favourite constellations! We say set up a campfire, and pitch your tent in anticipation of a night of sitting under the stars while making s’mores around the fire. See our 

 blog for our top fireside cooking ideas.

Spring is lambing season!

One of our favourite things about Spring is that it’s lambing season! If, like us, you've got small children, then you’ll know the pure, unadulterated joy they get when they visit a farm and watch the baby animals being born. There’s something about watching life come into the world that’s grounding and humbling for both adults and children, and if you get the chance to hand-feed them a bottle too then you’re in for a real treat!

Petting farm animals is great for small children for many reasons. According to an article by Green Roots Nursery and Pre-school, “Toddlers and pre-schoolers discover all about their world through seeing, hearing and touching. Stroking and interacting with animals at close proximity teaches children how various textures feel, for example the wiry texture of a sheep or the soft fur of a rabbit. Farm animals provide the perfect opportunity to develop listening skills too. The various animal noises will help children identify the animals’ unique sounds”.

April showers!

It’s no secret that in terms of changeable weather conditions, March and April are the most unpredictable in the UK. To ensure that your tent stays pristine for your guests all year round make sure that you check the forecast ahead of time and look out for storms and high winds - no one wants to look out of the window and see their tent doing an impression of Dorothy’s house from The Wizard of Oz!

Remember: If there has been heavy rainfall before you’re packing away, be sure to check that your Lotus Belle is bone-dry before you do so. Here’s a helpful video demonstrating how to properly pack away your tent.

Craving some further reading to ignite your glamping fire? Checkout Stargazing and glamping, 5 reasons glamping is good for you, And Festivals and glamping with kids.