Reconnecting with Nature Through Glamping

There is something about sleeping surrounded by trees, breathing in cool night air and waking to the sounds of nature that has always stayed with us.

Stan and I have known each other since our late teens. Back then, we were part of the same circle of friends, and camping was something we all enjoyed together as young adults. Our adventures often meant packing up wall tents and heading outdoors, where we braved the elements at pretty much any time of year.

It wasn't glamorous. There were cold nights, rainy nights and probably more than a few mornings when we wondered why sleeping in a tent had seemed like such a good idea!

But we loved it.

Camping gave us a chance to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind and get back to something simpler. There were fewer distractions and nowhere we needed to be. Just fresh air, trees, wildlife, campfires and time spent outdoors with friends.

Life eventually took us in different directions, and Stan and I didn't become a couple until we were in our early 40s. But that love of being outdoors was something we both carried with us, and it has remained a big part of our life together.

Over the years, wall tents eventually gave way to RVs. We still enjoyed camping and being outdoors, but we missed something about those old tenting days.

We missed the fresh air, hearing the night sounds through the canvas and feeling as though there was very little separating us from the natural world outside.

But here we are some 45 years later, and our bodies have reminded us that some things have changed! Aging bones and arthritis mean sleeping on the ground and truly "roughing it" are no longer high on our list of fun things to do.

So last month, while visiting Clearwater near Wells Gray Provincial Park in British Columbia, we decided to try something completely new.

We went glamping.

And I think for our very first experience, Cedar Haven Resort near Clearwater, BC may have spoiled us!

A Different Kind of Camping

Our tent was nestled amongst towering trees at the end of a log-lined pathway with pots of flowers along the way. When we arrived, we found our name hanging on a little sign near the tied-back entrance.

     

As we approached, we could see a soft glow coming from inside. The owners had thoughtfully turned on the two bedside lamps on either side of a plush queen-sized bed covered with a pillowy, lightweight down duvet. Even better, the heated blanket had already been turned on for us.

Now this was camping we could get used to!

A sheer canopy draped around the bed, adding to the peaceful atmosphere inside. There was a small table and chairs and a convenience stand with a coffee maker, wine glasses, kettle and teas, and a mini fridge.

   

At the back was something our younger camping selves could only have dreamed about: our own private bathroom with a sink and toilet.

Nearby were shared showers and even a sauna, while another area offered a fully equipped outdoor kitchen with dishes, pots and pans, a BBQ, microwave and refrigerator. There was also a large screened dining tent where guests could enjoy their meals outdoors.

 

We had all the comforts we needed, yet we were still sleeping beneath canvas surrounded by trees.

For us, it was the perfect combination.

Sometimes Reconnecting With Nature Means Slowing Down

What surprised me most was that the luxury wasn't really what made our glamping experience so memorable.

It was what the comfort allowed us to do.

Slow down.

When you aren't worrying about aching hips, a cold sleeping bag or wet gear, you have more time to simply enjoy where you are.

We could sit quietly beneath the trees, breathe in the cool evening air and listen to the sounds around us.

When darkness settled in, little solar lights twinkled along the pathway, guiding us back to our glamping oasis.

There was a heater available inside our tent, but we decided not to use it. Instead, we snuggled beneath our warm duvet with the heated blanket keeping us cozy while still enjoying the cool night air.

The next morning, we both agreed on something.

We hadn't slept that well in years.

Maybe it was the bed. Maybe it was the fresh air. Or maybe it was simply being surrounded by nature again in a way we hadn't experienced for a very long time.

Whatever it was, we loved it.

And Then Came the Rain

Our second night brought something I hadn't expected to enjoy quite so much.

Rain.

As I lay beneath the covers listening to it beating against the canopy above us, I found myself thinking about all those camping trips so many years ago.

Back then, hearing rain hitting the tent usually brought a completely different reaction.

Oh no...what's getting wet?

We'd wonder whether the tent was going to leak, whether our bedding would stay dry and just how muddy everything would be by morning.

Yet some 45 years later, I was listening to that same familiar sound and experiencing it completely differently.

I wasn't worrying about anything getting wet. I wasn't cold or uncomfortable.

I simply lay there and listened.

The steady rhythm of rain against the canvas was incredibly peaceful. Instead of dreading it, I found myself thoroughly enjoying nature's nighttime concert.

It felt a little like coming full circle.

The people we were back then could happily rough it in a wall tent. The people we are today would much rather listen to that rain from beneath a warm duvet and heated blanket!

But the feeling that drew us outdoors in the first place hadn't changed.

Finding New Ways to Connect With Nature

That rainy night reminded me that reconnecting with nature doesn't always have to mean hiking to a mountaintop or having an incredible wildlife encounter.

Sometimes it's much simpler.

It's listening to rain tapping against canvas. Feeling cool air against your face. Smelling the forest after a shower. Watching sunlight filter through the trees. Enjoying your morning coffee outside while the world slowly wakes up around you.

Those little moments have a way of quieting everything else.

Perhaps that was the biggest lesson from our first glamping experience.

The way we enjoy nature can change as we do.

There was a time when sleeping in wall tents and braving whatever Mother Nature decided to throw our way was simply part of the adventure. Today, our bodies have slightly different ideas about what constitutes a good night's sleep!

But that doesn't mean we have to give up the experiences we love. Sometimes we simply have to find a new way to enjoy them.

Glamping brought back that wonderful feeling of sleeping outdoors without asking our aging bodies to endure the discomforts that came along with our younger camping days.

We could still hear the rain.

We could still breathe the fresh air.

We could still wake surrounded by trees.

We could still feel close to nature.

We just got to do it from a very comfortable bed.

For years, we have shared our belief that nature is therapy, food for the soul. We believe the more time we spend connecting with nature, the more we come to appreciate it and ultimately want to protect it.

 

For us, glamping offered a new way to experience something that has been part of our lives since we were young.

Those teenagers who once knew each other as part of the same group of friends certainly couldn't have imagined that some 45 years later we'd be back beneath canvas together, only this time with a queen-sized bed, heated blanket, private bathroom and morning coffee waiting for us!

Connecting with nature doesn't have to look the same for everyone, and it doesn't have to look the same throughout our lives.

You don't have to sleep on the ground, hike for miles or venture deep into the wilderness.

Sometimes all you need is a quiet place amongst the trees, a comfortable chair, a cup of coffee and enough time to notice what's happening around you.

Some things have definitely changed.

But thankfully, our love of being surrounded by nature hasn't.

And after our first experience at Cedar Haven Resort, I have a feeling this won't be our last glamping adventure.

Have you ever tried glamping? Or has the way you enjoy camping and the outdoors changed as you've gotten older? We'd love to hear about it.