Have you ever been camping?

The flickering campfire throws dancing shadows on the tent walls, a comforting illusion of safety shattered by the rustle of leaves in the unseen darkness.

Camping solo has always been a dream – a chance to be swallowed by the wilderness,  to breathe in the crisp mountain air and lose myself to the sounds of crickets and owls.

But lately, that dream feels laced with a cold, clammy fear.

As a woman, the idea of camping solo always throws me into a bit of a debate with myself. On one hand, the peace and quiet of nature, the chance to unplug and reconnect with the outdoors – it all sounds absolutely magical. But then reality sets in.  Being a woman out there alone, it can feel risky.

There are those stories you hear, way too many these days, about predators lurking around.  Predators, sure, they’re a primal fear but it’s the two-legged kind that sends shivers down my spine.  The ones who can be cunning, cruel, and completely silent. 

Honestly,  while wild animals are a concern, it’s the potential for human harm that scares me more.  Unlike an animal,  humans can be calculating and cruel.  Animals are mostly acting on instinct – hunger or defense.

Being a woman alone in the wild feels like playing a game with the odds stacked against you.

News reports of attacks on solo female campers are a constant reminder that the wilderness isn’t just teeming with wildlife, it can harbor a different kind of monster.

The isolation is the worst part.

No witnesses, no scream lost in the comforting din of a city. 

Just you, the endless dark and the unsettling feeling of being watched. 

Maybe it’s just the paranoia  but every snap of a twig, every hoot of an owl sounds amplified in the stillness.

Isn’t it better to be cautious? Being a women

Is it worth the risk? 

The urge to disconnect, to reconnect with nature on a deeper level, wars with the nagging voice of caution. 

Maybe a well-maintained camp- ground with other campers around is the only way this dream can take flight. 

Even then, the unease will likely linger, a dark counterpoint to the crackling fire and the star-studded sky. 

But maybe, just maybe, the peace and solitude will outweigh the fear, even if just for a little while.

It makes me wish the world felt safer for women adventurers.  We shouldn’t have to constantly be on guard,  worried about someone taking advantage of our solitude.