We caught up with TentBox ambassador – Tom O’Hare – to chat about his recent adventures with his Tentbox.
When he and his girlfriend decided to get a TentBox – or their “baby” as they call it – they’d only been dating 3 weeks but already knew that their relationship (and the TentBox!) was worth investing in. After a couple of discussions, they decided they wanted to get away more and start exploring the countryside together, and TentBox would help make that happen.
Without further ado they decided to go splits on a brand new TentBox to go on top of their Land Rover and they were off! After coining the term “micro-adventuring”, for the mini breaks that they were about to start going on, they got on the road and started exploring the English countryside.
Cotswolds Adventures With TentBox
One of their first trips away with the TentBox was a quick trip to the Cotswolds with their walking boots in tow. They wanted to experience midweek mini trips away to break up the week, so they got away on a Tuesday evening after work, and returned on Thursday morning.
“The nature of TentBox meant that we were able to load everything into the car and embark on our micro-adventure straight from work, which was a great time-saver. We both love being outdoors and amongst nature, so there was no better place to lap up the English country than in the Cotswolds”, Tom said.
With quintessentially English villages and beautiful market towns, once the landy was parked up in a safe parking area, they were able to go exploring on foot. Littered with stunning country homes and amazing natural landscapes, the Cotswolds was an ideal break away from the business of day to day life.
Sunsets On The Wiltshire Downs
The pair’s next adventure involved taking the TentBox to the Wiltshire downs for an exciting mid week stop over. The Wiltshire Downs is set in and around an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the edge of Salisbury Plain, and is full of beautiful walks and rugged, far reaching views.
“We’ve taken the TentBox to the Wiltshire Downs a couple of times for relaxing mini trips. It’s been great fun and really easy to get around. Prior to leaving home, I’d done a bit of research on green lanes and off road tracks where we could park so we just rocked up at around sunset and found a nice flat patch to park the landy and set up camp”.
The beauty of having a Land Rover and a TentBox is that you can park almost anywhere, and can really access the more off road locations to catch the sunset. Tom and Rozzy managed to find some stunning locations with great views for the sunset and sunrise.
Plus, Tom mentioned that the size and fit of the TentBox on the Land Rover was super easy. He said, “the Tentbox size and the way it’s carried on the roof of the car has meant we’ve been able to drive to beautiful secluded spots in the English countryside. It fits on the roof of our defender so well and I think the box shape of the TentBox and the box shape of the landy looks good”.
Mountain Biking In The Brecon Beacons
The pair also ventured a little further afield to The Brecon Beacons in Wales for some Winter adventure. The Brecon Beacons is a mountain range set amongst a National Park in South Wales, popular for its incredible biking trails and nature walks. Dubbed as one of the finest walking locations in Europe, it’s an ideal location for those craving fresh air, open spaces and mountains galore.
“It was so easy to get there with the TentBox. We just used the park for a night app to find the best parking location and we were away. We put the bikes on the back and enjoyed some full-on days of biking in the welsh mountains. The Tentbox was easy to pop up even after a long day and a couple of well-earned pints”.
Quick Fire Questions About TentBox
Q: What’s your favourite trip you’ve been on with TentBox?
A: They have all been really fun little trips away, but we took a trip over to North Devon on the edge of Exmoor which was lovely. Even though it was the middle of winter we were able to stay warm with loads of pillows and a duvet in our TentBox, which made for a snuggly retreat. The wind outside was crazy and we parked up in a valley which didn’t help, but being amongst the elements whilst being tucked up in a TentBox added to the fun.
Q: Why did you choose TentBox?
A: Almost immediately after my girlfriend and I started dating, we both came across TentBox as a friend had one. We’d both been thinking about ways that we could get away into nature more easily, so when we saw it we thought it was amazing. After about 3 or 4 weeks of dating we just went for it and went 50/50 on a TentBox. No regrets, it’s been amazing!
Q: How do you find having the TentBox on the top of your car?
A: The Tentbox fits really well on the car and only takes a few minutes to set up once it’s on. Although we have a Land Rover which we use most of the time, we also have a Skoda that we sometimes set it up on and it’s very versatile. We switch it up every now and then and it only takes about half an hour to change cars now we’ve got the hang of it.
Q: How did you find sleeping in a TentBox?
A: We thought the extendable ladder made the whole thing so easy and sleeping in the TentBox itself was really comfortable. Some of the areas we parked up at weren’t super stable, so wouldn’t be suitable for a normal tent, but we always felt safe camping in the TentBox.
