From Forest Floor to Cosy Corner: How to Create Your Own Scandi-Style Hygge Campsite

17th September 2025 | Words by Matt Jones @ WildBounds HQ

The sun sets late behind towering Norwegian spruces, casting faint shadows across a forest clearing. Inside a thoughtfully arranged campsite, warm amber light spills from a carefully positioned lantern, illuminating a scene that feels more like a cosy living room than a wilderness camp. This is hygge in its purest outdoor form – the Scandinavian art of creating intimate, soul-warming spaces wherever you choose to rest your head.

Unlike the gram-counting efficiency of ultralight backpacking or the gear-heavy excess of car camping, Scandinavian camp hygge occupies a sweet spot that prioritises comfort, warmth, and the gentle rituals that transform any outdoor space into a temporary home – whilst still emphasising harmony with nature. It's about slowing down enough to truly inhabit your campsite, creating an atmosphere where mind, body and spirit can settle into the rhythms of the surroundings.

This philosophy draws from centuries of Nordic outdoor knowhow, where people have learned not just to survive, but to thrive in harsh climates. Today's camp hygge inherits this wisdom, using modern gear to recreate the same feelings of security, warmth, and contentment that have sustained Norwegians, Finns and Swedes through centuries of friluftsliv – open air living.

Creating Your Outdoor Sanctuary

If you want to create a hygge-inspired campsite, your first priority is shelter. We’re not just talking about protection from the elements but creating a space that feels genuinely welcoming. Scandinavian outdoor tradition has always embraced natural materials and timeless designs that work in harmony with the landscape rather than dominating it.

If you’re camping in the woods, the forest itself offers abundant materials for creating windbreaks and natural shelters. Fallen branches can be arranged to form protective barriers around your campsite, while gathered pine boughs create natural carpeting that insulates from cold ground and adds the therapeutic scent of fresh evergreen, or skög (Swedish for ‘forest’). In the Northern Boreal forest, campers often scout for natural clearings partially enclosed by rocks or fallen logs, using these features as the foundation for more intimate and protected camping spaces.

For those seeking more substantial shelter, traditional canvas or modern polycotton tents embody the hygge aesthetic perfectly. Bell tents and tipi designs, with their spacious interiors and natural fibres, create the kind of breathable, comfortable spaces that synthetic materials simply can't match. Proofed canvas or polycotton is very weatherproof yet also breathes with changing temperatures and humidity, reducing condensation while maintaining that cosy, lived-in feel that's central to hygge philosophy.

Unlike modern ripstop PU-coated polyester or silicon-nylon tents, these traditional tent styles invite lingering. Their generous headroom allows you to move comfortably inside, while the circular floor plan naturally draws people together around a central space – perfect for the communal, convivial aspects of hygge living. When combined with natural materials gathered from the surrounding forest, these shelters become true outdoor rooms where you can genuinely settle in and feel at home.

The Art of Soft Illumination

Light forms the foundation of any hygge experience, and nowhere is this more crucial than in the wilderness. The harsh glare of LED headtorches and bright lanterns might serve practical purposes, but they shatter the gentle ambience that makes a campsite feel like sanctuary. Scandinavian camp hygge demands something softer, warmer, more intimate.

The answer, of course, is natural firelight, perhaps from a roaring campfire, a Swedish log torch or even a candle lantern. The UCO Gear Mini Candle Lantern exemplifies this approach perfectly, casting the kind of flickering, golden light that immediately transforms any outdoor space. Its compact brass construction speaks to both durability and aesthetic consideration –this isn't just functional illumination but a piece that contributes to the overall atmosphere. The gentle dance of candlelight creates the perfect backdrop for evening conversations, quiet reading, or simply watching shadows play across tent walls.

Another option that is authentically Swedish is a Primus Gas Lantern. Featuring frosted glass globes, these clever little lanterns give off a natural, warm light around camp and are designed to work with standard backpacking gas canisters.

For those seeking modern convenience with traditional warmth, alternatives like the MPOWERD Luci Candle offer solar-powered candlelight that captures the same intimate glow without the need for matches or fuel. Its collapsible design makes it perfect for backpacking, while the warm LED creates authentic flickering that mimics real flame.

Similar in concept, the Barebones Living Light Stick strikes an ideal balance between function and atmosphere. Its Edison-style bulb produces warm, diffused light that illuminates camp tasks while maintaining the cosy ambience essential to hygge. The vintage-inspired design adds aesthetic appeal that cheaper camping lights simply can't match.

For larger groups or more permanent camp setups, we think the Claymore Cabin takes ambient lighting to another level. This rechargeable lantern creates 360-degree illumination with multiple brightness settings, allowing you to dial in exactly the right amount of warm light for any situation. The Claymore Cadena UF5 offers similar versatility in a more compact package, perfect for solo adventures where space and weight matter. And unlike most LED lanterns, Claymore offers illumination in a range of colour temperatures: warm white, orange or soft warm plus a clever breeze mode, which simulates a flickering candle flame, just like the Luci Candle.

Luxurious Sleep Systems

Nothing destroys the hygge experience quite like a cold, uncomfortable night's sleep. Scandinavian camp comfort demands sleep systems that rival what you'd expect at home – or perhaps even exceed it. The goal isn't just rest but the kind of deep, restorative sleep that comes from being perfectly warm and cushioned against the earth.

For the pinnacle of camp sleeping luxury, the Exped Megamat Max Duo is the plushest mat we’ve tried. This double-wide, self-inflating mat provides the kind of cushioning and insulation that makes you forget you're sleeping on the ground. At nearly four inches thick when inflated, it creates a proper mattress experience that's essential for the older or comfort-conscious camper who refuses to sacrifice sleep quality for outdoor adventure.

For solo sleepers seeking similar luxury, the Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Pro Insulated ASC Mat offers exceptional warmth and comfort in a more packable format. Its Air Sprung Cell technology creates a stable, quiet sleep surface that maintains comfort even for side sleepers, while the high R-value insulation ensures warmth in cold conditions.

The Big Agnes Campmeister Deluxe Insulated takes a different approach, offering a traditional self-inflating pad experience with modern materials and construction. Its generous dimensions and reliable insulation make it ideal for those who prefer the consistent support and reliable warmth of a foam core.

But a great sleeping pad is only half the equation. The right blanket transforms your sleep system from functional to genuinely cosy. Snuggly blankets like the Voited Ripstop Blanket bring indoor comfort to outdoor spaces with their synthetic insulation and durable construction. Unlike traditional sleeping bags that can feel restrictive, this blanket allows for natural movement while providing targeted warmth where you need it most. Or just throw it over your shoulders while you’re spending quality time around the campfire.

The Kelty Bestie Blanket offers similar versatility with thoughtful design touches that make camp life more pleasant. Its snap connections allow pairing with another blanket for couples, while the integrated pillow pocket eliminates the need for separate gear. Combined with the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow Cinch, which packs small but expands to provide genuine pillow comfort, these elements create a sleep system that prioritises rest and recovery.

The Ritual of Warm Beverages

Perhaps nothing embodies Scandinavian outdoor culture quite like the reverent approach to hot drinks. Whether it's the morning coffee that eases you into the day or a soothing herbal tea that helps you unwind beneath the stars, these warm beverages become ceremonial moments that anchor your outdoor experience in comfort and routine. In Sweden, the ritual of coffee, cake and chat is known as fika, and there’s no reason why it can’t come to the campsite.

If you’re keen, try the VSSL Nest Pour-Over Kit, which elevates camp coffee from necessity to ritual. This beautifully designed system includes everything needed for proper pour-over brewing, transforming the morning coffee routine into a mindful practice. The precision and care required for good pour-over coffee naturally slows you down, creating space for contemplation and appreciation of your surroundings.

Proper brewing deserves proper serving, and cute minimalist drinkware like the KINTO UNITEA Unimug brings elegant simplicity to camp beverages. Its heat-resistant borosilicate glass construction allows you to appreciate the colour and clarity of your coffee or tea, while the contemporary design brings trendy Stockholm café vibes to your campsite. For longer brewing sessions, the KINTO UNITEA Tea Warmer maintains ideal serving temperature, extending the pleasure of your hot beverage ritual through a compact tea light.

The hygge experience can even extend beyond brewing to ensure you stay toasty throughout the day. How? With a classic Thermos-style vacuum flask. The stylish Hydro Flask 36 oz Hot Flask & Cup system ensures that morning coffee stays hot until afternoon, while the integrated cup makes sharing easy and elegant. For solo adventurers, the 28 oz version provides the same exceptional insulation in a more manageable size.

However, the true magic happens when all these elements combine: the gentle light of candle lanterns illuminating your evening rituals, the comfort of knowing a luxurious sleep system awaits, and the slow pleasure of savouring perfectly brewed beverages beneath an endless canopy of stars. This is camp hygge in its essence; not just surviving in the outdoors, but thriving with comfort, style, and genuine contentment. Be well – or, as they say in Sweden, Ha det bra!