Solar Showers for Newbies

Are you wondering what a solar shower is, how it works, and whether it will work for you and your fellow glampers? No worries, we’ve got your back … and your elbow, and your toes, and your arms and … well, you get the idea!

Each of our solar showers here at Water to Wine Glampground has been fashioned by hand, often the hand of my husband or some of our sons, although we also boast a slightly fancy shower stall, just outside our Achsah tent rental for those staying in our round, Mongolian yurt. Because the solar showers have been built by hand, they are spacious and offer plenty of elbow room to enter, turn around, and move about inside. Wooden doors and latches ensure privacy, at least from human eyes, but take a look above through the skylight (Literally! That’s the solar part) and you may spot a squirrel scurrying from limb to limb of trees overhead, blue skies, and bright sun.

You’ll want your shower bag, towel, and change of clothes when you enter the solar shower.

Hooks and built-in shelves inside, as well as the walls, offer places to drape your towel, hang clothes or shower caddy items.

Overhead will be the gravity-powered “showerhead” – a bucket of clean, cool water suspended over the wooden shower stall unit. At the bottom of the bucket is a spigot where you can turn the handle for water to flow out. As your shower will be a one-and-done experience, you’ll want to release a small amount of water sufficient to lather up and then close the spigot again while you suds up to your heart’s content.

When you’re ready for a quick rinse, step back under the overhead bucket, turn the spigot on, and brace for a refreshing wake-up. Zing! Oooh, yeah, that’ll get you feeling alive, and ready for some morning coffee at the Dining Pavilion for breakfast.

Feeling all fresh and clean? Towel off, dress to your comfort, and we’ll see you soon for breakfast.