My first vacations were camping trips, and I loved sleeping under canvas, being outdoors and surrounded by nature. Somewhere along the way, as it does in life, the fun wore off. Arriving in the dark and pitching a tent by torchlight, sweltering by day and freezing at night, braving communal shower blocks and having to cross a field in the middle of the night whenever you needed the bathroom (or going behind your tent). Having a proper bed, an en-suite, and a WiFi connection became my holiday must-haves, and camping became a thing of the past.
Recent years have seen camping take on a glam makeover. As a way to get back to nature in style, luxury glamping breaks have gained enormous popularity since 2005. Many companies have upgraded the camping experience with improved facilities and enough sleeping options – from African-style safari tents to gypsy caravans – to tempt us unwilling campers back. How does a camping trip become a glamping experience and how do you make the most of it? I have listed several key ingredients below.
Improved Accomodation
Tents are different than back in the 90’s, Nowadays, they’re lighter, cheaper, and easier to erect than ever before. However, if you’d prefer not to carry tons of luggage, if there’s a group of you and you don’t want to all fit into a tent, or if you simply want something a bit more luxurious, there are plenty of glamping options available at various Glamping accomodations in the UK.
Wouldn’t it be nice to stay in a Cabin with en-suite shower room and toilet? Or a hut with two bedrooms with proper beds and high quality linens? What about a Hideaway hut with solid wooden walls and a glazed frontage Featuring a living/sleeping space, an En-suite bathroom? You’ll definitely not feel like you’re roughing it in something like this, and you’ll be staying somewhere quirky and different.
Camping is about living outdoors – keeping your doors open to let the breeze in and enjoying evenings on your terrace with a glass of wine. Since you’re going to be outside so much, you’ll want to choose a good location. Ideally, my perfect spot would be somewhere peaceful with plenty to see nearby, where you can relax put your feet up and bask in the sun.
Make Sure Your Venue Provides Facilities
Although it’s nice to have fun things nearby, you don’t want to drive every time you need milk. Ideally, a decent accommodation will be close to a village or town with shops and other facilities on site. Families should be well catered to. In case you have small children, travel cots and high chairs should be supplied by the accommodation to make your luggage load lighter. Kids’ clubs should be available for kids of different ages as well.
A Green Approach
Camping is one of the least impactful forms of holiday accommodation you can choose if you want to reduce your ecological footprint. Many Glamping Accommodations have several sites that have been awarded the EU Ecolabel or Clef Verte eco certifications where there are many green policies in place, and guests can do their part to reduce their impact.
All in all its good to be prepaired and plan your glamping trip in advance, this will give you the best chance of having a great time.
