The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Saturday
Time to give camping another chance?
This summer, fall back in love with holidays under canvas. Focus on toasting marshmallows, stargazing and watching your children rediscover nature, advises ‘non-camper’ Anna Maxted
As I lay in my coat on the back seat of our Skoda, with a black jumper over my face to block out the dawn, I realised I wasn’t a camper. My family were asleep under canvas. In the dead of night, it had struck me that the man in the tent adjacent to ours would be snoring and farting till daybreak. The quiet of the car interior compensated for the fact that I was huddled in the stress position with the seat-belt buckle jamming into my back. Only two more nights, I told myself, and I’ll never go camping again.
Or so I thought. From today, campsites (and hotels and other “accommodation providers”) can reopen. And thanks to the continuing uncertainty about international travel, camping in Britain may be the most viable holiday option this summer, forcing me, and thousands of other committed “non-campers” to reconsider.
And I’ll admit – despite the noise pollution from the next tent – my Skoda-enhanced camping trip had its magical moments: scuffling down the path to the sandy beach; reading while the children surfed; sipping coffee made on our tiny stove, as the first rays of sun hit our faces, in the brisk salty sea air; toasting marshmallows over fire and gazing at the silver stars that scattered the velvet night.
Sure, on occasion, you’ll battle horizontal rain and howling wind to stop your tent washing away, or marvel at the sheer amount of back-breaking effort the simple outdoor life requires, but the lows make the highs even sweeter. There’s a unique pleasure in sitting in a meadow, eating barbecued sausages, watching the flames dance, breathing the scent of woodsmoke, as the children rediscover nature.
If we can avoid rookie errors – such as almost freezing to death in June, forgetting our hay fever medicine and sun cream, purchasing a fancy fold-up table that falls out of the boot and is irreparably dented, or setting our tent alight with the little heater – camping can be glorious.
Happily, our experts have shared tips to make it even more rewarding. We non-campers should embrace it, for after months of indoor isolation, this is a chance to appreciate the wild beauty of the earth and pure joy of family, friends and freedom.
If you’re keen to camp this summer, don’t hang about. “Campsite booking engines have all reported an absolutely massive surge in bookings over the past couple of weeks,” says Shell RobshawBryan, editor and founder of the travel and outdoors blog Camping With Style. “A lot of campsites are fully booked now, so if people can manage a stay midweek or dates outside school holidays, that will increase their chances of actually getting a pitch.”
Not everywhere will be operating at full capacity. “The Camping & Caravanning Club has alluded to the fact that they’ll be limiting numbers,” RobshawBryan adds. And – an important caveat – “quite a few campsites are choosing to reopen on July 4 without facilities. So while you’ll be able to get a pitch, the shop, showers and lavatories are going to be closed. A lot of sites are saying, if you don’t have a portable loo or washing facilities, booking isn’t a good idea.”
Looking off the beaten track might be the best way to secure a booking at this point. But let’s be optimistic – it’s still important to consider your preferences. Do you favour a shop, a café, decent lavatories and a laundry, or quiet seclusion and crouching in compost? Decide on your priorities, says James Warner Smith, author of Cool Camping Britain (third edition, just published).
“If you want lots of space, and wildlife, and a wild feel, then generally speaking you’ll have to forgo some of the more luxurious facilities,” he says. There are many beautifully situated “off-grid” campsites with only five or six pitches, he adds, “but you’re more likely to have composting lavatories, and maybe solar-powered showers.”
If you long for a wilder experience, search online for “nearly wild campsites” or “pop-up campsites”. These are temporary and don’t require planning permission. “As long as nothing’s permanent, you can open a tent campsite for 28 days,” says Warner Smith. Many pop-ups open for August, or weekends in July and August. “They’ll have composting facilities, gas or solar-powered showers, and they’re also in spaces where you might not get planning permission – in national parks, in woodland, riverside spots, farmers’ fields.”
You might also check out The Greener Camping Club of eco-friendly campsites, he adds. Most of their sites are in Wales and you pay £10 for annual membership. “They’re often wild, offgrid sites and often have fewer than 15 or 20 pitches, so they’re nice and small.”
Yet wild doesn’t always mean primitive. Stackpole Under the Stars – a family-run site tucked away behind woodland in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park – is small, but half its ten pitches are “glamping”. Those who struggle with sleeping in a field can choose from furnished yurts and safari tents (with solar packs for charging devices). For those even less willing to compromise on comfort, there’s a “luxury glamping pod” – described as a little boutique hotel suite in the open. The site has luxury showers and lavatories as well as the composting option, camping fire pits for hire, and a tiny shop.
If you fancy even more convenience, a larger campsite might suit. But, says Robshaw-Bryan, some are quite rowdy. “Spend time researching and reading reviews,” she says. “Familiarise yourself with the rules of any site before booking. Some are quite prescriptive and say ‘No noise at all after 9pm.’ Some don’t allow large group bookings. Some charge extra if you’ve got two cars or a dog. Some don’t allow ball games, but others have designated play areas.”
It’s worthwhile finding a campsite that allows campfires, says Warner Smith – many don’t. But the raison d’être of camping is being outside, so “a focal point like a fire is really nice”.
If you can bring your own, RobshawBryan recommends the Primus Kamoto OpenFire Pit: “It folds flat, so it’s easy to transport in the car, and you open it up in seconds. It gives you a safe, stable campfire. It’s got a little tray at the bottom, so if any coal or wood does drop out, it doesn’t damage the grass.”