Now we’re motoring!
Campers flocking to four wheels for comfort
IT was an icon of the ’ 60s, a carefree, hippy way of motoring around the country, stopping for the night by the roadside in front of stunning views.
Now the campervan is making a comeback, growing even faster than the boom in family camping. But far from the “turn on, tune in, drop out” vibe of 50 years ago motor homes are being sold for six-figure sums, close to the average house price and containing everything from gas hobs to wine coolers.
After camping moved from basic fly sheets to yurts, pods and teepees, campervans are taking glamping to another level, feeding a growing love of staycations.
Kevin Laff er ty, of Forestry Commission Scotland, said modern campers were looking for a more comfortable way of enjoying the outdoors.
He said camping was still extremely popular, but added: “Customers now have a higher level of expectation of the type of services which would be provided... so they may look elsewhere.
“There has been a significant increase in the number of motorhomes and requests for provision for them, not just for us but other land managers – that is an emerging market.
“How people use the outdoors and stay overnight is changing and some of the emerging site managers and providers are providing different opportunities now.
“We work closely with other land managers and we have seen in areas like Loch Ness that there are a lot more motorhomes than there were five or ten years ago.
“And the sites are more geared up for that in terms of power being
available and other facilities so that they can get rid of waste etc.
“That is meeting a demand and they see it as a business opportunity as well.”
Mr Lafferty said camping was by no means a thing of the past and sales of tents had gone up “significantly” with one of the main causes being a rise in music festivals “which has introduced a new audience to camping”.
He added: “The other thing is the provision of more ‘glamping’ – yurts, camping pods, wigwams and teepees – there are a lot of families turning to that now.”
But the real growing market is campervans and motorhomes.
At the luxury end of the market motorhomes can cost more than £100,000.
For that you get double beds, leather sofas, a television and a fully equipped kitchen with fridge, freezer, oven and gas hob – even a wine cooler to enjoy a perfectly chilled glass.
National Caravan Council director general John Lally said: “We believe strong demand for motorhomes will continue for the foreseeable future.
“As manufacturers increase production capacity and build even more attractive and innovative products that can be used year-round, consumers will keep being drawn to the motorhome proposition.
“Staycations are due to have another good year too, boosted by the preference to take shorter breaks.
“Whether it’s a last-minute weekend away, supporting an outdoor activity like mountain biking, or indeed the longer annual summer holiday, motorhomes make it all possible.”
A sharp rise in holiday prices after Brexit, made worse by a weak pound, has also encouraged more people to opt for a holiday at home.
Fears over terror attacks have also made many people unwilling to leave Britain. Bookings for Egypt, Turkey, Brussels and Paris have dropped after they were targeted by extremists.
So far this year, a record-breaking 7.3 million Brits have chosen to holiday at home rather than go abroad.
Norfolk and Yorkshire are said to have seen the biggest increase in bookings.
A spokesman for the Camping and Caravanning Club – which runs 108 sites and certifies another 1600 – said tent camping was an integral part of its membership but added: “The Club saw an increase of around 2% compared with in tent campers on its club sites from 2014 to 2015, but an increase of 7% in campervans and motorhomes over the same period.”