Glamping – what on earth is that?
If that’s your reaction then let us enlighten you to the latest buzzword in the tourism glossary. Essentially Glamping is another term for “posh camping” for those who like the idea of being in the great outdoors, but don’t really like the idea of traditional camping. It’s not exactly luxury camping, but more camping with a bit more style.
1) Do you remember back in the 1960s and 1970s when people used to drive around in flower-power covered VW campervans and generally had long hair? If so then you might be glad to know they’re back and a popular concept too, so you can now be all hip-and-trendy again. Since VW stopped making these many years ago, all the VW campervans available to hire are the originals with generally rebuilt engines, but whether these could strictly be classed as “luxury” is perhaps up to the user. Glastonbury here we come!
2) Pods are a fixed structure usually built of wood but with all the essence of camping, or at least camping with sheeps wool insulated walls. The inside floor area is around eight feet wide by nine feet long with plenty of headroom, at least in the middle. Each has a porch which provides some relief if the weather is typically British, but essentially the pod is designed to be “green” or “eco-friendly” (chose buzzwords to suit). There are many pods around the country with many more planned – see pod map.
3) If you really want to mix luxury with a tent then Jollydays Luxury Camping might be the answer. Based in Scrayingham, North Yorkshire, they offer 75 m2 the private tented lodges which rather resemble those used by Laurence of Arabia, and include wooden floors, showers, gas stove and woodburner for heating. There’s also a toilet and wool blankets and cotton sheets on four-poster beds, along with a sofa. A really good combination of “back to nature” with all the luxuries you’d find in a quaint farmhouse holiday.
4) Alde Garden site is designed to be very much eco-friendly for low environmental impact holidays. Set in a mature garden, the eclectic range of quirky furnished accommodation includes a yurt, tipi, gypsy caravan so there’s always plenty to chose from and guests can even swap accommodation during their stay to try out the different types. The site does include basic facilities such as solar powered showers, toilets, a well-stocked campsite kitchen and a communal fire area. Note however, the site does not have electricity so this is more “back to nature” than Back to the Future on your portable DVD player. For those seeking an eco break without feeling like they’ve stepped onto the set of I’m a Celebrity, this is a good option.
5) Finally, if you want to travel across the world but don’t have any desire to climb Everest, why not try one of the latest fashions to hit the accommodation sector – the Yurt. These are springing up around the country, but one of the best examples is provided by Lakes Yurt near Keswick. The accommodation is an authentic Mongolian yurt which features a superior 5 ft bed, a chest of drawers, fitted carpet and sheepskin rugs along with electricity, TV, an oil fired heater and showers. In essence everything you would find in a self-catering property, except under canvas and in the English Lake District.
So if you want to get out into nature but keep the luxuries then try a Glamping holiday. Alternatively if you fancy real camping (or caravanning), or perhaps the above doesn’t offer quite enough protection from the elements, then we recommend a UK camping holiday or self-catering break.
