Carry on glamping: Five fabulous glampsites!
There's been a rise in staycations in the last few years, especially with the weak pound discouraging holidays abroad, and this domestic tourism boom is reviving British campsites.
But for those of us are not seasoned tent dwellers and do not relish the full back-to-basics experience of camping, glamping is the perfect compromise to add a level of luxury. With the British summer weather being so unpredictable, a nice wood burning stove and cosy, ready-made bed can make a stint under canvas much more appealing!
There are increasingly more cool glamping sites popping up across the country, with fabulous accommodation options that include ready-furnished bell tents, yurts, tipis and shepherds' huts.
Our favourite glampsites are those adorned with reindeer hides and sheepskins of course! After all, skins and hides are a natural camping and glamping companion for warmth and are much nicer underfoot than a plastic groundsheet!
So here's our round up of five fabulous glamping sites across the UK...
Camp Kátur, North Yorkshire
Image © Camp Kátur: www.campkatur.com
Camp Kátur is an off-grid glamping site in Yorkshire, set within a beautiful 250 acre English country estate. This site just outside Bedale - named after the Icelandic word for happy - is ideal for those who like quirky accommodation, a good dose of adventure sports (such as quad bike trails and a tree top aerial adventure) plus eco-friendly facilities.
Inspired by camping experiences from around the world, you can choose from safari tents, bell tents, tipis, unidomes, hobbit pods and geodomes as your abode! Pictured above is a wonderful geodome, furnished with a proper bed and wood-burning stove.
To end your invigorating day enjoying the outdoors, relax in the eco spa with its wood-fired hot tub and sauna.
Crafty Camping, Dorset
Image © Crafty Camping: www.mallinson.co.uk/glamping.html
Nestled in secluded woods near Lyme Regis in West Dorset, Crafty Camping is the creation of expert woodsman Guy Mallinson. Here you will find various luxury clamping dwellings for adults only - three bell tents, two yurts, a huge tipi named Hoppus and a shepherds' hut named Bodger - within this beautiful woodland setting. To sharpen up your wood skills, you can also enrol on a green woodworking course at Guy's craft workshop on the site.
Naturally, all of the accommodation has wood-based frames designed and made using the traditional craft techniques taught here, plus beautiful wood features such as handcrafted wooden headboards. We also love the liberal use of reindeer hides in the lodgings - such as in the gorgeous interior of Hoppus the Tipi pictured above.
Soul Camping, North Cornwall
Image © Soul Camping: www.soulcamping.co.uk
Soul Camping is in a beautiful meadow overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in North Cornwall, just a 20 minute walk from Port Isaac, the beach and the coastal path.
Each of the stylishly furnished, 5 metre bell tents boast super sea views. You're guaranteed a good night's sleep too on comfy king size beds with top quality bedding. What's more, there are lovely bedside sheepskins to sink your feet into when you wake up.
Best of all, you can also watch the sun go down in the wood-fired hot tub on site!
Wild Luxury, North Norfolk
Image © Wild Luxury: www.wildluxury.co.uk
There are two private camp sites at this idyllic site on the beautiful North Norfolk coast - The Hideaway and Thornham Bay. We especially love the latter, nestled within an apple farm right by a secluded beach! On site there's a a farm shop and a bistro set in a magnificent yurt tent, plus the lovely village of Thornham - with 3 pubs and a deli - is walking distance away.
The Serengeti Safari Lodges here are VIP level luxury... they each sleep six with their own warm ranges, hot shower and flushing toilet. The welcoming living area is furnished with a gorgeous animal hide on the floor to add warmth, comfort and some serious safari style!
Wild Mountains, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Image © Wild Mountains: www.wild-mountains.com
This riverside meadow is opposite a very quaint, National Trust-owned, community-run pub in the tiny village of Cwmdu, Carmarthenshire. With just four bell tents - this small scale glamping site allows for real privacy and tranquility, while enjoying the Black Mountains close by.
Wild Mountains is owned by Tom, Lisa & their dog Ambrose, who wanted to share their love of the outdoors, nature and adventure with everyone. A stay here is a great mix of nice home comforts inside the tent, but a feeling of the great wilderness outside.
Being on the edge of a designated Dark Sky Reserve, you'll enjoy some fantastic stargazing here on a clear night too.
