Camping and luxury are two words not usually uttered in the same sentence. But there is no need to compromise on luxury when you feel the need to be at one with mother nature. Whether you go rustic or try your hand at retro travel, “roughing it” has never been so alluring.
Gypsy king
Sitting in its own acre of meadow, complete with stream, this beautifully converted Romany caravan is guaranteed to triumph over canvas. It has its own wood-burning stove, and a wooden cabin next door to provide kitchen facilities and a sofa bed for children/friends who draw the short straw. Based near the Welsh coastline of Cardigan Bay, Under the Thatch also has a retro-style wooden cabin available to rent. £165 per couple for 3 nights. Prices may vary.
www.underthethatch.com
Hire a camper
Don a kaftan, commune with your inner-hippy and chug down the motorway slow lane in a hired campervan, safe in the knowledge that at the end of a weekend away you don’t have to park it in your front drive for the rest of the year. Choose from a range of classic Volkswagen VW vans, all fully kitted out with cooker, fridge and sink. Be daring and opt for the yellow submarine adorned with go-faster flames. £250 for a weekend (Friday to Monday). £350 for a whole week.
www.campers2go.co.uk
Stay in a yurt
With panoramic views over the romantically-named Otter Valley in East Devon, nestle in to one of four authentic Mongolian yurts in a secluded two-acre field. Experience the nomadic lifestyle, but with the luxury of hot showers, mains toilets and an equipped farmhouse-style kitchen. Each yurt houses comfy beds, big kilim cushions and sheepskins on which to relax around the wood burning stove. Available April to September for £65 a night (sleeps 5). £90 peak season.
www.yurt-holidays.co.uk
Small but perfectly formed
Billed as a “simple, stylish living unit for two”, these functional pod-like caravans are so tiny they can be towed by a classic Mini, yet hidden inside is a double bed, seating, storage and cooking facilities. More of a tent on wheels than a mobile home, these pods are perfect for a last-minute escape to the countryside, safe in the knowledge there’ll be no leaking roof to patch in the night. £250-300 per week, sleep 2.
www.podcaravans.com
Swap your tent for a tipi
Leave the cowboy hats at home and move into your very own tipi – the stuff childhood dreams are made of. Head to Carmarthenshire, West Wales, where you can check in to one of three tipis in wild flower meadows and woodland, making for a surreal camping trip. Cue cowboys and Indians role playing. £60 per night/£360 per week for an 18ft tipi (sleeps 4 people) - £60 a night. £80 per night/£480 per week for a 23ft tipi (sleeps 6).
www.larkhilltipis.co.uk
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third party sites. Images courtesy of Pod Caravans, Under The Thatch, Yurt Holidays and Larkhill Tipis.
Meanwhile, if you’re still stubbornly wedded to the idea of battling with a real-life tent, take along some of these camping accessories to ease your pain:
1. GPS system to direct emergency services in case of rescue
2. Kendal mint cake for keeping up spirits in possible mountaineering disasters
3. Arctic sleeping bag to fend off frostbite for those camping out in winter
4. Duct tape for mending rips in tent
5. Toilet roll, toilet roll, and more toilet roll
6. A plug-in car fridge to keep the wine chilled
7. A bottle opener!
