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If your mind is flooded with images of Barbara Windsor and Sid James when you think of camping you are a little behind the times. Having said that, with the enormous variety of camp-site options today, it is more than possible that somewhere out there is a camp-site that can offer you a ‘Carry on Camping’ experience, should this be what you are looking for.
Gone are the days when camping was the preserve of working class holidayers. Camping can still offer incredible options for the budget conscious but so too does it offer much at the luxury end of the market. UK camping is not just alive but thriving in the 21st century.
With such a bewildering choice of camp-site options it is a good idea to know what is on offer to make sure that what you choose exactly matches what you want.
Basic UK Sites
These are perfect for the camper wanting to get away from it all. Sites are often no more than a farmer’s field and you won’t have to share with hundreds of others. In some cases you may even be able to find a place all to yourself. However, they are not for everybody. At their most basic these types of camps can be just a pitch and a water supply. No showers, no electricity and sometimes not even a toilet.
The best way to find small, basic sites is through the Camping and Caravanning Club. They have what they term as ‘certificated sites’. These sites are only available to members and allow only a very small number of tent campers plus five motor-homes or caravans. 2010 annual membership costs £37 for two adults and up to four children under eighteen. On joining you will be sent their ‘Big Sites Book’ which lists over 1400 certificated sites and over 4000 camp-sites in total. Prices start from as little as £5 per night for a family.
Even certificated sites vary greatly in what they will offer ranging from the most basic, as previously mentioned, to those with shower blocks, laundry facilities, electric hook-up and more. The club book that you are sent will list each site’s individual facilities.
The other option for finding a basic pitch for your tent would only suit those who are happy to leave things a bit more to chance and take the consequences. Find an area you like and approach local farmers and landowners directly. You may be surprised at how readily some farmers will offer their land in return for a few pounds a night. Conversely, be prepared for refusals and not necessarily polite ones either. An option only for the more thick skinned and adventurous.
Specialist UK Sites
There are new ones of these cropping up all the time as camp-site owners find ever more inventive ways to stand out from the crowd and the competition. Campers now have options for camping in tepees, yurts (a Mongolian camp shack), camp pods (think wooden tent) or tree-houses.
In addition, there are camp-sites geared to nature lovers, fishermen, bird-watchers, artists, single parents, adventure activities (such as climbing, abseiling, survival techniques, kayaking and surfing) and adults only.
Perhaps you are new to camping and want to try it but don’t want the hassle and expense of buying all the equipment? Or maybe you want a camping experience with a few home comforts? There are now a select few companies offering pre-erected and fully equipped tents for hire (and for ‘fully equipped’ read beds, mattresses, fridge, furniture, cooking facilities and all crockery and cooking utensils). This idea is fairly new to the UK but has existed on the continent for many years.
The Standard Camp-Site
This is a huge category and needs to be researched carefully to make yourself familiar with what each camp-site offers. Showers, toilets, washing-up facilities, laundry and electric hook-up are almost universally available. Other facilities may or may not include: an on-site shop (ranging from basic milk and bread type supplies through to mini supermarket varieties); a swimming pool; children’s playground; children’s play area; sports facilities such as tennis courts; on-site entertainment; on-site takeaway, bar or restaurant; games rooms; drying rooms.
The standard camp-site can be anything from a glorified basic site to a scaled down holiday park.
Holiday Parks
Some of these are totally self-contained entertainment worlds that supply everything you care to name. Most of these are part of holiday park chains owned by large companies but not always. Sometimes they started life as a small site that happened to be in a very popular spot and expanded accordingly.
They almost always will have: at least one large swimming pool; sports facilities of some kind; often a timetable of activity programmes; a choice of cafés, restaurants and bars; night time entertainment programmes.
Some of the holiday parks don’t cater for the camper who wants to bring his own tent but a camp field is sometimes set aside for this purpose in the park.
Holiday Park and Camp-site Rating Systems
There are rather a lot of these and it can all get a bit confusing with sites displaying several different sets of their star ratings. The main standardised system is run by the English, Welsh and Scottish Tourist Boards respectively and rates from one star to five. If five stars matter to you then be sure to check who has awarded a site its stars and what they mean.
If you are some-one who is concerned with green issues look out for sites that are part of the David
Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme. Members can gain bronze, silver or gold awards which are judged on criteria which includes preservation of natural areas, conservation education and energy and water conservation.
Other Information
Camp-sites differ considerably in their camp fees and how they are calculated. Some charge per pitch while others will charge per person. Pets may or may not be charged for. A child’s age may or may not attract a lesser or greater charge. Some have such convoluted fee systems that you may never determine quite how the figure you have been charged has been arrived at.
The time of year you are camping will also dictate fee levels with Easter and summer school holidays attracting the highest charges.
Booking well in advance will be essential on some sites at certain times of the year and the type of deposit required will vary from site to site.
Some sites are year round sites but many will close for the winter normally around October or November and open again in March or April. It is always sensible to check opening season with the individual camp-site.
The UK camping scene is alive and thriving whether you are looking for an earthy camping experience or a luxury one. There are possibilities for every budget, every taste and every chosen environment. Whatever it is you are looking for the chances are, that with a little searching, you will find it.
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