Camping and glamping becomes a lot more fun at these all-that-extra places in the UK
Camping is the ultimate form of freedom. Everything you (really) need is in your car, you campervan or even in the side bag of your bicycle. Camping is unwind, letting go of what needs to be done and embracing nature and sitting still. Oops, that might be a bit vague and we really don't mean camping like that. Camping also involves lighting fires, gathering berries and building tree houses. It is swimming in the sea or the adjacent lake. Play card games, get to know your neighbors very quickly and play a game of football with them. Camping is life, the good life. For those who say they don't like camping, we can only say that they have never found a good campsite.
And hence - a great list campsites across Great Britain, all slightly different and all in their own way.
We can also hear something about it in the Netherlands, nice camping spots.
If there is one country that appeals to the imagination, it is Scotland. The magical Highlands, small Scottish villages, Edinburgh, a coast where the waves sometimes crash violently over the cliffs and where sometimes the water can be so blue that you think you are on a tropical island (temperatures are slightly different) As soon as you step into nature, it's like taking a step back in time, Outlanderstyle. You can walk almost anywhere to your heart's content, cuddle a Highlander (we recommend the woolly cows here, but give it a try to pat a Scotsman on the head) and so delicious c eat in one of the many great pubs that can be found everywhere in Scotland. Pitch your tent, make a coffee while looking out over a loch (hey, Nessie!) and it doesn't get much better than that.
A B&B, self-catering cabins, a bar and restaurant on site and camping spots in the middle of the valley, overlooking rolling fields and imposing mountains such as background. Beinglas Farm Campsite has it and you want it. The campsite is located on a small stream, which is cute, but don't put your tent too close to it, because it can sometimes flood. The weather in Scotland does what it wants, so keep an eye on it if you don't want to wake up with wet socks. The beer garden has sun almost all day and the combination of a good pint and this amazing view makes camping even for the haters an outing. Especially if you don't feel like starting the BBQ after that pint, you can try the Scottish pub grub.
You can do so in nearby Tydrum The Green Welly right for all you outdoor needs and camping stuff, including a mosquito net for your head and Avon Skin So Soft to keep the midges away (recommended!).
The Isle of Mull is the less touristy Isle of Skye. A lot fewer buses full of other travelers, but rather people who put a little effort and planning into a good trip. And you want to make that effort for Mull, because just driving around the island is a holiday in itself. If you take the boat from Oban (stop at the Oban Seafood Hut – fresher than a fresh oyster and for next to nothing) you arrive in Craignure and then it is only an hour to Fidden Farm in Fionnphort, a campsite on the edge of the world. You park yourself and your camper on the edge of the grass dune, kick off your shoes and look out over the silver-white beach, rocks covered with bright yellow sea moss and an endless sea. Fidden Farm has a nice shower room, but that's about it - you just have to deal with nature and your camping companions. Fionnphort is very close by, has a small supermarket, a pub with a beer garden that overlooks the small harbor and every now and then a stray sheep comes running down the road, bawling.
You can also take the ferry here Iona, a tiny island opposite Fionnphort. They have a monastery that bakes bread twice a week, enough rocks to spend days climbing, scrambling and spotting dolphins and you can look for Iona Marble, beautiful green stones that the locals use to make jewelry.
Campsite en glamping between the trees, on the dunes and a five-minute walk to your private beach - that is Camusdarach Campsite. Near the The Road to the Isles and with a view over the islands of Eigg, Rum and Skye, we understand why weddings can also be organized here, your decoration doesn't get much more beautiful. The campsite is pleasantly small and is located in a dip, so even if you are on the beach in no time, you will not be bothered by the wind (midges then again). There is also a small shop on site, where you you key camping products, such as chocolate dipped marshmallows and a surprisingly good one takeaways coffee. Not quite in line with it back to nature idea, but very useful for planning the rest of your trip - there is good WiFi throughout the campsite.
The coastal spot Mallaig is less than a fifteen-minute drive, has a bustling harbor and a local langoustine species that you don't want to miss. NB: a bit of squatting violence is necessary, because these animals have a rock-hard exterior.
You will find it at the foot of the Cuillin Mountains and Loch Brittle Glenbrittle Campsite. When you drive up, you may first think that there is not much, but appearances are deceiving here. Ok, you can't miss the Cuillin peaks, don't forget the sandy beach and there is a real café with incredibly good coffee available (almost) 24/7. Not only does the coffee make getting up easier, the croissants are freshly baked every morning, you can order sourdough pizza and they make a divine hot chocolate. From the campsite you can start a number of walks through Cuillin and even if you get lost (guilty…) the hike is beautiful and always keeps your campsite or the bay in sight.
A ten minute drive from the campsite you have the Fairy Pools, a stream of water that meanders steadily through the landscape over all kinds of rocks and mini waterfalls. The beginning of the Fairy Pools is often busy (everyone parks there), but if you continue a little further, the nature becomes rougher, the waterfalls are (slightly) bigger and you are no longer bothered by your fellow tourists.
The north of Skye is busier, and once you get there you'll understand exactly why. It is so beautiful and there is so much to do and see. Sitting comfortably in the center is key – hello, Kinloch Campsite on Loch Dunvegan. A bit of paddling while the MacLeod'd Tables look spectacular in the background. With a bit of luck the seals will come to wish you a good morning, otherwise the friendly family that runs it will. Almost around the corner you will find the Dunvegan Oldest Bakery of Skye and that's reason enough to hang out at Kinloch Campsite for a few days.
In Dunvegan itself Dunvegan Castle, where the magical Fairy Flag hangs and where you can really enjoy walking through the castle gardens. You'll be there in less than half an hour's drive Neist Point Lighthouse, a lighthouse built on a steep cliff and where you have to hold on very (very) tightly to the railing when there is a bit of wind. For your dose of walking, drive to Staffin for a tour Quiraing Mountains. When the weather is nice (and they often find that in Scotland) there is a sweet tent for coffee and a snack.
It's certain off the beaten track, but a trip to the Isles of Harris and Lewis in the Outer Hebredis are all ferries and windswept hair totally worth it. The ferry goes from Uig and that is one of the better ferry locations, because the Isle of Skye Brewery Company is one meter off. When you arrive in Tarbert, you drive a short distance south and you don't know what you see. No dark brown North Sea water, but luminous blue, clear water with all shades of turquoise in between. In combination with the rocky landscape you are truly a world away from the green Highlands.
Lickisto Blackhouse Campsite doesn't have much space for campers, so making a reservation or calling ahead is definitely useful. For tenters there are all sorts of hidden spots by the water (be careful, the seals bark really loudly in the morning) or hidden between native greenery. The absolute highlight of the campsite is the traditional blackhouse, which is used here as common space for campers. There is a heater, a large table for long games evenings and a cozy shower.
England is really not just a weekend London (although we wouldn't say no to that). England has National Parks such as the Peak District and the North Yorkshire Moors. It is industrial cities such as Manchester and Leeds (for more great tips in Yorkshire you should have a look here click). England is the beautiful and sleightly fancy Cotswolds, it is the white cliffs of Dover and the green Devon where you die in artisanal regional products. Nature and city are often no further than fifteen minutes apart – best of both worlds! England is for the campers who just want to sit in the green and for the glampers who also want a little City hopping and wanting to be pampered. Old Blighty, here we come!
In the Peak District and near the cute village of Bakewell (yes, the Bakewell tart!) you will find Dale Farm Rural Campsite. It is run by a small family and you immediately see and feel all the love, time and effort that has gone into the campsite. The showers are hot (unfortunately not that obvious at every campsite), if you ask nicely you can pet the sheep and the camping facilities are wheelchair friendly. Because the campsite is on a small slope, you never actually look straight into your neighbors. Some 'keep it quiet' signs are a bit passive-aggressive, but it does mean that it is wonderfully quiet. You look out over rolling landscapes, green crops as far as the eye can see and at the camping shop you can buy all kinds of goodies from your own farm. Glampers cannot believe their happiness in the beautiful bell tents which are also rented out – a good mix between English rusticity and Ibiza vibe hippyness.
De Thornbridge Brewery you can already find it less than a ten minute drive away and that is their beer and brew pub more than worth it. A little further drive you will find the Monsal Trail, an old train track that is no longer in use and where you can now enjoy walking and cycling over viaducts and through dark tunnels. There are some tea houses scattered along the trail, so you don't have to leave home all packed for a snack.
Nice in its simplicity and all what is outdoors to do in the area – Orcaber Campsite in the Yorkshire Dales is almost too deceptively simple. Don't turn the car around, but pitch your tent, enjoy the green hills around you and get some rest. Because this campsite is ideal for that. Tiny, completely flat (huzzah) and with the occasional stray chicken or hedgehog – really back to the basics of nature. In the municipal house you will find many nice tips and walks in the area, the chickens lay eggs every day (if all goes well) and historic Settle is less than a five-minute drive away. If you still want to ask something, the owners will come and do a walk around at the end of the day to see if everything is okay. Kindness at its best.
You will find it a twenty minute walk (or three minutes in the car). Austwick, a tiny English village from which you can take many nice walks. Some walks are only two hours, but the landscape changes every ten minutes – lots of limestone, hills, then dense forest. Oh, and the local pub Game Cock is a good after-treat.
If you see a pub and restaurant immediately upon entering the campsite, you know you've got a good one – Windermere Camping and Caravanning Club Site in Staveley it is. The trees next to the tent field provide a bit of shelter and coziness and there is a small house where you can do the dishes and chat with other campers. The part for the caravans and campers is a lot less cozy than the tent field, so if you drive around there, this place is not the nicest. The campsite is right in between Bowness-on-Windermere where you can stroll around if you can avoid the hordes of tourists and the busy market village Kendal and you'll be in it in no time Lake District National Park.
The town of Staveley is less than a ten-minute drive away and you will find the ideal afternoon activity there: a pint of cask ale at the Hawkshead Brewery and then a pork and apple sausage roll van More? the Artisan Bakery. The terrace has sun almost all afternoon (Hawkshead itself is also nice pub food) and you really get bit of that local feeling. For the active ones there is the Lake Windermere National Trust, where you can laze around, swim and play with the kids.
It is a challenge to find a flat piece of tent ground (camper vans have it easier here), but you also have an 'I have you there' view Park Cliffe Camping. The campsite is spatially designed camper vans are arranged in a kind of semicircle like a village with lots of trees and greenery, you can walk straight into nature or a forest path from the entire campsite and there is a restaurant and bar with draft beer and good English classics on the menu such as bangers & mash and chicken tikka masala. No tent? Then you choose one pod, an shepherd's hut or your own cottage. There is some beautiful wooden play equipment for the kids and activities are regularly organized. And glampers Please note – you can rent your private sanitary facilities here! No queuing, no need to take a quick shower and no other people's hair in the drain, because you are the only one who can use it during your stay. Beauty day, anyone?
For one of the tastiest scones in the area, drive to Kendal, a beautiful historic market village and where you The Masters House Tea Room finds. Not skimping on the clotted cream and jam.
With Bart, Wales is sometimes skipped a bit and something needs to be done about that, because: completely unfair. Although a lot smaller than England and Scotland, Wales has so much to make it a great holiday - Celtic castles and culture, a beautiful coastline, the Snowdonia National Park and an array of authentic pubs that you should definitely spend another holiday on Pull. It is the land of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The land of bright green, rolling fields full of sheep and the land of vibrant Cardiff. And because Wales is often skipped (phew), you have to share all your walks and other fun things a lot less.
First time camping or is the family still a bit hesitant to spend a weekend in the countryside? Dan makes Dews Lake Farm choices really are a lot easier. There are pitches for traditional campers and glamping options on a friendly, authentic farm teeming with nature and countryside character. Tucked away in sleepy Pembrokeshire, yet conveniently close to the region's most beautiful sights. The campsite is relaxed and... low-key – blow and find your own place. Light the fire, put a good slice of bacon on the BBQ and off you go. There is also a small cafe where you can sit in the sun for a long time and a nice pub The Dial Inn less than a mile's walk away.
Fifteen minutes' drive and you are at one of the most beautiful beaches in Wales - Barafundle Bay beach. It's a bit of a steep climb up for half an hour, but because you look out over golden sandy beaches and turquoise blue water, we didn't mind. You often have the place to yourself, except for some brave surfers. Then you treat yourself The Stackpole Inn, a pub that won Best Gastro Pub in Wales for good reason.
We don't know how to pronounce it exactly and we may never learn. That Llwyngwair Manor Holiday Park We know that it is a very nice place to pitch your tent. The estate is set on 55 hectares of grass and woodland with streams, a river, lots of floral greenery and includes a hotel and caravan park (hear us out), along with plenty of space for tents, touring cars and campers. For the back to basic campers this is a bit too big, but what you lack in silliness, you make up for in all the first-class facilities (pub, tennis court, pool tables and lots of nice showers) and access to the nearby coast and hills.
The small medieval town Newport to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path is less than two km away, with a castle, beaches, boat trips and circular walks. There are all kinds of tours to do wildlife (puffins!) and you can eat good traditional dishes in the Golden Lion (bring on the Sunday roast!).
The name gives it away – Covert Farm Camping is a small farm with a suitably hidden location, a no frills approach and many different wild animals, butterflies and birds (next to the campsite is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so those birds can't help but be special. It won't be long before you start relaxing here with unmown meadows and dense hedgerows in front that natural feeling. It might be a bit too much for the luxury cats no frills, but if you like intimacy and nature and you don't have to beat your chest every evening until late at night, this is a very nice place. Campfires are encouraged and we like that attitude.
Award winning beach Saunderfoot is ten minutes away (often busy), and there are plenty of fun and active things to do. If you're looking for a romantic evening away from the tent, this is it stables in Tenby hard to beat, housed in an old coaching inn between the medieval city walls and now a fancysmancy, modern restaurant.
