What's your camping style?

Camping suggests huddling around the campfire. Your image could include singing, cooking marshmallows and laughter. Alternatively, you could be one who thinks of camping as that awful wet experience where it rains 24/7, torrential winds blows your belongings away and you’re left soggy...constantly soggy. However, camping has changed. These two stereotypical images still exist, but now there are a wealth of options in-between that are suitable for everyone. 

You can choose to glamp it up in a luxurious lodge or get right back to nature in your modest two person tent in the middle of woods. You can choose to go down the caravanning route in a holiday park or maybe you have a motor home of your own. Whatever it is, this are all camping styles and there’s bound to be one that suits you. It needn’t be a word of dread!

Weighing up the pros and cons of each is easy. We all know our limits and what we are and aren’t going to put up with. There are those who feel caravanning is not camping at all whilst others just can’t be dealing with the insects! So to compare and contrast, we have summed up the camping experience in two factors; comfort and cost. Two simple categories you needing to be considering when looking for your perfect camping experience...

The cost

Cost is such a massive factor in anything you consider so it makes sense to start with your budget. If you’re looking for a good camping experience that is also cheap as chips then traditional camping is the best option for you. Camping sites range in price but are generally around the £5 per night figure whilst you can borrow a friend’s tent for the one-off. If you can’t borrow your accommodation then tents are extremely reasonably priced with many places holding offers throughout the year. On the Go Outdoors site, they have reductions that you can use in store with online coupons on a range of tents for families, pop-ups and simple tents purposely made for short trips away. 

If camping is not your thing yet you’re still on a budget it’s best to steer clear of glamping and motor homes. The luxuries means you’ll be paying the price. The trick here is to find the middle man and that middle man (in this case) happens to be the humble caravan. Often related to your family adventures from your childhood, why not rekindle your love? It has a suitable amount of comfort whilst being reasonably priced, and you still get a rustic experience! On the ukcampsite.co.uk, you can find a caravan site in any area of the UK you wish to visit with prices never ascending far past £20 per night (and that’s during the summer months).

The comfort factor

For the lucky lot where money is no object, you can go the whole hog. Glamping is your oyster with yurts, tipis and lodges all at your disposal. Browse glamp sites across the world at goglamping.net and camp in places such as Morocco, Canada or Thailand...

For glamping in the UK, check out glamping-uk.co.uk and find a little piece of heaven right on your doorstep! This will save you a significant amount on travel whilst still gaining maximum comfort and a unique experience.

But can you have the comfort without the high costs? Yes! Caravanning is an extremely comfortable way to camp and as we mentioned above, cheap as chips as well! And don’t forget the ease with facilities like the toilet and shower, basic kitchen appliances and a roof not prone to leaking. All this will make your holiday as comfortable as it can be. Perfect for camping novices, caravanning is a great stepping stone...

Still hellbent on camping the old-fashioned way? It’s not going to be the most comfortable option, however there are little tricks of the trade. A good quality tent with enough space is important. You don’t want to be feeling claustrophobic whilst investing in some tarp will have you covered if there should be any heavy rain, but we have to say sleep is the aspect you need to prepare yourself for. A bad nights sleep can have you resembling the Hulk and after a week of it? We don’t wish to think about it! So investing in a decent sleeping and mattress is highly important. The better your night’s sleep, the more you’re going to enjoy your holiday. Bring along your pillows to make you feel at home and make sure your sleeping bag is appropriate for the weather. There’s nothing worse than tossing and turning throughout the night. Also think about the surface. Grabbing an inflatable mattress is easy. It takes up hardly any room in your boot and they’re reasonably priced. Check out the range on the Tesco website starting at just £6.

21st century camping has brought with it a hybrid of camping styles making the experience easily accessible to those wanting to camp without the discomfort. Whether you head for the luxury route in one of many glamping experiences across the globe or wish to keep things close to nature with a good old-fashioned tent and campfire, camping can be cheap, comfortable and amazing fun.

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Sarah Ponsford

Sarah is a recent graduate who has contributed to a number of websites and...

Sarah Ponsford