Glamping? What’s it all about?

Glamping is sort of the softies option for people who want to get outdoors, but be able to get the outdoors out of their hair afterwards. It can be great way to get back to nature without buying and carrying all your own gear. To some, it’s plain cheating, but luxury camping is not without its own special set of challenges.

You may be an experienced camper who can build a fire in five minutes using only moss and whittle a guitar to lead the sing-song with. You may be the sort of person who will happily hike up a mountain eating only mouthfuls of snow on the way. But glamping is its own great adventure.

There are many things you should carefully consider before a luxury camping trip, but here we attempt to answer a few of the most pressing questions:

What will I be staying in?
You may think it’s all about yurts and tipis, but there are all sorts of things out there from houseboats to gypsy wagons to an old fire truck. As long as it’s weird and wonderful and you can sleep in it, we love it.
Should I take my own duvet and feather pillows?
Most of the time, this is not strictly necessary. It is best to check in advance of course, but many sites will provide their guests with both of the above and maybe a hot water bottle.

Should I pack some cold rations, jerky or Kendall mint cake so I can survive in the wild?
Er…probably not. Many glamping sites will have an array of basic foodstuffs in the kitchen area and maybe a welcome hamper with some bread, milk etc. A couple of the slightly less rustic set-ups include lemon cake, a bottle of wine, some home-made pesto…It’s safe to say you can usually leave the ship’s biscuit at home.

Will the kids get bored?
Survival can be about so much more than food and shelter. Entertainment for the children is often a life-saver. At some luxury camping places, there are farm animals to feed, ponies to ride, there’s even one with a pool, although it’s not heated, so best not bank on it in winter unless they’ve really been annoying you.

Do I need my flint and tinder?
Not unless you really want it. There’s almost always a wood-burner, and frequently gas hobs for quick cups of tea, or occasionally an aga.
Well, that might help to give you a bit of an idea of the terrible hardships that await you in the world of glamping. Good luck if you’re heading out there!

This is a guest post from Green Finder members Canopy and Stars, who offer luxury camping and glamping at a range of inspirational locations across the UK and France.