Camping but not camping

[Readyfreddo]

We are big campers, always have been. Grew up camping and spent my 20s wild camping. Now we have 2 tiny campers, one with complex SEND, and for the time being camping is too much hard work as the logistics of packing and putting up the tent while giving her the supervision she needs to be safe is hard.

We still want the big, wild, nature of the camping holiday though. The answer might be glamping, but I’d want wild, open space, kid friendly glamping, not neat yurts in rows. Camp fires, not hot tubs. Both kids love the outdoors.

Suggestions gratefully received! Cost not too big an issue but I’d rather UK.

We've used these before and been very happy, they range from multiple sites to places that are more akin to what you're after.
https://www.featherdown.co.uk/?scid=11898&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwx-CyBhAqEiwAeOcTdSunHE-_jZUxIYPMnWRLhZoispYGA7GNModBczYkBaIY2NL2sKSVYxoC3PYQAvD_BwE

Some do have hot tubs, but some are more pared back.

would a campervan / motor home work?

Something similar, independent site, fire pit.
http://www.springwoodcamping.com/

Also
https://fairybellwood.co.uk/

www.wildcampertrucks.com/

How about this?

I was thinking this too. DH and I now have our own little micro pop top caravan as DS17 and DS20 no longer holiday with us. But when they were little I had a slightly bigger compact caravan. I feel this is really the best way to experience the camping outdoors lifestyle with added comfort. We've just come back from a trip in ours and I really feel it's the best way to visit the nicest parts of the UK.

Of my suggestions fairy bell wood is the closest to what you want. It's a single yurt and completely off grid. So no other campers and no mod cons unless you count wood burner (which you don't have to use of you would prefer not to obvs)

What about a camping barn/bunk house?

https://www.campsites.co.uk/search/camping-barns

Thank you for all these suggestions, really helpful. I don’t love the idea of a motorhome but the Wild Camper Trucks look like an interesting half way option.

Fairy Bell Wood looks idyllic and I love the Lakes.

Camping barns are a great shout that I hadn’t thought of - in my head/experience they’re communal dorms full of hikers but there’s some interesting options in there! I’ve been dreaming of a Norwegian/Finnish style cabin somewhere in the woods too, but I’m not convinced these exist in the UK.

Open space?
Tent already up for you?
Next to a beach?
Camp fires allowed?
https://www.trehelifarm.com/

Loads to see and do nearby you can have quiet or busy

That looks beautiful @Funf! I can imagine my tiny tornado with no sense of danger spending the entire time trying to launch herself off that cliff though…

Norwegian style cabins at https://www.logcabinswales.co.uk/ Trawsfymydd. There are several agencies and individual owners letting out the cabins. Nothing like Center Parcs - small, cosy, solid cabins with stunning views. We've been a number of times with our SEND DC I think they appreciate the structure, as it were, of a fixed roof and normal toilet but it's still very outdoorsy.

Some places will do tent hire and they put the tent up for you. My brother found a couple of places like that when they wanted to see how the kids coped before they invested in a tent. That might be an option if you want conventional sleeping in a tent.

Blow up tents? We bought one when we had my youngest as both of us trying to pitch a tent while running after a toddler or a baby was too hard.

My partner can pitch a blow up tent on his own in about 20 mins.

We find this so much easier as we normally have two restlesss children after a long car journey. I take the children to explore and he gets the tent up

we've been to a few of these Eco-Friendly Camping in England & Wales (greenercamping.org) and they've all been lovely

usually in our own tent but lots have their own pitched.

@lifehappens12 great idea but at the moment we use a bell tent that I can put up single handedly in about the same time and 1) if I try and buy another tent my marriage is probably in jeopardy and 2) it’s the whole lot that is overwhelming right now - packing, finding the camping gear, remembering we lost a fork last time, drying the tent… we both work full time and need a holiday that combines being a bit relaxing with the healing power of nature

@NotMeNoNo that looks amazing!

So many great ideas restoring my faith that my kind of holiday is still possible. Thank you!

Glamping on Brownsea Island | National Trust

You get to sleep in a bell tent but it's otherwise pretty basic camping.

What about Forest Holidays?

www.forestholidays.co.uk

https://www.babymooncamp.com/accommodation/

A lot of YHA hostels have wooden pods, tipis or land pods in their grounds - there are lots in the lakes. Depends whether you just want to lose the set up or also need better boundaries to prevent little ones ending up in streams etc as the ones I’ve been to don’t have enclosed outdoors spaces. You are allowed to use the indoor kitchen, toilets, showers and lounge areas which makes it a much more pleasant and weatherproof experience!

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/51405340?sourceimpressionnid=p317170738566oJcGE%2FUHGZxL2Clh

Stayed here, it was lovely and you get the whole field to yourself!

South penquite farm near bodmin Cornwall one of the best campsites ever been too ... Yurts , big skies, story circle and fires .. although both times been in august v iffy weather...

NearlyWildCamping.org have small sites with a couple of glamping tents in no -high density conditions.

Also The Greener Camping Club .