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.

Don't know where you are but the katas at Comrie Croft are lovely, it's a fab place. It's near Crieff in Scotland.

You need a caravan!

I was a committed camper who detested caravans. Then I met DH who’d grown up in them and now we have kids I’m a convert. Somewhere to dry coats, put wellies, have a proper bed, keep a set of clothes in the cupboard etc. kids are now 12 and 10 and we’ve had magical holidays ll over the the UK.

I never ever thought this would be me!

a beautiful campsite within a conservation project, family-friendly camping within private and secluded glades but they also have a converted bus as an option to stay in which sounds a good option for you!

https://www.castlewildcamp.co.uk/

Bothies in Scotland - similar to a camping barn.
https://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/bothies/using-a-bothy/

What about youth hostels? They have family rooms these days. SOme also have camping https://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-borrowdale#reviews

Would you consider camping with someone else who could either put up your tent or occupy your child?

Find a local to put the tent up and pay them a tenner?

A friend of a friend has a caravan that is basically on a farmer's field, they pay the farmer to 'rent' their pitch but it is only them.

Farm stays are not camping (usually) but many working farms let you 'help' feed animals which could be fun for your children.

A place all of us here adore: https://campkatur.com/stay/

The youth hostel association have bell tents and other set up pods (tipis etc).
we have stayed in two of the bell tents- one in Devon and one at Windermere and both were excellent. Beds are made ready for you too.
my kids have absolutely loved staying in them.

www.graigwen.co.uk

We have stayed here many times and is a beautiful place to stay. I think it ticks all of your boxes including the campfire 🔥

The owners are lovely and the little shop is so useful.

Have a look at the National Trust campsites. They're well organised, a good balance between basic and comfortable and (based on the one we stayed in) have very well stocked shops, which is good cos if you're dealing with additional needs it's one less thing to think about.

We stayed at treacle valley last week in one of their teepees. Basically you get the tent but bring your own beds etc. they have fire pits for you to use.
lovely site with only 3 pre erected tents, the rest normal campers.
little park, a few chickens, felt very safe for my SEN 5 year old, 9 year old and even 2.5 year old to roam about whilst we sat by the tent. It’s quite remote but lots of lovely places nearby (Brixham, Dartmouth etc)

I highly recommend Basecamp in Mendip.

What about a folding camper? You get a lot of the benefits of a caravan, they’re easier to store, can keep most of your stuff in it ready to go and quick to get up/down. Plus are often accepted onto “tent only” campsites. If you get a solar unit attached to the leisure battery you can do a few days off grid. Only issue is that if you put them down wet you need to open them up again asap for drying, but if this isn’t straightforward to do at home then there are some older types where this doesn’t matter.

Blackberry wood in Sussex is lovely with kids. Some are more wild than others. The tree houses are beautiful

https://www.blackberrywood.com/

How about Bert’s Kitchen Garden in North Wales?

They have a family hut you can hire.

It’s a beautiful setting.

https://www.bertskg.com/the-huts-trefor

Would a VW (or similar) camper work? They are so much smaller than motorhomes. We 'wild camp' with ours out of season and when using a camp site use the ones that are just fields. Kids sleep in the pop top. Everything is stored in the van ready to go, we just fill the fridge. It's a comfy drive so replaces car.

We've stayed at Blackberry Wood lots of times. It is quirky and charming and great for younger kids. The issue I had with it is it's so popular you have to book way in advance and pay in full. The tree houses are also a bit of a nightmare with some types of SEN as if one person's up, no-one sleeps (well I guess that's a general camping problem...) but there's also a fair bit of open water and the play area isn't very well maintained, nor are the boundaries to the site very clear. You have to be vigilant.

As others have mentioned, some of the Greener Camping Club sites have glamping options.

We are tent campers, but are heading here https://potadoodledo.com/ tomorrow for the 3rd time - fab little pods in Northumberland with fire pits. A small site on a farm with everything you need.

This place has everything. Katas and camping in the woods, each one has its own firepit. Cars are only allowed in the woods for drop off and pick up, lots of walking trails nearby and the village of Comrie is delightful.

https://www.comriecroft.com/sleep/katas.html

Shameless follow!

Comrie Croft has already been mentioned - it's ace!

Another option is Dalkeith Country Park, outside Edinburgh. Pre erected tents or take your own, set within the country park grounds, which are huge. East Coast beaches close by.

However, I'd opt for a Comrie!

We're just back from the Lakes where we staying in a 'camping pod' it's kind of like a wooden tent. My husband wanted to try camping but we didn't want to commit to buying a tent. It was quite ridiculous that we turned down all the fancier glamping options for £10-£20 a night more! But it was actually nice that it was so very basic, we took sleeping bags, a camping stove and hired a fire pit. It was Gill Head Farm, a lovely campsite, very well run. Though if we did it again we might try to find a smaller site to feel more remote.

https://www.nightpastures.com/

this place fits the bill and is beautiful

The website Canopy and Stars would be a good place to look.

this place a absolute bliss and pure magic. Big skies, huge estate with a small handful of glamping options, including a cabin in the woods!
https://www.inshriachhouse.com/camping-in-style/

There is a lovely campsite in Kent called Nethergong .. family friendly . Campfires , duck pond .. lovely. They have a couple of shepherd huts and bell tents to rent alongside all the other campers who bring their own tents https://www.nethergongcamping.co.uk/

Appletreewick in the Yorkshire Dales is idyllic!

https://masonscampsite.co.uk/

We’ve just got back from Embers in East Sussex. They have a few bell tents that you can hire, large field, fire pits. Cars only allowed for unload/reload. It was quiet and lovely!