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Why People Choose the Glampsites They Do

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When someone is choosing a glampsite there are a number of factors they will consider, but there are also a number of motivating factors behind choosing glamping as the style or type of holiday to have.  So why do people choose glamping?

Proximity to nature

This is the main driving factor behind choosing glamping over a spa weekend, city break or another type of holiday.  Being close to nature is associated with increased wellbeing and the idea of escaping the busy pace of everyday life.

Home comforts

While camping also offers proximity to nature, glamping offers the luxury touches that make it more accessible for some people.  Being in a proper bed, with somewhere to charge a phone and decent kitchen facilities means you save time on things like tent set up, campfire cooking or working out how to top up your phone battery.  If you’ve got three days to relax, glamping offers you a better balance of your time compared to camping.

Romance and privacy

Glamping accommodation is often a two-person affair, and this is because it is ideally suited to couples.  Being in nature, with the privacy that affords, is perfect for making a memorable weekend and ideal for proposals with a difference.  Glamping is a bit like being at a hotel, but instead of the door opening into a generic corridor, the door opens straight into nature.  Your neighbours are also likely to be further away than they would be in the next door hotel room.

 

We can see that glamping appeals to people looking for certain aspects of a break, and many glampsites cater to the couples market.  There are also many types of glampsite that cater for groups of all sizes including families and friendship groups, but the first to motivating factors for choosing glamping apply across the board.  So, why do people choose the glampsites they do?

Location

An obvious one, but location usually comes first.  It’s a case of whether the site is near friends or family you want to visit, near attractions or places you like to go, or near your home base to minimise travel time.

Facilities

This is a longer list, but will include washing and toilet facilities (private or shared?), kitchen and cooking options, whether campfires are allowed, whether it’s adult only, or family friendly.  Considerations like the distance between pitches, the types of accommodation, size of the beds and whether there is electricity from the mains or solar power will also factor into the decision.  These factors don’t exist with self-catering cottage holidays, or with hotel based breaks and are specific to glamping and camping.

Safety

This is a major concern for those glamping with children or pets, as open water and unfenced woodland can pose a risk of drowning, getting lost, or sustaining minor injuries like scrapes and cuts from falling over logs or uneven ground in the woods. 

Activities and leisure

These are often more of a concern for campers rather than glampers – if you’ve paid a lot for a nice treehouse you might want to spend much of your time there relaxing, rather than out all day at museums, going for walks or having surfing lessons, for example.  However, the option of leisure activities is an important factor.  Some glampers want to relax and read in the woods, while others will want to explore a bit and walk round the local area.  Some glampsites offer woodcraft and traditional skills courses that attract people wanting to have a go at weaving, spoon carving or another outdoorsy pursuit.  Having a mix of options will attract a wide group of people.

If you run a glampsite, these motivating factors and considerations should inform the decisions you make about how to pitch and run your site to attract the most guests.

Birds eye view of some baskets

Sustainabilty and Wellness – What Does It All Mean?

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These are two words you’ll see everywhere; from multi-national corporations to freelance reflexologists, everyone is shouting about how sustainable their offering is, and how they focus on wellness.  Sometimes it can seem like these concepts are little more than buzzwords, given how liberally they are applied to every business idea going.  If we look at what they really represent, however, we can see how they are applicable to glamping businesses for several reasons.

 

Sustainability

In a glamping context this is about environmental responsibility and living in a way that impacts the natural world as little as possible.  For example, composting toilets are a fantastic way to be responsible when it comes to water consumption; each day someone uses this type of toilet they save around 35 litres of water – that’s 30% of their daily use cut by one simple change. 

Composting toilets have come a long way in recent years – the Glastonbury style long drop is a thing of the past!  Modern styles suitable for glamping sites use a separator method, where solid waste is bagged or collected in a bucket (sawdust being used to cover “deposits” and stop smells) and liquid waste goes to a soak away (or even into a reed bed filtration system) that could also handle grey water from showers and kitchen sinks.

Sustainability plays a big part in the construction of the glamping accommodation, so upcycle and reuse materials wherever possible.  Using natural building materials, like sheep’s wool for insulation, and coppiced wood for railings, makes a site sustainable, while creative uses of wine bottles for colourful walls adds a unique twist that guests will remember.

 

Wellness

This is all about finding balance, practicing self-care and ensuring good overall health.  In the context of a glamping holiday this might mean taking lots of walks in nature, or spending time in quiet contemplation. 

Forest bathing and meditation are both perfect activities for promoting wellness on a glamping break, and as they are self-guided it’s up to guests to get stuck in whenever suits them.  You might provide suggestions of peaceful spots nearby and some outdoor cushions or blankets that guests can take to get comfy on the forest floor.

Yoga is another popular wellness activity, with different types for different purposes.  Providing yoga mats and some books or pose cards can help inspire guests to try yoga, or even just use the mats for relaxing on the deck with a good book.

People often go glamping because they want to get away from towns and cities, and spend some quiet time to restore themselves, so reading in a hammock, or reclining with a good book by a lake are both wonderful ways to spend an afternoon.  Provide a few books on the subject of wellness, and some which readers can enjoy for an escape into another world for a few hours.

You could consider running courses and activities around the themes of sustainability and wellness if that’s in your skillset.  If you built your own site and have valuable skills and knowledge in this area why not put together a multi-day course with accommodation provided at your glampsite? 

If you don’t have these skills in-house pair up with other local businesses to give guests the chance to learn a new skill while they’re glamping with you.  Wood carving, basket weaving, foraging and sustainable living courses are all ideal half-day offerings done at a slow pace, promoting both sustainability and wellness. 

A cat asleep under a white sheet, its face poking out.

What Is Sleep Tourism?

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Sleep tourism is the opposite of the idea that traveling means compromising on your sleep.  Jet lag, late nights and maximising your awake time on holiday are all things we commonly accept as part and parcel of vacationing, but this is starting to change.  We can’t attribute every recent societal shift to the pandemic, but it definitely forced a lot of us to slow down.  Working from home meant longer lie ins, and the benefit of more sleep was obvious to everyone who took advantage of the slower pace of life.

Sleep tourism extends this idea into the travel industry, and it comes in a few different forms.  Some hotel chains offer pillow menus and blackout blinds to provide rest to travellers after long flights, while massages, recorded meditations and relaxing toiletries are also part of the package.  Some upmarket hotels even have a bath menu where someone will come and run you the perfect relaxing bath, complete with candles and refreshments.

Another aspect of sleep tourism is short breaks that are actively designed to help you get more rest.  It runs counter to the idea that you ought to spend all your holiday time sightseeing and ticking off activities, and promotes the idea that a holiday ought to be recharging – there is value in resting. 

Glamping is the perfect sort of holiday for sleep tourism.  Being immersed in nature helps us ground and connect to the earth by exposing us to phytochemicals that help regulate our immune system, mood and general wellbeing, and to the sunlight.  Sunlight exposure (even in the winter) not only helps us produce vitamin D, it also helps align our circadian rhythm to our natural baseline.  If we’ve been burning the candle at both ends, being in nature can help shift our sleep patterns back to a more sustainable cycle.

Natural sites are also perfect for offering guided, or self guided forest bathing sessions.  This is where visitors go much more deeply into the natural experience than simply taking a walk through the woods.  Forest bathing makes people slow down and mindfully connect with their immediate surroundings.  This promotes a sense of connection to the wider natural world that is grounding, calming, and most definitely promotes a good night’s sleep.  Glampsites can provide books and guides to forest bathing, or as a visitor you can take your own guide and even a blanket to lie on.

Eye masks, lavender oil, relaxing bedtime teas and bubble baths (for an outdoor or indoor bath) are also ideal things to add to a glamping holiday to promote excellent sleep and attract sleep tourists.  Yoga, meditation, body scans and other relaxing pursuits can also be offered, if that’s something the glampsite has access to in terms of providing classes.  All these activities can be done with self-direction too, so having yoga sequence cards or guides available in the accommodation as well as body scans that can be read out, or meditation cues, allows guests to pick and choose their favourite sleep-promoting activity.

Whether you’re a glampsite owner looking to add something new for 2023 or a glamper wanting to experience true relaxation and a restored mind and body post-holiday, sleep tourism is the glamping trend to follow right now.

A life buoy roped against a wooden panel.

Luxury Lifeboat Glamping

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With the diversity of glamping accommodation on the market now you’d be hard pressed to find a structure or vehicle that hasn’t yet been adapted for overnight stays.  Now a farmer from Stirlingshire, who has already adapted a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter for glamping, is about to take on an ex-RNLI lifeboat as the next addition to the glamping offering on his farm.

The Sea King conversion made the news in 2016 as it was such an unusual project, making farmer Martyn Steedman the best person to approach about giving the Tyne Class lifeboat a new lease of life.  She was destined for the scrap heap after 24 years of active service, and a further 11 as a donor boat for restoring and repairing other vessels of the same type.  The boat, first launched in 1988, used to be called 47-017 Owen and Anne Aisher but was renamed Prince George after retirement. 

As one of the last remaining Tyne Class lifeboats in existence, it was important to retired RNLI coxswain and mechanic David Buchan that she was preserved in some way for posterity.  Given the internal size of 14 by 5 metres she’s ideally suited to being converted to glamping accommodation.  The Prince George is the last of 40 such vessels that were in service from the 1980s, so the conversion will definitely be unique.

The boat was craned into place on Steedman’s Thornhill farm recently, and work will begin shortly to turn her from a shell of a vessel into a beautiful, luxurious glamping pod.  It would certainly be a holiday to remember, sipping a glass of something cold on the sundeck of the lifeboat in the summer and no need for the lifebelts!  It’s a big change to go from saving lives to being an unusual holiday destination but if anyone can make this conversion work, it’s Steedman.

The Prince George completes a unique trio of life-saving vessels from the sea being repurposed into quirky accommodation.  The Lifeboat is an AirBnB glamping offering in Penzance created from an escape pod from an oil rig, while another converted oil industry escape pod based in Lancashire completes the set.  The Tyne Class lifeboat is unique in that it is a propelled vessel for attending emergencies in, rather than a sealed pod for escaping them.

The smaller of the escape pods is based in Lancashire and was originally a circular structure that looked similar to the classic UFO shape.  It has been restyled, with several areas added on to provide an outdoor kitchen, toilet and shower room and a second bedroom.  It is finished with nautical inspired touches and sits on the edge of lake you definitely won’t feel the need to escape from.

The Lifeboat is a larger vessel designed for escaping an oil rig in an emergency and has also been used as the basis for the glamping structure, with kitchen and bathroom facilities housed in an extension.  The sleeping areas are in either end of the pod, which retains some of the original controls and all the windows so you really get a sense of what it might have been like having to sit in there in a survival situation and await rescue.

As we approach the 200 year anniversary of the RNLI in 2024 we just hope Martyn Steedman manages to get the Prince George holiday-ready in time to celebrate the momentous occasion and perhaps raise some funds and awareness of the courageous work that RNLI volunteers carry out. 

An outhouse in the middle of a wooded area.

Off-Grid Mod Cons

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There are a few key aspects of glamping that set it apart from traditional tent camping.  Obviously, having a proper bed and bedding is a big one, but the provision of bathroom facilities is a close second; the promise of hot running water and a decent loo can be the thing that turns a reluctant camper into an eager glamper.  For glampsite owners, however, managing the provision of toilet and washing facilities on an off-grid site can present some challenges.

If you’re planning to charge a lot for your glamping accommodation and this will cover the installation of flushing toilets and a connection to the sewers, or your own bio-digester on site, then it might be worth shelling out for.  While there is nothing wrong with composting toilets, and they certainly don’t smell like people assume they might, some people can’t face the idea of them.  Others prefer the familiarity, appealing to their sense of “civilisation”, so if you’re going to appeal to born and bred townies, flushing toilets might be worth the hassle.

The downside of flushing toilets is that they’re expensive to install and maintain compared to other types.  They also cost money to fix unless you’re a plumber, while more off-grid solutions are much easier to maintain and fix yourself without any specialist knowledge, or needing to turn the water off, or having to deal with mains sewerage.

Composting toilets fall broadly into two types, separating and non-separating.  In separating compost toilets liquids and solids end up in different places.  This may be a soak-away, or pipes connecting to the mains waste, a bio-digester or filter system, or even a reed bed filtration system that can legally discharge filtered liquid waste products into a natural watercourse.  Solids are dealt with separately, with some systems using a bag for collection and others having a larger receptacle with straw, shredded paper or sawdust that keeps the smell down.  The waste is then removed and composted, buried, or fed into a bio-digester. 

Non-separating compost toilets are the simplest, but they can be harder to manage on large scale.  This type works best on a site where a hole can be dug for the season, the toilet unit set on top, and then moved after the season, and the hole filled in.  You must check that this is suitable for your site in terms of proximity to watercourses, and that you can safely re-site the toilets each season as it can take up to two years for buried human waste to compost safely. 

You can also provide chemical or portable toilets, but there is a cost associated with disposal of the waste or servicing of the portable toilets.  This may be a good option for a pop up site where digging a long drop isn’t an option, and you have no way of managing separating compost toilets. 

Disposing of compost toilet material – known as humanure – once it is composted is simply a matter of using it as normal compost on non-food crops.  It takes one to two years to break down enough for safe use, depending on the type of composting toilet it came from, and the dry material used.  Never use human waste compost on plants you are going to eat, but save it for your flowerbeds and fruit trees.

When it comes to the crunch, the easiest way of providing bathroom facilities on a glampsite is to offer hot running water for showers, but leave the plumbing at that.  By providing biodegradable toiletries you can safely discharge grey water into the land or filter it further, perhaps reusing it for irrigating a garden.  Solid waste can be composted and used as garden fertiliser or bio-digested in some systems, so there are options for all types of off-grid mod-cons.

Entrance into a beautiful glamping tent.

Is Glamping Still Really Glamping?

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The word “glamping” was coined over 15 years ago, and in that time it has changed remarkably from the initial concept, which was for a glamorous version of camping.  At its most pure, the term glamping refers to a holiday experience that is a few steps up from traditional camping.  This means a tent you can walk into and stand up in rather than crawling in on your knees, a proper bed (or at least a taller air mattress than you’d use in camping, and not a sleeping bag in sight.

Glamping meant having a few home comforts to hand, like a private toilet, hot showers, somewhere to cook (with utensils provided) and even access to electricity to charge phones.  Indeed accommodation like this was what Canopy and Stars started out with in 2010, but thirteen years on there are comparatively few bell tent like options among the 660+ places to go.  Last year, canvas based glamping options made up just 3% of their revenue as more people opt for more luxurious accommodation.

It could be argued that some of the glamping options that are available now are less closely related to the initial idea of glamping, and more closely aligned with boutique hotels and holiday cottages.  It is not uncommon to find treehouses with central heating, fully stocked kitchens and luxury bathrooms that you’d expect to find in a 5* hotel.  These options have clearly come in response to demand, but they also drive the expectations of glampers for more and more luxury touches.

The rise in popularity of UK based holidays, driven by the twin forces of Brexit-related airport queues and Covid lockdown restrictions mean that glamping customers are looking for something a little out of the ordinary, and with some indulgent touches, and nothing fills those requirements quite like a converted windmill with a hot tub and 360º countryside views.  These season-proof structures are also a boon for glamping accommodation owners as they can be easily rented out year round, increasing revenue and offering lower off-peak prices for those on a budget.

Vehicle conversions are a sort of middle ground between traditional glamping and the purpose-built structures that are popping up everywhere; there’s a distinct line between something static and plumbed in, and something that is still technically off-grid and mobile, like a converted horse box or bus.  Restored shepherds wagons and Roma caravans are also the sort of structure that meet the original definition of glamping, and were often offered alongside bell tents, safari tents and tipis at the first glampsites.

There are still many glampsites which follow the traditional definition of glamping, although they can be harder to find on booking platforms as they’re less in demand by customers.  Of course, the cost of living crisis making everything more expensive means that even glamping can be pricey, but less so if you opt for a bell tent or tipi with the glamping touches but the rustic, back-to-basics ethos of a camping holiday

Glamping in bell tents continues to be popular at festivals where it’s not practical to bring in a whole host of converted helicopters, house boats and shepherd’s huts, but where festival-goers want the option of comfortable accommodation.  It’s especially popular for festivals because it means not having to bring any bedding, tents, chairs or camping kit leaving more luggage space for outfits and  provisions.

We wonder whether rising prices will see more holidaymakers opt for glamping holidays more in line with the original definition, or whether people still want the novelty of a treehouse or a glamping pod with all mod cons.

Buildings in the desert at night.

Glamping Goes High Tech

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3D printing has been a revolution in many areas, with 3D printed jelly vitamins and chocolate sculptures making waves in the food industry, and open source files allowing people at home to print a huge variety of household items from hooks to bins and everything in between.  The technology exists on a large scale too, with massive 3D printers designed to print in cement having been used to build houses.

Soon, the first 3D printed hotel will be available to stay in, and it’s part of the El Cosmico glamping retreat in West Texas.  The site already boasts a variety of accommodation options including the classic vintage airstream trailer and traditional tipis and yurts.  Now, the 3D cement printing technology will create a series of circular pods that will connect to create glamping accommodation in the desert.

Sand and soil from the desert itself will be used in the building mix to create structures that look and feel like they are a natural part of the landscape.  The curving walls give a soft look to the exterior, gently mirroring the swirling sand effect of a desert storm to connect the structures to the landscape in which they sit.  The use of materials from the site also harks back to the traditional adobe, mud-built homes that desert dwellers have built and lived in for thousands of years, marrying the traditional with the technical to create a sustainable, efficient building style.

Inside the sleeping area of the pods the 3D printed walls gently rise around the bed platform offering privacy through the design of the structure itself.  The curves rise to the roof where a circular skylight allows for stargazing, which takes full advantage of the lack of light pollution in the desert.  In fact, one of the partners on the project, ICON, has a contract with NASA to build the first houses on the moon, so it is entirely fitting that one of their early projects includes that link to the heavens.

The project is expected to get off the ground in 2024 (no pun intended), so there is plenty of time to plan and book a trip to this exciting glamping spot so you can stay in the first 3D printed hotel.  We hope glampsites in the UK or Europe take this project and run with the inspiration, because this building style is ideal for many areas of Spain where arid conditions make these mud/cement dwellings a cool retreat. 

In the UK this style of building would be ideal in places with a lot of natural clay or sand that could be excavated in groundworks and used in the construction of glamping pods, reducing the material miles and environmental footprint of the project.  A mix of 3D printing and other traditional building styles could be employed to create glamping accommodations that use some historic techniques. 

Perhaps a wattle and daub wall, incorporating manure and horsehair from a nearby farm for strength and insulation, could be built on 3D printed foundations?  Maybe an old brick making site could be alluded to by using some hand made bricks on a floor or doorframe around which 3D printed panels could be inserted?

The possibilities for 3D printed construction in the world of glamping are endless, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.

A green field with a couple of bell tents.

Whole Site Glamping Holidays

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If 2023 has a group holiday on the horizon, but you’re finding it hard to choose a venue, or even a type of holiday that suits everyone in the party, glamping could be the answer.  Glamping offers a lot of flexibility in terms of price points, activities and accommodation types.  When you make a whole site booking for a group you get the privacy and community feel you would get if you hired a villa or large holiday home without the associated cost.  At a time when many people are struggling with the cost of living, while others in their social circle may be just fine, glamping offers a way of getting a large group together without excluding anyone based on price.

There are several glampsites that allow whole-site bookings and they all vary, with some featuring an array of accommodation options from cabins and chalets with all mod cons, to bell tents and even the space for those on a budget to pitch their own tent and pay a much cheaper price.  Having the whole site to yourselves means communal meals can be a thing of joy, with everyone pitching in and socialising in the kitchen facilities. 

You don’t need to worry about keeping the noise down, or affecting other glampers by taking over the whole kitchen for the evening, which would be a concern if you were sharing the site.  It’s these factors that have led many glampsites to ban adult group bookings to cater for the needs of other guests, but if you book the whole site you have the freedom to stay up as late as you want, and enjoy the facilities as a group.

Finding a glampsite that takes whole site bookings can take a little time, but there are many options out there if you’re flexible about dates.  It’s a good idea to start with a few date range options – if some people can’t make the whole period it needn’t stop the group from making the booking as people can come and go within that time frame.  Think about the facilities you need, and what will serve the group best.  Perhaps you’re looking for somewhere with a hot tub and sauna facilities, or you want a place with a really well equipped kitchen for the foodies of the group.  Location for access to hiking and outdoor sports might be a factor for some, while proximity to the beach is a must-have for others.

If you find a glampsite that is almost perfect consider contacting the owners to discuss any extra needs that your group has.  If you need somewhere that’s dog friendly but the site appears not to allow dogs it is worth having the conversation about why.  On a working farm dogs may be banned due to the risk to livestock, but if the reason is just about poo-picking you may be able to reach a compromise.  Similarly, if the site doesn’t take tent bookings but you have too many people in your group for the glamping options ask if you can add tents for a reasonable fee.  If you’re planning to order firewood, courses, or other extras from the site mention these at the time as this could be enough leverage to get your requirements met.

Glamping holidays are a fantastic option for groups looking to spend a holiday together in 2023.  For adult friend groups a whole site booking is often the best way to have a memorable break the way you want it without costing the earth.  For family groups glamping is also a great option for a budget-friendly group break that suits everyone in the party.  Check out glampsites in your chosen location now and make certain you’ll have a holiday to remember for all the right reasons.

A backview of 3 women holding hands walking down a path.

Give The Gift Of Glamping This Mother’s Day

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Looking for a gift with a difference this Mother’s Day?  Why not book a relaxing glamping break for your mum?  A whole weekend (or a few days in the week) just for her, where she can relax in peace with a good book in a hot tub, or explore the countryside.  Maybe your mum loves running, mountain biking or wild swimming, or she’s always wanted to try her hand at traditional crafts like weaving, basketry or foraging?

Whatever your mum finds relaxing and rewarding there’s a glamping break to suit her.  Some  glampsites offer courses run by the owners, while others are located close to workshops for traditional crafts.  Foraging courses can be found all over the country, so you should be able to find one within a few miles of most glampsites.  If your mum’s idea of relaxing is quiet time with a good book and a really nice glass of red then look for glamping accommodation with lots of places to sit; a hammock, fire pit and lots of blankets or rugs are ideal for curling up and switching off from the world.

If your mum is always in the kitchen cooking for the whole family it might be nice to book a nice meal out for her, or give her vouchers for restaurants nearby.  If she’s in the kitchen because she loves to cook, look for glamping options with a well-kitted out kitchen area where she can get stuck in with her favourite recipe book.  A cookery class from a top chef makes a great gift for a foodie, and combined with the proper “me-time” you get with a glamping break it will be the best Mother’s Day gift she’s ever had.

The beauty of giving a glamping break is that the whole family can chip in to cover the expense and even if the getaway is booked for a date in the future (March can be a bit cold for glamping!) you can give her a course voucher, lovely socks for walking, a good book (or something else which she can use on her holiday) for something to open on the day.  Don’t forget to check her diary to find a good weekend (or weekdays) to book the break.  It’s supposed to be a relaxing time and not a source of stress having to reorganise dates she’s already booked. 

Whatever your mum’s into, we bet that an uninterrupted soak in a nice bath or a hot tub is something she’d enjoy, and there are lots of great glamping options with outdoor baths, or tubs with a view.  While a long, luxurious soak is relaxing and indulgent in itself, having a view of the natural world while you’re in there (rather than the familiar tiles of the bathroom) is excellent for de-stressing and connecting with mother nature – it is a Mother’s Day gift after all.

A nice touch for a gifted glamping getaway is a hamper for her arrival.  Lots of glampsites offer various hampers, from breakfast hampers to celebration options and everything in between.  Finding a bottle of fizz, some posh chocolates and breakfast already sorted when she arrives will set the tone for a relaxing, pampering break where she can do exactly as she pleases.  If your chosen glampsite doesn’t offer hampers, it’s worth contacting the owners to see if they can arrange something, or put together your own hamper for her to take along.

For a really unique, memorable Mother’s Day present this year, give the gift of glamping.  Really, it’s the gift of uninterrupted, mum-focused time, and mums will always appreciate that!

A bell tent sitting in the middle of a forest.

Green Glamping Credentials

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In these less than optimal economic times the off-grid life seems rather more appealing than at times of prosperity, especially if you’re not a fan of the composting toilet, or of looking into generating your own biogas from waste products.  When we are forced to face the reality of the costs of living with the modern conveniences we are used to, however, off-grid living becomes something we may aspire to (if we don’t already have dreams of The Good Life).

Ground source heat pumps and solar panels are a possibility for many people and cut down on the expense of heating water and central heating or generating electricity as well as being better for the environment in the long term.  While many people have installed these products, they’re also still connected to the mains supply as the thought of being reliant on renewable energy can be frightening.

Green glamping holidays are a fantastic way to try out life with some of the strategies and products that make living comfortably with no reliance on the mains supply of electricity, water or gas possible.  Many glampsites rely on some source of renewable energy, or have other green credentials like composting toilets or mixed water sources – with mains drinking water but rainwater harvesting for showers.  This encourages more responsible use of water as no-one wants to run out and have to arrange the refilling of a tank just because you washed up with the tap running down the plughole, or left it on while washing your hands.

We’re not suggesting everyone rips out their toilet and replaces it with a separating compost loo, or even a mixed “hot” compost style;  having the land and space to deal with the waste is a consideration and this just isn’t possible for urban living.  When you consider that a dry composting toilet saves 52 litres of water a day per person, the idea of flushing once every second or third use becomes more appealing – more so when you see the change on your water bill.

Solar power for lighting and device charging is also something lots of sites offer – not only does this keep their outgoings at a level where the glamping business is still viable, but it encourages guests to be more aware of the power they are using.  This is a great mindset to carry home too, making us think more about whether we still need that device plugged in, or whether the lights need to be on in the kitchen when everyone’s in the living room.

Finally, composting and recycling are something nearly everyone can do (composting in a flat might not be logistically possible!) and most glamping sites encourage guests to be responsible about their waste products, especially if vehicle access is limited on-site as someone then has to lug the rubbish away.  Some sites compost all waste food, even cooked and raw meat, while others stick with green waste (teabags, egg shells, veg peelings and paper, for example) but everywhere will require guests to recycle.  Your local council may have a food waste scheme, or a neighbour might appreciate the extra compostable material for their bin if you don’t have the space or desire to compost on your own property.

If you’re thinking of making lifestyle changes to become more eco-friendly, or even try out bigger changes like going off-grid for all your power or for waste water, then a green glamping holiday is ideal for giving you the flavour of The Good Life without the immediate commitment.  You might even be so enamoured with the lifestyle that you set up your own green glamping business and go fully off-grid yourself! 

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