Unconventional Glamping for 2021
Glamping and camping were the most popular holiday options in 2020 because they are generally Covid secure, outdoors and self-contained. With no need to quarantine on your return, domestic glamping holidays were the mainstay of the summer and this trend is set to continue through 2021 as well. While we may be able to travel abroad with more ease this year, there’s still no guarantee that a foreign holiday will be plain sailing, so the safest option is to stay in the UK and make the most of what the beautiful and diverse landscapes of this country have to offer.
This is great news for the industry, and many pop-up glamping sites are on the cards for this summer, as well as expansion at existing sites to accommodate as many holidaymakers as possible. For those wishing to go glamping this means that pitches are at a premium and sites are being booked up quickly, leaving little availability in the more popular destinations. There is a way round this problem, and we’ve looked to Scotland for a solution.
In Scotland the “right to roam” allows anyone to pitch up anywhere, as long as it is not private land or being used for farming. Etiquette dictates that you shouldn’t pitch up anywhere visible from main roads and settlements, and that you should leave no trace of your visit, which means no campfires. In England the rules are different, and you can’t just set up camp wherever you like. We know that people who have done this have been given short shrift by landowners and farmers, but if you get permission from the farmer or landowner then things are different.
If you have your own bell tent, large family tent or campervan, then you can still create a glamping holiday off the beaten track by securing permission from the landowner or farmer. With many farmers operating on tight margins they may be glad of the extra income they can make from allowing ad hoc camping in fields that aren’t being used for growing crops or grazing livestock.
Getting permission means going back to basics and getting on the phone to farms and estates in the area you want to go glamping. While some may give you a flat-out no, there will be some farmers who are more than happy for you to spend a couple of nights on their land provided you are respectful of the environment and you leave the place as you find it. Explaining that you’re seasoned glampers and that you will bring everything you need with you will help, as will the price you’re willing to pay for the privilege of a private glamping pitch. You may find some farmers who have been considering allowing camping but are unsure, and your offer might help them decide.
You will need to be entirely self-sufficient and this includes making your own toilet arrangements – no farmer wants human waste left on their land and from a bio-security point of view it is vital that the land is not contaminated. If you have a campervan with a toilet you’re good to go, but camping toilets can be purchased at a reasonable price, along with pop-up shelters to put them in. If you love the idea of glamping off the beaten track, and being totally self-sufficient, then this is a good investment as you can use it for many years to come.
Yes, you’ll have to take a toilet, but the privacy that comes with glamping this way can’t be beaten. We think this is a small price to pay for a unique experience that you won’t get on any glamping site. The tranquillity and wildlife spotting you’ll experience with glamping this way will be the perfect restorative holiday, one you’ll want to have again and again.
