A beginner’s guide to Glamping / Choose your glamp and start your adventure…

Love the outdoors, buthate the idea of a cold tent in a wet field? Glamping was made for you.
Glamping is generally known asglamorous camping, but the reality is much more than that. Glamping allows youto enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors, while sleeping in a warm,comfortable bed. No dreary hotel lobbies and no uncomfortable sleeping mats.Just birdsong, starlight and a good night’s sleep.
Sounds lovely, doesn’tit?
Ifyou glamp…
Glamping means many differentthings. It can mean luxury tents, such as yurts, bell tents and tipis. It canalso mean things like treehouses, shepherds huts and gypsy wagons.  It can even include converted planes anddouble-decker buses.
Glamping doesn’t haveto be camping, but it is always outdoors. The beauty of glamping is being ableto step from your cosy bed, into a green field or a sunlit woodland, or onto abeautiful beach. On a glamping trip, just as with camping, it’s you and theelements. But unlike camping, you won’t get wet or cold, and you won’t have to spendtime sticking tent pegs into mud.
Glamping is more thanjust camping without tents. A standard seaside caravan park doesn’t count asglamping. For something to be glamping, there really does have to be someglamour involved, though of an often alternative kind. Everywhere does thisdifferently, but think antique furniture, furry rugs, woodburning stoves, andcandle light. If you like your glamour old school, look for an option thatincludes a hot tub with a view.  
As comfortable asglamping is, it’s not a hotel stay. You might well have to walk to the toiletblock. The odd bug will doubtless find its way inside. You’ll probably have tocook your own breakfast and you’re unlikely to be able to call room service at3am. But the trade-off is this: fresh air and not a brick wall or tarmac road insight. 
Whogoes glamping?
Everyone! Glampingworks brilliantly for couples who want some quiet time in the wild. It’s also afavourite with families who want all the benefits of being in the greatoutdoors, and none of the hassle of camping with children. Dogs are oftenwelcome too.
Whatto expect, what to bring and what to leave at home
On your first nightglamping, you’ll want to make sure you have everything you need to keep youwarm, safe and dry. While your glamping abode should be cosy enough, you can’tguarantee the outside will be. So, warm clothes and wellies are always a goodidea, as is a torch.
Many glamping sites allowcampfires and will provide wood and firepits, but bring matches and read up onfire-setting if you haven’t done it before. An evening round the campfireeating toasted marshmallows before heading to a warm bed made with crisp cleansheets? Heavenly.
You’ll usually havecooking facilities so bring bacon, eggs and whatever you need for a happybreakfast. You’ll often have a barbecue too, which makes for perfect eveningcooking. And don’t forget you’ll want to keep yourself entertained, so games,books, balls and the like will come in handy.
Isglamping for you?
If you enjoy stayingin interesting places and exploring the Great Outdoors, then yes! But make sureyou choose carefully. Some glamping experiences are more glamp than camp,others less so. If you want a wooden floor and a private bathroom, for example,you might be happiest in a shepherd’s hut. If you’re more of a camper, then atipi or bell tent could be ideal.
Choose your glamp andstart your adventure…
Alice C
Visit our Glamping section for more.