From the wind-ravaged coast of Cornwall to the wet and wild moorlands of the Yorkshire Dales or the mist-covered lochs and mountains of Scotland—the UK has some impressive landscapes for a camping getaway. Admittedly, the weather doesn’t always play ball, and rainy days are a possibility year-round. The solution? Trade in your trusty tent for a glampsite and stay cool, dry, and cozy through all four seasons. The UK has a huge variety of family-friendly glamping accommodations available, from eco-friendly glamping pods, yurts, and safari tents to quirky hideaways such as Shepherd’s huts, gypsy caravans, and bell tents. Leave your tent pegs behind and your wellies at the door, as these luxury glamping sites come complete with all the comforts of home (some even have fire pits and hot tubs). Best of all, you can enjoy a glamping break anywhere from the Lake District National Park to the Isle of Wight.
Recently added to the Oxford English Dictionary, glamping is defined there as "A form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping." It's more popularly understood as 'glamorous camping', the idea being that you can leave the tent at home, forget the faff of bringing all your camping equipment along and, instead, rock up at a campsite with nothing but your toothbrush and pyjamas and have a good time. At glamping sites you'll find all the hard work is done for you: The tent (or yurt, or shepherds hut, or pod, or tree house) is already up and waiting and, guess what? there's already a bed waiting for you inside. Throw in the likes of a wood-burning stove, delicious breakfast hampers, hot tubs and en-suite bathrooms and you quickly get the idea. This isn't any ordinary outdoor holiday, yet glamping isn't quite like staying in a hotel either. No, glamping is still about getting outside and breathing in the fresh countryside air; light a campfire, roll in the grass, walk through the forest. You're still outside and you can still enjoy starry skies, but when you're glamping, you're doing it in style!