With the recession firmly in place, families are finding it ever increasingly difficult to afford their sun holiday abroad. On the bright side it gives families the time to be proud of good old fashioned British holidays like the series ‘hi-di-hi’.
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In This Article
Choosing Your British Camping Holiday
There are a large number and variety of British holiday camps such as Pontin’s, Butlins, Haven, and others where you can hire apartments that include free on-site entertainment, restaurants, and lots more activities and events for kids to participate in. You can usually get great deals for certain packages if you start looking and booking early. On the other hand if you like to see the outdoors then why not take the family camping, let them enjoy and experience the wonder of the great outdoors and what nature has in store. All campsites these days have toilet and shower facilities, an on-site shop and the majority have a club house with live entertainment.
Location and Preparation
When deciding where to take your vacation think about what you really want. Do you want to be near to a major town to enjoy the heritage? Would you prefer a place with nature hikes and outdoor activities? Or maybe somewhere with all the amenities in one place for you to enjoy. You should also take into consideration your journey time. You will almost certainly be within two hours drive of a campsite. Look at local amenities and attractions along with opening times and prices. Make sure you have checked your car over and topped it up with fuel, water and oil along with checking tyres including the spare. The majority of check-in times can range from 11 am to 2 pm, so make sure you plan your journey well including allowing for traffic. It is advised to check local traffic before setting off and possibly locating two different routes.
Clothing and Warmth
You should prepare yourself for all kinds of weather when camping. You most definitely should expect typical British rain, so pack a light cagoule with a hood. Avoid umbrellas as they become a hassle to carry. Pack sensible footwear as the majority of the time activities will be involved, but also remember to pack light and sensibly. Tents tend to be short on space so the baggage will either need to stay in the car or be used as a head rest or chair. Even in the summer months camping can still be cold at night. It is worth putting a ground cover down before you put up your tent. Exercise mats are fine or if you like your home comforts a blow up bed is handy to share as long as you remember the foot pump. It is worth spending slightly more money on a proper camping sleeping bag along with a small pillow. You may also want to sleep in pyjamas and take a jumper for those colder hours and for sitting around the campfire. Always check permission before building a campfire.
Food, Essentials, and Family Fun
Take a few snacks and drinks with you for the journey as this is a mini road trip for kids, so let them enjoy it. When camping remember to pack foods in a cool box where needed. You will also need to bring plates, cutlery, bowls, cups and other essentials. Food can be as cheap and simple or as expensive and funky as you like. Cereals or an English breakfast, sandwiches, fruit and other staples are probably the easiest when camping or in a caravan along with the occasional meal out. Marshmallows are an extremely fun activity with a warm hot chocolate. It may also be worth packing a couple of torches with batteries, toilet roll and toiletries, bottled water and empty carrier bags. You can guarantee that someone will need to navigate their way to the toilet facilities during the night so a torch is handy to avoid the tent ropes. On arrival take time to think where you want to pitch your tent, making sure there is enough room for all of your belongings as well as space for the kids to play games and have a run. Let the kids help pitch the tent, it is the perfect family activity and team work, although allow extra daylight time and have patience. Remember to have fun, locate activities which all the family will enjoy, join children’s clubs or day activities and bring back family time. Take a ball for a kick about or game of catch. Cram as much as you can into the days and show the family the best of British holidays.
Claire Nelson is a freelance writer from England who has travelled the world including five continents. Her particular favourites are New Zealand and Canada however since moving from New York to England last year she has started to fall in love with the Great British caravan holiday closer to home.
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