Top Tips for a Glamping Adventure By Harvey Mcewan

It is thanks to the renowned TV show, The Only Way is Essex, that the term glamping came about. For those unfamiliar with the word, it is in fact glamorous camping.

So, if you are not a fan of the idea of heading into the wilderness with a rucksack on your back, full of canned food, toilet roll and cards, choose glamping not camping.

Travel

Inevitably, glamping involves driving a car. This allows you to bring all your essentials neatly packed instead of stuffed into a backpack which you then have to carry on foot.

A car also lets you listen to music and charge devices such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops.

Food

Books, TV shows and films most often depict campers eating tinned foods and dry goods, such as spam and crackers. This could not be deemed glamorous under any circumstances!

Instead, plan your trip to include regular stops at a shop so that you have a fresh supply of foods. Bring a cool box to keep your perishable goods safe.

Popular picnic foods include dips such as hummus and taramasalata, smoked salmon, olives, cheese, cured meats, carrot sticks and baguettes.

Bring refreshments of both the alcoholic and soft varieties. The driver should avoid alcoholic beverages, and on hot summer days, alcohol is best avoided full stop.

Facilities

Your glamping experience will be much more glamorous if you choose to stay in the grounds of a hotel or hostel which offers washroom facilities. For a small fee, you will be allowed to spend the night in the dedicated camping area and have access to toilets and showers.

Your Accommodation

Glamping is still camping after all so it does involve staying in a tent. To make this experience more glamorous, choose large tents with ample amounts of space. Instead of squeezing into a single tent, pitch a few tents so that there is a maximum of two people sharing one tent. This will allow for ample sleeping and storage space, as well as room enough for getting changed.

Traditionally, campers sleep on thin sleeping mats, curled up in their sleeping bags. Instead of this option, bring an air bed for each person, making sure you also pack a pump. Bring pillows, bed linen and duvets to create yourself as cosy a bed as the one you are used to at home. For extra warmth, bring additional blankets or throws as nights can get very chilly, even during the summer months. Last but not least, take a pair of snug pyjamas to keep you warm.