Camp it up!
Latest Interiors carry on camping this summer in style
With everyone’s credit crunched to the max, the promise of a long, hot summer may not be quite enough to shake away doom and gloom. A weak pound, combined with tightened belts and the eco-guilt that accompanies every airline passenger, could put a bit of a dampener on summer 2009, however hot it gets. Luckily, there’s a thriving holiday industry right here at home. Forget Butlins, Centreparcs or Blackpool, camping in the beautiful Sussex countryside is where it’s at.
Under canvas
If your last experience of camping involved tent pegs, smelly old canvas and – possibly – a woggle or two, it’s time to let go of the fear. The last decade has bought about a quiet revolution in tent design. The kit is a lot cheaper, better looking, and a whole heap easier to, er, erect.
It’s perfectly possible to get a stylish, colourful (we love the Celia Birtwell tepee at www.millets.co.uk) and perfectly functional two person pop-up tent for less than £40, perfect for festivals and short stays. Light, modern materials like polyester are much easier to manage and maintain than canvas. Add an airbed (and a pump) and… well, you almost wouldn’t know you were camping.
Caravan of love
Unlike every other vehicle-related market, sales of caravans and campervans of all persuasion are on the up. In 2008, the National Caravan Council revealed a 20 per cent rise in bookings for July and August. Caravans and campers are perfect if you want to just pack up and go.
Check out user reviews on the web when choosing style and make, and think carefully about your priorities: do you want lots of sleeping space, room to cook, or chill-out – and what sort of toilet can you live with? And never mind the basics – modern caravans can come equipped with flat screen TVs and email access – check out the rather chic (yes, really) ‘Tab’ caravan at www.bmvcaravans.com.
Camping is a great opportunity for boys (and girls) who like playing with toys – wind-up radios, Leatherman pocket-knives, solar-powered iPod chargers…
Local treasures
You don’t need to go too far from home for a night under the stars – Sussex is full of fantastic camp sites. Latest Interiors loves eco-friendly camping-lite in stove-heated Yurts at Wapsbourne Manor Park near Uckfield (www.wowo.co.uk), and getting back to basics on a (very lovely) farm, at Spring Barn Farm Park (www.springbarnfarmpark.co.uk)
Include some shiny camping cookware and colourful melamine dishes in your kit, pack some incense (keeps the bugs away), candles (and jars to keep them in), a portable BBQ and a beer cooler, some great big floor cushions, and you’re set. A little camp? Absolutely!
