Men's Health - UK (2019-07)

MEN’S HEALTH 65

Pitch Perfect

03

Choose Your

Own Adventure

There are easier ways to escape urban life than

paying out for a juice retreat in the Himalayas. James

Warner Smith, editor of the Cool Camping guidebooks,

shares his go-to staycation spots

Luxe Camping
Despite the marketing, staying
in a treehouse with a private
wood-fired hot tub is not camping.
But it is possibly the most pleasant
way to enjoy nature’s stress-
relieving promises. Find a spot to
suit your budget at canopyandstars.
co.uk. Just leave your Victorinox
Huntsman knife at home.

Glamping
This term encompasses any site
populated by yurts, tipis, or domes

• or anywhere you can expect the
  tent to be pre-pitched. If you have
  none of the gear and no idea, this
  can be a smart place to start. A
  night in a yurt is more economical
  than a grand’s worth of kit that may
  enjoy a single bank holiday’s use.

#VanLife
The social media trend – propagated
by young adventurers posting
images of sunsets from the back of
their Auto-Sleepers – has rekindled
the popularity of camper vans. Not
all sites will accept vans, so be
certain to check in advance, but
there are plenty of designated spots
around the UK. Hire one, if you’re
not ready to make it a lifestyle.

On Site
The Camping and Caravanning
Club has more than 100 UK sites –
plus many quieter, more secluded
spots for paid-up members –
most with shower facilities and all
monitored for cleanliness. There’s
nothing inherently noble about
washing your hair in a stream.

Wild Camping
Silence. Seclusion. A Wi-Fi black
spot. There are benefits to camping
off-piste – but there are also
considerations. Never head out
without sharing your location, be
cautious about weather and, for
God’s sake, do not set anything
alight unless you know what
you’re doing (see page 67).

Survivalism
Finally, you could make things
difficult for yourself by embarking
with less equipment than you
require: a sleeping bag but no floor
mat, for example. You can make that
out of leaves. Undeterred? Start with
a bushcraft course with a group
such as woodland-ways.co.uk.

02

What Kind

Of Camper

Are You?

Whether you prefer hardwood
flooring in your “tent”, or you
camp so hard you make Bear
Grylls look soft, find your niche
with our guide to outdoor tribes

Smugglers Cove

Boatyard, Gwynedd

Park in the old boatyard

and walk along the

shores of the Dyfi

Estuary in Snowdonia

to find these three

secret camping

pitches. Opposite a

protected bird reserve,

there’s plenty of

wildlife, and the

sunsets are sublime.

The facilities are

minimal and you have

to hike back to the

yard – but it’s worth it.

Wild Camping

Cornwall, Cornwall

This tiny campsite on

the Penwith Peninsula

is less than a mile from

Portheras Cove and half

a mile from the South

West Coast Path. Each

camper has the run of

the place, with just four

grass pitches and

a caravan available,

and there’s a 12-acre

wood to explore.

Ace Hideaways,

Moray

Paintballing, kayaking,

canyoning and cliff

jumping are all at hand

in this forest campsite,

paired with an

award-winning activity

centre next door.

There’s frisbee golf in

the woods near the

campsite – frequented

by red squirrels and

deer – and shepherd

huts are available for

those without a tent.

Lee Valley Almost

Wild Campsite,

Hertfordshire

On the banks of

the River Lee, this

campfire-friendly

patch of “wilderness” is,

in fact, within cycling

distance of London

and an Oyster card’s

tap from the City. Some

campers even arrive

by kayak. Only open

at weekends.

Digeddi

Wildlife

Camping,

Powys

Two miles downstream

from the literature hot

spot Hay-on-Wye, this

riverside campsite has

room for 100 tents,

with a pebble beach

ideal for campfires.

Canoe down to the

pub in Glasbury, which

has cask ales on tap,

and get a lift if you

don’t want to battle

back upstream.

MILD

WILD