HolidayFox

Yes you can stay the night in a church! You've all heard of glamping? Well, it turns out that yurts and safari tents are rather last season. Book a few nights "champing" in a church and not only will you be camping out in a very historical, beautiful and spacious abode for the night, you are also helping The Churches Conservation Trust preserve these beautiful and ancient spaces for future generations. With so many different accommodations to choose from on land, why not mix it up and book a place to stay on water the next time you go on holiday. The UK has an incredible selection of houseboats, beautifully bedecked and with bags of space inside and out for a truly brilliant holiday with friends and family. A mobile home - also known as a static caravan or park home - is a spacious and well designed alternative to a holiday house, usually offering bags of space and often in excellent holiday destinations. They provide a good value alternative to staying in a hotel and they have all the facilities you need for a very comfortable stay; kitchens, bathrooms and good size outdoor seating areas. Mobile home parks are often in great positions on the coast with fabulous views, or near to local tourist attractions. For a holiday that is a bit different, why not hire a retro caravan to enjoy all the fun of camping but without having to hammer in the tent pegs. These beautiful old school caravans are great to look at but also cleverly designed and brilliantly made. If you are looking for a different sort of holiday why not stay in a classic Campervan. These well designed, compact campers can be a really fun alternative to camping in a tent. Either hire one for an epic retro road trip or book one already parked up in a campsite for a taste of traditional van life. Lying somewhere in between a canvas tent and towable caravan, trailer tents are a fantastic creation for those who want the joy of camping with a little but more space and comfort. A compact trailer towed behind your car can pop up into something pretty huge accommodation-wise, and you'll be the envy of all the campsite. A stay in a Yurt provides a unique holiday experience like no other. These beautiful round timber framed houses are cool in the summer and cosy in the winter, meaning you can have an outdoor adventure at anytime of the year. Yurts are a really popular choice of accommodation because they provide much more space and warmth than regular camping, but are still very much a back to nature experience. Originally used as nomadic houses in 12th century Mongolia, yurts in recent years have had a huge revival, and more and more people are choosing them over hotels and self catering cottages. They are hugely fun, incredibly peaceful to sleep in and blend seamlessly into whatever surroundings they are in - whether it is the wilds of Dartmoor or the sandy beaches of Norfolk. Choose from the huge selection of yurts available in the UK and make sure your holiday this year is one with a difference! If you have your own tent then book a fabulous outdoor camping holiday at one of the many campsites up and down the UK. These campsites welcome tents and offer an array of different amenities and adventures - choose whether to go nearly wild camping or pitch your tent in a holiday park with lots of things to do. Glamping is a marvellous invention. It is for those of us who want all the benefits of a wonderful outdoor experience, but don't want the palava of dragging a tent across a field, playing cats cradle with ropes and poles and bringing their own saucepans from home. Glamping is genius: you are essentially camping, but everything is already set up - and you get some insulation from the chilly weather. Glamping pods are great; you are still very much living outdoors, but in the evening you have a warm place to lay your head without the flapping canvas. Most pods are small, cosy and wooden, and often domed - like the top half of an old fashioned gypsy wagon, without the wheels. They're awesome, functional and well equipped, and depending on high end you go, you might end up with a hot tub, a king sized bed and allsorts. Choose the right one to suit your holiday and enjoy a luxury version of camping! A leisure cycle is a great way to get the whole family out and exercising! It allows you to travel further whilst still getting to experience the local area. Why not take your family along the Camel Trail in Cornwall? Or Maybe go and hunt a Gruffolo in Delamere Forest, Cheshire, the possibilities are endless! Climbing is a great way to test your strength, balance and agility. As both an indoor and outdoor sport it can be done whatever the weather! You can try out bouldering, climbing and traversing lower walls (around 3 meters) without the assistance of rope. Bouldering basics can be mastered in a few hours and climbing centers will have graded routes allowing you to start out on the easier paths and work your way up. Rock climbing or high ropes is climbing vertically with the assistance of ropes and using safety harnesses, the walls are around 15 meters tall. You will need a good nerve for heights for this activity! Again, beginner sessions are available as are graded routes. Feel like royalty and visit one of the UK’s beautiful palaces, castles or stately homes. We are lucky to be surrounded by amazing history and architecture here in the UK, and through several organisations we are able to visit and experience these amazing homes. Learn about the history of the buildings and residents, view the art and walk amongst the gardens. Many of these places also offer plenty of activities and guides for the children too! So why not visit one on your next trip? Enjoy a day on the beach with all the family! The UK boasts some incredible coastlines, from the well-loved Cornwall coast to the secret sandy spots in Scotland. There is something for everyone! Perfect for long walks, sandcastle making or laying back for some well deserved relaxation. Discover the trees like never before. Scramble, climb and jump through high rope assault courses, don't forget to bring your courage! A great outdoor activity for families and adults alike, and dotted throughout the UK. Why not try the adventure for a day out on your next staycation? Escape the city and try hitting the hills on two wheels! Mountain biking is a fun and exhilarating way to experience some of Britain's best mountains, woodlands and tracks. There are all sorts of mountain biking to enjoy, from downhill to cross-country there is sure to be something for you. Believe it or not, you can Ski outdoors in the UK! The ski season in Scotland is from January to early April. All the resorts offer nursery slopes so everyone can get started, kids can start skiing from 3 or 4 years old. Visit these beautiful mountains and stay in plentiful local accommodation. If you can't get to the mountains, why not try one of the UK's indoor snow centres. Open all year round they have ski and snowboarding classes for all ages and are a great way to get your mountain hit even in the summer. If you are looking for a truly fabulous summer holiday then look no further than Cornwall; renowned for its incredible crystal clear waters, long sandy beaches, quaint fishing ports, watersports, coastal walks and world class attractions. One of the jewels of the United Kingdom and with a coastline stretching along 422 miles of sandy coves, roaring rip tides, sparkling sea and vast beaches, Cornwall is a popular holiday destination all year round. Walk the spectacular South West Coast path, take a boat out to see whales and dolphins, immerse yourself in the mysteries of King Arthur, surf at Watergate Bay, sunbathe at Porthcurno beach, eat fish and chips curtesy of Rick Stein in Padstow or enjoy the old fashioned harbours at Mousehole, Fowey and Megavissey. And if you are looking for a holiday that is a bit different and one where you can really make the most of everything Cornwall has to offer - outdoor pursuits, glorious sunsets, coastal seascapes and countryside views - then why not book one of these fantastic glamping sites. Glamping gets you back into nature and allows you to lay your head in places that hotels and resorts just can't....but unlike camping, you get a proper bed, luxury surrounds and something just a little bit different..... Animals are not only cute and soft to touch (well, at least some of them), but can also help in raising the levels of oxytocin or the so-called happy hormone in our bodies. Interacting with animals can be particularly beneficial for children in developing certain skills such as empathy, responsibility and sociability. It can similarly help grown-ups, of course, but you may not need much help from animals at this point. :) Whatever your age, you will surely come back home happier after meeting with any of the animals in the places we are listing here. Any essential travel guide will tell you that islands should be on any holiday checklist. The Isle of Gigha is no exception. Pronounced “Geeya”, the Isle is 7 miles by 1.5 miles at its widest point, making it a perfect location to freely roam without losing your bearings. It is one of many that make up the Champing is a new phenomena that involves spending the night in a beautiful church. England already has some amazing churches you can stay the night in, some even have their origins dating back to the medieval times. You’re also helping preserve these ancient spaces by spending the night at a church, The Churches Conversation Trust have brought about champing who are national charity looking to protect these ancient buildings. HolidayFox has recently been lucky enough to partner with VisitPembrokeshire, Pembrokeshire's official website for all the tourist information you need to know to uncover the hidden gems of this extraordinary county. And it is extraordinary. For those not in the know about this stunning part of Wales, Pembrokeshire is an A spectrum is used to classify something in terms of its position on a scale between two extreme points. Well - if you can for a sec - think of camping in this way. At one end of the camping spectrum, you might have a luxuriously bedecked safari tent with a waterbed, Fortnum's food hamper, crackling wood burner and a copper bath. And a quick glance at the other - extreme - end of the spectrum is a 2 foot wide patch of nubbly grass with a bivouac and a shovel. Plus, it is probably illegal to be there. Not everyone likes the same kind of camping adventure...but they say there is something out there for everyone, and while roughing it brings horror to many, the remoteness and simpleness of wild camping is very appealing to others. So here we are, in a roundabout way, getting onto "almost" wild camping and what exactly it is. Here's what I think. On the camping spectrum, "almost wild" lies somewhere in between: "basic - but there's a shower block and a Tesco within dashing distance," and "there's nowt here but that hill and an odd looking sheep". Almost wild campsites are - frankly - the stuff of old fashioned glorious Enid Blyton escapades. Acres of wildflower meadows, streams to paddle in, tranquil landscapes, off the beaten track, secluded, no electricity, few rules, few people and in all likelihood, breathtaking scenery. Almost wild campsites are not quite on the end of the spectrum because they provide a loo (usually compost) and sometimes a vague shower, but otherwise, you are as close to being left to your own devices in the wild as humanly possible. It's magical, a complete detox and something everyone should try at least once. Go forth and go wild....

Dom Bear
5 Star
I always find myself struggling to choose where to take the family for my next camping trip. I came across HolidayFox and on first impressions their website is captivating and easy to use - the great thing is that all I had to do was to input number of adults/kids/infants + my holiday dates and my type of listing (a 'Tent Pitch' for us) - simples - HolidayFox loaded a selection of different campsites in various locations, completely tailored to me and my family! So I clicked on the one I preferred the look of (dog friendly of course) assuming I'd be given a link or phone number to jot down (when I clicked 'Proceed'), but, to my utter surprise, I was taken to an easy payment page and voila! All booked! Absolutely fantastic - thank you HF!
Monday 1st November 2021