Camping for the older generation

We all have happy memories of camping as youngsters, perhaps with our families when children were young. But how about venturing under canvas once we are reaching our older years? Camping has advantages as it is not an extravagant holiday and can be designed around not only the age of the participant but their abilities as well.
 
It may be that you have not camped for some time so modern camping will come as a pleasant surprise and is well worth contemplating. Dismiss any thoughts of sleeping on hard ground, walking miles for water and washing in cold water in a leaky hut. Also, ignore thoughts of being kept awake half the night by discos in the campsite club room or fearing for your life from skateboarding children. With a little planning it is possible to tailor your camping holiday to suit your pocket, your interest, your age and your aches and pains.
 
RESEARCH
 
Make a list of what you would expect from a campsite then settle down in front of the computer and enter ‘camp sites in Devon’ in the search engine. You may want entertainment or perhaps a cafe and shop on site. How about laundry and washing facilities? Some of us aren’t so good at walking long distances and would prefer to camp closer to the toilet block. Disabled facilities would be an added bonus when it comes to bathroom facilities. Read the campsite’s web pages and look closely at the photographs. If you are still in doubt send an email or speak to the site owner. It may be possible to pre-book a pitch close to the facilities you need for a good holiday.
 
Want a quiet life while enjoying the outdoors? Book your camping holiday when the children return to school, the weather will still be good and prices drop. Outside of the main holiday season beaches and tourist places also accept dogs so there’s a saving on boarding kennel fees.
 
Will day trips be part of your camping holiday? Perhaps eating out instead of cooking appeals to you? Use the internet to look up bus services as it may be possible to travel to local places of interest without using a car. A stroll along a country lane to a pub for a meal and a pint is much more pleasurable than cooking at the campsite. Look out for tourist spots and eating places that have discount days or early bird menus for the retired. It’s possible to save money and have a good day out.
 
SETTING UP CAMP
 
Are you able to set up a tent and all that it entails or would you like to arrive at the campsite and have a little pampering? The modern style of tent is much easier to erect but even so why not opt for an easy life? Some campsites now supply ready erected tents that one can move straight into or perhaps stay in a pod or a yurt? There are ways to enjoy the outdoors without sleeping on the ground and suffering with aching joints for the rest of the day.  Veteran campers often upgrade their tents to a trailer tent or eventually a caravan.
 
KEEP WARM

The weather is a favourite topic among us Brits and anyone off on a camping trip should be prepared. Being warm and comfortable will make the odd miserable day much more bearable. Wearing layers of clothing will keep us warmer and can be removed layer-by-layer as the day improves.
For men the Berghaus TG 3-in-1 jacket (£130 from Cotswold Outdoor) can be worn throughout the year whether camping in the winter or rambling in warmer months. So much heat escapes through the top of our heads a hat is a necessity, for women why not have fun wearing a colourful Columbia Peak Ascent Peruvian hat (£30). Walking boots can last for years and if your camping trip is the start of your new lifestyle invest in a good quality pair like the Columbia Bugathermo boots (£240).
The North Face women’s Freedom Insulated Pant (£129) are ideal trousers to keep out the cold on out of season trips. Add gloves, Columbia Carabineer for men (£45) or Columbia Diamond Dash for women (£45) and camping in any weather is an enjoyable experience.
 
Where to stay…
 
Coombe View Farm
A pleasant walk from Branscombe Beach in East Devon, you will find Coombe View Farm caravan and camping site. Situated in the beautiful green countryside and with sea views from much of the site it is ideal for the older person wishing to have a peaceful camping holiday away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Many campers return year after year to enjoy this wonderful part of Devon.

With ramps up to the shower and toilet block plus facilities for the disabled camper the amenities are ideal for the older camper. Plenty of hot water and a laundry block is also an asset. There is telephone access at all times should help be required outside of working hours. The campsite can be found via the map on the website as many satnavs do not locate the farm.

A bus route is within walking distance that takes visitors to local beauty spots or ramblers can walk to the village of Beer or Sidmouth along the coastal footpaths. Local pubs are a stroll away where fresh local produce can be enjoyed rather than cook your own for a really leisurely holiday.

Coombe View Farm
Woodhead, Branscombe, Seaton, Devon. EX12 3BT
Tel 01297 680218
Web branscombe-camping.co.uk
Cost per night £10-£12 for two adults. £3 for children over five. £6 for over 12s.
Facilities Shower and Toilet block with hot and cold water.  Electric hook-up available on request.
 
 
CASE STUDY
 
Robert Crompton, 67, from Cardiff in South Wales has camped for the past half century. His first trip was as a teenager using his father’s 1930 Itisa tent on a walking holiday in Snowdonia. These days he prefers his Coleman tent, aluminium frame folding beds and two small folding single burner gas stoves when on camping trips with wife Margaret.
 
Do you have any tips for the older person who is thinking of camping for the first time? “If you can borrow the equipment for the first time, so that you can get a good idea of what you need, so much the better. Or go with experienced campers and never be afraid to ask for help – campsites tend to be friendly places.”
 
Do you have a favourite camping site? “Two particular favourites are Delamere Forest Camping and Caravanning Club site and the Shieling Holidays site at Craignure, Isle of Mull. Apart from having roots in Delamere, it is one of the locations for my current novel, so we visit there fairly often.”
 
How about planning camping trips?  “We don’t make any special considerations when planning our trips beyond normal holiday planning. We do like to make sure that we go for sites with good amenities. There’s not much fun in a long walk in the rain in the middle of the night!”
 
Have you changed your camping equipment in recent years? “Until recently we had a collapsible frame tent – ie a tent attached to the frame, folding umbrella-style. This withstood a severe battering during gales in the Isles of Scilly but we discovered the following year that a frame joint was damaged and would no longer withstand even a moderate wind. We needed a simple guyline to affect a perfectly good remedy. But Harringtons in Oakmere, Cheshire, where we went for the new guyline had the Coleman on special offer so we got that instead.”
 

The simple option…
 
PRE ERECTED TENT

Arrive to a luxurious pre-erected tent set in the heart of the New Forest. Roundhill camp site is not a chalet park but simply a camping site with pre erected luxury tents. Everything is supplied for up to four adults to move in and enjoy their holiday under the stars without having to worry about carrying equipment to the site. The only thing missing is electricity and plumbing but with a new shower block recently built onsite there is no lowering of standards during the holiday. Prices available on request.
 
Roundhill Pre-erected Tent Camping Site
Beaulieu, Brockenhurst, New Forest, Hampshire SO42 7QL
Tel 01590 624344
Web campingintheforest.co.uk
 
MONGOLIAN YURT CAMPING

Just yards from the harbour at Abercastle on the St David’s Peninsular is Trellyn camp site. Here you  can camp in a yurt and enjoy the nomadic life without having to bother pitching a tent or carrying cooking equipment. The round yurt has a wooden floor with cushions and kilims for comfort. A wood-burning stove provides heat and there are traditional beds so you’re not expected to sleep on the floor. Kitchen equipment and outdoor barbecue facilities complete this fascinating way to enjoy the outdoors. Prices start from £475.00 in low season. Trellyn campsite also has facilities for camping and caravans from £198.00 per week.
 
Trellyn Woodland Camping
Abercastle, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA62 5HJ
Tel 01384 837762
Web trellyn.co.uk
 
POD CAMPING
Just like camping but without the tent, pods are dome shaped wooden constructions new to the camping world. Weatherproof and well insulated these interesting holiday homes are a step up from traditional camping but not quite a chalet. With lockable French doors and electricity supply they are ideal for those not keen to sleep under canvas. You still need to bring camping equipment but not the tent!

Castlerigg Hall Caravan and Camping site close to Keswick in the Lake District has recently introduced pod camping to their site. Prices start from £35 in low for the two person basic pod and £41 for the family sized pod.
 
Castlerigg Hall Caravan and Camping Site, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 4TE
Tel 01768 774499
Web castlerigg.co.uk

Find more campsites for you with our campsite finder, or read more handy camping tips here.

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