Thanks to the credit crunch thousands of British families are turning their backs on a foreign holiday this year and heading for a week under canvas in Britain instead. But forget old-fashioned camping huddling in a leaky tent trying to keep a camp fire going in gale-force winds. Now, if you can pay for it, you can enjoy anything from a private pre-erected kitchen tent to a pre-built dome complete with breakfast in bed. Glamorous camping or glamping' is the 2008 holiday of choice.
Camp in a shed
The site comes with top-quality facilities. "Sparkling sinks, hot showers, flagstone floors, even a free hairdryer" await campers, says Card. And with the Lake District as a back-drop this is a great upmarket camping holiday.
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A pod costs £35 a night and sleeps four. To book call 01946-723253.
Top-of-the-range glamping
If you want to get back to nature without sacrificing any luxury, try Fforestcamp in west Wales. Deep in a 200-acre wood you will find "roomy, pre-erected tents on private wooden decks", says Louise Tickle in The Sunday Telegraph. Most come with "reasonably comfortable" futon pads to sleep on and bean bags to sit on, but there is also the geodesic dome tent' (pictured top), which has a double bed, armchairs, and a woodburning stove.
And the best news? Breakfast is included in the price of your pitch. Head to the communal lodge, or be truly decadent and have tent service', where you will wake up to a hamper of local food and freshly brewed coffee on your terrace. When you're ready to work off breakfast the site also offers a wide rage of activities from kayaking to cycling.
Basic prices start from £150 a night with the more luxurious domes costing from £270. Call 01239-623633 or visitColdatnight.co.ukfor more information.
Camping with home comforts
And if it all gets a bit too stressful? "A registered masseuse will visit you in your tent," says Rachel Tinniswood in The Sunday Mirror. But with Bodmin Moor and the north Cornwall coast on your doorstep and no camping equipment to struggle with it's hard to see how this trip could get stressful.
Prices start from £45 a night with a minumum two-night stay. Call 01840-261556 or visitBelletentscamping.co.uk.
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Ruth Jackson-Kirby is a freelance personal finance journalist with 17 years’ experience, writing about everything from savings accounts and credit cards to pensions, property and pet insurance.
Ruth started her career at MoneyWeek after graduating with an MA from the University of St Andrews, and she continues to contribute regular articles to our personal finance section. After leaving MoneyWeek she went on to become deputy editor of Moneywise before becoming a freelance journalist.
Ruth writes regularly for national publications including The Sunday Times, The Times, The Mail on Sunday and Good Housekeeping, among many other titles both online and offline.
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