Five of the best alternative camping sites
From an open-air bed in Devon to a peaceful retreat by the coast in Wales.


The Heath Robinson of glamping
Tim Johnson, owner of Blackberry Wood in East Sussex, “is to glamping what Heath Robinson was to industrial design”, says The Sunday Times. The former’s greatest creation so far is the Piggledy Tree House (above), a £200,000 fantasy in a wild wood at the foot of the South Downs National Park, with two double beds, a fitted kitchen and a terrace overlooking the site. “If that option is too trippy,” book the Helicopter, a converted 1965 Wessex search and rescue chopper. It can accommodate up to four people and has a fridge, gas hob and heating. You can also stay in the 1964 Routemaster double-decker “Holiday Bus”, which has been fitted with a downstairs kitchen. Other quirky options include a fire engine named Angus and the Scandi-style “Curvy Cabin”.
£245 for Piggledy, blackberrywood.com
A bed under the stars in Devon
With demand soaring for camping holidays and festivals called off this year due to coronavirus, tipis and bell tents across the land are being repurposed for pop-up glamping sites, says Dixe Wills in The Guardian. Southcombe Barn, just outside Widecombe-in-the-Moor in the southeast of Dartmoor National Park, Devon, is one such spot. In the grounds of the house that Canopy & Stars’s founder Tom Dixon shares with his wife, the boughs of a felled eucalyptus have been fashioned into the frame of an alfresco bed. For this summer only, the Midsummer Meadow Bed “is open to guests keen to dispense with canvas and doze off in the open air”. A nearby bell tent stands ready as an emergency back-up with a double bed, sofa and a bottle of wine. The bathroom is a converted woodworking shop about a minute’s walk away, while in the former barn there is a kettle and, unexpectedly, an art gallery.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
£145 a night B&B, canopyandstars.co.uk
Midland glamping in wooden wigwams
“More like timber pods than traditional wigwams – and all the warmer for it – wigwam cabins have tiny kitchenettes, modern bathrooms and electricity,” says Natalie Paris in The Daily Telegraph. They are a testament to the growing popularity of glamping and they can now be found at more than 80 sites across Britain. Practical rather than pretty, they often come with a dining table that transforms into a sleeping area. That means they are well-suited for people happy to do without fuss or frills. Charnwood Forest, near Leicester in the East Midlands, is “a particularly scenic spot, with fire pits, a wildlife hide and a pond fringed with reeds”.
From £160 for two nights, wigwamholidays.com/charnwood-forest
A haven of peace on the coast near Abersoch
“Coastal campsites often have quirks of their own – the best ones are smaller, slightly off the beaten track and offer limited facilities, to enable you to fully enjoy the expanse of wild space on offer,” says Jacob Little in Spectator Life. Nant Y Big, in northwest Wales, is a great example. Although lockdown restrictions mean campsites in this part of the world will open slightly later than in England (hopefully from 25 July), it will be worth the wait. Perched above Porth Ceiriad beach on the Llyn Peninsula near Abersoch, there’s lots of space here, “so the camping is low-density and the isolation is intoxicating”. The campsite is a haven of peace and quiet, so there’s no music allowed and no noise after 11pm, and it is only a 15-minute walk to the beautiful sands at the bottom of the cliffs.
£10 per adult, nantybig.co.uk
Awaken to the sound of lions roaring in Doncaster
Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster has launched its “Roar and Snore” camping area, allowing families to pitch their tents just outside the entrance to the park, says Kara Godfrey in The Sun. That means lucky campers will be able to wake to the sound of lions roaring in the morning. You will need to bring your own tent, but food facilities at the site include a pizzeria and a breakfast wagon. There are also washrooms and showers available. Tickets to the park are discounted for campers and “if you fancy some alone time with the animals, you can even book an out-of-hours safari tour, taking place an hour before or after the park opens”.
Camping pitches are available for up to six people per pitch. From £50, £40 for additional nights. See yorkshirewildlifepark.com
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.
Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.
You can follow Chris on Instagram.
-
Is it time to ride the recovery in emerging markets?
Interview What's the outlook for emerging markets? Gustavo Medeiros, head of research at Ashmore Group, gives his analysis and reviews progress in developing economies
-
Could the Enterprise Investment Scheme cut your tax bill?
The Enterprise Investment Scheme is tax-efficient and potentially lucrative. Taking a chance on the scheme could trim your family’s IHT bill, says David Prosser
-
The alcohol industry is suffering as consumers sober up – is it still worth investing in the sector?
Changing consumer tastes are rocking the alcohol industry, but the best players are adapting their strategies. Buy them while their shares are still cheap
-
Giorgio Armani: the irreplaceable Il Signore
Giorgio Armani started his fashion business in 1975 and built it into the world’s largest private luxury brand. Where can it go without him?
-
8 of the best properties for sale with mountain views
The best properties for sale with mountain views – from an Arts & Crafts house with holiday lets in the Carding Mill Valley in Shropshire to a highland lodge with wood-burning stoves near the Rogie Falls in the Scottish Highlands
-
Review: Puerto Rico – embrace the spirit of Boricua
Travel Natasha Langan discovers why the indigenous name for Puerto Rico has come to define this Caribbean island’s vibrant culture
-
8 of the best beachside properties for sale
The best beachside properties for sale – from an Arts & Crafts house in Hampshire with 128 metres of beach frontage, to a 16th-century house in Norfolk, just 300 metres from a Blue Flag beach
-
A voyage of discovery through the Baltic countries
Travel Max King explores the rich history, culture and cuisine of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
-
Are wealthy whisky enthusiasts leaving Britain?
Collectables Wealthy whisky enthusiasts are heading to tax-friendly countries such as Dubai, where there is more disposable income to spend on collectable luxuries like rare whisky.
-
8 of the best properties for sale with kitchen gardens
The best properties for sale with kitchen gardens – from a 17th-century timber-framed hall house in Norfolk, to an Arts & Crafts house in West Sussex designed by Charles Voysey with a garden by Gertrude Jekyll