Great places to camp and get active in the UK

Today’s guest post has some excellent tips on planning an adventurous or active vacation in the UK. Personally, I want to see the mountain in the photo above! Enjoy ~

 

The UK is a great place to get outdoors. There are so many beautiful, interesting landscapes that just beg to be explored on foot, by bike or even on horseback. Personally, I think camping is the perfect option for holidays like this, since it really allows you to immerse yourself in the great outdoors; but, if you prefer something a little less rustic, you’ll often find things like log cabins and caravans available in the same places.

So, just where should you go on an active break in the UK?

Forest of Dean

The Forest of Dean, which you’ll find in Gloucestershire, is an amazing place for this kind of getaway. First of all, it’s home to some great areas for camping, like Whitemead Forest Park.

Choose to camp here and you’ll have all the facilities you need, so things like washrooms, laundry rooms and washing-up points – all included in the price; this means you don’t need to worry about paying extra for your essentials. Plus, you can choose between camping in a traditional tent, or glamping in a sturdier, wooden structure. There are lovely log cabins, too (you can see a good range of options here) so there is something for everyone.

When it comes to activities, there is a good balance between the chance to explore the local area (both cycling and walking are, unsurprisingly, popular options) and doing something a little more unusual. For instance, you could visit Go Ape Tree Top Adventure, have a go on the Tarzan Swing, and zip line through forest canopies.

New Forest National Park

Another option worth considering is New Forest National Park, which is fantastic for cycling, horse riding, walking and spotting wildlife. Personally, cycling here particularly interests me, because there are so many great spots for it.

These include more than 100 miles of marked cycling trails; you’ll find these in the Crown Lands of the forest, as well as plenty of routes along quiet country lanes. The idea of being able to enjoy a traffic-free bike ride always appeals to me, and I don’t think there are many better places than here to do it, particularly as the ground is quite flat, so you don’t need to worry about tackling anything too strenuous.

In terms of wildlife, I recommend traveling to a few different areas of the park to spot as wide a variety as possible. For example, you’ll see different things in coastal sections compared with inland areas. As a quick tip, bird lovers should definitely visit the Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve.

Snowdonia National Park

I don’t think you can talk about outdoorsy holidays in the UK and not mention any destinations in Wales, since there are just so many fantastic places to explore here. One of the best-known – and definitely one of the most exciting – is Snowdonia National Park.

Located in north Wales, this park is a real haven for activity enthusiasts. Not only is there are great range of things to do, but the accommodation options are really varied too. There’s everything from first-class campsites and hostels to cozy B & Bs and larger hotels, so there’s something for pretty much everyone.

As you’d expect, one of the top activities to do here is to climb Mount Snowdon, the UK’s largest mountain (1,085 m high). There are plenty of gentler activities to have a go at, too, though. For instance, you could try one of the less strenuous walks.

A good middle ground is the Bro Garmon Walk, which is around 6 miles long and takes approximately four hours to complete. Tackle this and you can hike through Capel Garmon, a beautiful little village that has stunning views across Snowdon.

Alternatively, you could try something like horse riding or mountain biking; bikes are easily hired from the village of Betws-y-Coed, a popular place for visitors to stay, and you can cycle in the nearby Gwydyr Forest. Be warned, though – it is tough!

This post was sponsored by CSMA Club Retreats. We appreciate their support of this blog!