Open Air Business February 2017

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ACCOMMODATION WILD CAMPING IS a most romantic notion that brings to mind the discovery of an uncultivated and remote location with no signs of habitation as far as the eye can see. You can sleep under the stars, breathe the pure air and be at one with nature. A few branches to provide shelter or a basic canvas tent and an open fire might be all you need to ‘survive’ without the urban comforts of home such as running water, flushing toilets, cafes and shops. All land in England and Wales is owned, so permission must be obtained before camping. However, wild camping within reasonable limits is often tolerated in upland and remote areas. One exception is Dartmoor, where camping is allowed for up to two consecutive nights in the same spot. You can stay for longer in a permitted camping area, except within 100 metres of a public road, or in any enclosure or other restricted area. Wild camping in Scotland became legal in 2005; camping wild on highlands and lowlands is allowed, but any nearby dwellings or livestock must be respected. The east part of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park are exceptions - wild camping (and alcohol) was banned in 2010 due to anti-social behaviour. In Ireland, wild camping is not strictly legal, but is tolerated in many upland and remote areas. Across the border in Northern Ireland, the Forestry Service issues camping permits at some of its sites. For the outdoor enthusiast it might appear to be a bit of a minefield but there is growing demand for the freedom and romance of a wild camping ‘experience’, which can even involve staying in a prepitched structure while maintaining that all-important feeling of being at one with nature. As Jason Thawley, innovation director and founder of Tree Tents International, explains: “Truly wild camping, as we see it, is real camping; venturing out into the wilderness, relying on nothing more than what you take with you. Your trip WILD CAMPING Open Air Business explores the concept of wild camping and how pre-pitched accommodation can cater for this market TREE TENTS INTERNATIONAL and your time will concentrate on three main fundamentals – appreciation of your surroundings, sustenance (food and water) and shelter. It’s all about appreciating the simple life, camping under the stars and enjoying the great outdoors.” But Thawley recognises that there is a market for a wild camping experience in the pre pitched accommodation market. Tree Tents International supplies handmade, low-impact products and structures that were born out of a passion for trees and woodland. “What we’re trying to create are structures that don’t look out of place in their environment, provide shelter from the elements and a comfortable place to sleep, and offer up the great outdoors on a plate and enhance it,” he says. The idea is that the ‘tent’ is positioned among the branches of a tree and actively moves with it. “The structure/shelter should replicate nature – the structures that the animals and insects may make for themselves. Facilities should be wholly eco-friendly and sustainable – reminding the camper where they are and, to some extent, how our modern lives impinge on the environment, but making that fun and educational,” he explains. For Jake Watson, the owner of Landpod, a company that designs and builds innovative all terrain sleeping pods, wild camping is all about exploring the great outdoors away from the usual campsites and getting right back to nature. His advice to would-be wild campers in the true sense is to: "Stick to the simple rules and etiquette. They should take all their rubbish with them, not stay in the same spot for more than one night, never have a camp fire and take care when using a stove, as well as when choosing where to go to the toilet. All in all, respect the environment.” CREATING A PRE-PITCHED 'WILD' CAMP The Landpod is a great option for a prepitched wild camping experience. The all-terrain legs and platform give the freedom to set up a camp in any location, including on uneven or rocky ground. To keep it ‘wild’ the company suggests they are placed away from other campers “so you can enjoy the freedom and wilderness without having the campsite disruption”. 32 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM
ACCOMMODATION LEFT: Red Kite Tree Tent, Powys ABOVE: The Landpod has all terrain legs RIGHT: A Tree Tent at the Secret Campsite, East Sussex With this in mind, The Secret Campsite runs three campsites that are described as being “as close to wild camping as you can get.” As owner Tim Bullen explains: “We create the wild feeling by ensuring that all of our sites deliver on a detailed list of criteria. This includes pitch-black skies at night (a rare commodity in the south east), a secret location, and that they must not be blighted by noise and light pollution from roads, towns or other neighbouring land. We keep cars and dogs out of the camping areas and we don’t allow music.” Glamping sites are certainly meeting a desire for the comforts of home in a different setting, but fully embracing the wild camping experience doesn’t have to mean digging your own latrine. “We do love campfires, which become the focus for an evening of cookery and relaxation after a long country walk or a swim in a nearby river,” says Bullen. “However, this is complimented by great washing, toilet and shower facilities and, perhaps, a fridge and freezer. We are keen to avoid the fear that most wild campers have of that trip to the loo first thing in the morning or when it is pitch black outside.” This approach to camping is proving to be a huge attraction for campers who are keen to escape their everyday lives for a brief break. As Bullen explains: “These “WE DO LOVE CAMPFIRES, WHICH BECOME THE FOCUS FOR AN EVENING OF COOKERY AND RELAXATION AFTER A LONG COUNTRY WALK OR A SWIM IN A NEARBY RIVER” customers are the sort to respect and enjoy the place they are staying, which bodes well for the peace and tranquillity that our sites embody.” CONNECTING WITH NATURE Environment is key in a wild camping experience, and in the hills of rural Herefordshire, Crown and Canopy lets the surrounding environment of the woodlands in which it sits, and the views on offer, dictate the design of its sites. Co-founder Bill Goddard, who specialises in design and build, describes the design process as natural and ever-changing. He says: “An experience of wildness and, more specifically, wild camping in any form is exciting, different and makes you feel alive and connected to the natural world. Being out in unfamiliar environments, where you are likely to come into contact with wildlife and flora, is refreshing and goes a way to reconnecting people to the natural order of things. It also serves as a reminder that we not only share this planet, but we are very much a part of it, a way of thinking that can be forgotten, insulated as we often are by the wonders of the modern world.” Guests are encouraged to bring only what they need to the site. “We make sure all the supplies are topped up, restock firewood and clean and change the necessaries, then let them get on with it! It is their experience and we want it to be as wild and natural as possible. We like to give our customers an experience where they are not thinking about what they are missing so they can concentrate on all the wonderful things that they are surrounded by,” he adds. According to Thawley, what makes a wild camping experience is, “Waking up with the sunrise and spending your day being busy in the job of being, tending to those three main fundamentals - appreciation of your surroundings, sustenance (food and water) and shelter. It’s a feeling that the world is bigger than you.” WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 33
Page 1: ISSUE 7 | February 2017 | www.opena
Page 4 and 5: INSIDE Contents ISSUE #7 | February
Page 6 and 7: The latest news from the world of o
Page 8 and 9: HAE EHA - improving benefits and su
Page 10 and 11: INDUSTRY TALK GETTY IMAGES consulta
Page 12 and 13: FUNCTION VENUES CASE STUDY Hounslow
Page 14 and 15: FUNCTION VENUES HOLLY CLARK PHOTOGR
Page 16 and 17: FUNCTION VENUES Isabel Smith shares
Page 18 and 19: FUNCTION VENUES “AS YOU MAY HAVE
Page 20 and 21: FUNCTION VENUES The ‘Away Days’
Page 22 and 23: FUNCTION VENUES of firms that desig
Page 24 and 25: FUNCTION VENUES Pop Up Accommodatio
Page 26 and 27: FUNCTION VENUES Gemma Thorogood & C
Page 28 and 29: ACCOMMODATION CASE STUDY BEN CARPEN
Page 30 and 31: ACCOMMODATION MATT SWEETING PHOTOGR
Page 34 and 35: ACCOMMODATION LEFT: The Secret Camp
Page 36 and 37: ACCOMMODATION Family Glamping Targe
Page 38 and 39: FAMILY MATTERS 5A SPRINKLE OF MAGIC
Page 40 and 41: ACCOMMODATION Landscaping for Glamp
Page 42 and 43: ACCOMMODATION incorporate an advent
Page 44 and 45: ACCOMMODATION MARK SCOTT Having ide
Page 46 and 47: EVENTS CASE STUDY HIDDEN ART Cornwa
Page 48 and 49: EVENTS HIDDEN ART HIDDEN ART As far
Page 50 and 51: EVENTS Open Air Cinema Open Air Bus
Page 52 and 53: EVENTS SKYLIGHT CINEMA plus a six k
Page 54 and 55: EVENTS Events on Your Land Whether
Page 56 and 57: EVENTS Possible things the organise
Page 58 and 59: EVENTS Entertainment Entertainment
Page 60 and 61: EVENTS Shelley Eckford, partner Tro
Page 62 and 63: ADVERTISING FEATURE Spot light A ro
Page 64 and 65: CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY Classified Dir
Page 66 and 67: PERIWINKLE NEW YEAR RESOLVE Periwin

Open Air Business February 2017

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