Plus: Exploring underground Rome
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From pitching up for a couple of nights in the Peak District to a multi-day thru-hike in Sweden, some of my happiest travels have been sleeping under canvas. You can’t beat whipping up dinner on a cooking stove (or popping to a nearby pub), before cosying up in a sleeping bag and listening to the wind rustling your tent – then waking in the morning surrounded by nature.
As much as I love camping, travel writer Sian Lewis has stayed in far more sites than I have, and has recently written a book about wild and wonderful places to put up a tent, park a campervan, or crawl under canvas in the UK. So for this week's newsletter I’ve asked Sian to share some of her expert recommendations, top tips and favourite places to pitch up.
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There’s no need to hop on a plane to go on a wildlife safari – the Knepp Estate offers guided tours on foot or in a Landcruiser. Explore the rewilding project and spot the wild things of Sussex - everything from cantering herds of ponies to nesting white storks and flitting purple emperor butterflies.
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Why do we willingly eschew creature comforts - soft beds, power points, the kitchen sink - and set up home in a tiny tent in the middle of a field? Because camping is magic.
There’s something about sleeping outdoors that can transport you back to childhood in an instant. And in a world where most of us stare at screens for seven hours a day, even the simplest overnight camping trip can feel like an unplugged adventure. Britain is one of the least "nature-connected" nations in the world: 84 per cent of us now live in urban areas and only one in four British children play regularly outside.
Camping is one of the easiest – and most affordable – ways to reconnect with the outdoors. Once you’ve got a tent and a sleeping bag (or borrowed them from a friend) you’re ready to go. You don’t need to trek halfway across the country, either. Some of the loveliest campsites are hiding surprisingly close to home, and a few miles can be enough to swap traffic noise for birdsong and streetlights for starlight.
You also don’t need to be a hardy outdoors type to enjoy it. Modern camping can be a rather more civilised affair – think hot showers, canvas glamping palaces and farm shops selling fresh bread and proper coffee. In Under the Stars, my new guide to some of Britain’s best places to camp, I’ve included gorgeous glampsites, cosy cabins and bougie treehouses alongside plenty of gloriously wild back-to-basics places.
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Brownsea Island in Dorset (National Trust / Annapurna Mellor)
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Bringing a tent can be your secret pass to unique encounters that you’d only have if you choose to camp, from meeting the King of Piel Island in Cumbria to exploring the moonlit ruins of Llantony Priory in Wales’s Black Mountains.
If you aren’t sure where to start, pick one of my 10 favourite campsites in the UK. Sleep among the rewilded meadows of Knepp in West Sussex, or pitch beside four swimming lakes at Pool Bridge Farm in Yorkshire for a morning dip.
Catch the ferry to Brownsea Island and camp where the Scouting movement was born, or climb Scafell Pike straight from your tent. Eat exceptionally well at Bert’s Kitchen Garden in Wales or spend the night in Game of Thrones country at Castle Ward in Northern Ireland – it’s a choose your own camping adventure.
Discover more of Sian's favourite places to pitch up in the UK
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Looking to book your next trip? See Europe differently with characterful stays from Ruby Hotels by IHG. From London to Zurich, discover hotels with personality, inspired by their home city. Find out more.
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Enjoy a magical, fully guided adventure through the land of ice and fire, discovering breathtaking landscapes unlike anywhere else in the world.
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Embrace your wild side and encounter hundreds of rare and endangered animals across 600 acres of scenic parkland.
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If you’re prone to losing your belongings, Bluetooth trackers can be a lifesaver, especially when travelling. Apple AirTags have long been a popular choice, and now Android users can rejoice as Google launches an AirTag rival of its own. You’ll be able to track your belongings with metre-by-metre precision – and even keep an eye on your suitcase’s journey.
As IndyBest’s tech editor, I rarely leave the house without a bag full of gadgets. Between my laptop, tablet, two smartphones and a handheld gaming console, keeping everything charged is a daily challenge. That’s why I’ve rounded up the best portable chargers and power banks. Just remember, most airlines require power banks to be packed in your carry-on luggage, and they can’t be used during the flight.
If you need to keep your tech organised while travelling, this bestselling £10 cable organiser is a handy buy. And for your suitcase, our travel writer has rated the best packing cubes, while this £8 set is a budget-friendly option.
Meanwhile, if staying cool is a priority, this £12 handheld fan is compact, easy to carry and perfect for hot days. Finally, if you’re looking for travel accessories – tech and otherwise – John Lewis has a wide selection worth browsing.
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