Index : Enjoy England

Hippy happiness

The sun is shining. The evenings are lighter. You can smell barbecued food wafting over neatly trimmed hedges everywhere. Whether you live in the countryside, the suburbs or the city – the outdoor life beckons.

There has been a rekindling of the Great British love for camping and caravanning of late. So if you own a tent it’s easy to up sticks and go whenever you feel like it. But if you don’t own a tent (or if sleeping on the floor isn’t your cup of tea) you could hire a vintage VW camper for under £500 per week. This is an increasingly trendy way to explore our varied and beautiful countryside. And what’s to stop you from visiting nearby towns and cities while you are at it?

Retro caravanning

Pick up a vintage VW van from O’Connors Campers (www.oconnorscampers.co.uk/) on the doorstep of Dartmoor. Leave your car in safe hands and let all the schedules fly out the window! Decide what to do on a whim: the whole South West is your oyster. Just to the north you’ll find the beautiful Exmoor National Park; you could stop for a bit of horse riding, or go on the hunt for wild ponies. Otherwise head south-east for the famous Jurassic Coast; park up on the cliff-tops and set off in search of fossils and get back to base in time to brew a cuppa and watch the sunset whilst you plan for tomorrow. Check out South East VW camper hire company Snail Trail for a selection of retro VW campers!

Or try hopping between Youth Hostels (www.yha.org.uk/) and explore the fascinating Yorkshire region or stay in a luxury caravan in peaceful surroundings in the heart of the Yorkshire countryside!

Camping and caravan parks are excellent for families - they offer great value for money in a welcoming and friendly environment. Sit back with a glass of your favourite tipple and watch the Barbecue heat up while the children roam around exploring nature, kicking a football, swinging a cricket bat or doing whatever they like doing best - where you can see them enjoying themselves.

Hire a Tipi

Why not hire a Tipi for the ultimate hippy experience. Hearthworks (www.hearthworks.co.uk/index.html) provides a rental service that offers an easy way to taste the adventure of Tipis and Yurts. Offering a beautiful range of Tipis for hire, from 9 to 25 feet diameter from £350 for the week and Yurts from 12 to 32 feet diameter from £500 for the week. Whether you want the basic living option, which includes fire-dish or wood-burning stove, cotton rugs, cushions, sheepskins, low table and lanterns. Or the luxury option with the same as basic but further includes wool rugs, silk bolsters, low wooden chairs and tables, decorative silk hangings, Heatherworks will install the structures in the location of your choice. Or simply head to Glastonbury and the Glastonbury Tipi Field during festival time.