Love it or hate it: 70% are happy campers while 30% hate it, according to new research by Isuzu UK |
Gen Zs (83%) are the most passionate about spending time under canvas, while over 60s are least likely to want to pitch up in the countryside.
In fact, more than half (52%) of Brits think that camping is the ONLY way to holiday – rising to 70% of Gen Zs – with the peace and quiet (29%), spending time in the great outdoors (23%), gazing up at the stars (21%) and hearing the birds sing in the morning (19%) considered the best things about sleeping al fresco.
One in five (17%) love the smell of cooking bacon on a camping stove (17%), while a further 17% say you can’t beat sipping on a hot cup of tea while looking out over rolling green fields.
The findings also highlight that many of the nation’s favourite elements are deeply sensory, the smells, sounds, and rhythms of nature that you just don’t get in a city, such as snuggling down in the sleeping bag (17%), the smell of the bonfire (16%) and hearing the rain outside while being cosy in a tent (15%).
The study paints a picture of a nation, and its youngsters, rediscovering the great outdoors, with many drawn to the simple joys of a weekend under canvas and increasing numbers over the years flocking to spend time outside.
As a result, one in two Brits (50%) – rising to 70% of 18 to 29 year olds – say they are planning a camping trip this summer to reconnect with the environment (45%), spend time in the UK (44%), spend time with the family (37%), save money (33%) and completely get away from everything (31%).
It’s no surprise that a quarter (25%) think that camping is going through a revival at the moment, so much so that 23% go a step further and say that the UK is the best place in the world to go camping.
When it comes to world-beating camping locations in the UK, Great Langdale in the Lake District (28%) takes the top spot, thanks to its beautiful walking routes and breathtaking views of the Langdale Pikes. Second on the list is Watermouth Valley in Devon (19%), known as a good family location with beautiful views of the water, followed by Red Squirrel (18%) in Glencoe and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park (17%) in Scotland.
This passion for the outdoors seems to be something that Brits are keen to pass down to their children with 21% of mums and dads admitting their kids love camping as much as they do and 14% encouraging their young ones to pitch up whenever they can.
One of the most striking findings from the survey was how strongly camping and driving are linked. 78% of those surveyed said that having a capable vehicle, like a pick-up truck, is a must when camping and makes trips ‘much more enjoyable’. This is endorsed by a fifth (16%) of those surveyed who love being able to explore, and reach, places that they wouldn’t normally be able to access and the one in ten (11%) who prefer campsites off the beaten path.
There is no doubt that a pick-up truck would also help the 13% who love being able to camp in the wild in permitted areas, anytime they want.
Isuzu UK welcomed the insights, noting that many of their pick-up owners already use their trucks for outdoor adventure, not just work. Models like the D-Max, with its rugged bed and durable design, are ‘camp-trip ready,’ says Isuzu UK, making them ideal for spontaneous weekend get-aways.
Head of Marketing at Isuzu UK, George Wallis, said: ‘There’s something timeless about loading up the truck and heading somewhere remote.’ Our customers tell us they love using their 4×4 D-Max to go camping, it gives them the freedom to explore the great outdoors without overthinking it.’
Despite a growing passion for camping a third (30%) admit they hate it, with putting up a tent in the rain (60%), getting up in the middle of the night to use the toilet (55%), waking up to find it raining inside the tent (43%) and showering in the cold (33%) putting them off.
Creepy crawlies getting inside the tent (29%), getting bitten by bugs (29%), shivering all night due to forgetting their sleeping bag (29%) and then topping it all off with packing up the tent in the rain (29%) all leave unhappy campers cold.
TOP 20 REASONS WHY PEOPLE LOVE PITCHING UP:
Peace and quiet – 29%
Being in the great outdoors – 23%
Gazing up at the stars at night – 21%
Hearing birdsong in the morning – 19%
Cooking back on a camping stove – 17%
Drinking a hot cup of tea looking out over the fields – 17%
Snuggling into the sleeping bag – 17%
The smell of the bonfire – 16%
Getting to explore places you wouldn’t normally find – 16%
Hearing the rain outside and being cosy in your tent – 15%
Seeing the hidden gems of the UK – 15%
Sitting around toasting marshmallows – 15%
Being able to stay anywhere you want, anytime you want – 13%
Not shelling out on a hotel – 13%
Huddling around the campfire and warming up your hands and feet – 13%
It feels more environmentally friendly than other holidays – 12%
The ability to stop and set up camp anywhere you like – 12%
Zipping up the tent at night – 12%
Making campsite friends – 12%
Smelling the grass underneath your feet – 11%
TOP 20 REASONS PEOPLE HATE CAMPING:
Putting up the tent in the rain – 60%
Having to go to the toilet in the middle of the night – 55%
Waking up in the night to find it raining inside your tent – 43%
Showering in the cold – 33%
Bugs crawling in the tent – 29%
Getting bitten by bugs – 29%
Packing up the tent in the rain – 29%
Shivering all night as you’ve forgotten to pack your sleeping bag – 29%
Trying to dry wet clothes in the tent – 27%
Fear of the tent being blown away by wind – 26%
Putting clothes on in the tent – 21%
Cooking in the rain – 20%
The sound of animals rustling around outside the tent – 18%
Forgetting the toilet roll – 17%
Finding a flat piece of ground to pitch your tent – 16%
Finding a stone in your back when you go to bed – 16%
Sharing the tent with a snorer – 15%
Getting to the campsite in the dark and trying to find your pitch – 13%
Trying to fit three people in a two man tent – 9%
Losing or forgetting your tent pegs – 9%
TOP 20 UK CAMPING SPOTS TO PITCH YOUR TENT:
Great Langdale, Lake District – 28%
Watermouth Valley, Devon – 19%
Red Squirrel, Glencoe, Scotland – 18%
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Scotland – 17%
The Duchess’s Meadow, Peak District – 14%
Cloud Farm, Devon – 14%
Wasdale Head, Lake District – 13%
Petruth Paddocks, Somerset – 12%
Llanberis, Snowdonia – 11%
Holme Farm, Yorkshire Dales – 10%
Syke Farm, Buttermere, Lake District – 9%
Feden Farm, Isle of Mull, Scotland – 9%
Herding Hill Farm, Northumberland – 8%
Acorn Glamping and camping, Cornwall – 7%
Kielder Forest, Northumberland – 6%
Mulberry’s Farm, Anglesey – 5%
Causeway Coast, Antrim – 4%
Beadnell Bay, Northumberland – 4%
Dolaucothi, Carmarthenshire – 4%
Kinnego Marina, Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland – 4%
Photo credit: Isuzu
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