Check out the Winzum £100 Cool Camping Gift Voucher giveaway
Over the last year in particular our fascination with the great outdoors has been intensified massively by the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed, one of the few positives to come from the last dozen or so months has been the slower pace of life, which has in turn allowed for a much deeper exploration of the beautiful natural world.
Because let’s face it: how often did you take the time to go for a walk through the park or countryside before the pandemic? Perhaps one profoundly important thing we can take from all of this is how good this connection with our natural environment can make us feel. It’s definitely better than concrete…
Which brings us on to the next Winzum giveaway, where we have a £100 Cool Camping gift voucher up for grabs. In many ways there has literally never been a better time to book a camping holiday, especially with the on-going uncertainties surrounding foreign travelling and holidays abroad.
Complaining about the weather is a very popular past time in the UK, but one thing the rain does give us is a wonderfully green and luscious countryside. There is no way to get closer to this than camping either, an activity that is both fun and crucial to understanding our connection with the Earth we live on.
Winzum have a lot of time for outdoor activities like camping and picnics, something you may have noticed from our Cotswold Picnic Hamper monthly follower draw. This time we decided to go one better, stepping things up with a £100 Cool Camping gift voucher that could take a sizeable chunk off of an exhilarating camping holiday.
Cool Camping have over 500 specially selected sites to choose from, making sure that each one satisfies their criteria for a downright awesome camping holiday. Whether you are looking for a relaxing stay in the pleasant British countryside, or a slightly more adventurous undertaking in starker terrain, Cool Camping have you covered. They even deal with glamping!
Camping: The best Covid-19 holiday possible?
As if anybody needs more reminding, the global Covid-19 pandemic has made the traditional idea of overseas holidays pretty much impossible over the last year or so. Travel restrictions and limited flights meant that during Q2 of 2020, for example, UK residents made 96% fewer visits abroad than in Q2 of 2019. It isn’t that surprising considering the context, but it sure does put it into perspective.
This Covid-19 induced uncertainty is set to continue through the summer of 2021 as well, with the possibility of mass overseas holidays still mired in confusion. Although the UK vaccination drive has been somewhat exceptional, the same cannot be said for other nations, which will therefore make the traditional idea of holidays abroad problematic.
Attention has thus turned to shores closer to home, with British holidaymakers booking holidays in the UK at a rate that hasn’t been seen since before the commercial boom of affordable flights. But here’s the thing: bookings for things like hotels, Air BnBs and luxury cottages have absolutely exploded, leaving some people in a bit of a tricky situation. As an example, the Welsh company Under The Thatch reported a 300% increase in boutique cottage bookings from the same time last year.
All of this can naturally lead you to the conclusion that the best Covid-19 holiday at the moment has got to be camping. Compared to pretty much every other holiday, camping excursions are the easiest to book these days, and they are also some of the best ways to truly appreciate everything the UK has to offer.
The Great British countryside genuinely is a wonderful thing you know, and perhaps 2021 is going to be the finest time to take it all in. There is something extremely satisfying about living in such close proximity to nature, especially in our hyper modern and urban 21st century world. Moreover, due to technological advances in camping gear it is easily possible to camp in 100% comfort.
By now the Winzum £100 Cool Camping Gift Voucher giveaway is probably looking even more tantalizing. We’re not finished yet though, keep reading for an overview of who exactly Cool Camping are, as well as a deeper exploration into the wonders of camping in the UK.
How to enter our new monthly followers draw
Winzum competitions are always extremely easy to enter, but with our new monthly followers draws we want to make the process even simpler. Literally all you have to do is give us a follow across our socials at @facebook and @instagram and drop a comment on our [monthly Facebook follower post] or [monthly Instagram follower post] when the giveaway goes live. It really is as simple as that – stress free glee. Don't forget to like and follow too!
After the specified time period is up we’ll take all of our wonderful entrants names and run them through Osortoo, a random selection tool designed specifically for social media competitions. It is very important that this is done as transparently as possible. As we said before: Winzum do online competitions the right way.
So make sure you are following Winzum on Facebook and Instagram, it’s the only way to make sure you don’t miss out on our monthly follower giveaways!
About Cool Camping
Cool Camping is an award winning catalogue of camping, glamping and caravanning destinations from all across the UK and Europe. The company has been satisfying customers since 2006, and over the last two and a half decades have amassed a genuinely exceptional collection of pitches in a number of outstanding locations.
The Cool Camping story started in the glorious afterglow of an idyllic weekend of camping in Caerfai Farm campsite during the spring of 2005. Aspiring travel writer Jonathan Knight and his friends spent three days enjoying camping staples such as rambling, surfing, pub drinking and attempting to BBQ. It was somewhat of an epiphany, and attention very soon turned to the next camping trip – but where could match the beauty of South Wales?
This is where Knight and his friends encountered a bit of a problem, as they found that any camping books they could find seemed to be primarily aimed at caravan holidays, and featured particularly bland sites. And so Cool Camping was born: originally half an excuse to “go loafing around the countryside all summer, having walks in the morning and campfires in the evening”.
The first stage of the project was a book called Cool Camping: England, which gave campers all sorts of information, not just the boring stuff. What to do on a campsite if it rains? Where the nearest pub is? What’s the best route if you want an exhilarating countryside ramble? The questions all passionate campers want to know, but weren’t really getting the answers for. Indeed, this is why the Cool Camping catalogue is of such exceptional quality, because from the very start of the idea a passion for camping has always been the most important thing.
In 2013 the Cool Camping website was launched, and this is where things got really exciting for the company. There are several different Cool Camping books that still fly off shelves, however the website is quickly becoming the No. 1 place for campers to find and book the best sites possible. With over 500+ specially selected sites you can rest assured that you will be able to find somewhere to spend your £100 voucher if you win the Winzum £100 Cool Camping Gift Voucher giveaway…
By now Cool Camping have an incredibly loyal following, helping thousands of aspiring campers find the perfect location each and every year. Don’t just take their word for it though, because Cool Camping have also been awarded “Excellent” status by Trustpilot, and were also awarded Gold for Best Camping Holiday Company in the British Travel Awards 2019.
The best UK camping spots of 2021
In many ways the UK is actually perfectly poised to offer the crème-de-la-crème of various kinds of camping sites. Sure, the weather doesn’t always pull through, however there are few things more beautiful than the luscious rolling greenery of the British countryside.
Entering the Winzum £100 Cool Camping Gift Voucher giveaway could be the perfect way to see this for yourself. As a little taster for what you could be getting your paws on, here are some of the best UK camping spots for 2021:
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Frome Meadow Campsite: The Frome Meadow campsite sits right beside the River Frome, immediately making it a tempting proposition for waterside camping lovers. It is an enchantingly rural and stripped back setting that is a stones throw away from the village of Moreton, where Lawrence of Arabia grew up. Facilities include eco-friendly compost loos and showers, but other than this you are left with the beautiful nature around you. Moreover, popular destinations along the Jurassic Coast such as Lulworth Cove are just 20 minutes away by car!
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Woodside Country Park: This camping site is the very definition of a magical English meadow, situated on a beautiful 25-acre site littered with woodland, meadows and nine different ponds. Cider Mill Pool is the largest of these ponds, and provides ample excitement for adults and kids alike with its temperate summer swimming temperatures and a small jetty. There are various accommodation options on the Woodside Country Park, with spaces for conventional tents, as well as camping pods and even a bunkhouse. Walkers will be particularly happy with this site, mainly because it lies very close to the breath-taking Malvern Hills.
- Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping: Many people can still be stuck with the traditional idea of camping holidays, however innovation lies at the heart of Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping. Running since 1996, this was the first commercial tipi campsite in the UK, consequentially being an important frontrunner in the “glamping” movement. Situated close to Port Isaac, this campsite is an absolute dream for family holidays in particular. There are so many activities to get stuck into across the 20-acres of prime Cornish countryside – it seems almost impossible to get bored!
Camping essentials: You just cannot go without these…
There is absolutely no denying how enjoyable and exciting camping can be nowadays, however in order to truly have the most fun you also need to take the concept of camping essentials seriously. It is the great outdoors after all, and things can quickly take a turn for the worst if you aren’t adequately prepared.
Winzum is all about competitions and helping our community, as you can see from previous blog articles, and we’re not about to stop that any time soon. With that in mind, here are some of the most important camping essentials to take with you:
Tent: It might sound obvious, but not only will you need to bring a tent to your camping holiday in most cases, you will also need to bring the right one. For example, if you think there will be even the slightest chance of rain (which let’s face it, there may well be) you will want to invest in a dual-layer tent to keep the moisture out. Trust us, there is nothing worse than waking up in a puddle after rainwater has soaked through a single lining.
Sleeping bag: Getting your hands on a quality sleeping bag is almost as important as a tent, and in many ways it can actually be even more crucial. You have to make sure that your sleeping bag fits the season you will be camping in, for example, or else you will definitely find yourself getting too hot or cold. As a general rule of thumb three season sleeping bags are the most versatile, and are perfect for the UK climate.
Camping chairs: Camping chairs certainly aren’t as essential as tents or sleeping bags, although after a long day out hiking you might think differently. One of the best things about camping are the evenings spent around the fire, and for this you will absolutely need some camping chairs. A Winzum recommendation is to avoid the cheapest chairs if you can, simply because they don’t offer much comfort for prolonged sitting.
Torch: Oh yes, a torch! Because how else do you expect to be able to locate your belongs in the tent at night? Honestly, a torch is the dark horse of camping essentials, something you only realise when you are scrambling around the tent at 1am trying to find something. Make sure you have a dedicated place to keep the torch too so that you can find it in the dark – you’ll be kicking yourself if not!
The fascinating history behind camping
Humans have been setting up camp for thousands and thousands of years, however the modern idea of camping for leisure is a much newer concept. Historians generally agree that the founder of modern recreational camping was Thomas Hiram Holding, who was instrumental due to his The Camper’s Handbook. Published in 1908, the book was a basic set of tips and tricks for camping derived from Holding’s experiences camping in the US prairies and Scottish highlands.
Even before this, however, camping was becoming a lot more than simply a way to survive in the wilderness. In the US organised recreational camping was happening on a small-scale since the mid-19th century, and as organisations such as the Boy Scouts of America formed in 1910 the activity received a whole lot more popularity.
Camping once again became a necessity during WWI and WWII, with new technology in the fields of waterproof materials and lighter fibres such as nylon ramping up considerably. In the aftermath commercial camping would benefit highly, as the new discoveries made throughout the wars became perfect for camping holidays.
As a result recreational camping for leisure has been rising exponentially in popularity for the last several decades, something aided by continuously increasing camping technology. Perhaps also, as our day-to-day world gets evermore urban and modern, people are finding the allure of a few nights embedded in nature more and more appealing.
As you can see from the incredible Cool Camping catalogue of campsites, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to camping in the 21st century. Entering the Winzum £100 Cool Camping Gift Voucher giveaway is a perfect way to see this for yourself…
If you like camping, you’ll love festivals…
One of the main ways in which the younger generation can get into camping nowadays is through the enthralling world of music festivals. There are lots of us who couldn’t bare the thought of staying in a tent normally, but plonk it down slap bang in the middle of a festival like Glastonbury or Boomtown and it’s almost as if no-one can say no!
It is still touch and go when it comes to the premiere weekend camping festivals in the UK, however rumour has it that Winzum are well poised to offer some giveaways for a few of these sold out events. And hey, if you really don’t enjoy camping, word through the grapevine is that we have a few tickets up for grabs from day festivals such as Tokyo World too… Watch this space!
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What you could win in the Winzum £100 Cool Camping Gift Voucher giveaway
By now you can see how much passion has been put into the Cool Camping project over the last 15 or so years, and it makes them the perfect option for anybody looking to book a camping holiday. At Winzum we are always looking out for the best brands that offer the best products to our loyal online competition community, and Cool Camping tick all the right boxes!
A £100 Cool Camping Gift Voucher can go a long way too, you know. In fact, with £100 you could pay for a whole weekend of camping at some sites, or get a significant chunk off of a family booking. And with over 500+ exceptional and varied sites to choose from you definitely won’t have any trouble finding one.