Time Out Camping – Our


Camping is the new hotel. That’s what the recession has done for camping. Camping was the cheap holiday for those of us who could not afford the luxury of the hotel or chalet. Now, it’s not only ‘in’ to camp but definitely cool, and with this the price tag has increased, if you want to go to an organised site with all the facilities. There are no shortage of camping books to tempt the novice, or those who like me who must have a camping excursion each year to feel that they have really been on holiday.


Everyone has their favourite camp sites. Our favourite sites in Britain lists 100 of them. Are they the best as claimed on the back cover? That must remain a matter of opinion. They are definitely in some of the most beautiful places in rural Britain with a cross section of camp sites chosen from Cornwall, the Lakes, Pembrokeshire, Snowdonia and, amazingly for a London based guide, 15 in Scotland.


favourite sites in Britain Time Out Guides Ltd 2010, £12.99 • ISBN 978-1-84670-174-0


As an enthusiastic camper I went straight away to the sites that I know well to see if they matched the description. All but one echoed what I might have written and portrayed the sites with accuracy and detail that was both informative and helpful. Each of the entries has site contact details and directions, detail on the facilities and local attractions and activities. Some of the entries are packed with pieces of local information that will enhance your stay.


If you are someone always in search of new places to try out, this book gives a tempting selection. This book gives something of a taster of rural Britain at its best. Enjoy going and finding those places. You will not be disappointed. What the book can’t guarantee of course is the weather!


Gill Crippen


Countryside: Discover the Best


of Rural Britain Time Out Guides Ltd 2010, £16.99 • ISBN 978-1-84670-112-2


Time Out Guides are definitely designed for people who live in the cites and rarely experience the countryside. That said, this is a lovely coffee table book to dip into, enjoy some beautiful photography on some wildly sunny days (does it ever rain in Great Britain one might ask) and wish you were somewhere else.


Unsurprisingly the bulk of the entries are areas that could be said to be relatively easily accessible from London and are generally already pretty familiar. However, the text is nicely written, has some engaging facts that you probably did not want to know, and tells you what other areas of interest there are in the localities. There is a where to stay and a where to eat section for each of the 21 areas identified as worth a deeper look, which


do include places in Wales and Scotland. This information may well be time limited and I suspect after reading through several of the texts, at the upper end of the expense bracket. There are details on how to get to each area and encouragement for people to get out of their cars and walk.


The strength of this book is its absolutely beautiful photography and the way each place is presented in the publication. For that reason alone if you have £16.99 to spare it is well worth investing in a copy. If nothing else it may encourage you to explore that area that you have heard about and talked about so many times but have not yet managed to get to.


Jill Hopkinson www. countryway. org. uk 29


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