Escape the hustle and bustle by taking some time off with a nature staycation to re-discover the beauty of nature. Nature staycations are the best way to re-discover life’s simple pleasures, from bird watching, catching the sunrise to enjoying the sound of silence, the birds and the waves.
A nature staycation allows you to immerse yourself in breathtaking natural locations. Explore the great outdoors in relaxed way, with wildlife spotting, forest-bathing, yoga looking at the stars, or simply connecting with nature with your family and friends.
Try Motorhome Wild Camping
Wild camping with a motorhome essentially means, staying with your motorhome anywhere without facilities like electric hookup or waste disposal. Motorhome wild camping can be an exciting way to discover nature’s most remote beauty spots. Firstly, you’ll need to hire out a motorhome and get a wifi dongle if you need the internet on the road. There are some great apps for finding wild overnight parking spots in Europe or the UK, such as park4night.com Another good app for UK motorhome wildcamping is searchforsites.co.uk or you might like to try Brit stops which is an app that features a collection of farms, pubs, breweries and other businesses in the UK, that allow motorhomes to park overnight on their land for free.
National Trust Wildlife & Nature Staycations
Wake up in the wilderness at one of The National Trust estates. From the rocky cliff tops of Cornwall to the picturesque gardens of Cumbria or why not enjoy a relaxing getaway at the Cragside Estate in Northumberland. Choose from one of their collection of over 470 holiday cottages across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you’re a dog lover, fear not, the National Trust boasts 200 dog-friendly holiday cottages. There’s plenty of places to stretch their legs nearby, from wild coast paths and beaches to pretty rolling parkland and stunning open countryside. Plus, dogs go free!
Stay At A UK Nature Reserve
Bed down in one of Britain’s wildest corners, the UK is home to some of the prettiest conservation sites and nature reserves offering overnight accommodation. The Old Lands, Monmouthshire is a historic country estate that has been in the same family since the 1800s! Today’s residents have slowly introduced a form of traditional, sustainable grazing management that is transforming the once intensively farmed fields into a species-rich landscape where you can enjoy bird watching and be truly immersed in nature. You can stay at the estate, £300 for three nights, old-lands.co.uk.
In West Sussex you’ll find Knepp Safaris with 1,400 hectares, Knepp is the biggest rewilding project in lowland Britain. As such, it is well-equipped for visitors eager to discover what’s happened to the land since the owners, Charlie Burrell and Isabella Tree, halted decades of intensive farming and returned it to nature in 2001. Guests can stay in bell tents, yurts, tree houses or a shepherd’s huts, or you can pitch your own tent in a wildflower meadow on the edge of an ancient woodland. Tree has written a book, Wilding, about her experience at Knepp.
With so many nature staycations to choose from, there is no reason not to get outdoors and feel the calming, restorative effects of mother nature. Take a walk on the wild side this summer.
Photography by Annie Spratt
