A NEW campsite could soon open in the UK with a swimming pool, spa area and holiday lodges.
Plans have been put forward to build a new campsite on a former military site in Cornwall.
Company Clerkenwell Estates (Holywell Bay) Ltd is proposing to build a campsite at Penhale Camp – a former military site.
The plans include creating a 67-unit holiday park with a swimming pool and spa.
It would also have an on-site restaurant and bar, a reception building and other facilities for staff.
There would also be nine new homes on-site.
Other existing buildings, including a historic farmhouse, would undergo refurbishment.
Holywell Bay Beach would also be nearby.
The wide sandy beach is backed by grassy dunes and surrounded by rocky islands.
While the beach is popular among swimmers and surfers, it becomes a haven for kids during low tide when shallow streams and rock pools emerge.
The planning application is currently awaiting approval from Cornwall Council Planning Committee, with a decision expected later this month.
Plans for the new campsite at Penhale Camp have been met with backlash from locals.
This is because the area where the site sits is home to fragile wildlife habitats like some of Europe‘s rarest flowers and plants as well as butterflies, insects and falcons.
The Kelsey Head and Penhale Dunes have been protected by a Site of Special Scientific Interest designation (SSSI) for decades.
Since 2004, Penhale Dunes have also been designated a Special Area of Conservation.
Earlier this year, the best campsites in the UK were revealed by the camping experts Pitchup, who based their findings on 200,000 customer reviews from last year.
To feature in the list, the campsites must have achieved an average rating of 8/10 or above across at least 20 reviews in 2023.
Pitchup said the process enabled them to keep the list simple and relying solely on customer feedback ensures the list is both unbiased and reflects real user experiences.
They said: “We want to say a huge congratulations to the winning sites.
“Their outstanding average rating is the result of months of glowing reviews on Pitchup.com, showing that they provided a truly exceptional guest experience.”
If you want some camping tips ahead of a camping trip, the Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot has revealed her top tips, having been camping for 50 years.
David Scotland owns camping equipment retailer Outdoor World Direct and knows all about how to make a camping trip run smoothly.
When visiting any campsite this summer it’s important to make sure you’re not making simple mistakes that could ruin your holiday.
Check your tent
David recommends putting your tent up a couple of weeks before you’re due to travel to give you enough time to repair or replace any damaged parts.
He told Sun Online Travel: “You’d be surprised how many people turn up with broken tents.”
Test the ground
Picking a good spot to pitch your tent is difficult, with lots of things to consider.
One of those should be the condition of the ground you’re putting your tent on top of, according to David.
He said: “Once you’ve found the perfect spot, test the ground with your pegs before you commit to camping there to make sure the ground is soft enough.”
Don’t nap in your tent
It may seem the perfect place for it, but a nap in a tent could end badly, if it’s done at the wrong time of the day.
David explained: “If the sun’s shining and it’s hot inside your tent – don’t do it!
“One of our friends nodded off in his tent during a heatwave at Glastonbury and ended up at the medical tent with heatstroke.”
Instead, he recommends finding some shade outside or somewhere well ventilated.
Here’s another campsite in the UK, which people say is like being abroad.
And we’ve rounded up the UK’s best campsites for 2024.
