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Glamping vs. Camping : An Insider’s Guide

April 10, 2018

At Penhein, we often get asked ‘why glamp rather than camp?’. Of course we are somewhat biased, but in our humble opinion there are many reasons why glamping is better than camping, so we thought we’d get stuck into the subject here and settle the matter once and for all.

What is Glamping?

First of all, perhaps it’s helpful to clarify the difference between glamping and camping. We all know what camping is, as it’s been around for over 100 years (the first edition of The Camper’s Handbook was written in 1908 by Thomas Hiram Holding, widely recognised as the founding father of camping and creator of the first ever camping club). Whether camping out at the bottom of the garden as a child, pitching up at muddy festival sites in our twenties, or trooping off to the coast with a young family in tow, we’ve all been camping at some point in our lives.

However, glamping is an altogether more modern phenomenon. Rather obviously, its name comes from the fusing together of ‘glamorous’ and ‘camping’. Its definition, according to Google, is “a form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping.” So far, so good, so theoretical. But what does it actually mean in practice?

Glamping at Penhein

Well, at Penhein, it means a cluster of huge Persian tents, each one decorated beautifully with beds and blankets, a wood-burning stove, high, domed ceilings and a skylight to the stars. It means plenty of room to eat, sleep and relax together, with a kitchen and dining area in each tent and a shared communal tent with toys, games and beanbags. It means a private en-suite loo and a luxurious shared shower block with underfloor heating, monsoon showers and a roll-top bath.

But it also means so much more than just accommodation and facilities. For us, glamping is about feeling at home in the great outdoors. Taking rural adventures together by day and returning at night to a welcoming, well-equipped campsite and a cosy alachigh tent. Having everything you need to do camping really, really well.

Glamping: the key ingredients…

1. Location – Our family-run farm is in rural south Wales, in the middle of the Monmouthshire hills. Our glampsite is tucked away in a small woodland area on 300 acres of farm and parkland. While some campsites can be found in beautiful locations, we truly believe ours is a one-of-a-kind. Not only does Penhein have panoramic views of the stunning countryside that surrounds the farm – with views as far as the Severn Bridges and beyond on a clear day – it is also incredibly peaceful and private. Guests have a spacious pitch in the woods, and freedom to roam the neighbouring fields, picnic in wildflower meadows and wander down nature trails; the nearest main road is miles away.
2. Attention to detail –  We provide you with all the things you’d expect from a campsite, as well as some things you might not. We upgrade the basics (a ‘pitch’ at Penhein is in fact a secluded spot in the woods in a luxurious alachigh tent; our fabulous shower block is so much more than just ‘somewhere to wash’; with direct access to acres of countryside, your ‘escape from the daily grind’ is a world away from what you’re used to), and we add some unexpected extras to help you feel at home. Little luxuries that make the best bits of camping better and take the edge off the not-so-nice bits.
3. Adventurous Spirit – It’s important to us that glamping at Penhein is just as adventurous, authentic and filled with rural abandon and roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-stuck-in camaraderie as traditional camping can be. We won’t wait on you hand and foot, there’s no electricity in the tents, and you’re about as close to nature as it’s possible to get. It’s not for nothing that we put ‘adventurous spirit’ at the top of the What to Bring list!

The Benefits of Glamping over Camping, Penhein-style

If you arrive in the dark, there’s no pitch to scout, tent to erect, or maze of campers and cars to navigate just to get to the toilet block. Instead, there’s a short walk down a woodchip path where you’ll find a cosy alachigh tent, a welcome hamper of local deli goodies, and beds ready to jump straight into.

When it comes to cooking, there’s no faffing around attaching gas cylinders to titchy two-ring cookers and clock-watching whilst the baked beans heat up. Every tent at Penhein has a wood-burning stove for boiling the kettle and heating pans and a fire pit for barbecuing (wood is provided). There’s a kitchen area with cold running water from the sink, cooking utensils, a cool box, and store cupboard essentials such as salt, pepper, olive oil and meat rub. You won’t have to perch on an upturned bucket or the nearest stump of a tree – there’s a table and chairs inside beneath a tealight chandelier.

In terms of daytime entertainment, at Penhein, you can do as much or as little as you like. Exploring the endless countryside needn’t involve a car journey, queueing, or hordes of tourists and it won’t cost you a penny. It couldn’t be closer or easier to get to: the glampsite is in a small coppiced woods that opens onto meadows, fields and rolling hills intersected by woodland paths, nature trails and meandering streams.

Glamping vs Camping in a nutshell:

So there you have it!

When it comes to glamping versus camping, glamping wins hands down, with Penhein Glamping topping the lot! We’re sure you’ll agree it’s a no-brainer.