Off-grid in Cornwall
Camp Kernow was founded in 2008 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to reconnecting children with nature. This summer, children can spend six days off-grid on the 200-acre estate near Truro, Cornwall. They’ll climb to the top of a beech tree in a technical tree-climbing workshop; forge a marshmallow toasting fork with the help of a blacksmith; forge wild forages in the hedgerows with an expert; and navigate their own river kayaking expedition… Campers will eat home-cooked food they’ve helped harvest from the vegetable garden and prepare in the field kitchen, and sleep in a yurt, bell tent, dome or upturned boat hull.
£694 for six days starting July 21 and 28, and August 4 and 18, suitable for children aged eight to fifteen, campkernow.org.uk
Active in Somerset
Mill on the Bruean outdoor activities centre in Bruton, Somerset, has been running summer camps since 1982. Children do at least six activities a day on the 25-acre site, including rope and zip-lining, canoeing and rafting, waterslides and tobogganing. They sleep in bunk beds in shared rooms and eat locally sourced food – around 85% of the fruit and vegetables are grown organically on site; milk, cheese, eggs and meat are sourced from local suppliers; cakes are home-made daily. Each camp has a weekly disco and ends with a prize-giving. The centre also runs day camps, with four activities (£72 including lunch, weekdays 2-21 August).
£653 for seven days, 21-27 July (only places left for boys)), or €590 for six days, August 18-23suitable for ages eight to fifteen, millonthebrue.co.uk
American style, Norfolk
Camp Crusoe claims to be “the closest thing to a traditional American summer camp” in Britain. It is based at Thorpe Woodlands Adventure Centre just outside Thetford. Activities include climbing, archery, ziplining and caving; there are also plenty of cycle paths and easy access to the river for swimming, canoeing and kayaking. Less exciting are cooking and craft workshops and a photography masterclass, while the yurt, barn and hammocks are dedicated chill-out zones. Evenings are spent around the campfire with songs, stories and marshmallows, or taking part in quizzes and talent shows. Children sleep in five-bed cabins and eat healthy, hearty food – outdoors, whenever possible.
From £650 for seven days, 11-17 Augustsuitable for ages eight to fifteen, campcrusoe.com
Bushcraft, miscellaneous
Camp Wilderness runs a range of bushcraft-based summer camps in six locations: Boughton Woods, Northamptonshire; Castle Howard, North Yorkshire; Cuffley, Hertfordshire; Sealyham, Pembrokeshire; Penshurst Place, Kent; and the Towers, Snowdonia/Eryri. They range from three-day Discovery Camps, to give younger children the camp experience without being away from home for too long, to five-day Advanced Survival Skills Camps for older children. Accommodation includes forest tents for the ‘Discovery Camps’, eco-pods for the ‘Thrill Seeker’ Camps and bunkhouses on the ‘Mountain Adventurer’ and ‘Coastal Expert’ Camps. There are also two- and three-day family camps for parents with children aged six and over.
By €249 for three days or € 389 for five, August 5, 12 and 19suitable for ages eight to sixteen, kampwilderness.co.uk
Playtime, Shropshire
Active training and Eeducation (ATE) organises summer camps with games in Shropshire. Children will spend the day playing indoor and outdoor games: in real-life Clue, for example, children will have to interrogate suspects and search the house for clues. There will also be plenty of time in the countryside, building dens and stargazing; craft projects – perhaps making a personalised money box; a day trip, perhaps visiting a castle and doing some archery; and something surprising tailored to the group, such as circus skills or a treasure hunt. Locations include Moor Park, a boarding school near Ludlow with a heated indoor swimming pool and dormitories, and Edgmond Hall, a Georgian house just outside Newport set in 45 acres of woodland and farmland.
€£399 for four nights and £529 for seven, 11, 16 & August 24suitable for ages eight to sixteen, superweeks.co.uk
Sporty in Eryri (Snowdonia)
Plas y Brenin, the national outdoor centre in Capel Curig, Conwy, runs summer camps in Eryri for teenagers who want to try an adventure sport. During the multi-adventure weeks, the programme includes rock climbing, orienteering, coasteering, canoeing and walking. Alternatively, there are specialist weeks aimed at beginners rock climbing, mountain biking or kayaking. For those who have already mastered the basics of kayaking, there is a week of whitewater, sea kayaking and surf kayaking. The price includes one instructor for every six students, plus evening activities, all meals, dormitory accommodation (with wifi) and pick-up/drop-off from Bangor or Llandudno Junction stations.
From £819 for five days, July 21st & 28thsuitable for ages 12-17, pyb.co.uk
Inclusive, Perth & Kinross
The SSC – formerly the Scottish Schoolboys Club, now the Club for the youth of Scotland – runs a summer camp in Struan, near Calvine. Unlike many other camps, it is entirely under canvas: campers sleep in 12-person tents, and there are marquees for food, activities and entertainment. The site has a river running through it and is surrounded by trees and hills. There is something for everyone: children can play sports such as football, volleyball and ultimate frisbee; do arts and crafts, such as tie-dyeing and making slime; or take part in drama and music workshops. Other activities include swimming, yoga, Dungeons & Dragons afternoons, reading groups, baking sessions, filmmaking… As the SSC says: “There really is something for everyone.”
£350 for one week or £600 for two, July 20 & August 27suitable for ages 11-18, thessc.org
Family Friendly in Flintshire
The whole family can experience camp life at Summer campa series of nature-based micro-festivals in the walled garden of the Hawarden Estate in Flintshire. Founder Charlie Gladstone says the events are “based on the legendary camps of America, but for all ages and with better food”. This summer there’s a family camp with lots of kids’ workshops, a crèche – and free ice cream all weekend. The kids’ workshops include bushcraft, ice-making and open-water swimming; adults might prefer the natural wine tasting, compost talk and DJ sets. Outdoor activities include cross-country running, paddleboarding and yoga; there’s unlimited access to the wood-fired sauna and hot tub; and dinner is prepared by guest chefs. Families can bring their own tent or campervan, or book glamping or B&B accommodation.
Day ticket adult £129/5-15s £79/0-4s freeweekend tickets from £199/£129/free, July 26-29, thegoodlifesociety.co.uk
Staying in Wiltshire
First-time summer campers can dip their toes in the water with an overnight stay at PGL-Liddington near Swindon. The two days are packed with activities such as raft building, abseiling and climbing, and children sleep in bunk beds. Liddington is the only PGL centre offering a one-night trip, but many others offer two and three-night stays, including Bawdsey Manor in Suffolk, Dalguise in Perth and Kinross and Newby Wiske Hall in North Yorkshire. There are also week-long multi-activity camps or specialist adventures focusing on everything from baking to pony trekking, surfing or even learning to drive (13-16s only).
From £129 for two days, selected dates in August, suitable for children aged eight to 13, adventureholidays.pgl.co.uk