Press Release

THE CALL OF THE CANVAS is not waning as after a wash-out August, the nation's hopes are pinned on an Indian summer and the opportunity to go "glamping" is still on the cards.

Photographs of celebs, including Kate Moss and Sienna Miler, camping at festivals throughout the summer have led to camping's new glamourous image, hence the term "glamping" and the trend looks set to stay as the Autumn leaves start to fall.

This coupled with increasing awareness of the damage air travel can do to the environment is leading consumers back to domestic breaks.

Analysts at Freeads.co.uk, the UK's leading independent classified website, have seen traffic to its camping section more than double in the first two weeks of September, against the last two weeks in August. Tents, camping equipment and retro VW Combi vans are among the most popular search terms.

"It's not just a case of people going online to sell their camping gear now that the summer and the festivals are over, people are buying them almost as fast as they go on the site. It seems they're planning weekend breaks in the British countryside this month and also next month when the children are off school," said chief executive Duncan Horton.

"Going camping in the Autumn in the UK gives you a chance to see the countryside at its most spectacular as the leaves change and also campsites are far emptier than they were over the summer.And also there are no hassles with airport delays on a holiday at home in the UK.

"If you're hoping to look as chic as the likes of Kate and Sienna though don't forget your designer wellies and luxurious duvets - no dubious sleeping bags will be tolerated by the new generation of glampers. And for those in campers rather than tents, let's hope that they remember to upgrade the interior to include a standalone fridge just for the Chablis and champers, true glampers won't settle for a can of warm lager."