How to Camp Safely Amid COVID Pandemic

With the government easing the lockdown rules and allowing campsites to re-open from the 4th July, many of us will be rejoicing at the idea of pitching our tent again. However, as with most aspects of everyday life now, things are certainly going to be different. Campsites in the UK will have to follow strict guidelines set by the government in order to ensure social distancing and infection prevention, ensuring that we all stay safe, but as campers, what can we do to keep ourselves safe? Whether you’re pitching your tent or setting off in your caravan, today we’re looking at how you can safely enjoy a camping trip this summer, along with a few of the measures that campsites will have in place for us.

How You Can Stay Safe on Your Camping Trip

Visit Campsites Closer to Home

While many of us will be desperate for a change of scenery, it can be a good idea to visit campsites that are closer to where you live. Popular campsites will inevitably attract people from all over the country, and this has the potential to increase the risk of the virus spreading. Plus, if you’re able to stay close to home, it’s a great way to support your local businesses, which will have no doubt experienced a few very difficult months.

Bring Your Face Mask

We all know it’s now compulsory to wear face coverings on public transport, but what does that mean for us campers? While you won’t be needing to wear a face covering in outdoor spaces, some campsites may require you to wear them in communal areas, such as washblocks. Check with your campsite before you head off on what their rules are, but to be honest, making sure that everyone in your party has a face mask is definitely worth doing.

Pack the Anti-Bac

We’re now more cautious than ever when it comes to hygiene, so how can you keep that up when you’re camping? Undoubtedly, washblocks and toilets will be fully equipped with antibacterial soap, and many campsites will have hand sanitising stations too, but for extra peace of mind, it’s always worth bringing your own supply.

Consider a Utility Tent

Even though communal facilities are likely to have extra cleaning procedures in place, it’s only natural that some of us might still be reluctant to use them. This is where it can be worth investing in a utility tent if you haven’t already, as this can be a useful and more private alternative to using communal washrooms and toilets.

Stick to Small Groups/Your Household

From the 4th July, two households will be able to meet in any setting. While this technically means you’ll be able to go camping with your friends or another family, it’s important to bear in mind the rules around this change. The first thing is if you’re camping with another family, remember that they will have to all be from the same household. You should only be sharing a tent with people in your household too, so this is worth bearing in mind if you camp with another family and say, the children share a tent together. In addition, while people from different households will be allowed to meet outdoors, this is still only allowed for up to six people, so bear this in mind! It’s also worth mentioning that some campsites may also have limits on how many people they allow in group bookings too, so be sure to check this.

What Are Campsites Doing to Keep Us Safe?

Like all supermarkets, shops and other places, campsites have a set of government guidelines to follow when they reopen on the 4th of July to ensure everyone’s safety. But what can we expect exactly?

Contactless Check In

Pretty much everything is going contactless as a result of the pandemic, and that also goes for campsites too. Of course, this will depend on the check-in process of each individual site, but many will now have procedures in place designed to minimise physical contact.

Social Distancing

We should all be familiar with social distancing by now, and things we’re now used to seeing in public places such as floor markers and signs will be common across campsites, encouraging us to keep to a safe distance, especially when it comes to communal areas such as toilets and wash blocks. We can also expect campsites to be increasing the distance between pitches too.

Additional Hygiene Measures

In addition to extra cleaning procedures on communal areas, many campsites will have installed additional hand sanitising stations and handwashing facilities throughout. It’s also likely that you’ll be seeing quite a few signs encouraging you to sanitise your hands too, some of which will be in areas where we’re not always used to seeing them, such as reception areas, so make sure you pay attention to them and do as you’re told!

Reduced Numbers

As we will have experienced in shops, campsites will also be reducing their numbers to make sure that social distancing can be followed properly. As we mentioned earlier, some may even have restrictions on group bookings too, so be sure to check this out. Of course, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, what can be better than a relaxing break in the outdoors with just your partner?

Queuing Systems & Time Slots for Showers and Toilets

Of course camping means that we make use of communal showers and toilets, but how will this work when it comes to social distancing? The official advice from the government is that campsites should assign separate showers to each household group, but this may not always be possible. In these cases, they advise deep cleaning procedures and a system to ensure that facilities aren’t overcrowded - this can be in the form of staggered entry or even time slots for shower facilities, and one-way systems in toilets.

Where Can We Go?

There’s plenty of choice out there when it comes to where you can pitch your tent this summer, so we’ve listed some of our picks below, along with the measures they’ve got in place. For further details on the measures each campsite has in place, check out their websites.

Whitlingham Broad Campsite - East Anglia

Located in a gorgeous 80 acre country park, Whitlingham Broad Campsite is ideal for anyone wanting to explore the famous Norfolk Broads. Measures they’ll be having in place include:

• Reduced capacity to allow for social distancing and more space between pitches
• More frequent cleaning and sanitisation, including deep cleaning of glamping facilities and communal areas
• Hand sanitiser points with no contact dispensers outside certain areas
• Reduced numbers on entering facilities

Tremorvu Campsite - South West

A gorgeous family run campsite, Tremorvu Campsite is located between the beautiful Cornish beaches of Praa Sands and Porthleven, making it the ideal place for surfers!

• Contactless check in
• Extra spacing for pitches
• Distance markers for communal facilities
• Deep cleaning for glamping facilities and communal areas

North Lees, Hathersage - East Midlands

Set in a romantic woodland setting, North Lees is the ideal campsite for couples and is wonderfully spacious.

• The site itself is ‘pitch free,’ so visitors are able to choose their camping location, but are asked that they pitch at least 2 metres away from others when setting up.
• Reduced numbers to a maximum of 60 people
• Limited amount of guests in washroom and toilet facilities
• Increased daily deep cleans of toilets and showers

Bodiam Camping - South East

Surrounded by plenty of trees and wildlife, Bodiam Campsite is perfect for getting away from it all, and is just a leisurely walk away from Bodiam Castle.

• Opening additional fields to allow for more spacious pitches
• Limit of one person at a time in toilets and showers (except for parents and children)
• Regular deep cleaning of toilet blocks
• Hand sanitiser provided outside of toilet blocks and must be used upon entrance and exit

The Old School Campsite - West Midlands

Ideal for those who love to keep busy, The Old School Campsite is a small camping and glamping site that is packed with a range of fantastic on-site activities with everything from adventure sports to crafting workshops.

• Staggered time slots for showers
• Daily deep cleans on communal areas
• Glamping facilities deep cleaned in between guests
• Distance markers on shower and toilet facilities

Here at OLPRO, we’re over the moon that we can officially start camping again from the 4th July, and we’re sure that you are too! We hope our guide has given you plenty of tips on how you can camp safely, but if you take away only one piece of advice, it’s this - make sure you follow the rules! Campsites will have worked incredibly hard putting their measures in place, and at the end of the day, they’re there to keep us all safe. Stick to the new rules along with the usual government advice we’re now so used to following, and together we can start to enjoy a summer of camping adventures.

Written by Amy Jackson - Content Writer at Discount Promo Codes - 26th June 2020