This was my first ever car camping experience back in May, and it was incredible. Fast forward several weeks and I was in a car accident (recovery has been slow but doing better) and this never got posted. However, I had such a fantastic time and for anyone out there thinking of doing this I wanted to share some of my experience because I found there wasn't a tonne on this online or at least not in the way I wanted to do it.
You see, I don't really camp, but I have recently (as in the last 1-2 years) felt the urge to spend more time in nature and so wanted to do it in a way that felt right for me. Meaning, still as comfortable as possible but retaining the element of adventure and not staying in a hotel.
Being that I drive an SUV (Hyundai Tucson), the back seats fold flat and it's actually really easy to create a comfortable bed. This trip was the trial run and last weekend I drove to Edinburgh for a conference and needed to stop on the way.
On this Peak District trip, my friend and I both shared the car space and it was a bit tight so personally for comfort I would recommend just one person sleeping per car unless yours is bigger or you are planning on spooning the person you go with. I also hadn't figured out how to remove the boot cover (which turns out is mega easy - check youtube out for this if unsure) so that made it feel less spacious too. Thirdly I used a camping mattress and yoga mat = not that comfy, but on my last trip I got a regular blow up bed and it was a game changer. Kept bedding as normal meaning no sleeping bag. This was cold on the last trip so needs improving if I go again this Autumn/Winter. The last thing on my to-do list for future adventures aside from warmer bedding is window covers, and I have ordered some Reflectix from Amazon that I'm planning to cut out and install soon.
Have you ever car camped?! If so, how was it? I remain utterly obsessed with van life videos and so really love this. It also means I can pack generously without the worry of carrying items, or needing to build anything (eg a tent). If travelling solo, it also feels a lot safer. The Peak District is such a wonderful place to visit, and if you can I highly recommend visiting. We stayed at the Laneside Caravan Park, which was lovely and they had great ammenities. It's also well located for hiking trails, so once we parked up we just walked which was very relaxing.