The word ‘yurt’ comes from Turkish, and most people will probably know that it refers to a tent that, traditionally, was covered with animal skins. Nowadays, however, most modern yurts are made from tarpaulin or canvas with strong frames made of wood or even metal. Nowadays, it is becoming more and more popular to stay in yurts when travelling around the UK on camping holidays. After all, Yurts were first designed to be strong but easy to construct, which makes them actually ideal for those hoping to backpack comfortably and safely all around the UK.
However, before you use a yurt when you go camping, there are a few essential things to be aware of so that you are sure to get the most out of your holiday.
What are the differences between tents and yurts?
Firstly, it is important to note that a yurt is not your standard tent. Tents, traditionally, are taken with you when you go backpacking and you carry it around with you from campsite to campsite. Yurts, however, are usually set up in advance in campsites all around the UK. This means that you usually have to know where you are going to make sure that you get to a campsite that has yurts available.
Secondly, yurts are often considered a little more ‘up market’ than tents. They provide a little more luxury than just lying on the floor and looking up into the heavens. Yurts are often a little more spacious than tents, offering high walls and ceilings, which means no stooping and bumping around in the middle of the night! Having a bit more space often also means that you get to enjoy a more comfortable bed. Rather than settling down on roll out mats and sleeping bags, yurts often come equipped with soft and luxurious beds – almost like spending the night in your own home!
Yurts often come complete with furniture such as bed side tables and even rugs. Instead of struggling for space, as you might do in a tent, yurts can easily accommodate at least two people, more if it is a particularly big yurt. If you are looking to camp in style and in comfort, therefore, you may want to think about looking into yurts rather than tents.
Finally, because yurts are already made up, there’s no messing around trying to pitch your tent before it gets dark or as it’s raining and thundering. Instead, you simply need to walk in and relax. Yurts are often also equipped with sources of lights, so you’ll be able to move your things in even if it is pitch black outside.
Do I need to book a yurt?
There are a number of campsites all around the UK that offer yurts as a place to stay as opposed to just tents. However, it can be a good idea to look these up before you head off on your travels. Although more and more campsites all around the country have realised that more and more people are interested in staying in yurts, there are still some campsites that only have sites for pitching tents. You don’t want to make your way to one of these and then realise you have nowhere to stay! For this reason, it is wise to at least make sure that there are yurts at your destination.
It is also a good idea to think about booking in advance, particularly if it is the middle of the camping season, as yurts are very popular and will disappear fast if you do not show up in time. Luckily, most yurts on campsites around the UK are easily booked in advance and need not be expensive. In fact, many places offer deals for yurts that are booked in advance. We went camping in Ireland last month and used a cheap car hire Dublin Airport service. It was good to get going immediately from the airport as we hate hanging around and are always eager to get right into things.
What about facilities?
Make sure you have appropriate transport to get to your starting point. Last summer my car hire Tenerife Airport booking was an absolute godsend as we had to travel around between the various camping areas on the island and public transport was quite poor.
Like with most camp sites, yurts themselves do not come equipped with toilets or sinks, for instance. Usually, however, where there is a yurt, there is somewhere to shower and go to the toilet. However, it is best to make these sorts of enquiries when you are looking for a place to stay, which is another reason to think about booking in advance: if you have no brought the necessary provisions with you and you discover that the toilet is nothing but a shack in the middle of a field, you may been slightly underprepared and overwhelmed!
Most owners of yurt campsites are very happy to communicate with campers beforehand, however, so if you send an email asking about facilities, you will almost certainly get a reply back very soon.
Do not be afraid to get in touch with campsite owners
If you have any questions, queries or concerns about camping in a yurt, do not hesitate to contact the campsite owners. They will know absolutely everything there is to know and will be able and willing to answer all your questions quickly and politely.