Travel

Continuing with the theme of camping I thought I would list our 10 favourite camping spots. For some of these places camping is the only accommodation available. In one or two cases the facilities are primitive but the area sublime.

1. The Grand Canyon. When we camped there in January, what was particularly cool (apart from the weather) was the snow on the ground and the Coyotes howling across the canyon in the early hours of the morning.

The Loreley

2. The Loreley. This wonderful spot overlooks the Rhine valley. It is like being in a giant train set.

Camping at the Loreley in 2006

3. Gudvangen. This spot in Norway is just an example of many amazing camping places along the fjords. It is hard to find a bad spot to camp in Norway. Here though,  it is important to chose the right season as frostbite is always an option.

The Murray River at Barmah

4. The Murray. The Murray River has numerous camping places that we like to return to, such as the Barmah Forest, and the numerous other state forests along its course. The river has moods, colours and a character that is always changing.

5. Hell’s Gates. At the mouth of Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania’s west coast there is a rather primitive camping spot which is amazing in its majesty and fury. The ocean surges into the harbour at this point and the waves on the outer beach can be fearful. If you continue west from here the first country you bump into is Argentina.

Torla, Spain

6. Torla. In the Pyrenees in Spain, surrounded by mountains is the town of Torla and the campsite is called Camping Rio Ara. This camping spot is close to the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. On the night we were there the thunder and lightning echoed and ricocheted down the mountain valleys.

7. Villingsberg. On a lake in Sweden near the city of Karlskoga is the Villingsberg camping place. Sweden is covered in lakes and inlets. Each one is special in its own way.

8. Loderups Stranbad. On the south coast of Sweden, east of Ystad, you find one of the many pristine beach camping places.

Roldal Stave Church

9. Roldal. Another place in Norway we remember fondly is Roldal. It  has majestic views and also a Stave church nearby. When cooking a meal outside the tent one can smile because you have the best dining room in the world. What more could you want?

Narcissus Bay

10. Narcissus Point. On the northern tip of Lake St Clair in Tasmania there is a great camping spot. It is at the southern end of the overland trail. All the camper needs to do is watch out for snakes.

We have to add one more.  11. Santiago in Spain. This is not because the scenery is brilliant … but when we needed to have our clothes washed after the Camino, they took our clothes, washed them, dried them and folded them – all for a nominal fee. That was camping with style!