Fifty Places to Camp Before You Die

by Chris Santella

  The Lake District National Park sits in the northwest corner of England in the county of Cumbria, not far below the Scottish border. The park’s 885 square miles have a storybook charm that’s underscored by its neat, whitewashed cottages and bucolic fields dotted with sheep, all framed by the ever-present mountains. If Wordsworth’s poetry helped romanticize the region, his travelogue—Guide to the Lakes—put it on the vacationer’s map. Today, the park sees more than twelve million visitors annually. A number come to camp. “Down in the valleys, camping is restricted to established sites or farmers’ fields,” Pete continued. “In the case of the former, you have campgrounds that can accommodate hundreds of tents, with hookups for RVs and a host of other amenities; in the latter, you can knock on a farmer’s door, pay a pittance, and have a spot to pitch your tent, nothing more.”

  Pete shared a few favorite camping spots around the park that provide exposure to its many appeals. “In the eastern section of the park, I like a spot called Side Farm, near the village of Patterdale. It’s at the southern end of Ullswater, the second-largest lake in the district, and the valley is extremely picturesque. From here you have easy access to some of the tourist attractions in the region, like the Beatrix Potter museum (just over a pass in Ambleside), and the Ullswater Steamer leaves from a dock that’s a walking distance away. A trail from the campground leads up to Striding Edge, what many consider to be the finest footpath in the Lake District—though it’s a challenging hike, you’re almost rock climbing at times. Another great hike that’s better suited for less adventurous walkers also leaves right from Side Farm. You walk to the village of Glenridding and get on the steamer to Howtown. You get off the boat in Howtown and walk back along the shore. There’s some up and down, but not more than a few hundred feet at a time. The trail takes you through the woods, past waterfalls, and out again to the shore, where you’re confronted with expansive views of the mountains and lake, each time a bit different. At some points you’re high above the lake, at others you’re right along the shore. There’s a shingle beach where you can swim if the weather is good. The trail leads right back to the campground. [Many believe that the site that inspired “Daffodils” is near Patterdale by Ullswater.]

  “Another fine spot to camp is at Langdale, which is at the heart of the district. There are no lakes nearby, but you’re surrounded by wonderful hills and walks galore. One short walk takes you up to Stickle Tarn, below the imposing cliffs of Pavey Ark, which can be great for swimming. [The lovely village of Elterwater, with its quintessential Lakeland pub, the Britannia Inn, is here as well.] A third option is Wasdale, which is in the west Lake District. It’s different in atmosphere from the central and eastern districts, as it’s quite remote. To reach Wasdale, you have to drive outside of the park and all the way around . . . or take a roller-coaster ride on a very narrow and steep single track road across the passes of Wrynose and Hardknott. If you make the effort to get here, the reward is a camping spot with an amazing view of the Scafell mountain range at the head of Wastwater. In fact, this view of Wasdale Head was adapted for the National Parks emblem. Wasdale is famed for having the Lake District’s highest mountain, its deepest lake, and its smallest church. If you’re coming to the Lake District for the first time and have limited time, I’d advise you to visit the east or central regions; Wasdale would make a great base for a second visit.”

  If you enjoy hiking and make it to the Lake District, you may wish to conquer Scafell Pike, which happens to be convenient to Wasdale. “You can climb Scafell from four different valleys, each with its own unique character and scenery. I like to approach from the north, via the hamlet of Seathwaite. You first ascend Glaramara [2,560 feet]; if the weather is clear, you’ll have a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree panorama of the other peaks of the Lake District. Next, you’ll cross a grassy ridge that connects to Allen Crags, then to Esk Hause. The hause (a Cumbrian word for “pass”) which was once a key route for trade between the valleys of Eskdale and Borrowdale, brings you to the flanks of Ill Crag and boulder-strewn Broad Crag. After a bit of scrambling, you’ll walk the last three hundred feet to Scafell Pike [3,210 feet] itself, where you can look south to Wales and west to the sea and Ireland.

  “Sometimes when you’re walking along a ridge, you might experience a cloud inversion. You might even be walking in the clouds. Suddenly it will clear and you’ll see ridge after ridge like islands in a sea of clouds. If it happens to be near sunset and the clouds disperse, you may see the twinkling lights of a village below, where a pint of beer awaits.”

  * * *

  PETE ROYALL was born and raised on Walney Island in the “South Lakeland.” By the age of fourteen he was spending most of his weekends exploring the mountains and valleys of the Lake District National Park. By the age of sixteen he had discovered the joys of granite, and his exploration grew to encompass climbing the crags and cliffs of the mountain faces. Several seasons of climbing in the highlands of Scotland and the European Alps led to exploration in the Himalayas and eventually most of the World’s Greater Ranges. Since 1992, Pete has led treks and expeditions to the Nepal and Indian Himalayas, the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the South American Andes. During this time, he has taken close to a hundred groups into the World’s Greater Ranges for Britain’s premier real-adventure travel company, KE Adventure Travel, and has pioneered new routes in the Himalayas and the Karakoram mountains, including first pass crossings and first ascents of unclimbed peaks. Pete also leads trips around Great Britain through his company, Wandering Aengus Treks (www.wanderingaengustreks.com).

  If You Go

  Getting There: The Lake District is roughly one and a half hours north of Manchester, England, which is served by most major international carriers. There is also train service from London.

  Best Time to Visit: You’ll find the mildest weather in the summer months, though you’ll also find the largest crowds.

  Campgrounds: Pete Royall recommends three campgrounds: in the east district, Side Farm (+44 17684 82337); in the central district, Great Langdale (which offers full services, including yurt-like pods); and in the west district, Wasdale (which also offers pods). You can reserve spots at Great Langdale and Wasdale by visiting the National Trust website (www.nationaltrust.org.uk).

  Activities: Hiking, biking, rock climbing, sailing, canoeing, swimming, and fishing.

  Fort Jefferson dominates Garden Key, and is the largest all-masonry fort in the United States . . . though it was never completed.

  Florida

  DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK

  RECOMMENDED BY Linda Friar

  If the thought of pitching a tent on a secluded beach—a very secluded beach—has appeal, you might consider hopping a ferry to one of America’s most remote national parks: Dry Tortugas.

  “As far as locations go, there’s nothing else like it,” Linda Friar began. “The park is seventy-plus miles off the coast of Key West. There’s spectacular snorkeling, swimming, and fishing all against the backdrop of a historic nineteenth-century fort. It takes some planning to make for a good camping experience, as you have to take everything in and take everything out. But you’ll have trouble finding a similar experience so removed from any development.”

  The Dry Tortugas are a group of seven small islands due west of Key West; the largest, Loggerhead Key, is less than 650 acres in size. (The other Keys include Garden, Bush, Long, Hospital, Middle, and East.) The first European to land here was Ponce de León, who harvested a number of sea turtles from around the islands, giving the keys their name. For a time, the Tortugas made a fine base for pirates marauding merchant ships in the Gulf of Mexico, but the absence of fresh water discouraged any permanent settlers. Campers have the War of 1812 (at least in part) to thank for Dry Tortugas National Park. After the war, there was a movement among American leaders to construct a series of forts along the coast. The Dry Tortugas were identified as an ideal site for a garrison to protect and provision ships plying the Straits
of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, and in 1846 work began at Garden Key on what would become Fort Jefferson. (A lighthouse had been built on Garden Key twenty years earlier, as the reefs in the region posed great danger to shipping traffic.) The fort—an imposing six-sided structure—was never completed. Still, with some sixteen million red bricks used in its unfinished construction, it remains the largest all-masonry fort in the United States. For a time, the fort was used to house prisoners—many of whom were Union Army deserters. After its stint as a prison, Garden Key was used to store coal to fuel naval ships. A strong hurricane destroyed the coal works. By 1908, Garden Key and the other Tortugas had been designated a bird reserve, by 1935 a national monument, and by 1992 a national park.

  To reach Dry Tortugas National Park you must first make your way to Key West, and then board the Yankee Freedom III ferry; the engine-powered catamaran runs every day and takes roughly two hours to reach Garden Key. While the passage can be a bit rough, depending on weather conditions, the Yankee Freedom III utilizes a state-of-the-art ride control system to soften the passage. Upon arrival, some campers will opt to wheel their gear to the ten-site camping area (in carts provided) and join the forty-minute tour provided by the ferry operators. “Highlights include a chance to visit the area of the fort where Dr. Samuel Mudd [an alleged conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln] was held prisoner,” said Nick Fueschel, a National Park Service ranger who’s worked at Dry Tortugas. “People also enjoy seeing the cannons on top of the fort—fifteen-inch smooth-bore Rodmans.” [These cannons—the cutting edge of artillery circa 1865—weigh twenty-five tons apiece and could fire a 432-pound projectile three miles. It took seven soldiers to operate a fifteen-inch Rodman.]

  Fort Jefferson is certainly an attraction for Dry Tortugas visitors, but the turquoise waters and powdery white sand are an even greater draw. There are four beaches (South Swim, North Swim, Seaplane, and Dinghy) to explore and a number of fine snorkeling spots. One of the best snorkeling areas is near the ruins of the North Coaling Dock. Though the storage structures here were destroyed, the pilings remain. The shelter the pilings provide and their proximity to a deep channel make this area a great spot to encounter some of the park’s larger marine animals, including tarpon, goliath groupers, barracuda, and sharks. An assemblage of hard and soft corals, numerous reef fish (including parrot fish and sergeant majors), and vast schools of silversides are present. Though nearly hunted to extinction, five species of sea turtles—loggerhead, green, leatherback, Kemp’s ridley, and hawksbill—are still present in the waters around the park. Another reptile—the American crocodile—is occasionally encountered in the waters off the Dry Tortugas. Though fearsome in appearance, American crocs are far less aggressive than their man-eating Australian cousins . . . but you’ll do well to keep a healthy distance. “My favorite snorkeling encounter at the park came when I found myself swimming inside a bait ball of silversides,” ranger Nick shared. “Suddenly the silversides were being corralled by six-foot-long tarpon from the outside.”

  The Dry Tortugas are also a magnet for birding enthusiasts. Almost three hundred species have been identified around the islands, including a host of pelagic (open ocean) birds like frigatebirds. You’re almost sure to find sooty terns—some 100,000 nest on Bush Key, which is adjacent to Garden Key.

  As Linda alludes to above, a camping trip to the Dry Tortugas takes a good deal of planning. You need to bring everything—water, charcoal, or Sterno for cooking (no gas or propane allowed) and any other camping gear you might need. Of course, you need to pack everything out. But, for your $3-per-person fee, you get a picnic table, a grill, and a bit of shade from waving palm trees. “It’s certainly a rustic experience,” Linda added. “But you won’t soon forget the open vistas, the quiet once the day visitors have left, the sunsets, and the vibrancy of the starry night skies.”

  * * *

  LINDA FRIAR is chief of public affairs at Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks. She is also an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University and serves as lead information officer for the National Park Service Eastern All Risk Incident Management Team. She is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University.

  If You Go

  Getting There: The Dry Tortugas are reached via the Yankee Freedom ferry (800-634-0939; www.drytortugas.com) from Key West. The seventy-mile ride takes two hours.

  Best Time to Visit: The park is open year-round. January through May will see the lowest temperatures and humidity.

  Campgrounds: A ten-site, primitive campground is located on Garden Key (the same island as Fort Jefferson). Campers must bring everything they need, including water. Picnic tables, grills, and a composting toilet are provided. Sites are first come, first served, and cost $3 per person.

  Activities: Snorkeling, fishing, stargazing, sightseeing.

  France

  THE GERS

  RECOMMENDED BY Rod Wheat

  The region of the Gers in the southwest corner of France is a far cry from the fast pace of Paris or the glitz and glamour of the Côte d’Azur. But for those seeking a bucolic retreat, its pastoral setting will not disappoint.

  “We love to send clients to Le Camp de Florence in the Gers region,” began Rod Wheat. “It provides a stunning setting, adjacent to an ancient fortified village. There’s a sleepy ambiance to the place. You feel almost like you’re in another time, nestled among the rolling fields of sunflowers, in the shadow of the Collegiate Church in La Romieu.”

  The Gers, part of the Gascony region in the Midi-Pyrénées, is considered one of western Europe’s most rural regions, a land still largely given over to agrarian endeavors. (It takes its name from the Gers river, a tributary of the larger Garonne.) Known to many as the stomping grounds of the Three Musketeers (brought to life by author Alexandre Dumas and based upon a gersois man named d’Artagnan), the region has also been home to much real swordplay. The Vandals and Visigoths ravaged the area during the Dark Ages. In the Middle Ages, the Hundred Years’ War with the English (from 1337 to 1453) was fought in the region over possession of Aquitaine; later battles were fought in the 1500s and 1600s between Catholics and Protestant Huguenots over the primacy of their faiths. The centuries of unrest led to the prominence of bastides (fortified villages) in the Gers; to this day, nearly one-third of gersois villages are medieval bastides.

  Le Camp de Florence spreads over twenty-five acres, allowing ample space and a sense of privacy for each campsite. There are a host of “camping” options for visitors, ranging from one-, two-, and three-bedroom trailers (with all the comforts of home); to yurt-style lodging; to sites for tents or recreational vehicles. As is common in Europe, Le Camp de Florence is more full-service family resort than bare-bones campground. There is an outdoor pool replete with a waterslide; a toddler’s pool, trampoline, playground, and bouncy house for younger visitors; tennis courts, several restaurants, a bar and disco for older visitors; and Wi-Fi connectivity throughout. (Indeed, mom and dad can relax in the shade of century-old chestnut trees, sipping a drink in the bar area while the kids enjoy the pool a few yards away.) You can also arrange to have fresh bread delivered to your domicile each morning—a touch of French cultivation, to be sure.

  One of the appeals of Le Camp de Florence—especially for visitors curious about French history—is its proximity to La Romieu. The village was established in the eleventh century by pilgrims who were making their way to Santiago de Compostela in the Spanish autonomous region of Galicia, where tradition has it that the bones of St. James (believed to be one of the twelve apostles of Jesus) are buried. In the center of the village is the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, which was built in the fourteenth century and is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its excellent representation of southern European Gothic architecture. The church—including a sacristy decorated with polychromatic frescoes that date back to the structure’s inception—can be toured. There are fantastic panoramic views of the surrounding countryside from one of the church’s octag
onal towers. Visitors will notice whimsical feline sculptures around the village. These pay tribute to the legend of a girl named Angéline and her cats, which (as the story goes) helped rid the village of rats and thus stave off famine. Another attraction is the Gardens of Coursiana, an arboretum that showcases seven hundred species of trees and plants from around the world.

  Though the more arduous trails of the MidiPyrénées lie to the south, the gently rolling terrain of the Gers is very popular with walkers. Many trails depart from the campground. Some connect to El Camino de Santiago, which was the route for one of the most important pilgrimages in medieval times and was walked by millions of the faithful. (There are actually five routes for the Way of St. James; the route that passes through La Romieu is known as the French Way and has been the most popular since the eleventh century.) Walking the trails around La Romieu, one may still come upon pilgrims, many of whom have a scallop shell on their backpack, a longstanding symbol of El Camino de Santiago. (Signs and buildings along the trail to Santiago de Compostela also sported the scallop shell.) Le Camp de Florence remains a popular stopover spot for modern pilgrims. (Biking on these same trails and quiet area roads is also popular.)