Why there's so much more to Ireland than golf

Ireland is rightly known for its superb golf courses – it has world-famous names located in every corner of the country and the 153rd Open is being hosted at Royal Portrush. But what if playing 18 holes just isn't your bag? Put simply, that isn't a problem. There's a lot more to discover here, from mountainous offshore islands criss-crossed with hiking trails to whisky trails and fine dining on the island's seemingly inexhaustible larder of premium ingredients.
Explore the Wild Atlantic Way
Want to enjoy the great outdoors? With its lofty sea cliffs, pristine beaches and rugged mountainscape, Achill Island is an enticing place to visit, just offshore from County Mayo, and can easily be reached via a road bridge. And it's easy to get to this part of Ireland from Great Britain too, with a range of flights available into Ireland West Airport Knock, Donegal and Derry (as well as the multiple daily connections to Belfast and Dublin.
Hillwalkers will be thrilled by the landmarks they find here. There are some major peaks to summit, including 2,200ft Slievemore and 2,190ft Croaghaun, the latter famous for its steep north-eastern face, which plunges dramatically down into the Atlantic swell. These are challenging routes, taking around three to four hours to climb up and return back down; for something less strenuous head up to Minaun Heights, at 1,530ft it offers panoramic views across the island and over the sweep of Keel Beach and can be reached via car and then a short, steep 15-minute walk up to the top.
Keel Beach is perhaps the island's most famous, and is a glorious place for a swim or to explore in a sea kayak. This is also one of Ireland's best places to learn to surf, with beginner-friendly waves and a range of surf schools offering lessons. Alternatively, head to Keel Lake, just inland of the beach, where the calm, shallow waters are ideal for stand-up paddleboarding, as well as trying your hand at kitesurfing or windsurfing.
After all that activity you'll be ready to relax, perhaps on one of the island's five Blue Flag beaches. Head to Dugort village and you can soak up the sun on Achill's twin beaches of Silver Strand and Golden Strand; you can even kayak between the two, passing seal colonies and seabirds.
As night falls, head to the pub for an evening of hearty food and Irish craic. Try Lynott's Pub in Cashel, a village on the east side of Achill Island, for a quintessential Irish experience, with a traditional-cut stone-wall interior, plenty of lively debate and regular live music sessions. In Keel, head to The Annexe Inn for a proper pint of Guinness and nightly traditional music sessions.
Tory Island and Slieve League
Alternatively, sail out to Tory Island in Donegal instead. This is a vibrant Gaeltacht (Gaelic-speaking) community nine miles off the north coast and surrounded by the tempestuous Atlantic. It's a wildly beautiful place where you can visit Iron Age forts and medieval round towers, spot puffins and join traditional céilís – sure to see you twirled around the dance floor by an islander or two.
Also in Donegal are the soaring sea cliffs of Slieve League, some of the highest in Europe and rising to 1,960ft above the Atlantic. You'll start at the Cultural Centre, where you can board a shuttle bus to the cliffs themselves; here you'll find numerous designated viewpoints as well as the stomach-knotting One Man's Pass trail, which leads brave hikers up to the highest part of the cliffs. Whether you brave the pass or not, you'll take in spectacular views of Donegal Bay, as well as the Giant's Desk and Chair rock formation at the base of the cliffs.
The Causeway Coastal Route
This coastal driving route loops around the coast of Northern Ireland, taking in striking sea views and some of the country's most famous sites. The Giant's Causeway is truly unmissable and best visited first thing, when you can spring across its incredible basalt columns in the early morning calm. Continue afterwards to tumbledown Dunluce Castle, an atmospheric medieval ruin atop the cliffs, then on to the Old Bushmill's Distillery. This is the world's oldest licensed distillery and offers tours that uncover the ancient whiskey-making process, taking you through from mash tun to pot still to whiskey barrel. Bushmill's is part of the Northern Ireland Spirits Trail; pick up a Distillery Passport here and see how many you can tick off on your adventures. There are 13 in total, from the Titanic Distillers in Belfast to the Wild Atlantic Distillery on Northern Ireland 's north-west coast.
Incredible coastal scenery
The coastline of Donegal, in Ireland's north-west, is a windswept wonderland of towering sea cliffs, pristine white-sand beaches and crashing Atlantic waves. Here you can take to the saddle for a thrilling horse ride along two kilometres of sandy beach at Tullan Strand, or head out on a sea safari by Rib with True North Boating, getting up close to marine life such as bottlenose dolphins, basking sharks, minke whales and grey seals. The highlight just might be Malin Head, Ireland's most northerly point and a glorious place for a coastal hike. Located at the far end of the Inishowen Peninsula, this is a fantastic place for spotting seabirds (look out for peregrine falcon, barnacle geese and the rare corncrake) and come nightfall, one of Ireland's most likely locations for the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, to appear, lighting up the inky night sky with undulating waves of neon pink and brightest lime.
Further south, in County Sligo, there's yet more dramatic coastal scenery to explore. Make time for Benbulben, a steep-sided, flat-topped mountain that can be climbed in around four hours, as well as a detoxifying soak at Kilcullen Seaweed Baths, where you can climb into its restorative warm seawater amid harvested seaweed and bathe overlooking the dunes of Enniscrone Beach.
Gazing up at the stars
County Mayo is one of the more beautiful and undiscovered parts of Ireland, and after sunset you'll find it cloaked in the very darkest of night skies. Stargazing here is unforgettable, and is at its best in the Mayo Dark Sky Park, a protected area of Atlantic blanket bog, mountains and forest that is Ireland's first International Dark Sky Park. There are three signature viewing sites; the darkest is at Brogan Carroll Bothy, around 20 kilometres north of Newport town, which offers a range of walking loops from the Letterkeen trailhead car park. Lace up your boots for a post-sunset hike here and prepare to be amazed by the incredible constellations stretching across the sky overhead.
Golf offers and packages
For island of Ireland golf offers and packages visit our partners at: Golf Escapes, Golf Escapes – Northern Ireland, Your Golf Travel, Golfbreaks & Golfbreaks – Northern Ireland

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BreakingNews.ie

an hour ago

• BreakingNews.ie

Dublin Airport warned over passenger cap breach

Dublin Airport has been issued with a warning over breaching its passenger cap. A 32 million passenger cap, a planning condition issued by the airport's local authority, has come under legal and political scrutiny. Advertisement Airlines, including Ryanair and Aer Lingus, have called for the cap to be removed to promote economic and tourism growth, while others have said that Ireland's efforts to reduce its emissions will be hampered by lifting the restriction. Fingal County Council said on Friday it had issued an enforcement notice to airport operator DAA, giving it two years to comply with the planning conditions. A spokesperson for Fingal County Council said: 'The two-year period provides an opportunity for DAA to progress their planning applications to increase passenger capacity at Dublin Airport or take such other steps as they consider appropriate to achieve compliance.' Planning permissions granted in 2008 for the construction of Terminal 2 and the extension of Terminal 1 stated that the combined capacity of both terminals must not exceed 32 million passengers a year. Advertisement The council received complaints that these planning conditions were breached in 2023 and 2024. The planning authority's enforcement unit initiated a formal investigation to assess compliance with the conditions. The DAA was provided with an opportunity to respond, which it did. Fingal County Council said it acknowledged there were 'operational complexities', but said the information submitted by the DAA does not constitute sufficient grounds to prevent further action. Advertisement The council said the investigation determined that a breach of the relevant planning conditions 'has occurred and remains ongoing'. As a result, the enforcement notice was issued to the airport by Fingal County Council, giving Dublin Airport two years to bring its operations into compliance.

Times

2 hours ago

• Times

My hack for a family hiking holiday? Take the ski lifts in the Swiss Alps

A week before our hiking holiday in the Swiss Alps, I realised we might have a problem. We'd driven out into the Kentish countryside for a short walk — barely a stroll — through dappled woodlands and across a sunny meadow, as a test run of attire and attitudes. The scene couldn't have been prettier, the temperature more pleasant, the snacks more bountiful, but barely 15 minutes in: mutiny. 'We hate walking!' my children erupted. 'We're too tired! Can we go back now, this is horrible!' Their dad and I exchanged looks, and reached for the Mentos (nothing hastens pace like sweet bribery). This bucolic romp was nothing compared with what we had planned for the following week's summer holiday. We were headed for the Swiss Alps, for a self-guided, multiday hike, carrying all our kit, taking in high mountains up to almost 3,000m, with no chance of pressing pause as we'd be moving on each day to a different hotel in the next valley. We did have a trick up our Gore-Tex sleeves, though, a holiday and parenting hack to make this kind of challenge possible even for whingy bairns whose legs ache — honest they do — after ten minutes on a flat path. And that was ski lifts. They continue to whirr in summer in increasing numbers of Alpine resorts, in a bid for year-round tourism in the face of climate change, helping mountain bikers and hikers scale high peaks that kiss the plan was to take advantage, riding up then walking down, making it far easier for the children (if not our ageing knees). Lenzerheide, an upmarket, under-the-radar Swiss mountain town, was our starting point, a three-hour drive north from Milan airport (Zurich is closer), where we hired a car. Through Italian lakes traffic we skirted south of Lake Como, stopped for pizza by Lake Lugano, then drove up into the vivid green foothills of the Swiss region of Graubünden, where the road turned snakey and the high mountains reared into view. That our first stay, the Lenzerhorn hotel, had an indoor pool meant the children — Heidi, ten, and Hamish, eight — were on board with the holiday from the off, and didn't complain about putting on their hiking boots next morning as we set out past chic boutiques selling designer skiwear and elegant leather boots to ride the PostBus (the service that links even the remotest Swiss villages) a mile along the teal-green Heidsee lake to the Rothorn Bahn cable car. Among dirt-spattered mountainbikers in bulky body armour, here for the bike parks and trails that weave down the mountainsides, we hopped aboard the gondola and watched them from above as we swung up into wispy cloud, until rows of icy peaks and turquoise lakes spread before us. From the bare-rock crest of Parpaner Rothorn (2,861m), once a centre of iron ore mining, and from where they say you can spot a thousand other peaks, we would descend northeast to Arosa. A not-small amount of meticulous plotting and planning, and a few evenings spent poring over maps, had gone into our self-designed route. Because while various tour operators arrange Alpine hiking holidays, none exactly fitted our specifications, with a downhill focus and special places to stay. We know the Alps well, and what we came up with was, I think, a brilliant five-day plan through blockbuster scenery, covering 4-8 miles every day, going from Lenzerheide to Arosa, to a mountain refuge in the Sapün Valley, over to Davos, then looping back via a slightly different route. During that first descent, all the natural elements that make an Alpine holiday so wonderful soon burst forth between the crags: green bee-buzzed pastures, clouds of butterflies, tiny wildflowers in so many shades our game of taking turns to spot something of each colour of the rainbow was too easy. Other games of guess the animal and 'granny went shopping' passed the time. I relished hours just talking to my children, and they liked having our attention, even if my son, who had recently discovered Minecraft, only wanted to discuss that. For hours. At least the views were riveting while my education on Piglins and Villagers ensued. After three miles we came upon Älplisee, a lake of the brightest blue, cold as ice and so shiveringly delicious to swim in that after following the path along the shore we had another dip at the other end. Why not? Carrying all our stuff on our backs meant our swimwear and trek towels were always to hand. Down and down, and then another unexpected treat — a mountain inn of dreams, Alpenblick, neat and chic like most in Switzerland, with a sun deck serving joyous slabs of berry tart (£7) and a local unfiltered beer ( I'm not sure the children had even noticed they were on a hiking holiday yet. • Discover our full guide to Switzerland The inn had rooms but our beds awaited down in the valley in Arosa, at a converted TB sanatorium — there were dozens in the area in the early 1900s. Revamped as the cool Faern hotel in December 2022, it featured globular lighting, abstract grey/black art, and brass and matte black fittings in place of medical wipe-down white. Wes Anderson but monochrome was the voguish effect. Alpine walking holidays traditionally mean refuge dorms and basic family-run farmhouses where gingham was the last design feature introduced. I'll never forget, years before, the dishevelled hiker washing his feet in the only bathroom basin at the Theodulhutte above Zermatt, sticking his toes right up inside the tap we needed to use to brush our teeth, or the offer to kip on hay bales in a cobwebby barn in Austria's Wilder Kaiser region for an 'authentic farmstay experience'. These days the Alps have become rich pickings for stylish, contemporary hotels — some upmarket spas, others reinventions of cute wooden chalets made luxe. It was to one of these we were headed next on our shortest walk, three and a half miles, but the greatest climb (555m) — though only after a sweetener of a swim in the Faern's indoor lazy river and a game on its tennis courts to keep the kids onside. • Best hotels in Switzerland They marched out into the sun, revived and, dare I say, even excited for the hike ahead. Beside Lake Obersee, where holidaymakers were out on pedalos as if it were the Med, we caught a little red train 15 minutes down the valley to Langwies, watching it curl back on itself as it looped over a viaduct. Our path rose through a forest full of butterflies and unfamiliar bees, purple scabious and clover, the ground crunching with pinecones. We ate our Co-op picnic on a bench above a steeply sloping field at 1,695m at Egga, supplementing our plastic punnet of supermarket strawberries with handfuls of wild ones plucked beside the path: 'These taste much nicer — and they're free!' Heidi said. We were up in the high pastures now, steep grassy meadows full of grazing cows, peppered with small enclaves once dedicated to farming. In Sapün, a tiny, seemingly deserted hamlet of centuries-old chalets, like a living museum, I paused to photograph the sweet wooden schoolhouse, dating to 1849, and a vending machine selling fresh local cheese, then sneezed. 'Gesundheit!' someone called from inside one of the sunbaked buildings. Beyond a farm where the workers were hand-cutting grass for straw was Heimeli, a 300-year-old wooden chalet turned into one of the cutest guesthouses in the Alps and possibly the world — our enchanting base for the night. After the hours of hot, sweaty uphill, it was sweet relief to plonk ourselves at one of the terrace tables among potted edelweiss, order Heimeli's own craft beers and homemade soft drinks flavoured with mountain herbs and, like at every stop, get out the playing cards — the kids never tired of Shithead. A garden opposite provided more fun, with a hammock and swing, a slack line and an elf-sized chalet wendy house hung with felt toadstools and gonks. While the kids played there, we settled in to relax on the terrace, before the owner, Vita Gabriella, showed me inside. Heimeli itself was like a slightly larger wendy house, with low wooden ceilings, antiques, chairs with loveheart cutouts and ladders leading to compact spaces — a cellar with shelves of Crocs to borrow, a bar/museum in a phonebox-sized indoor pigsty, and ten guestrooms, including singles and our quad. She told me that they used to pack seven people into each room on the floor, but she had moved the place upmarket after taking it on with her husband in 2007. This had been a dream come true, thanks to a surprise payout from an investment her husband had made — somewhat reluctantly — in the company he worked for in order to help save it. 'We are both from poor backgrounds, but suddenly we had a million,' she said. 'We didn't know what to do with it. A friend said to me, 'You are a rich woman, what did you dream of doing with that kind of money?' I realised — 'Oh, I would love to buy Heimeli!' It had been for sale for three years then. We thought we'd run it for ten years, but here we still are.' The result could not have been more atmospheric, and dinner was a feast: rösti, macaroni prettied up with edible flowers, kid-pleasing burgers, homemade wild berry ice cream (mains from £21), so too breakfast, with homemade bircher and jams. I could've stayed for a week, if not for ever. A storm was forecast for lunchtime the next day, and we knew we needed an early start to get up over the exposed Strelapass before it hit. The path became greyer and more grinding as the clouds built, pouring over the sky like dry ice. The rain came down as we reached the the top at 2,352m, so we sheltered in the Strela Pass Restaurant (more Shithead) before hotfooting it down the other side towards Davos. A crack of lightning made us terrifyingly aware of being out on the exposed rocky tops, the kids went wild with storm fever/fear, screaming and laughing all the way down until a final hungry trudge through forest brought the spate of whingeing we'd long been waiting for. At least a cosy hotel, the simple Edelweiss, greeted us in Davos, a larger town, today devoid of world leaders and of quite so much character as the other stops. From here an exciting funicular, the Parsennbahn, took us up to the Weissfluhjoch at 2,686m and we came across patches of snow big enough to supply a family snowball flight that of course ended in tears. But the children seemed to be generally ecstatic to be exploring these landscapes, scrambling over them as if they were an adventure playground, jumping from rocks, dipping their hands in streams, running for no reason and pointing out the marmots we constantly heard whistling. Shockingly, they never even asked for sweets. • The best places to visit in Switzerland Swimming helped maintain the good vibes. The path back to Langwies through the rumpled folds of the Fondei Valley descended beside the charging Fondeier Bach river and we skinny-dipped in hectic pools, crossing narrow bridges beside waterfalls at the foot of the gorge that was, for now, more impressive than anything Minecraft could create.'Look around, this is amazing!' Heidi yelled — music to her parents' ears. And back in Arosa, after another night at the Faern, we spent the morning in the town swimming lake, Untersee — a natural municipal lido with diving boards, an inflatable platform with slide, play areas and 1930s wooden changing rooms, all for £4.50, or free with an Arosa Card that came with our hotel sort of facility is not uncommon in the Alps, convincing me that those who are born in the region have won the geographical lottery of life. One last gondola, Urdenfürggli, and a long sunny descent, and we were back at the start in Lenzerheide. What a sense of achievement! What a thrill to return to the same hotels, feeling changed by adventure, though it had only been a few days! What blisters! The children had had a look of joy on their faces almost the entire time. They had giggled madly together. We'd bonded. I had learnt much about Piglins. So how did they feel about walking holidays now? 'We hate them,' they said. But all the smiley photos, and their proud expressions when we totted up our stats — some 30 miles of walking — they told a different story… Gemma Bowes was a guest of Switzerland Tourism ( and the Lenzerhorn hotel, which has B&B doubles from £229 ( the Faern Arosa Altein, with B&B doubles from £177 ( Heimeli, with B&B doubles from £172 ( and Edelweiss, with B&B doubles from £122 ( Fly to Milan or Zurich

Telegraph

3 hours ago

• Telegraph

The 11 best tents for camping trips and festivals, tried and tested

This article contains affiliate links. The products or services listed have been selected independently by journalists after hands-on testing or sourcing expert opinions. We may earn a commission when you click a link, buy a product or subscribe to a service. In the same way that there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing, I truly believe that there's never a bad time to camp, only unsuitable tents. And I should know; I've slept in most of them. As an adventurer, wild camper and host of the Wander Woman podcast, I explore some of the wildest places in the world with just a trusty tent for accommodation. From snow in Antarctica to torrential rain in Wales and gale force winds on the flanks of Everest, having the right tent can transform a survivable night into a very pleasant one – as long as the model you've chosen is fit for purpose. And if you're heading into the great outdoors, check out my reviews of the best camping stoves and best camping chairs. But for this article, I've tested all this year's best tents for a range of purposes, from Vango to Berghaus. You can read my reviews below, along with some advice on how to use them, but if you're in a rush, here's a quick look at my top five: Which are the best tents? At a glance JUMP TO REVIEWS How to choose the best tent Nowadays if you walk into an outdoor shop you'll be overwhelmed with choice. From pop-up or inflatable easy to pitch tents, to massive family tents (many of them larger than my first flat) and tunnels, geodesic or domes (free-standing; often heavier, but easy to move), back-to-basics super lightweight tents, bivvy bags and tarps and, of course, the ubiquitous glamper's tents of choice of bell tents and teepees, it's easy to get overwhelmed. While some of the quirkier options are often made of canvas, which is waterproof only after their first soaking, most are constructed from man made polyester and coated with silicone or polyurethane to make them waterproof. How to tell which tent is right for you? Consider weight, the total floor space and head height, not to mention the pack size, because if it won't fit in your car boot then it's no good. If you want to go into the wild, go light; if you plan only to use at festivals, go budget or blackout; and if you want to avoid arguments with the family, then definitely go for space and ease of pitch. But above all, go. Tents are not just a bunch of guy lines, collapsible poles and canvas. They represent a lot more: the freedom to explore. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don't accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. From tents to walking boots, all reviews are based on independent expert opinion and our hands-on testing. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. How we test tents I've slept in pretty much every kind of tent out there, both in the wilds and on campsites. Being as they represent the freedom that I crave, I take a particular interest in new technologies and always explore beyond the marketing spiel to find out if a particular model is fit for purpose. I've visited gear shows around the UK and Europe every year, checking out the latest offerings in detail and drawn upon my 14 years of experience of camping in shelters from a variety of manufacturers. Each tent style has its own criteria, but in general I look for a light pack weight to floorspace ratio, excellent waterproofing and temperature regulation, decent headroom and a tent that's simple to put up and take down. Here I've chosen the best examples of tents for every kind of camper. The best tents of 2025 1. Best Buy: Berghaus Air 600 Nightfall How we in the outdoor industry laughed when inflatable tent poles first merged onto the scene. It was easy to dismiss them as something for the casual camper crowd only, and dismiss them as a gimmick that surely offered no stability and little durability. But when outdoor brand heavyweights like Berghaus adopted the technology – and for their larger, family range – you know that there must be something in it. Case in point is this behemoth of a family option that comfortably sleeps six people in two bedrooms with space for inflatable mattresses or air beds. The bedrooms can be removed to make one giant room if you prefer, and there is a good-sized communal space in the middle. They claim it can be erected in minutes – which is technically true. It took me about 25 minutes (see below) and I'd recommend adding some time in for breaks, because it's quite a workout. It keeps the kids entertained, anyway. Once fully inflated it's very durable and extremely waterproof, with a 6,000mm hydrostatic head rating. It has some welcome well-thought-out features too, such as the small roof above the side door – great to stop you getting soaked while unzipping it. I like the darkened lining in the bedrooms to help stop kids waking up with at the first sign of sunrise, and the wheeled carry bag. In fact I fail to see how you could manoeuvre it otherwise. The main drawback may be the price, though it will last, and packed size – small car owners will struggle to fit it in the boot along with the rest of the camping paraphernalia. Key specifications 2. Best Value: Vango Voyager 400 Everyone likes a bargain, and boasting a 55-year legacy of making a host of great value offerings for Duke of Edinburgh participants across the country and beyond, it's perhaps no surprise that Scottish brand Vango strikes a good balance between cost and features. This tunnel tent is easily pitched using two poles which are colour-coded to match the sleeves they slide inside. When pegged out correctly (there's reflective tabs on the peg points so you can do it in the dark if needs be), it is a decent size for two, a bearable size when you add two kids and – honestly – a bit of a squeeze for four grown-ups. The waterproofing is good (3,000mm HH) and there are mesh panels for ventilation, though how well you pitch it can affect this. The groundsheet is made from a durable fabric and extends to inside the porch, which is an adequate size, but you'd struggle to fit in everything if four adults brought along large bags. There are a few niggles, as you'd expect at this price. The first is the weight; this is not really backpacker-friendly. The zip only opens from one side – so if you find yourself on the wrong end, nipping to the loo in the night could be awkward. Key specifications 3. Best Backpacking Tent: MSR Hubba Hubba NX Some people may be immediately put off by the price of this one. I will admit I was too before I used it. But this model is offering you something all the others cannot – total freedom. Hitting the scales at less than a laptop, it's ideal for throwing in your backpack and going properly off-grid. Normally that ability comes with a drawback of comfort and space, but not so here – instead they have used a single pole to make its dome/UFO-shape, which has shaved off kilograms found in its counterparts, all the while still giving ample headroom to enable you to sit up inside. I've used it by myself for a luxuriously spacious slumber. When used as a two-man tent the two porches and two doors make it feel much roomier, allowing you to choose one side to store bags and the other as the entry, or take a porch and entrance each. Despite the light weight, it holds its own in terms of waterproofing (1,200mm), and you can pitch it without the fly sheet on dry nights, since it's a free-standing dome, and watch the stars from your bed thanks to a mesh ceiling, which is also brilliant for ventilation. It can be tricky to get the fly to line up with the doors the first couple of times and if not pitched properly, it can flap about in high wind. I immediately swapped the tent pegs for more heavy-duty ones. But despite that, there is no denying it's a classic for wild camping aficionados like me. Key specifications 4. Best Lightweight Three-Person Tent: Nemo Dagger Osmo 3P Founded in New Hampshire over twenty years ago (NEMO stands for New England Mountain Outfitters) and still owned and operated by the man who started it all, this North American brand prides itself on designing gear perfect for far flung adventures – while still offering comfort and pledging to use sustainable materials. The Nemo 3 (also offered as a 2-person version) is a great example of this ethos. Not only is it by far one of the lightest 3-person tents on the market, it is also made from 100 per cent recycled fabric and is very quick to pitch. The lightweight aluminium poles as well as the inner and fly tabs are colour coded making erecting it intuitive. Waterproof-wise, it's chemical-free and still keeps rain out well (hydrostatic head of 2,000mm). Its structure is formed from a single collapsible, pre-bent pole that forms the spine of the tent with an arm to either side to create width, making for a decent amount of headroom inside (especially for a family or close friends). My only niggle is that though it's simple to put up in high winds, it can be a bit tricky if doing it alone. A nifty design feature is the inclusion of a 'landing zone tub' which is basically a large fabric trough that keeps your gear dry from the floor in the porch while not using up precious space inside. It's by no means cheap, but then for such a lightweight, packable, family tent, that's well-thought-through and worthy of backpacking into the wilds in comfort, it's actually a small price to pay. Key specifications 5. Best Festival Tent: Coleman Festival BlackOut Over the last few years the term 'blackout walls' has been bandied around in tent-making circles – promising the best and longest night's sleep for those who otherwise tend to wake as soon as dawn breaks. For a nature lover like me, rising with the dawn is a major part of camping's appeal – unless, of course I'm at a festival. With the associated late nights that dancing like a teen (or actually being a teen) involves, a lie-in is definitely welcome. Of the many brands jumping on this particular bandwagon, Coleman is the one that has achieved the best results eliminating, they claim, 99 per cent of daylight once inside. It is dark for sure, so dark in fact you will need a torch to find things or avoid tripping over your festival friends, but that does create a little problem when it's warm – it has a tendency to overheat. Luckily there is ventilation in the form of mesh panels, but you may need to leave the door ajar in a heatwave. However, it's still a good model – offering a generous-sized porch for gear and decent headroom inside (you can even sit in a camping chair and fit). It's very easy to pitch, fire retardant and very waterproof (4,500mm). Just be sure to pack some patience, because getting it back in its bag is not an easy job. Key specifications 6. Best Bell Tent: Boutique Camping 3m Bell Tent If there's a single tent that defines the glamping genre it has to be the bell tent. Many campsites offer ready-pitched numbers to rent, complete with proper beds and rugs inside. If you're a convert to this style, you can start saving money by buying and transporting your own bell tent with you on your travels. Boutique Camping was formed 12 years ago by two festival-loving friends. This online store has evolved from initially selling a single design to offering a multitude of options. This is their classic model but with a twist – whereas canvas needs to be wetted before it is naturally waterproof (no hydrostatic head rating here), this one has been made with a synthetic and anti-mould polyester canvas-look waterproof treated fabric, which will see you through rainy nights straight out the bag. I'll level with you, pitching will take practice. There's a single centre pole to create the height and an additional metal frame to shape the door, but once you get the hang of it, with a couple of pairs of hands it can be done within half an hour. There's plenty of ventilation (the side panels even lift up all the way round its base), the groundsheet is heavy-duty and you can even opt to pay more and add an inner tent if you'd prefer. Plus, the price is nearly as attractive as the limited-edition rainbow design. Key specifications 7. Best Teepee Tent: Eurohike Teepee Tent Perhaps the most iconic of all the tent shapes is the teepee. Usually, you'd be looking at an easy £1k to have your own, but renowned budget brand Eurohike has come up with a much more affordable alternative. From the outside it certainly looks the part, with the classic shape and single mast pole design, and inside the headroom is good and the floor space adequate – though four people and sleeping bags would feel squashed. There are low-level vents to help with airflow, plus a mesh door which can also help stop condensation – the only issue is that it's a single-skin model – so no separate fly and inner. The polyester fabric offers good waterproofing (2,000mm) however with no separate inner and four people inside, condensation could easily be an issue. For occasional use in summer, or a year-round addition to the garden this is a great option, but for the full glamping experience, you may need to pay a little more. Key specifications 8. Best Car Roof Tent: Quechua Roof Tent MH500 Can it go on any car? After much research, ­'no' has definitely been the resounding answer, although, in all fairness, I do drive a three-door VW Fox. However, if you are lucky enough to have a five-door vehicle that can take a load greater than 75kg, doesn't have inbuilt roofbars that run lengthwise, has 78cm between both sides of it as well as a distance between the roof and roof bar greater than 7.5cm (with the bar tube itself less than 9.5cm in width), and no obtrusive aerial housing in the way, then you may be in luck. To experience this safari style of camping, I borrowed my dad's car and, indeed, my dad – there's no way you can install this tent on your own. By far the trickiest part was taking it out of the box, lifting it and slotting it (with a high potential for paint scratch) over the roof rack, using special screws to secure it in place. Once that's done, the rest is easy. Secure the waterproof cover using the inbuilt bungee cords, then pitching involves undoing the bright yellow straps and, quite ingeniously, using the included telescopic ladder to pull the tent open and lock it into place. Inside it feels sturdier than you'd think. Though it has a low roof it didn't feel cramped even with two of us. The inbuilt mattress is wonderfully comfy. The self-holding vents allow airflow through the waterproof polyester outer sheet and a black inner wall keeps it dark for lie-ins. On campsite, it's a great conversation starter and kids love it. A five-year warranty gives peace of mind that it should be durable, too. Key specifications 9. Best Tent for Cycle Touring: Terra Nova Hoolie Compact 2 ETC Look at a picture of this offering and you may be surprised to see it classed as a two-person model only – that's because it looks huge. And it is. With a whopping 6.8 square metres of floor space, a huge portion of the Hoolie is actually its porch. In fact it's so big you could easily sleep another two in here (albeit without a ground sheet). This makes it a great option if you're touring on bikes (you can store them safely in with you) or kids in trailers, or dogs. It also works well in bad weather as you have an area where you can comfortably get organised and dressed in without having to get wet. When it comes to rain you are more than covered with great waterproofness (4,000mm) and a thick groundsheet. Pitch-wise the three-pole tunnel is a breeze to erect with colour-coded poles and sleeves, and the inner and outer sheets are pitched as one, saving you faff. If there are a couple of you the tent weight can be split easily (detach the above) which then offers an incredible amount of space for the weight. Inside the sleeping area is a mesh door for keeping out bugs and, for added ventilation, the porch can be opened both sides to keep things cool in warm weather. Key specifications 10. Best Budget Family Tent for Occasional Summer Use: Outsunny 5-6 Man Camping Tent with Bag This tent is unbelievably cheap for the size compared to others here. But it is worth stating that the small print declares this model 'sits six', and I found it actually only sleeps four people comfortably. There are a couple of desirable features. It has a window on every side to let lots of light in and provide good ventilation, and there are storage pockets for stowing items. The raincover can also be left off to allow yet more air to circulate and you have the chance to sleep watching the stars on mild nights. However, in more typical British weather, this clip-on-clip-off mini fly sheet can be blown off fairly easily and allows water to get inside – so it's not surprising that Outsunny suggests using the tent in mild weather. That would certainly be my advice. There's no porch to sit or leave muddy boots in, the finish is not as good as others (as with most budget models) and the tent pegs will likely need replacing for a better pitch. Speaking of pitching, the instructions are tricky to follow but you can muddle through. It's a basic cross over central structure comprising two poles, then two further poles with which you create traction through pegging it out to create the tunnel shape. Be prepared that you do get what you pay for. A low-priced family camping option that will likely not last till the kids grow up, but it does come with a six-month guarantee for defects. This is a decent money saving option worth trying. Key specifications 11. Best Dome Tent for Groups of Friends: Teton Mountain Ultra 4-Person Founded in Utah, USA, a decade ago, Teton set out to manufacture affordable and easy to use outdoor equipment. And in pitching up the Mountain Ultra 4, it was indeed uncomplicated, consisting of two main poles that cross over each other to create a dome shape, and a further horizontal bar to help hold the fly out to increase ventilation. You pitch the inner first, then add the waterproof fly sheet afterwards. The first thing you notice is the height, which is welcome and rare for a mid-size tent. The fly goes on easily and can be left off if you're lucky enough to experience good weather to give a more open air sleeping experience. The finish is decent, though I would replace the tent pegs for more sturdy ones to make it easy to tackle all the different terrain in the UK. There is no porch, however, which for a four person tent is a bit of an oversight. It means there's nowhere sheltered to cook in or even for holding wet gear and footwear in during bad weather. It's also a bit heavy compared to some, especially as the price for this size is not as competitive as others. But it is worth noting that it comes in several sizes, from a one person offering (for as little as £60) to a two-, three- and four-person model. All in all an easy to pitch, potentially cheap option, good for friends to share a space to sit up at night chatting without feeling on top of each other. Key specifications Tent FAQs How are you supposed to fold a pop up tent? Gather up all the pole edges together in one hand and turn the whole thing vertically in front of you. Push down from the highest point, folding the poles in on themselves as they start to give and collapse into the base. It will eventually form the same shape it started as enabling you to easily pack it away in its bag. If all else fails there are videos on YouTube for most models. How do you waterproof a tent? A good tent will be waterproof from purchase but UV rays and dirt will lessen its effectiveness. Nikwax and Grangers sell tent reproofing sprays that you simply apply on an erect tent and leave to dry. What's the best way to clean a tent? As soon as you return from a camping trip, shake and brush off any dirt. Spray and scrub it with a tent cleaning solution (which will also restore waterproofness, prevent mould and offer protection from UV) then hang it out to dry. Is it legal to sleep in a roof tent in the UK? It is legal to physically sleep in one, but it is classed as wild camping so you would need the landowner's permission especially because you are technically in or rather 'on' a vehicle. To play it safe it's better to stay in a campsite. View the latest Blacks and Decathlon deals.