VisitDenmark introduces camping to the UK market

VisitDenmark has produced a camping brochure aimed specifically at UK holidaymakers for the first time. The 32-page brochure is packed with useful information on how to choose one of the 498 classified campsites in Denmark with options covering coastal, rural and even urban locations.

The brochure can be downloaded from e-pages.dk/visitdenmark/91 or requested on line in a print format.

Camping and a love of the great outdoors are very much a way of life in Denmark. British visitors are discovering the pleasures of Danish camping holidays in ever greater numbers, thanks to the ease of access from the UK and the extremely high standards of facilities and environment to be found throughout the country.

Campsites range in quality from basic pitches for tents and caravans all the way up to luxury developments with fully-equipped chalet accommodation and sports, recreation, restaurant, pool and even spa facilities. Most of Denmark’s 498 classified campsites are either immediately on (or within easy reach of) the coast, but as nowhere in Denmark is more than 55km from the sea it’s easy to incorporate some beach-time into any holiday itinerary.

In addition to introducing information on camping, the brochure contains details on each of the Danish regions, covering all of the country’s most picturesque coastal and hinterland areas as well as the main islands (Sealand and Funen) and cities.

Camping might seem an unorthodox form of city-break accommodation, but high-quality sites in central locations can make a holiday in Copenhagen, Aalborg, Aarhus or Odense (Denmark’s four largest cities) into a very affordable option. There is a suggested touring itinerary for each of the regions, with attractions and points of interest marked out along the way.

There is also a section introducing the series of symbols that have been employed to clearly identify each campsite’s facilities and recreation opportunities, with symbols denoting everything from spas and golf to angling and windsurfing. What the brochure does not include, however, is an exhaustive list of campsites throughout the country.

Full information on each of the campsites can be found at Danishcampsites.co.uk. This easy-to-use website offers a detailed search function to help travellers select their perfect campsite based on its location, star rating, accommodations and facilities. The site also includes a wealth of practical information to help holidaymakers get the most out of their Danish camping experience.

Campsites in Denmark are inspected, monitored and classified by the Danish Camping Board, an independent organisation that allocates star ratings to each property depending on its facilities, services and overall quality. All 498 campsites are ranked from one to five stars, with one-star sites being the most basic and those with five stars the most luxurious. A total of seven campsites passed the stringent testing to be awarded the maximum five stars in 2008; these include Klim Strand in North Jutland (klimstrand.dk) and TopCamp Bogense Strand on Funen (bogensecamp.dk).

Prices can be extremely affordable, especially outside the Danish school holidays (from mid-June to mid-August). For example a week at the Camping Møns Klint (campingmoensklint.dk) costs from approximately £200 for a family of two adults and two children.

Getting there …?
DFDS Seaways’ ferry service between Harwich and Esbjerg offers caravan users with a ‘Camping Card Scandinavia’ (approximately £9 for one year, available from danishcampsites.dk) free passage of their caravan from Harwich to Esbjerg on Sundays and from Esbjerg to Harwich on Thursdays. DFDS Seaways has a regular service of departures every other day between Harwich and Esbjerg, in West Jutland and prices which start from only £29 per person one way. Visit dfds.co.uk for further details.

By air, Sterling has regular flights from Gatwick to Copenhagen, Billund and Aalborg. Visit sterling.dk for more details. Alternatively SAS has direct daily flights from London Heathrow, London City Airport, Birmingham, Manchester or Aberdeen to Copenhagen and Aarhus - see flysas.co.uk.

On arrival Europcar offers car hire rates from £145 per week. To book visit europcar.co.uk.

For more information on camping in Denmark go to visitdenmark.com/camping-holiday and for more information on all of the camp sites in Denmark go to Danishcampsites.dk.