Camping Travel Store Blog

Explore the Great Outdoors with Karsten Tents: Open Weekend Extravaganza!  Get ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure as we kick-start the camping season with our much-anticipated Karsten Tent Open Weekend from February 2nd to 4th, 2024! Camping Travel Store is thrilled to invite all outdoor enthusiasts to experience the unparalleled quality and innovation that Karsten Tents bring to the camping world. Why Karsten Tents?  Unrivalled Quality:  Karsten Tents are renowned for their exceptional quality and durability. Crafted with precision and using top of the range materials, these tents are designed to withstand the worst weather, providing a reliable shelter for your outdoor escapades.   Versatility:  Whether you're a solo adventurer, part of a couple, or enjoying a family camping trip, Karsten Tents offer a range of sizes and configurations to suit every need. From compact tents for the minimalist camper to spacious family tents, there's a perfect fit fo...

We've launched our own podcast - Talk Camping Join us (James & Suzie) as we chat about everything camping, answering the most frequently asked questions regarding our showroom and the cotton canvas tents that we sell, together with everything else outdoors.  Here's the trailer and further episodes are available on our Youtube Channel .  LISTEN BELOW Let us know what you think on our socials or in the comments below and don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any further shows. More information: www.campingtravelstore.co.uk

Fun times "Wild Camping" in Hertfordshire with three local campsites to hand.  H2O Rampage is an awesome large-scale waterpark for all the family, including wild swimming, paddleboarding, and of course the fantastic inflatable course.  Situated on the Three Lakes activity centre near Ware, there are also lots of other activities available, including fishing, pitch & putt, and football golf.  Afterward, you can relax in the on-site restaurant or enjoy a lovely family walk around the area of rolling countryside. Three Lakes also has its own campsite ( Westmill Farm Camping and Caravan Site ), and the sites of Church Farm Ardley , and the Hertford Camping and Caravanning Club are only a short drive away.  Please note: You will need to check swimmers' ages and competency levels before going. More Information on H20 Rampage HERE

  Camp 'n' Glamp 2022 Tent Preview Aimed primarily at  Camping and Glamping  sites to come and view the tents for next season, everyone is welcome to come along and join us for this preview.  Our showroom will house the tunnel tents which are able to be purchased in either 100% Cotton Canvas for our campers, or  All Season Campshield  suitable for  All Season Pitching  for the commercial sites. A selection of our Karsten Air and De Waard tents will be on display, together with a new range of cotton canvas  Bell Tents  including the Touareg and Emperor Bell in our large outdoor area.  For more information and to register follow this LINK

Working from home and indeed a laptop over the past has meant that taking our work with us has never been a problem, and nice weather always led to packing the tent and taking off for the weekend. However, since opening and having the commitment of the showroom, things have changed somewhat! We are still able to 'take off' but for a shorter stay as proved the other weekend when we loaded the van last minute and headed off to North Norfolk for two nights to visit some friends (the weather forecast wasn't great). Seaside here we come! Staying just outside of Brancaster , we quickly erected our bell tent (the only tent not on display) and our faithful Karsten Tarp as we knew we were due rain. We then set about taking in the delights of the local area, including lunch at the  Lifeboat Inn  (socially distanced of course) and walking along a section of the North Norfolk coastal path. The small harbour at Burnham Overy Staithe. Let us know your favorite North Norfolk Campsite and ...

Everyone loves a sunflower and we've been lucky enough to see fields upon fields of them as we have traveled through France on our annual camping trips. We're also very lucky to have parents who are keen gardeners and for the past couple of months have been nurturing from seed, some sixty-eight sunflowers to add a bit of colour and break-up the outdoor display area.  So today on one of the warmest days of the year we decided to work outdoors and plant them. Fingers crossed that they all take and enjoy their new home. 

We've recently completed the installation of two Outstanding AN3 Compact Safari Tents in the Lake District , however, our clients decided that our wooden front door option would add great value to the look of the tents. Building a simple frame and using matching uprights to those of the structure, we secured a fitted wooden door to the entrance giving the sense of luxury and that home from home feeling. The canvas door is simply rolled up and secured on the internal side, but the appearance gives these tents another dimension, not to mention the great feeling of being able to lock the door as you leave! What do you think? Let us know in the comments below. For  further information, Email: info@campingtravelstore.co.uk

From camping tents to safari tents and even emergency tents, our YouTube channel has lots of videos on pitching techniques, site reviews and more... Why not have a look and subscribe! Follow this link:  https://www.youtube.com/user/KarstenTentsUK For any more information Email: info@campingtravelstore.co.uk or call 01763 273662

Our latest install of the Outstanding AN4 Cottage safari tents will see the guests of the Horsley Hale wedding venue near Ely celebrate and stay in style. With our stylish Paris Chic interior, lovely deck and outdoor benches, it a perfect match of comfort and outdoor living.  The AN4 Cottage will be on display at our showroom just south of Cambridge from April 2020, together with the AN3 Compact and XS models.  For further information, please contact James & Suzie Email: james@outstandingtent.co.uk or info@campingtravelstore.co.uk 01763 273662

We've done it!!! We've taken the plunge and moved into our own new premises just south of Cambridge. We are located at Phillimore Garden Centre in Melbourn, where we used to do our displays and have taken over the Cross Camping and Leisure shop and display area.  We have a selection of tents up inside for you to view all year, plus a rotating selection of tents outdoors; we are also displaying a selection of our emergency tents and Safari Tents. Our fully stocked shop offers lots of camping accessories for an enjoyable stay on any campsite! We look forward to welcoming you to our new showroom in the near future. Showroom address Phillimore Garden Centre | Cambridge Road | Melbourn Hertfordshire | SG8 6EY Telephone 01763 273662 Link to Map

I'm very lucky with our Cambridge Tent Displays that the field we use is East facing. This gives me the opportunity to get up early and view the rising sun. The added bonus of the large unobstructed skies just adds to the experience. Here are a couple of photos from the last couple of days, and what a difference some passing cloud makes! For more information on our Tent or Touring Displays please see  www.campingtravelstore.co.uk

We're all set up for our weekend display at Phillimore Garden Centre, just south of Cambridge. We have a mixture of tents on display including: Karsten 350 complete with awnings and sleeping extension (Air) Karsten 300 & 260 link tent with awnings (Air) Karsten 240 Carp Bivvy with awnings (Air) Karsten Opera 2400 Tunnel Tent (Poled) Karsten Glamping Luxe - A permanently pitch tent for the Glamping / Rental Market (Air) ESVO Bedouin 300 Pyramid Tent (Poled) The garden centre also has a cafe for refreshments and there is a pub serving great food a 10-minute walk from the display! All information can be found on our website www.campingtravelstore.co.uk or FaceBook page @ campingtravelstore Alternatively, if you've got any questions that we can help with, please just call James or Suzie on 01763 273662

The Karsten tent has been proven over the past 30 plus years to be one of the most resilient tents for those who enjoy camping and for those that rely on them for extreme activities including the military and emergency services.  The materials used, coupled with the attention to detail and craftsmanship of each tent, whether in their standard range or bespoke ensure that when it bears the Karsten name, you know you've got the best. The picture below shows the Karsten Inflatable Army Tents in extreme conditions up high on location in the Alps. For more information on the Karsten range of Camping, Leisure and Military Tents please see: www.campingtravelstore.co.uk For more our Work & Emergency Tent please see: www.premierworktents.co.uk

For the third successive year, Buntingford based Camping Travel Store celebrates winning prestigious national camping awards in the 2018 Tent Owners Satisfaction Survey presented by The Camping & Caravanning Club. The awards, presented by Julia Bradbury at a star-studded industry dinner at The Midland Hotel in Manchester on Thursday 18th January 2018 were based on the results of a survey entirely from the input of thousands of campers who have purchased and used a camping unit since January 2014. Camping Travel Store was awarded Best Inflatable Tube Tent and Best Premium Tent in this year’s awards, adding to their success from 2017 where they won Best Life-Time Tent and Best Premium Tent, together with Best Tent over £300 in 2016 for their Dutch Karsten Inflatable Tent Range. League tables for each unit type were drawn up in each category, with brands earning the highest satisfaction ratings according to respondents to the survey crowned as winners. Camping Tra...

To celebrate 2018 and the New Year, we are holding last years prices for our Karsten Tents and offering a 5% Discount off our standard price list for all new orders placed before the 1st March 2018  :-)   More information is available from  www.campingtravelstore.co.uk  or check out our  Facebook events page  as we're touring the UK with our display.  T&C's apply Our first display of 2018 is at Phillimore Garden Centre, Cambridge Road, Melbourn, Hertfordshire. SG8 6EY - Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th February. Nearby attractions are the City of Cambridge , Shepreth Wildlife Park and Duxford Imperial War Museum

We've nearly confirmed all of our display dates for 2018, so will be publishing them very soon. If you want to have a sneak preview at the venues that we have confirmed please take a look at our website: www.campingtravelstore.co.uk or click this link: HERE We'll also be uploading and linking them all to our Facebook page as events so if you are intending to come along to one of them and use social media please click the 'Going' button! ... and don't forget to tag or tell any of your camping friends that may be interested in our displays.

Our latest display is in full flow whilst 'storm Brian' hits the UK, and with our Karsten Tents reputation for resilience to windy conditions, we thought we'd share a quick video on how we guyed out the combi-awning for the Karsten 300. As you will see in the video, it is a large open awning which can easily catch the wind, but with correct guying you can see just how stable it can be in high winds. We experienced average winds of 20-30 mph and gusts up to 50 mph throughout the day. The awning was solid and drew lots of positive comments from those attending today's display.

It's about time we revisited this blog ! We've had a very productive time since our last post, and this blog has fallen somewhat behind so just a re- cap since we last posted of whats been happening: In 2016 The Karsten 350 model won Best Tent over £350 in the Camping and Caravanning Club Tent Satisfaction Awards and was highly commended in the Best 4 Person Tent category as well... we'll that made our year - we were so happy.... But not as happy as this year (2017) when we were invited back to the Camping & Caravanning Club Awards to collect the top gongs for Best LifeTime Tent and Best Premium Range Tent for the range of Karstens. So we've been working really hard in getting these awesome tents to like minded campers around the UK and as such have refined our displys to a smaller number of the most popular tents. This is allowing us to travel further afield, bringing the Karsten range nearer to you. Our plan next year is to have 8 locations f...

New for 2016 from Karsten Tenten is the POP Awning A simply designed canopy that 'Pops' up and is then fitted to the standard rails on camper vans. It comes with a side screen which zips to the top and is then pegged to the floor. An additional side is available as an optional extra. Due to it's unique design, the awning breaks down exceedingly quick and neatly packs away for easy storage.  Additional king poles are available which enables the camper to elevate the side screens, to increase the 'tarp' effect of the awning and also maximise shade. Made in Holland with the best materials and fittings, these awning would also be very suitable for work vans as it fits a standard awning rail.  For further information please see our webpage LINK  or Call  01763 273662

Announcing our 2016 Display dates for the Karsten, ESVO & Cabanon tents. Please click on photo for more details and address. Please click on photo for further information