THE OPEN ROAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22563, 6 May 1935, Page 25

THE OPEN ROAD

CAMPING IN BRITAIN' A HEALTHY MOVEMENT ( (From Our Own Correspondent.) (By Air Mail.) LONDON, April 13. Ten years ago it was a rare sight to see tents erected in any part of Great Britain. In the summer months in these days thousands of young people spend their holidays under canvas. England and Scotland are not naturally suited for the outdoor life, but organisation and management eliminate the dangers, from damp and cold. Proper clothing, ground sheets, sleeping bags, waterproof tents, suitable oil stoves, and a large variety of light and useful utensils have made camping practicable in this country. Apart from the tent life, however, the Youth Hostels Association has grown into a strong organisation. The membership figures advanced from 27,905 in 1933 to 37,285 last year. The number of hostels increased from 183 to 212, and beds from 4281 to 5478, and the overnight use of the accommodation from, 157,000 to 221,000. In the case of this association it is the tramping and the cycling that are important and not sleeping out-of-doors. As far as it is possible, the charge for a night's lodging is kept at an inclusive figure of Is. A reminder of the activities of those who love the open road comes from the annual exhibition organised by the Camping Club of Great Britain and Ireland, and now in progress at the Imperial Institute. The club was formed so long ago as 1901, but it is only in the past few years that its activities have come into prominence. To-day there is a membership of 6300, and a membership campaign is in progress with the object of doubling that number. IMPROVEMENT OF NATION'S PHYSIQUE.

This year other outdoor organisations are participating in the exhibition These are the Boy Scouts' and Girl Guides' Associations, the Cyclists', Touring Club, the Ramblers' Association, the Pedestrian Association, and the Youth Hostels Association. It will be seen that the open-air lover is well catered,,. for in this country, and doubtless all these organisations, with their thousands of members, mean a revolt against .power locomotion and an improvement in the general physique of the nation. Within the Camping Club there is the mountaineering section, the caravan section, the cycle section, and the British Canoe Association.

Various railway companies issue booklets giving a list of camping grounds reached by their lines—a very useful guide. Magazines specialise in the subjects of camping, canoeing, caravanning, cycling, motor touring, photography, and rambling. Of these there are Out-o'-Doors Magazine, the Tramper and Cyclist, and the Camping Club itself issues its own magazine to all its members. On the heels of all these'outdoor organisations a fairly' flourishing trade has been developed, and the firms who have specialised in catering for. the hikers, campers, cyclists, and canoeists combine to show their wares at this annual exhibition. Lightness in equipment seems to be the keynote this year. LORD HAMPTON ON "CAMP HOGS." Lord Hampton, chief commissioner of the Boy Scouts' Association, opened the exhibition. " Like all crazes," he said, " it is liable to and I don't think it is fair to blame local authorities for taking action, as they have found it necessary to 'take, because there has been a tremendous abuse of camping. We have our road hogs, and we have our hogs in camping. The camp hog goes into a field and makes a terrible mess, and makes strange noises during the day and night. His sole advantage over the road hog is that he does not cause risk to the lives of other people." Lord Hampton urged co-operation with local authorities to prevent camping abuses. Campers could put things right by good, clean, courteous'camping. VOICE OF NATURE. At the annual meeting of the Youth Hostels Association held this week a message was received from General Smuts. "I salute all members of the Youth Hostels Association," he wrote. "I claim them as comrades all, for I have all my life been a trekker, a wanderer over the veld, a climber of mountains, and a searcher for plants. Nature to me is no less a revelation than friendship. The voice that speaks through Nature is the same as that which speaks through the human soul. And sometimes, it is even more calming to our nerves, more healing, and more satisfying. Best of all It is to walk or cycle in company with a congenial comrade without time table or objective to that dear land which I call after Keat3—the land of 'far away and quite forgot' A friendly handshake and greeting to you all."