Food, glorious food!

 Gourmet getaways from Pitchup.com

Outdoor accommodation specialist Pitchup.com is encouraging people to ‘eat, drink and be merry’ at one of the many food festivals taking place in the UK this autumn.

September is harvest festival time, where traditionally people give thanks for the good food provided. As a result, there are dozens of food festivals – some big, some small – taking place around the UK in September and into October, all within easy reach of campsites and holiday parks featured by Pitchup.com.

Pitchup.com founder Dan Yates says: “Food festivals are proving really popular these days, with high-profile chefs in attendance and the opportunity to buy some delicious, fresh produce from farmer’s markets and local suppliers.

“The lodges and holiday homes featured on the Pitchup.com site have well-equipped kitchens that are perfect for people who want to bring back newly bought ingredients to their accommodation to cook and enjoy their creations in peaceful rural settings.

“Some huts and pods on Pitchup.com also have kitchenettes – either within the accommodation themselves or communal cooking areas. And, of course, many sites have barbecue areas too.”

Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival, 20-21 September

Now in its ninth year, celebrating the best in local produce and with an entry fee of just £1, Hastings is a popular local festival. Visitors who stay in a shepherd’s hut at Wimbles Farm can rustle up a traditional shepherd’s pie or anything else that takes their fancy in the ample kitchenette with gas cooker, then enjoy it in the hut’s separate dining area. Linen and bedding is provided. The farm also provides a welcome pack which usually includes fresh farm eggs, bread, butter, milk, cereal and some firewood. There’s also a barbecue at an additional £20.

Price: £200 for up to four people for two nights (19-21 September)

Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight, 6-21 September

Events are being held up and down the country during Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight.

New for 2014, Linlithgow is holding its first Linlithgow Eat and Drink food festival on 21 September, with 50 stalls featuring the best in local food and drink, fun food-based activities for the whole family, and exciting cook-offs between local chefs.

Nestled on a hillside overlooking the beautiful Firth of Forth surrounded by stunning countryside, beaches and golf courses is Letham Feus Park.  This family- and dog-friendly park offers easy access to the Fife Coast Route, with modern caravans that are furnished to a very high standard. There’s a children's play area, woodland walk, allotment garden and hens, as well as fully licensed bar and snooker room. Whether picking food items from the on-site facilities or bringing home goodies from the food festivals, this is the perfect place to stay.

Price: Seven nights in a two-bed holiday home (20-27 September), costs £330 for a maximum of six people.

The Great Cornish Food Festival, 26-28 September

With a new name and fresh new look, this food festival is free to visit and set in Truro, the heart of Cornwall, attracting famous chefs including Nathan Outlaw, Jack Stein (son of Rick) and Andy Appleton from Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall. Coastal Valley Camp and Crafts is a newly opened site perfect for rest and relaxation, a short stroll from three beaches and the restaurants and surf shops of Watergate Bay. Guests staying at the camp’s three-bedroom safari tent have a kitchen, log-burning stove, dining table and chairs, shower, sink and toilet. There’s also a communal self-catering kitchen and, every Saturday night is a communal feast night where guests can enjoy a stone-baked pizza, hog roast or curry.  It’s a perfect foodies holiday!

Price: Seven nights (26 September-3 October) in the three-bedroom safari tent costs £1,350. Lodges for four people start at £560 and a three-bedroom pre-erected tent for five costs £563.

Powderham Food Festival, 4 October

A food festival which actively celebrates barbecue cooking and cooking in the outdoors is a must visit for any lover of outdoor holidays. Powderham Food Festival in Exeter, Devon offers just that with outdoor cooking displays using everything from charcoal to wheelbarrows as cooking instruments!  The food is accompanied by delicious local ales and ciders.  Stay nearby at Ashbourne Woods where their camping pod comes with its own firepit, perfect for testing out new skills for outdoor cookery.  The heated pod also comes with a private verandah, chairs, table, power sockets and access to the communal bathroom facilities.

Price: A one-night stay costs £70, based on two sharing.

For more information visit www.pitchup.com. All prices correct at time of writing.

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For media information:

Cass Helstrip, Samantha Marsh or Rob Bates at White Tiger PR

Cass.helstrip@whitetigerpr.com 07968 255464

Samantha.marsh@whitetigerpr.com 07711 265666

Rob.bates@whitetigerpr.com 07957 316491

About Pitchup.com

Founded in 2009 by former lastminute.com man, Dan Yates, multi-award winning Pitchup.com is a free guide to all types of outdoor accommodation in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, Luxembourg, Austria, Poland and Switzerland. Pitchup.com, which currently lists over 5,800 sites, provides users with a simple platform in which they can search and book an outdoor holiday with total ease: the customer journey from landing on the homepage through to booking a holiday can be completed in as little as four pages.  The site also goes beyond traditional searches by allowing users to search for accommodation based on more than 80 criteria, such as adults only and campfires allowed, and view nearby events, Good Pub Guide pubs and VisitBritain attractions.  It’s also possible to check out water bathing water quality in the surrounding area with data provided by the European Environment Agency.  Users can also search on the offers page to find the best deals available.

In 2013 Pitchup.com became the first business of its type to launch a bookable mobile app and site, making the site easily accessible to users of mobile and tablet devices.  The mobile site, m.pitchup.com, now accounts for 19% of bookings.

Pitchup.com enables users to search for all types of parks and sites from the major brands right through to one-off campsites and unique outdoor accommodation options, which may not have previously had a web presence.

Awards include Best UK Travel Website of the Year at the British Travel Press Awards 2011, and most recently Best Travel / Leisure / Sports / Mobile Strategy / Campaign at the Marketing on Mobile Awards 2014.