of the best campsites

1 Canna Camping Holiday Canna, Inner Hebrides

Price: Dependent on availability.Best for: Travellers who don't own camping gear.Price: Camping is pound(s)4 a night per adult, pound(s)2.50 per child. Bothy is pound(s)6 per adult per night.Contact: www.badrallach.com; 01854 633 281.5 Ecopod Boutique Retreat Loch Linnhe, Appin, ArgyllSelf-catering lodges and chalets overlook a loch surrounded by natural birch woods and bog meadows full of wild flowers. The campsite is inside a stone circle surrounded by trees. Facilities for campers are simple but include a drinking water tap and a turf- roofed cooking shelter with gas ring. Otherwise it's au naturale.Contact: www.redsquirrelcampsite. com; 01855 811 256.The Red Squirrel occupies a fantastic spot in the shadow of Glencoe's dramatic peaks and backs on to the River Coe. Choose from secluded woodland pitches or breezy riverside ones - all enjoy views of the hills. There are several fire-pits so you can cook in the open and chase away the midges with the smoke. If you'd rather have your dinner cooked for you, The Clachaig Inn is a 20-minute stroll and often has live music.Run by the Grant family since 1935, its 35 pitches are spread across an expansive 10-acre forest site, so there is plenty of space. The main, flat area is set around a small pond, where most people congregate. Alternatively, the hillside pitches offer a more secluded position among the fragrant heather. Each pitch has its own picnic table where you can enjoy meals and arresting views of the Glengarry Mountains. Popular with cyclists and walkers, the campsite is handy for Ben Tee as well as the more challenging mountains of Kintail. The farm is also a good base for cycling on the Great Glen Way and for the world-famous mountain-biking tracks in the Nevis range. Facilities include two toilet blocks with hot showers, a laundry area and a payphone.Best for: A sociable holiday.Price: From pound(s)200-pound(s)230 per tent (sleeps five) per week.Contact: www.comriecroft.com; 01764 670 140.How can you fail to feel romantic when shacked up in a beautiful hand-crafted, ornately furnished roulotte (Romany caravan) with your loved one? Owners Avril and Alan have transported the roulottes from France and Holland and decked them out beautifully with bespoke pieces of furniture and antiques.Something of a rural idyll, this tranquil retreat allows you to experience living alongside wildlife and farm animals. Children can collect hens' eggs, feed the lambs and watch the osprey fish for brown trout in the loch. The holiday accommodation is sited on Laikenbuie croft, which is situated four miles inland from Nairn and a 30-minute drive from Inverness. Regular visitors include roe deer, red squirrels, wild cats and foxes. Eighty species of bird have been spotted here including buzzards, red kites, barn owls, long-tailed tits and greater spotted woodpeckers.While one's own offspring are obviously delightful, the boisterous sounds of strangers' children can be less endearing. If you don't fancy the prospect of holidaying with only a sheet of canvas between you and the Brady Bunch, check out adults-only Faichemard Farm.Price: Camping is pound(s)7/pound(s)9 per night for adults; pound(s)3.50/pound(s)4.50 for children.Best for: Wildlife-spotting.6 Badrallach BOTHY & CAMPSITE Dundonnell, Ross-shireBest for: Lazing around.4 Hidden Glen NairnContact: www.lazyduck.co.uk; 01479 821 642.Contact: www.cannafolk.co.uk; 01687 460 166.Those who want to escape the rat race should consider a restorative break on the Isle of Canna (population 21), which now has its own campsite. Without TV, satellite, WiFi or mobile phone coverage, this is the place to switch off and tune in to nature. On- site traditional bell tents mean you don't need to lug all your own camping gear with you. The luxury five-metre tents are equipped with wood-burning stoves, cookers and solar lighting. Each comfortably sleeps four in one double and two single futons and there's room for an extra mattress. The island perfectly embodies the phrase "windswept and interesting" and the wind is key to the campsite's claim of being a largely midge-free zone.While away the afternoon reading in a hammock, refresh yourself in the solar-powered hot water "bush shower", listen to music in the woodshed sauna and meet the neighbours - Soay sheep and wild fowl - at the Lazy Duck campsite. The hostel has a tiny campsite which shares the main building's quirky ambiance. Set in the Cairngorms National Park, the area was used in the 1890s as a stopover for clansmen bringing their horses from Lochaber to be sold at the Inverness wool fair. Facilities include a toilet, washing facilities, cooking shelter and chimenea fires, and free-range eggs are available. As the campsite has only four pitches, it's best to check availability in advance.Price: Various rates.Contact: www.domesweetdome.co.uk; 07725 409 003.9 Roulotte Retreat Bowden, Melrose, Scottish Borders8 Comrie Croft Comrie, PerthshireContact: www.hiddenglen.co.uk; 01667 454 630.Best for: A Highland family welcome.Price: pound(s)12 per pitch per night based on two sharing.If regimented campsites drive you to distraction, you'll find the Red Squirrel pleasantly laid-back. Its owners understand that campers don't appreciate being bossed around in their free time. White-painted boulders and jaunty, hand-painted signs swinging from trees offer all the guidance you need, although the quirky entrance booth is always manned if you need tips on the local area.This small, friendly and peaceful family-run lochside campsite on the Scoraig peninsula, Badrallach can accommodate 12 tents and three caravans. In addition to the campsite, there is a cosy bothy, a smart new eco-crofthouse and even a gigantic space-age Airstream caravan for hire. You can park right next to your pitch and the campsite is surrounded by meadow and often visited by deer. Coastal breezes ensure midges are kept at bay but the owners have also installed a midgebuster on the site to make sure.Enjoy wild camping for cheats at this family-friendly site in the chocolate-box village of Comrie. Choose from a spot in a secluded woodland area, an elevated meadow pitch with views down the valley or an accessible spot in the camping field with its splendid hill views which are uninterrupted by pesky caravans. While the setting allows you to revel in the freedom of wild camping, there are a few home comforts on offer, such as hot water washing facilities and shelter should the unthinkable happen and the heavens open. Campfires are allowed and there is a communal fire-pit which is sheltered from the elements by a huge military cargo-chute where you can sit around and get to know your fellow campers.Price: pound(s)15 for two, pound(s)20 for three, per night.3 Red Squirrel Glencoe, ArgyllFor campers, four-star spotless facilities are shared with the bothy. When the bothy is not booked, it is used as a social eating area and games room and offers a welcome retreat should the weather turn nasty.2 Faichemard Farm Invergarry, Inverness-shireBest for: Fabulous views.If the mere suggestion of back-to-basics camping is your idea of holiday hell, this luxury nook near Oban might change your mind. Unique in the UK, the self-catering retreat is hidden away in birch woodland and enjoys a spectacular view which cannot fail to aid relaxation. The Ecopod retreat is situated on a ridge overlooking Castle Stalker, Loch Linnhe and the Kingairloch mountain. The ethos of the place is to combine environmentally friendly structures with the last word in luxury. Accommodation is in modern, open-plan, light-drenched domes. Inside, classic, well-made furniture and high- end audio-visual equipment is combined with locally sourced produce and toiletries, top-of- the-range low-energy appliances and sustainable timber. The retreat is located between Oban, 17 miles away, and Fort William, a distance of 25 miles.7 Lazy Duck HOSTEL Nethy Bridge, Inverness-shireContact: www.faichemard-caravancamping.co.uk; 01809 501 314.Best for: Child-free peace and quiet.Price: pound(s)8 per adult; 50p per child, per night.

How can you fail to feel romantic when shacked up in a beautiful hand-crafted, ornately furnished roulotte (Romany caravan) with your loved one? Owners Avril and Alan have transported the roulottes from France and Holland and decked them out beautifully with bespoke pieces of furniture and antiques.

The Futon Essence

Space is at premium. Isn�t it? � A food for thought!

Whether joint or nuclear families, if you have a futon at home & are looking for a colorful and stylish cover, why not check us out at Futon Cover USA?A futon is popular in Japan because, even in homes, space is at a premium. This means that many rooms are used for different tasks, at different times of the day. So, in a two or three room Japanese home, the same space can be used as a sitting room in the daytime and a bedroom at night. How is this possible? Unlike the West, where beds are popular, the Japanese use a mattress and quilt, which they spread on the mats in the room. The mattress forms the bed, on which the sleeper lies, and the quilt is thrown over the sleeper. In the daytime, both the mattress and the quilt are rolled away, and the room is used as a sitting room or a dining room.Futon Covers USA provides wide range of covers, which you can use for sofas, chairs, ottomans, and love seats. We provide a wide range of covers in abstracts, animal prints, Asian and South West US designs, floral and retro prints, stripes and plaids, and solid colored covers. You name it and we have it. We can also provide covers with the leather or suede look, and theme prints of various kinds. Our covers can fit futons elegantly that are 6 inches to 10 inches in thickness.We at Futon Covers USA, supply you directly from US-based manufacturers, which make us the lowest priced futon covers seller, whether you buy from us online or from our stores. If you live in the continental United States and place an order with us, you will receive your order within 10 days, and moreover will not have to pay any shipping charge. If unsatisfied with your purchase, return the purchase within 14 days of receipt and get a full refund. If your cover should be defective, you return it to us within a year of its purchase - you will be given a full refund.Both in Japan and in the West, futon is a useful, space-saving item of furniture. However, there is one difference between Western and Japanese design. Instead of performing different tasks in the same space, as the Japanese do, the Western designer gets the furniture to do the multitasking.

Whether joint or nuclear families, if you have a futon at home & are looking for a colorful and stylish cover, why not check us out at Futon Cover USA?

Author: Dan Noyes

Health Canada Advises Canadians of Flammability Hazard Associated With Certain Futons

Health Canada is advising the Canadian public that futons under the "Masters Futon Mfg" label purchased at the retail location of Futons Heaven Sent in Edmonton, Alberta pose a possible flammability hazard. Futons that were manufactured and sold between November 3, 2007 and January 7, 2008 do not meet the minimum flammability requirements. Futons under that label manufactured and sold outside of those dates may also not meet the minimum flammability requirements.

Bedding- used to describe an entire ensemble including sheets, pillows, comforters and accessories.Coil configuration- the pattern of the spring arrangements in a mattress."We're finding that poor body posture in bed contributes to many sleep issues," says Tony Wolf, president of Wolf Corporation, a fourth generation locally-owned manufacturer of mattresses, futons and fiber products.Consumers, particularly those who smoke, who are in possession of the "Masters Futon Mfg" label futons, should discontinue using the product. Health Canada reminds all consumers not to smoke in bed, and to install and maintain at least one working smoke alarm on each level of the home, preferably outside of each bedroom. For specific information on mattress flammability safety and tips to help reduce the risk, please visit the Mattresses, Futons and Bedding page on the Health Canada Web site. ( http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/house-domes/decor/mat-eng.php )Wolf Corporation

Contacts: Media Inquiries: Health Canada 613-957-2983 Public Inquiries: 613-957-2991 1-866-225-0709

Essential Bedding Terminology � Educate Yourself When Shopping For Your New Bedding

You may be searching for Bedding for your home, or plan to in the future. When shopping for bedding you may come across different terms for parts of the bed, mattress sheets or other aspect of the sleep set that you may be unfamiliar with. This article is designed to educate you in Essential Bedding Terminology so that when you look for bedding you can make an educated and informed purchase. These terms are not all encompassing but should cover the most common expressions you will come across.

Mattress- the actual sleep surface of the bed.To date, Health Canada has not received any reports of incidents or injuries from the use of these products.According to Wolf, some constructions that use non-breathable padding technologies in the sleep surface seem to cause this effect because of body temperature issues.Quilt- a coverlet which is made from pieces of fabric sewn together with decorative cross-stitching.As the green trend continues to grow, Wolf Corporation has responded by developing a line of conventional mattress products built with all-natural components, including cotton, wool and bamboo. Given the fact that a mattress should be changed about every seven to ten years, recyclability is an important issue. Most material components in mattresses are, in fact, recyclable. (Coil units are made of steel; natural fibers and most polyesters are recyclable.)Phone: (260) 749-9393"Sleep is critical to enhancing your immune system and to your mental and physical sharpness and effectiveness during the day," says Wolf. "We now also know that if you sleep with your head slightly inclined, it may help hiatal hernias, and in some cases, sleep apnea."As President of the International Sleep Products Association in 1999, Wolf represented 95 percent of the country's sleep product manufacturers, giving him great insight into what's happening governmentally, institutionally and medically on the sleep-related products front.Futon- a thin mattress that is placed on a movable frame that can be converted from couch to bed.Products and Services: Mattresses, Futons, Fiber padding.Before you start looking for your bedding set you may be looking for the physical sleep set. A sleep set includes the mattress, box spring, headboard, footboard and foundation. Here are some terms that you will frequently come across when shopping for a new sleep set.One of those findings, acccording to Wolf, is that approximately 90 percent of the population needs at least eight hours of sleep per night for peak performance.Contacts: Media Inquiries: Health Canada 613-957-2983 Public Inquiries: 613-957-2991 1-866-225-0709Feather bed- a soft think mattress top layer that is filled with down or feathers.Wolf's Fiber Division manufactures a variety of sizes of rolled and flat stock fiber batting, bonded fiber pads, stitch pads and traditional cotton batting. In recent years, the company developed three specific and different kinds of cushioning.In addition to its headquarters and primary manufacturing plant in Fort Wayne, Wolf Corporation maintains a warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia. Locally, Wolf products may be found in many area furniture stores.Number of employees: 50Thread Count- the number of horizontal and vertical threads per square inch.As more people struggle with sleepless nights or even sleep depravation, more sleep disorder clinics have opened, giving way to more research about the importance of sleep.The introduction of the company's website, www.wolfcorp.com, about ten years ago has proved to grow the Wolf brand name on both nationally and internationally. The company also leases a showroom at the World Market Center in downtown Las Vegas, where Tony says many international customers find them.

Shopping for bedding can be, believe it or not, a fun experience. Especially when you know what you are looking for. Remember that when you are looking for your new bedding ensemble or sleep set that not everyone offers the same quality products. The decisions you make on bedding will affect your comfort for years to come. Educating yourself a little before hand and researching your options will help you make a better decision that will ultimately improve your comfort. In addition to researching the different types of bedding you should also check out who you are buying it from. You can save yourself a lot of time and money by going with the right retailer. http://www.ajmoss.com.

Author: Jared More

Are You Getting a Good Night's Sleep?

Along with diet and exercise, sleep is a vital part of maintaining good health.

"The product filling materials do break down over time, but even if the mattress is still perfect, our bodies are changing. As the body changes, the mattress should be changed to accommodate the aging process," he says.Cotton batting is a particularly popular filling material because it is extremely durable, comfortable, safe and environmentally friendly. Wolf Corporation has been processing raw cotton for more than 130 years. In the 1870s when Tony's great grandfather, Paul Wolf, started the company in his homestead's backyard (which is now downtown Fort Wayne), some of his wealthier customers had their mattresses filled with wool or cotton. (The poorer ones settled for whatever was comfortable that could be put in a dust-tight cover, such as cornhusks, excelsior, kapok or moss).Website: www.wolfcorp.comThe Hazardous Products (Mattresses) Regulations require that all mattresses, including futons, resist ignition when tested with a smouldering cigarette ignition. Under the law it is prohibited to sell or give away products that do not meet the requirements of the Hazardous Products Act or its regulations."Our fiber products go into upholstery and mattresses in a variety of different products and industries, such as mobile homes, RVs, caskets and furniture," says Wolf."Wolf Corporation started out in cotton and later progressed to inner springs, then foams, then to water beds at one time," says Wolf. "We've come full circle, because our futons are now cotton-filled- either cotton with foam or cotton with innersprings."Ticking- the fabric which surrounds the layers of the mattress on the outside.Owner: Richard, Don and Tony WolfCoverlet- a general term describing a bed covering, includes, comforter, duvets, quilts, bedspread and blanket.For further information, consumers can contact the Health Canada Product Safety office nearest them, by calling 1-866-662-0666 toll-free, or e-mail cps-spc@hc-sc.gc.ca (if contacting via e-mail, please indicate the province or territory from which you are corresponding).House Brand- A retailer�s custom brand which only they offer.Filling- the term used to describe the material that occupies the mattress, pillow or comforter. This can make a great difference in the quality and comfort of the item.Wolf explains that the reason for replacement is twofold.In recent years, futons have become a popular sleep-product choice. Wolf says that many futons are now "extremely comfortable and reasonably priced." For residents in urban areas where rented space is expensive, a futon may make more sense than a traditional bed because it can double as a sofa and as a bed."We're amazed at the number of letters that we receive in which consumers tell is they're using their futon as their full-time sleep product," says Wolf.Bed frame- a frame that maintains the position of the foundation, headboard and footboardDuvet- used to describe a warm and comfortable coverlet that is filled with down feathers.Box springs- a common term used to describe a foundation which has springs inside a wooden frame."The more a mattress contours to your body, the more you are actually in it, not on it. Your body continues to give off heat, and if it's trapped there because there isn't air circulation, you may actually lessen the quality of sleep," says Wolf.Canopy- a fabric that is suspended above the bed often using posts.Two years ago, Wolf Corporation provided all of the mattresses to Community Hospital's Sleep Depravation Center in Indianapolis. In return, it has benefited from some of the Center's learning and research, enabling it to develop products suited to help people with their sleep needs.Matelass�- a fabric which has quilt like indentations.Firmness- the amount of resistance that a mattress has relating to body weight. Determines the amount of give the mattress will have.Address: 3434 Adams Center Road Fort Wayne, Indiana 46803Synthetic- artificially created material that is not found in nature.Mattresses and futons comprise approximately 65 percent of Wolf Corporation's business. The company's 25 different styles of mattresses are sold under the Wolf brand name; the futons are produced under both the Wolf label and for Serta and sold nationally (and internationally) by Wolf under the Serta brand name. Wolf Corporation serves as the distributor for the Serta futon wood frames, so its 600 dealers can buy the futon cushion and frame from the same supplier.Shopping for bedding can be, believe it or not, a fun experience. Especially when you know what you are looking for. Remember that when you are looking for your new bedding ensemble or sleep set that not everyone offers the same quality products. The decisions you make on bedding will affect your comfort for years to come. Educating yourself a little before hand and researching your options will help you make a better decision that will ultimately improve your comfort. In addition to researching the different types of bedding you should also check out who you are buying it from. You can save yourself a lot of time and money by going with the right retailer. http://www.ajmoss.com.Years in business: 136"We strive to provide greater comfort and durability at a lower price than our competition," says Wolf. "Since much of our upholstery padding is produced within these walls, we gain efficiencies and value in terms of consistency. Wolf offers the brand developed by Serta and is not investing boatloads of money in brand development that it already provides."Research also shows that much of the body's healing is done while in deep sleep. For the millions of Americans who suffer from back problems, finding the proper mattress, and obtaining deep, restorative sleep is critical, since it has been claimed that some back problems may be healed by one's own body if these factors are achieved."We've learned that if the body is a few degrees too warm or too cold, it will wake itself up. The autonomic nervous system doesn't allow for deep sleep," he says.Wolf's competitive advantage is delivering a strolling value.Egalement disponible en franï¿1/2ais

Products and Services: Mattresses, Futons, Fiber padding.

Author: Bleed, Lynette

A Loft Bunk is Magic for Crowded Dorm Rooms

When you hear the phrase �dorm room,� what do you think? Usually there are two reactions � big smiles, or wrinkled-brow frowns. College dorm rooms are the stuff of legend, for cramped space shared by roommates who�ve never met, each bringing everything they can carry from home that they think they MIGHT need. Each student tries to put a houseful of memories into a single room, and still have room to sleep, eat, socialize, and of course, study!

There is another advantage to the futon: you can change the cover when you change your decor.That has changed.SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE“Bed bugs are opportunistic and elusive pests,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “As students return from summers filled with travel – which is often viewed as a central reason for this pests’ resurgence – and arrive with dorm furniture that can have an unknown history, university facility managers must proactively encourage student vigilance against bed bugs and work closely with licensed pest professionals to keep these pests at bay.”For more information on preventing bed bugs or to find a local pest professional, visit: www.pestworld.org.

The NPMA, a non-profit organization with more than 6,000 members, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry’s commitment to the protection of public health, food and property.

Add a futon mattress for seating below your loft bunk, and you have a spare bed for a friend if need be. (Maybe add a curtain for privacy?) A word of advice: contact the university your child is planning to attend to see if they have any restrictions about modifications to dorm rooms. Once you have a green light, your imagination is the limit to making your loft bed into a creative living space!

Author: Don VanPelt

Futons make a comeback

By Rosemary Sadez Friedmann

Many students meet their roommate first online, and have a chance to chat about the types of appliances, etc. they will bring to the room. Computers, TVs, music systems all need a space, along with books and study tools. Most dorms have a dresser, desk and bed for each student.That futon chair is also great for the overnight grandchild who wants to sleep in your room but doesn't fit comfortably in your bed.There are dozens of kits and patterns for the best method to build your own loft bed, but they can be purchased already assembled as well. If you want to use the existing bed, consider that; otherwise, you can start from scratch, too.Part of making this huge transition is making this one room work as home base, living room, bedroom, snack kitchen and walk-in closet � fortwo people! Thank goodness then for the loft bunk bed. It must have been invented by a college student. What better tool to transform your dorm into a cool, swinging living room, one that you just happen to live and sleep in? A loft gets your bed up and out of the way, making room for you and your roommate�s STUFF.The covers on futons are like pillowcases and can be removed for dry cleaning. They come in a variety of colors and patterns. If you have any sewing talent, the sky's the limit on the futon covers, because all you need to do is sew three sides together, with a zipper on the fourth side.FAIRFAX, Va. -- As students return to college campuses nationwide, many arrive with memories of summer travel as well as some essential secondhand furniture including mattresses, futons, dressers and more. According to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), this combination poses serious concerns, as there has been a 71% increase in reports of bed bugs since 2001. While termed bed bugs, these nocturnal pests, when introduced to new environments, can spread quickly to infest sofas, chairs, picture frames and other staples of college dorm décor.Add a futon mattress for seating below your loft bunk, and you have a spare bed for a friend if need be. (Maybe add a curtain for privacy?) A word of advice: contact the university your child is planning to attend to see if they have any restrictions about modifications to dorm rooms. Once you have a green light, your imagination is the limit to making your loft bed into a creative living space!The new and improved futon is still affordable, but the sleeper is made with a real mattress -- wrapped coiled springs or memory foam, and some have pillow tops.

Rosemary Sadez Friedmann is an interior designer in Naples, Fla.

Author: Rosemary Sadez Friedmann