WHETHER you're a camping veteran or a newcomer to life outdoors, there are always plenty of reasons to get out into the sunshine and enjoy the fresh air.

David Batty, the chairman of the Camping and Caravanning Club, has helped lots of potential holidaymakers come to terms with sleeping bags and caravan-towing.

He said: 'Camping and caravanning is the perfect way to explore the UK and Europe on a budget.

'It's also a great way to really experience the joys of the great outdoors.

'All we ask is that you give it a try - and if you're anything like our 400,000 members, you'll love it.'

So just why do so many people take to the roads in spring and summer just to lie around under a bit of canvas or swap their large, luxurious home for a cramped house with wheels?

The club says the best things about their holidays is that they are so much cheaper than holidaying in a cottage or hotel, bring you closer to the fresh air of outdoors and offer thousands of sites to choose from.

Outdoor holidays are also a gift for holidaymakers who can't make up their minds about where to go. After a few days somewhere, you can simply drive to a new site and explore a completely different region.

Assuming camping sites have some spaces left, which they usually do, you can simply drive around until you find a nice spot and stay there without having to think about where you are going.

You can also take a holiday whenever you are free, without having to think about fully booked hotels and holiday cottages, as you own your equipment all year round.

Unlike pre-booked holidays, you can just pile into the car or caravan at the first hint of good weather.

After buying enough items, you also save money by using them for every holiday until they wear out.

The only 'basic' payment you will have to make, aside from food and gas supplies, is a small fee at each of the sites you visit, which is a bargain compared to the cost of the average hotel room.

Of course, you won't get the thrill of being waited on hand and foot like some holidays and won't usually get the price of food included with the accommodation but you will know what you are getting and can take the same level of accommodation with you everywhere you go.

As for the choice between caravans and tents, it is up to you.

Some 125,000 families currently own motor-home caravans in the UK, most of which are used regularly, and it offers a good chance to be 'home away from home' with the added bonus of better scenery - and hopefully better weather.

You can stay in relative comfort while you travel and can adapt to your own comfort level by adding a range of features from cookers, fridges, hot-water showers and comfortable beds.

A spokesman for the Camping and Caravanning Club said: 'Touring caravans and motor homes provide a great base for exploring the countryside.

'The scenery changes but the accommodation doesn't.

'You get to sleep in your own bed and have all the creature comforts you could wish for.

'Luxurious kitchens, fully equipped shower rooms, central heating, double-glazing and a whole range of gadgets and gizmos are now fitted as standard.'

The one thing putting many families off buying a caravan is their size, a worry especially for nervous drivers who have only just got to grips with their car.

For this reason, The Camping and Caravanning Club is offering a series of courses for members and non-members, run by experienced and patient drivers, to help you learn the art of safe towing and put your mind at rest about the journey.

Alternatively, you might prefer to get rid of luxury and pampering altogether and go back to basics by going camping.

It's surprising how cosy a small tent can feel when there is rain lashing down on the roof and nothing between you and a force-10 gale but a bit of canvas.

Yet tents are surprisingly sturdy, letting in enough light, keeping in enough heat and keeping out enough insects to make a holiday enjoyable, while allowing you to get back to mother nature and a skyfull of stars for what will probably be the only nights of the year you don't have to sleep with the same old roof over your head.

A spokesman for The Camping and Caravanning Club added that tents were a good choice because of their small size and ability to be taken just about anywhere.

He said: 'Accessories are lightweight, compact and offer campers a comfortable night under canvas.

'The choice of tents available is extensive.

'With tents being designed to take just minutes to erect, campers now have even more time to sit back, relax and enjoy the surrounding countryside.'

Of course, camping and caravanning is not for everyone and a holiday wouldn't be the same without life's little treats like a maid, a butler and a hotel dining room.

However, whether you are a canvas convert or a clueless caravanner, if you want cheap, exciting holidays without the hassle or expense of booking hotel-rooms or bed and breakfasts, a self-catering camping and caravanning holiday could be for you.

So let's hope the weather is good this year and a good holiday can be turned into a great one.