Feature

The beautifully restored VW camper van you can rent from Oldham

Everyone, meet Edith.

Daisy Jackson - 26th October 2024

It’s pretty rare to see classic VW camper vans on the road – and you almost never see them as beautiful as this one.

Everyone, meet Edith, a 1976 Volkswagen T2 Camper. She’s orange, she’s cosy, she drives beautifully, and she’s ready to whisk you off on a blissful British weekend.

Edith has been lovingly and carefully restored by Happier Campers over in Oldham, where you can also rent her camper van pals Beryl, Bert and Ernie.

And while she’s small, she’s certainly mighty.

Inside, and included when you rent her out, you’ll find an expertly-fitted kitchen (complete with gas hob, sink and fridge, plus all your equipment), a comfy fold-out double bed plus another in the roof space, an on-board water supply, USB charging points, Bluetooth speakers, outdoor furniture and loads more.

The attention to detail that’s gone into her restoration is remarkable. See that metal pole acting as a vase for some orange flowers? It’s actually a table leg, which you can screw into different parts of the van so you always have an extra surface.

That backwards-facing seat? Yeah, it’s also a kitchen cupboard.

The rechargeable lantern? Also a Bluetooth speaker.

Sometimes the easiest way to switch off from your real life is to strip it right back – no WiFi, no screens, no takeaway drivers in sight – and Edith has just the right amount of creature comforts to allow you to do that in comfort.

Edith – who recently starred in Blossoms’ music video for What Can I Say After I Say I’m Sorry – turns heads everywhere she goes with her sunny orange exterior, and ended up being the talk of the campsite when we took her away to the Peak District for a weekend.

A couple of days with Edith goes a bit like this…

You collect her from Happier Campers and have an induction into how everything works, from the gearbox to the pop-up rooftop.

Then it’s off to your chosen campsite to get all set up, cracking open a cold beer from the fridge or popping the kettle on as soon as you park up.

As night falls, switch on the fairy lights, cook yourself dinner, and get cosy either with a book or whatever films you’ve remembered to download, before unfolding the double bed and tucking in for the night.

Now let me tell you, the joy of sliding open your bedroom door to see a vista of mist creeping over rolling hills and sheep pottering about is unparalleled.

And it only gets better when you start frying up some bacon and having a glass of champagne (don’t judge me) with that same view.

From the Hayfield Campsite, you’re perfectly positioned for a stroll up Kinder Scout or, if you want something gentler but equally as beautiful, around Kinder Reservoir.

The entire Peak District is on your doorstep – there are plenty of walks and routes plotted out by the team at the campsite so you don’t even need to plan far ahead, and there’s a pub just up the hill where you can reward yourself with a pint at the end.

Also on the doorstep is one of the UK’s best gastropubs, The Pack Horse, where you’re welcomed into a proper country pub space with a brilliant, seasonal menu and a resident dog (Lola will stare you out if she catches a whiff of cheese on your table).

The whole camping experience – even having to go for a walk to the toilet block every time you need a wee – feels completely magical, and makes you realise that you don’t have to travel a million miles to feel a million miles from Manchester.

She has quirks, as all classic vehicles do, like a gearbox that will only go from first to second if you ask it very nicely, windscreen wipers that are even totally off or enthusiastically on, and a side door that insists on being slammed full-force, fellow sleeping campers be damned.

But all of that adds to her charm, and the longer you spend getting to know Edith the more this little van rewards you.

And one of the best bits about a weekend with Edith is the unbridled freedom she brings. Imagine just getting bored of driving so pulling up by a reservoir for a cup of tea and an episode of Netflix? 

Or opening your bedroom door in the morning to see an ever-changing landscape of countryside?

This right here is retro, British holiday heaven. 

Find out more about how to rent camper van Edith or any of the other Happier Campers vans HERE.

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Featured image: The Manc Group