It’s official – Brits are a nation of happy campers, with 28 million now planning to spend a night under canvas this summer.

According to research by Dacia, it appears the nation has taken more of an interest in camping, with 6 million Brits now preferring pitching up their tent to any other holiday, including hotel or rented property.

Of the 82 per cent of Brits who love camping, over one third (36 per cent) said they felt more optimistic or satisfied with their life by being surrounded by nature.

With the idea of pricey all-inclusives out of the picture for many, nearly half (44 per cent) said that they were going camping in the UK this summer, in a bid to save money.

Getting peace and quiet (44 per cent) was revealed as the best thing Brits liked about camping, along with being in the great outdoors (38 per cent), gazing up at the stars at night (34 per cent) and exploring new places (27 per cent).

Over one in five (22 per cent) love the aspect of not having to spend money on a hotel and enjoyed going back to basics (22 per cent), with almost one in five (19 per cent) admitting camping is the only time they can escape technology.

For Brits with a sense of adventure and for those who want a more comfortable camping experience this summer, Dacia offers a Sleep Pack for the Dacia Jogger. The clever solution turns the Jogger’s spacious interior into a bedroom for two in a matter of minutes, making camping possible across the whole of the UK.

Luke Broad, Dacia Brand Director for the UK said: “Adventure is in our brand’s DNA, and we want to encourage Brits to make the most of spending time outdoors with their loved ones during these summer holidays. With the research highlighting the positive impact of being outdoors, we hope it encourages more Brits to go on alternative holidays, such as camping, due to it being an affordable and enjoyable way to spend quality time with friends and family.”

Despite this, the study found that although we are a nation of campers, Brits cannot bear bugs when it comes to the camping experience. Top of the list of “camping icks” were getting bitten by bugs (40 per cent), bugs crawling into the tent (37 per cent) and having to go to the toilet in the middle of the night (37 per cent).