27 May 2011

5 top UK glamping sites

Jonathan Knight, editor of the new 'Glamping Getaways guide', picks his favourite glamorous camping experiences around the UK

4 mins

1. Polgreen

www.glampingcornwall.com

We feel we should tell you up front - Polgreen is only open for eight weeks a year. This doesn’t leave you much time to discover their six cream-coloured bell tents, each furnished with a double bed, double futon, a roll mat bed, coffee table, big rug and more cooking paraphernalia than Jamie Oliver would know what to do with. Nor to relax in the communal ‘chilling’ tent and tarp-roofed dining area before exploring some of Cornwall’s best surfing beaches, which are just a short hop away.

Open July and August Bell tents £180 per week, plus £18 per person, per night; children (under 13 years) £10 per night; babies in travel cots free.

2. Shadow Woods

www.woodlandyurting.com

If you thought you were in the middle of nowhere to start with, prepare to feel even more isolated as you wander through the 63 acres of bluebell woodland at Shadow Woods.

Owner Pom is an ex-film producer of some renown; she now focuses her energies on running the site and organising candlelit opera evenings in the woods. The five yurts and one safari tent are very well appointed with everything you will need for a relaxing getaway among the bluebells.

Open mid April-mid October Medium yurt (sleeps 2) £260 per week; family yurt and safari tent (both sleep 4) £160-380; cabin £150 a night.

3. Tipi Adventure

www.tipiadventure.co.uk

Offering a completely unique canoe and glamping combo, Tipi Adventure is the choice for the slightly more intrepid luxury campers out there. Your luggage is magically transported to your tipi, while you and your picnic are left to paddle down the River Wye to your tipi in your own traditional Canadian canoe.

The remote and secret location is the deal breaker; there’s no light pollution out here, so stargazing on a clear night should be top of your agenda.

Open early April-early October Tipi (sleeps 7) £150-230 per night (depending on the season), plus £45 per canoe (seats 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children).

4. The Yurt Farm

www.theyurtfarm.co.uk

Not all yurts are created equal. Luckily, the rotund little pods at the Yurt Farm are the finest example of how to do things properly. This place hasn’t been thrown together on a money-making whim, it has been nurtured and loved into existence by owners Thea and Laurie.

The collection of five yurts breathes new life into a forgotten corner of a large organic farm, and a stay here allows you to fully immerse yourself in off-beat, off-grid, off-the-beaten-track living. Brownie points can be dished out left, right and centre for the loving touches like four-poster beds fashioned out of trees, and eco touches like reed-bed drainage and compost loos.

Open April-October Weekly rates are £350-600, depending on the season and size of yurt; short breaks (£120-160) are also available.

5. Lochhouses

www.harvestmoonholidays.com

The huge camping field at Lochhouses sits just behind a sizeable dune, shielding it from sea winds. The six safari tents (and one special honeymoon tent) are placed around the periphery, giving you space and privacy. Along this stunning stretch of coastline you’ll find cliffs, castles, sandy bays and battlefields. Summer here is beautiful, but it’s worth remembering that come September, the sea is warmer, the beaches are quiet, and the brambles and wild raspberries are ripe for the picking.

Open all year Prices per safari tent are £475-875 for a week, £350-550 for a weekend, or £345-525 for a midweek break (depending on season)

Cool Camping’s Glamping Getaways is out now - www.coolcamping.co.uk/glamping