Tag: Glamping

Glamping at Stanley Villa Farm Camping, Lancashire

AD – Press Trip. Regular readers will know that I love a good glamp. I grew up holidaying under canvas, but times have changed and I like sleeping in a proper bed and not living in fear of the tent collapsing in the night (which seemed to happen with alarming regularity when I was a child). Over the weekend the boys and I headed an hour from home, to the comfort of Stanley Villa Farm Camping, just outside Blackpool.

Stanley Villa Farm Camping is a really sweet site. Located next to its own fishing lake, there are 24 pods on site. The pods are nicely spaced apart and are dotted around the edge of a field. Naturally all the children on site meet in the middle and all play together, which was brilliant for my only child. It never takes him long to make friends and before we’d unpacked the car he was running around with his new chums.

Glamping at Stanley Villa Farm Camping, Lancashire

We were met by Alex, the owner who showed us to our pod and made sure we had everything we needed. The pod itself contains two comfortable single beds. We brought our own air bed and if you move the beds there’s room for a double airbed. Plenty of room for two adults and two children. Each pod has its own outdoor fire pit and you can buy in optional extras, like camping chairs, or a firewood package, or fairy lights. They’ve thought of everything.

Glamping at Stanley Villa Farm Camping, Lancashire

On site there’s a games room overlooking the lake. It’s a wooden lodge which had a comfortable room to hang out and play games in. There’s also a kitchen area where you can make hot drinks and light snacks, tea and coffee are provided free of charge, which is nice. There are also several bathrooms with showers; they’re warm and clean and a welcome change from some of the campsite facilities I’ve been familiar with over the years.

Glamping at Stanley Villa Farm Camping, Lancashire

The fishing lake is a lovely thing to be near. The lake is well stocked with trout and we enjoyed evening strolls around it. There was lots of wildlife to be seen if you’re looking in the right places. We spotted swans and their cygnets, geese, ducks, moorhens and even a hedgehog. I went for a walk at dusk and I’m pretty sure I saw a couple of bats too!

The pod is basic, but it doesn’t feel like you are roughing it. You do need to take your own bedding and towels, and the other things you might need, like camping chairs. We took a cool box and couple of disposable BBQs and cooked sausages for our tea. The pods are light and bright, with big windows at the back. There are blinds too, so you can shut out the light. The fresh air and exercise meant we all slept like a dream.

Glamping at Stanley Villa Farm Camping, Lancashire

We’ve glamped in lots of different places, this was our first pod and I was worried that it would be chilly at night. I had nothing to worry about; it was so cosy that I slept on top of my covers (even though there was wind and rain outside).

Besides the games room there’s lots for kids to do; there’s a Mini Play-Pod with an assortment of toys including footballs, swing balls; badminton rackets and a host of board games in the main lodge for when the weather isn’t so nice.

In terms of location, it’s 15 minutes drive from Blackpool and nestled in a really good spot for exploring Lancashire. While we were there we drove to Lytham St Annes for a look around the shops. It’s full of really good old fashioned shops, which I loved. We also drove over to the Forest of Bowland for a walk and lunch at the Inn at Whitewell; a real treat!

Glamping at Stanley Villa Farm Camping, Lancashire

It costs from £49 to hire a pod for a night and it’s a really chilled out place to stay. We thought it would be ideal if you’re visiting the bright lights of Blackpool but don’t fancy staying in a hotel or B&B. For us it was just a great spot to chill out. We didn’t have grand plans to go to the Pleasure Beach or stroll along the prom; just getting away from home for a couple of nights and switching off from everything at home did us the power of good.

We would absolutely stay at Stanley Villa Farm Camping again. Small but perfectly formed, with all the comforts of home and with the cosiest of cosy pods. The location was great and we had a very warm welcome and a great stay.

To find out more about Stanley Villa Farm Camping, visit their website.

stanley villa

Disclosure: We were invited guests of Stanley Villa Farm Camping, all images and opinions are our own.

Glamping at Camp Katur, North Yorkshire

AD/Press Trip. Last year we well and truly discovered the joy of glamping. We trotted off to the Lake District for a weekend in a Yurt and we fell hard for the homely charms which glamping offered. Keen to have another lovely few days under canvas, over half term we stayed at Camp Katur in North Yorkshire for a couple of days.

Camp Katur is located on the Camp Hill Estate in Bedale, North Yorkshire. It’s home to Camp Hill House, an 18th century mansion house with a large estate. Nestled in a field tucked away in woodland is Camp Katur Glamping Village. Within the village there are a number of different glamping options; you can stay in bell tents, hobbit pods, a geodome, teepees, safari tents, amongst other options. We stayed in one of the larger safari tents which had its own private bathroom, which was nice.

Glamping at Camp Katur, North Yorkshire

Arriving at Camp Katur early afternoon, we checked in and walked through the woods and across a lovely meadowy field to our home for the next two nights. We were staying in Afia, a tent which came with a comfy sofa, a woodburner, gas stove, running water and beds for up to 8 people. There was also a private bathroom in a shed, a roomy veranda, a brick BBQ and peace. So much peace.

I really loved having our own en suite shed. It had a cute tin bucket sink, a proper toilet and a shower. It was clean and it was ours. I don’t mind shared facilities, but having your own really feels like a bit of luxury in the woods.

Glamping at Camp Katur, North Yorkshire

There is no electricity; so the heating is from your woodburner and your lights are from torches, candles and little strings of battery powered fairy lights which are dotted around the place. There were plenty of candles supplied and once you’d lit all the lanterns it was really cosy.

The safari tent really was a little spot of luxury in the woods. There were three bedrooms, a kitchen area, dining table and chairs and a huge leather sofa. Lots of outdoor seating, and of course the en suite shed. It was everything you could want. Perfect for a big family or a group of friends. We loved it.

Glamping at Camp Katur, North Yorkshire

Although there are a number of tents and pods dotted around the place, there is plenty of room between them and honestly we didn’t hear a peep from anyone else the whole time we were there. There were other families there and most of the kids congregated in the long grass in the middle of the field, playing games and chasing each other, which was great for our boy who quickly made friends and disappeared for hours, only returning for juice and snacks.

The glamping village itself is well thought out. There’s a small shed shop with limited opening hours; though soon after we arrived one of the lovely wardens came over to check everything was ok and to ask if we needed anything from the shop –  we did, we got a couple of disposable barbecues.

Camp Katur also has a BBQ Grill Cabin you can hire and an Eco Spa which I walked past lustfully several times. Next time we visit, I am totally booking that out for a few hours. In the Eco Spa there’s a sauna, a hot tub, a little zen garden and some chairs to recline on. Elsewhere there’s a huge adventure playground for kids, a swing park and you can book yourself on quad biking sessions, a high ropes course, segway rides and footgolf. There’s so much going on, but it’s so peaceful you’d never know unless your sought it out.

Glamping at Camp Katur, North Yorkshire

Our nights in the safari tent was really cosy. As the sun set we would move inside, light the woodburner, snuggle under blankets and read to each other by candlelight. The beds inside the tent were real beds, with proper memory-foam mattresses. We filled hot water bottles and snuggled down to sleep, and sleep we did. We occasionally heard the screech of an owl in the woods; but they were two of the best nights sleep I’d had in a long while.

Whilst there’s lots to do on site, we had plans to explore the area a bit. There are lots of local attractions and thing to do, but we fancied a walk and some scenery, so we visited Aysgarth Falls, about an hours drive away. It was well worth the drive, we took a picnic and had a good walk. We stopped in Bedale on the way home to buy some provisions for the night. Bedale is a really lovely market town which a great butchers, bakers, a couple of small supermarkets and a really good chip shop.

There’s plenty of civilisation nearby; but camped out on the edge of the woods, looking out over a meadowy field, you could well be in the middle of nowhere. Camp Katur is a magical site. There’s plenty to do, buckets of peace and quiet and the time and the space to rest and wind down for a few days. Wind down we did. We read books; walked, talked, breathed in the fresh air; we played cards, reconnected and fell back in love with our family again. Simplicity does that.

Find out more about Camp Katur by clicking here. For more information about glamping in the UK, visit the Campsites.co.uk website.

 

Glamping at Camp Katur, North Yorkshire

Disclosure: We were invited guests of Camp Katur, all images an opinions are our own. Camp Katur hosted our stay and Campsites.co.uk only helped to arrange the visit.

Glamping at Inside Out Camping, Keswick

The last few months have felt pretty hectic for our family. We’ve been here, there and everywhere; almost always in a rush and not spending enough time just enjoying being together. Over the weekend we packed up the car and headed off to Inside Out Camping in the small village of Seatoller in the Borrowdale valley. Seatoller is near Keswick in the Lake District and we were glamping for two nights, staying in a Yurt. There was no electricity, no WiFi, no phone signal; just us and the great outdoors and it was nothing short of wonderful.

Glamping at Inside Out Camping, Keswick

I’ve wanted to go glamping for a while. The idea of not having to put up or take down a tent and not having to carry every single thing we’d need for the weekend was very appealing. I also liked the idea of a little bit of luxury in the middle of nowhere; in this case, a woodburner and a comfy futon to sleep on. There’s something quite luxurious about just being able to turn up without a car full of camping gear which takes a few hours to set up. Glamping is still camping, but with more of the comforts of home.

We arrived at Seatoller near Keswick, and spotting some of the yurts from the main road, made our way down the track to the small campsite. There are six yurts available to book and space for other campers in their own tents too. The site runs alongside the River Derwent, which when we arrived was a gentle, shimmering river which babbled alongside the yurts.

Glamping at Inside Out Camping, Keswick

We walked down to our yurt at the far end of the site. It stood right next to the river. Outside was a wooden picnic table and two wooden steps to the door of the yurt. Inside was a clean and well-equipped space. There was one double futon and two single futons with clean, crisp bedding. There was a gas stove and a kitchen area, plus a woodburner with a bag of logs to get us started.

We unpacked, got settled in and did what all English people do; we made a cup of tea. The boy ran about exploring the site, he crossed the bridge several times and scrambled down the banks of the river. On a warmer (or braver) day we might have all gone for a paddle, but we didn’t. The site is like a fairy glen and although it’s small, there’s a lot to explore.

Glamping at Inside Out Camping, Keswick

You do need a torch when you’re walking through the campsite at night back to the yurt. The site is unlit and without electricity, though the yurts have solar-powered lights and fairy lights too.

At night the yurt is really cosy. The beds have feather duvets and pillows and I’d forgotten just how snuggly they were. Tucked up in bed with the woodburner flickering away in the corner; a mug of cocoa and the fairy lights on, it’s a little piece of heaven. After a busy day walking and exploring the Lake District, we’d all fall into bed, talking and laughing together until we drifted off to sleep. With the stars shimmering through the skylight, it was truly magical.

Glamping at Inside Out Camping, Keswick

Inside Out Camping is located on Seatoller Farm which is a sheep farm near Kewsick. The campsite is surrounded by fields of Herdwick sheep (my favourite breed of sheep, yes I have a favourite breed). You can walk up to the farm and buy Herdwick sausages and burgers to take home or cook in your yurt. We had a busy weekend planned and we didn’t end up making anything more adventurous than breakfast and endless cups of coffee.

Although the site feels like it’s really out in the sticks, it’s very well served by regular public transport from Keswick. Just over a mile up the road, the Langstrath Country Inn serves good food. There are more pubs dotted along the road to Keswick, and once in Keswick there are more places to eat and drink than you can shake a stick at!

Glamping at Inside Out Camping, Keswick

I confess I did have a slight wobble on the first night about there being no internet. I had a word with myself and just embraced it. There’s no better place for me than being beside my 7 year old when he’s on an adventure; climbing trees, scrabbling over rocks, defending the bridge from imaginary marauding pirates. You don’t need the internet or electricity for that.

It’s a small site with a basic but clean toilet block. Showers are available at the farmhouse a ten minute walk up the road.

Glamping at Inside Out Camping, Keswick

The Inside Out Camping yurts are an absolutely ideal base for visiting the Lake District. Whether you’re on a walking holiday, or exploring with the family. The area was wild and rugged enough to feel like you’ve really stepped away from the hustle and bustle of life at home; but close enough to Keswick to not be too far from the home comforts a city girl appreciates (Booths. I mean Booths).

Seatoller is a magical place. The Borrowdale valley is very beautiful and with autumn beginning to make itself known, it was a valley of mists and mellow fruitfulness. We were sad to pack up and leave after our two days of yurt life. It hadn’t taken long to settle into a rhythm there. I liked the home comforts and the peace. The boys liked exploring and we all really liked just chilling out together. It’s unusual for us all to agree on something, but we all really enjoyed our taste of yurt life and beautiful Borrowdale has a way of getting under your skin.

Glamping at Inside Out Camping, Keswick

We all want to go glamping again, we all want to stay in a yurt too; and I think a return visit to Inside Out Camping will be on our list for next year.

Yurts at Inside Out Camping at Seatoller Farm start from £285 for a three night weekend stay. For more information about glamping in the UK, visit the Campsites.co.uk website.

Glamping at Inside Out Camping, Keswick

We were invited guests of Inside Out Camping. All our images and opinions are our own.