New Year Glamping
By Sioned Bannister
Weary at the thought of yet another dull New Year’s Eve celebration with flat fizz, stale vol-au-vents and bickering families? Why not escape from it all and try one of our ultimate glamping experiences – New Year need never be dull again.
If this is an all too familiar scenario at New Year, then why not make this the year to try something a little different? It may not quite be the weather to throw the tent in the back of the car and escape into the wilderness but our ideas for the ultimate glamping holidays mean that you can enjoy the great outdoors and stay warm and cosy. And with extra luxuries like butler service, pizza ovens, private hot tubs, massage therapists and views to die for, New Year’s Eve need never be dull again. Happy 2014 everyone!
Bloomsbury’s in Biddenden near Kent is not just a glamping site but a whole experience. There is so much to do here, that there won’t even be a sniff of New Year boredom. There are a whole range of glamping options – large and luxury tipis that sleep six people, traditional yurts, several smaller Soulpad tipis (that can be moved around to create accommodation for large families or groups) or a large safari tent which is ideal for groups. On site there are magnificent gardens for an evening wander (and which the kids will just love running around and exploring), a café and restaurant for a celebratory New Year’s Eve supper (not a stale vol-au-vent in sight…) and a farm shop and deli which stocks a huge range of delicious, local food and drink for when you can be bothered to use the cooking facilities back at the tipi. There are also hot-tubs and saunas for hire. Not even the shower and toilets escape the luxury touches – with large cubicles, under-floor heating and relaxing music piping through the block.
Add to that a range of relaxing therapies at the on-site beauty parlour like massage and beauty treatments, there’s also yoga sessions, herb and foraging workshops as well as activities like sculpture lessons and floristry workshops. No chance for boredom in the evenings either – there’s a fantastic live lounge where laid-back and intimate gigs take place with excellent local bands. And if that inspires you, you can book the site’s very own music recording studio.
And if you’ve got time for any more exploring, the site is just a few minutes’ walk to the pretty village of Biddenden. You could also explore the wilds of Sissinghurst Castle or it’s a 20 minute drive to the seaside at Camber Sands.
Bloomsburys Biddenden
Sissinghurst Road, Biddenden, Ashford, Kent TN27 8DQ
www.bloomsburysbiddenden.com
01580 292992
Open All year
Cost From £150 per night to £499 per week
Facilities Yurts, tepees or safari lodge available for hire. All bedding and towels are provided. Heated shower and toilet block, on-site café, restaurant, shop and beauty salon. Kitchen area (along with crockery and utensils etc) is available for use by all guests. Firewood for the first night is also included. For groups, breakfast can be served at the yurts by prior arrangement.
Fancy an African style safari adventure but without the 13 hour flight or the possibility of being eaten alive by killer rhinos? Then the luxury safari lodges set in the grounds of a 5 star B&B deep in the Welsh countryside will be just the ticket. These fabulous African themed canvas safari-style lodges offer the ultimate luxurious escape. Each lodge is decadently kitted out with a king-sized bed, large bathrooms and its own private hot-tub on the balcony. The lodges sleep two adults only, so this is one to leave the kids at home for….
You can enjoy a celebratory dinner at the B&B restaurant, and there are loads of things to do on-site, including a falconry experience or a winter walk along the famous Offa’s Dyke. Close by is the magnificent Denbigh Castle, enjoy a romantic stroll around the beautiful Bodnant Gardens or a trip to the historic town of Llangollen. And if your safari really is missing a wild animal or two, then embark on a trip to the nearby Welsh Mountain Zoo.
Canvas Lodges
Pentre Mawr Country House, Llandyrnog, Denbigh LL16 4LA.
www.hottubsafari.co.uk
01824 790732
Open All year
Cost From £240 - £260 per night per lodge (includes dinner). Minimum 2 night stay.
Facilities King-sized bed, bedding, towels and bath robes, large bathrooms with bath, shower and toilet and private hot tub.
An ideal New Year getaway for the whole family, kids will love all the facilities on offer at Mawgan Porth Park. There’ll be no time for New Year boredom or family arguments, what with the outdoor heated swimming pool, the indoor leisure centre (complete with swimming pool, sauna and steam room), table tennis, DVD room, toddler play area and a whole yurt stacked with toys and soft-play bricks. And when they want some outdoor adventuring there’s the conservation area to explore - follow the tracks through the wilderness to spot rabbits, foxes, badgers, birds and wild flowers and plants. And of course the park is a stone’s throw from the beach, so a run around in the fresh sea air will have them ready for bed and sound asleep in no time.
There’s a huge range of accommodation on offer at this glamping park, situated on Cornwall’s north coast between Padstow and Newquay. The beautiful Eco-terrace properties look like something out of a Grand Designs programme and are ideal for large families or groups. They’re on two storeys to make the most of the stunning sea view and are complete with balcony hot-tub, huge windows to let in loads of light and those magnificent vistas and have sound eco-credentials. There are yurts, lodges and airstream caravans for a more back-to-nature holiday or if you’ve got family or friends who aren’t glamping fans, then put them up in the classic lodges or luxury houses.
The Park
Mawgan Porth, Cornwall TR8 4BD
www.mawganporth.co.uk
01637 860322
Open All year
Cost From £775 to £2935 per week, depending on type of accommodation.
Facilities Bedding, towels and all cooking utensils are provided. On site facilities include café, leisure centre, heated outdoor swimming pool, a soft play area, conservation garden
This is definitely one for the grown-ups only. A heavenly boutique retreat on the west coast of Scotland overlooking the beautiful Loch Linhe, the Ecopods are beautiful geodesic domes hidden among quiet trees and forests. Forget kitsch and flowery glamping options here, each dome is stylishly designed with a cool retro design, featuring a handmade bathroom and kitchen (and packed with top-spec appliances). All the bedding and towels are made from luxuriously soft organic cotton, and there’s a hot-tub on the balcony for the ultimate chilled-out view.
Guests will find a hamper of local produce (stuffed with local ales and handmade chocolates among other seasonal treats and essentials like eggs and milk). There is a digital library in each pod, with a huge range of films, music and tv programmes at the touch of a button, and there’s a wine cellar and larder that guests can use.
The pods each have a huge panoramic window looking out over the waters of Loch Linhe and one of the western coast’s most famous landmarks – the beautiful Castle Stalker; a picturesque castle that sits handsomely atop a tidal island in the loch. And if you do get bored of the view, the tranquillity and the peace and quiet, then the Ecopods are situated half-way between the town of Oban and Scotland’s outdoor capital Fort William. There are lots of walking trails and mountain bike routes, not to mention horse-riding, wildlife photography days or climbing.
But if all that sounds too much, then just sit back, open the fizz and enjoy the stunning view to welcome in the New Year in style.
Eco Pod Boutique Retreat
Lettershuna, Appin, Argyll PA38 4BL
www.domesweetdome.co.uk
07725 409003
Open All year
Cost From £550 per pod for a three night break. Min 3 nights
Facilities Organic bedding, welcome hamper, towels (including bathrobe and slippers) and all cooking utensils are provided. Each pod is fully equipped with electricity supply, wood burning stove, Wi-Fi and digital TV, film and music library.
If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big tree-at….. This fabulously luxurious tree house is a world away from the rickety, health and safety-lax creations we remember from childhood. It’s a true escape-from-it-all destination – the tree house is situated on the edge of woodland, overlooking a tranquil lake in the heart of the Somerset countryside.
The tree house is finished to an extremely high standard and complete with fully fitted bathroom, kitchen with all mod cons, wood-burner to stay cosy even in the depths of a chilly festive season and a luxuriously large bed. There’s even a verandah for sitting out and enjoying the early sunsets, with a mug of mulled wine to warm your hands. Sounds like heaven! And all set in the stunning grounds of Harptree Court, an eighteenth century country manor house (made famous for being the location of the BBC’s Great British Bake Off series) that also has B&B and yurt accommodation if a night up in the branches isn’t your thing.
When you’ve had enough of tree-top exploring, there’s plenty to see and do locally, including the famous Cheddar Gorge caves, Wookey Hole Caves, Bath town centre and roman sights, Glastonbury Tor and Longleat House. Or for a quieter break, indulge in a relaxing massage or beauty treatment available at Harptree. Now, pass me that glass of mulled wine!
Harptree Court Tree House
East Harptree, Bristol, Somerset BS40 6AA
www.harptreecourt.co.uk
01761 221729
Open All year
Cost Two nights from £490 or 5 nights from £1225 in December (for 2 people).Book through Canopy & Stars (www.canopyandstars.co.uk)
Facilities: Treehouse sleeps 2 and includes king-sized bed, bathroom, toilet, wood-burning stove, fully functioning kitchen and wi-fi.
If a star-studded New Year celebration sounds like your thing, then these tipis in the heart of the Black Mountains in South Wales will be perfect for you. And no, we don’t mean that Brad and Angelina will drop by for a glass of fizz (although you never know….), we’re talking about the starry night skies. This beautiful tipi retreat is set in a private 45 acre meadow, deep in the Brecon Beacons, with its own babbling brook and views to die for (both day and night). The peace, quiet and tranquillity make it the perfect spot for a touch of star gazing – you could even do it from the cottage hot tub.
Other treats at this tipi retreat include massage therapy or yoga sessions for the ultimate festive wind down, or if you fancy something a little more indulgent then how about a private tour and tasting around the nearby Black Mountain Chocolate company or the ultimate in warming winter whisky with a VIP tour around Wales’ only whisky distillery at Penderyn.
Black Mountain Retreats
Ty Croes, Llanbedr, Crickhowell, Powys NP8 1SY
www.blackmountaintipis.com
01638 576682
Open All year
Cost Prices range from £85 to £150 per night per tipi. Book through Destination Alliances (01678 576682)
Facilities: Tipi sleeps two adults and up to two children (additional children/group members can sleep in nearby bell tent or own tent). Out-house with composting toilet and spring-fed shower, and basic kitchen hut are available for use with the tipi.
How do pirates celebrate New Year? Well, they start with a daily dose of “Ahoy me hearties” and a bottle of rum, and so could you with a festive break aboard a traditional Dutch sailing barge moored up on the banks of the River Orwell near Ispwich. Twee Gebroeders (or TG for short….) was originally built in 1897, and has been lovingly restored to her former glory to provide holiday accommodation with a difference. There’s a double room as well as a twin room and all mod cons like heating, lighting, a cosy aga in the kitchen and plenty of hot water for nice long showers.
The boat is usually stationary and moored beside a pontoon, although day trips along the river can be arranged. But there’s plenty to do right from the mooring – kids will love splashing about in the estuary mud, looking for bugs and crabs or spotting wading birds and seals. The quiet location is surrounded by ancient oak woodlands, which are great for explorers and adventurers and the long-distance Stour path runs right through the village. If you’re up for a hike, the path leads all the way to Ipswich town – about 5 miles away.
And a little further afield is the famous Jimmy’s Farm, the regal village of Erwarton and nature reserves, forests and outdoor adventures aplenty. Now, where’s that bottle of rum; it’s time to celebrate!
Twee Gebroeders Houseboat
Pin Mill near the River Orwell, Ipswich, Suffolk
www.canopyandstars.co.uk
01275 395447
Open All year
Cost From £71 per night
Facilities The houseboat has one double room and one twin room. Children and one dog are welcome (although there are no safety rails around the edge of the boat). The boat has full bathroom and kitchen facilities, as well as heating, electricity and hot water.
What do you get when you cross camping with the Crystal Maze? Perhaps it’d look something like the magical Dome Garden, hidden in the Gloucestershire countryside. A unique twist on the tipis, bell tents and safari lodges that have sprung up across the country, the Dome Garden is a collection of geodesic domes that look almost ethereal when they’re all lit up at dusk.
There are different sized domes available, from the Simple Dome that sleeps four people to the Superdome that accommodates eight people and is cleverly split over two levels. There’s even the Dom-itory Dome where the beds are suspended from the ceiling!
Kids of all ages will love the uniqueness of the Dome Garden, and adults will love the chilled-out pace of life and the peaceful countryside. There’s no wi-fi here so tranquillity and old-fashioned games like scrabble, snap and hide-and-seek are the order of the day not to mention outdoor fun like the rope swings, zip-wires and secret tree-house.
There are foodie delights too, like the pop-up pizza parlour that opens every few days on the main decking area, serving pizza to die for (and that guests can roll and flavour themselves if they want) in specially created pizza ovens.
And of course, the Dome Garden is set on the edge of the Forest of Dean, so there are about 31,000 acres of lush woodland to explore, cycle across, paddle through or to simply enjoy the New Year winter view.
The Dome Garden
Mile End, Gloucesteshire.
www.domegarden.co.uk
07974 685818
Open All year
Cost From £590 - £1,350 per week (depending on season and dome size)
Facilities Various sized domes available to sleep between two and eight people. Each dome is self contained and includes bathroom facilities and cooking facilities.
If your three bed semi isn’t quite the grand festive hide-out you had in mind, worry not because here’s your chance to have your very own country manor crash-pad. Well, a view of one anyway! Country House Hideout are offering glamping experiences in the grounds of three of the country’s finest country houses. Choose from a dramatic Tudor built tower in Essex, a grand Lancashire country manor or an 1,800 acre estate on the Scottish borders.
Whichever you choose, when you arrive you’ll be greeted by a luxury canvas safari-style lodge tent that can sleep up to six people. It includes its own hot-tub, luxury beds, a flushing toilet, running water and electricity (which comes from its own renewable source – a dynamo bike that needs pedalling every day to charge the batteries; a perfect job for the kids!). The kitchen comes in the form of a cart, a kind of range stove on wheels, where you can cook up a storm. And if you’re really feeling lazy then you can live as ‘em upstairs do and call upon your very own butler and chambermaid service!
There’ll be plenty to see and do just a stone’s throw from the tent too. Next door to the main tent is a “Discovery Tent” where kids will find loads to keep them busy – from telescopes for the night sky and a library of books to identify insects and flowers, to vintage field telephones and old-fashioned magnifying glasses. Most of the houses are open for visitors by arrangement and the grounds are yours to explore and discover. Kids will love the acres of open spaces, wild animal tracks and ancient trees just waiting to be climbed! Layer Marney has its own farm, Chesters has its own brewery and Wyresdale Park has a café and restaurant in the old apple barn. Who needs the Downton Christmas special when you can have your very own country house escape?
Wyresdale Park
Snowhill Lane, Scorton, Preston, Lancashire PR3 1BA
www.wyresdalepark.co.uk
Layer Marney Tower
Colchester, Essex CO5 9US
www.layermarneytower.co.uk
Chesters Estate
Ancrum, Jedburgh, Scottish Border, TD8 6UL
www.chestersestate.com
01420 549150
Open All year
Cost From £349 for a mid-week 4 night break (depending on season)
Facilities Each canvas lodge sleeps up to 6 people (plus there’s room for two more in an additional tent next door). Full bathroom facilities in the shower tent, and kitchen facilities in the cooking cart. Each lodge is set in the grounds of a stately home (Wyresdale in Lancashire, Chesters in the Scottish Borders or Layer Marney Tower in Essex). Chambermaid service available and butler service available (at Layer Marney only).
This one’s for a truly unforgettable New Year’s treat and one to escape the blistering cold winds and icy rains of British winter time. Casas Karen is a unique collection of accommodation, set in wild grounds on the southern Spanish coast, just east of Cadiz city. The coastline, called Costa de la Luz because of its extraordinary light qualities, is one of the hidden gems of the southern coast. Forget high rise apartments and beer-swilling Brits, there’s nothing much in this quiet Spanish corner, except for bright winter sunshine, beautiful beaches and unspoilt woodlands and waterfalls.
Casas Karen harks back to a traditional Andalucian way of life in the 18th century; the accommodation here comprises of a collection of chozas – wooden framed huts finished with straw walls and roofs, all finished in a traditional and cosy style which is reminiscent of the area’s strong connection with northern Africa. There are a range of different sized chozas that sleep between two and four people, as well as a few more modern built studios and bungalows.
Casas Karen is situated right on the beach near the Cape of Trafalgar (yes, where that battle was fought) so sunny days are easily spent lounging, sunbathing and swimming. There is also plenty of beautiful countryside to explore – on foot, mountain bike or horseback, and there are pretty white-washed Mediterranean villages aplenty. On site there are massage and yoga therapies to choose from, or if you feel in need of a touch of spiritual growth for the New Year ahead, then sessions and workshops on personal development are also available.
Casas Karen
Camino del Monte 6, 11159 Los Caños de Meca, Cadiz, Andalucia, Spain.
www.casaskaren.com/en
0034 956 437067
Open All year
Cost From €240 to €1500 per week (depending on season and accommodation size)
Facilities Chozas sleep 2-4 people and include studio style living space, basic kitchen facilities, heating and lighting and shared bathroom facilities. Some have private gardens or BBQ terraces.
