TAKE A BREAK HOBBIT STYLE
WHAT does the word wigwam bring to mind? Sunday afternoon cowboy movies or something you might build yourself in the back yard with garden canes and a bed sheet, perhaps? In more than 70 scenic locations around the UK, it’s all about camping (or glamping) thanks to Wigwam Holidays, which offers some very distinctive accommodation. Each of its cute and curved Hobbitstyled huts is heated, insulated and double-glazed to keep you warm whatever the weather. They also all come equipped with a TV and DVD player – handy if the elements take a turn for the worse – as well as a kettle and fridge. We chose a spot in Hertfordshire’s Lee Valley. The site at Dobb’s Weir, near Hoddesdon, is situated by a bend in the river. The combination of a peaceful waterway and beautiful countryside made it a gorgeous little spot to relax in. A less-than-picturesque industrial estate sits on the other side of the site, but stick to the River Lee Country Park and the land that stretches down to Waltham Abbey and you won’t even know it’s there. The area offers plenty of walking routes and it’s great for cyclists, plus there’s something for the more adventurous right on the doorstep. The park includes the Lee Valley White Water Centre, used for the 2012 Olympics, and you can get as wet and wild as you fancy. If you’d rather use your time in the countryside to get close to nature, take a trip to the Lee Valley Park Farms. They’ve got pigs, cows and sheep as well as meerkats, llamas, corn snakes and chinchillas. Heading back to the campsite, we stopped off at the nearby Fish and Eels pub, the ideal place to refuel with its riverside setting and kids’ menu. Then it was back to the wigwam where the seating folds down to make one large family bed. After a few bedtime stories it was lights out for the kids. The adults then continued the evening on the private decking with a few red wines around the fire-pit.