Yurt alert: glamping just got even more magical

cushions (yay!) but might have to walk across a meadow to use a composting loo. Also, you get space enough to swing a yak. And you don’t have to buy the endless paraphernalia required for actual camping.

Have we passed peak yurt? No. The Godfather of Glamping has upped its ger-ame. Many craftspeople are handmaking yurts on home soil to the highest eco-standards using sustainable wood and ethical textiles tailored to the British climate. There are yurts with underfloor heating, integrated kitchens, outdoor baths and wood-fired hottubs. There are yurts that look like Arabian boudoirs, ideal for canoodling couples. And there are yurts in outdoor playgrounds where families can pile in together and reconnect.

Tim Rees, founder of Quality Unearthed, who lived in a yurt for several years, remains loyal: “Yurts hold an almost magical quality that other structures don’t offer. Inside, the curves are reminiscent of a mandala, appealing to the senses, combined with a clear cover that offers a glimpse of the stars. They have a feeling of serenity and peace.” “Inshriach was the first yurt in our collection, so holds a special place in my heart,” says Tom Dixon, of Canopy & Stars. “The setting is magical year round – guests have stayed here in -20C [-4F].” This hillside bolt-hole, overlooking the River Spey, is wilderness glamping at its cosiest, with a Victorian bed and top-notch wood burner. Elsewhere on the estate, you can steam in the horsebox sauna. Sleeps two, from £70pn (0117

204 7830; canopyandstars. co.uk) Sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing, kayaking, The owners of Trellyn, an idyllic campsite in a valley running right to the sea, have offered yurt stays since they handmade their first in 2005; they’re so passionate about sustainability that they’ve founded the Greener Camping Club. They also have a flair for the creative: their Starlight Yurt is themed on the illustrations of a local artist; Woodend (three yurts joined) is like something out of The Hobbit, with round doors and detailing just like Bilbo’s pad.

Sleeps four/six, from £125pn (01348 837762; trellyn.co.uk) “With an increase in demand for year-round glamping, yurts have evolved,” says Garri Rayner, of goglamping.net. “The solution? Replace the traditional Mongolian canvas-and-lattice structure with a solid wooden roundhouse.” Fron Farm, beneath the Preseli Mountains, is a forerunner of this concept – its Gwdihŵ (Owl) Yurt, made from locally sourced sustainable wood, remains toasty in winter and not only contains the standard cosy beds and wood burner but also an internal bathroom, kitchen and pizza oven. Sleeps four/six, from

£75pn (goglamping.net)

TOWN AND COUNTRY Walcot Hall, Shropshire, left, and Urban London, main