TRAVEL SPECIAL
Glamping hotspots in the UK
Shepherds’ huts
A tried, tested and beloved way of experiencing the British countryside, these sweet little structures once provided shelter for travelling livestock workers, but today have become the glamping crowd’s bread and butter. Usually made from wood, their compact interiors provide weary guests with comfortable beds, kitchenettes and seating areas finished in a charmingly rustic style. Some more luxe versions open out onto decking and come complete with woodfired hot tubs – perfect for soaking weary bones after a day’s rambling through the countryside.
3 of our favourites 95 WATERMILL
This charming hut on the Isles of Scilly invites visitors to live outdoors with a fire bowl, hammock and woodland setting. Sleeps two, from £95 a night, canopyandstars.co.uk
THE MERRY HARRIERS
Set in the Surrey Hills, this traditional pub has five stylish cabins built around a pretty pond. Sleeps two, from £195 a night, merryharriers.com
MEADOW HUT
This beautiful hut on Cornwall’s Lombard Farm comes with a rustic interior, wood burner and outdoor tub. Sleeps two, from £67 a night, lombardfarm.co.uk
Tree houses
We typically think of camping as a ground level activity, but turn your gaze skyward and you can view nature from a whole other perspective. Tree houses may be the stuff of childhood fantasy, but living out those daydreams is now easier than ever with fully fledged treetop cabins popping up all over the country, offering guests a unique experience of forest and woodland.
3 of our favourites THE PHEASANT’S RETREAT
A hanging bedroom pod, kitchen cabin, hot tub platform and firepit – all connected by wooden walkways – make this Devon retreat a true outdoor adventure. Sleeps two, from £110 a night, canopyandstars.co.uk
THE BOWER TREEHOUSE
Featured on Countryfile, this Somerset tree house has an outdoor tub, log stove and spacious deck. Sleeps two, from £250 a night, bowerhouseconstruction.co.uk
ORCHARD TREE HOUSE
This stylish cabin’s enchanting setting makes it all the more majestic. Sleeps four, from £260 a night, canopyandstars.co.uk
Bubbles
The shiny newcomer to the glamping scene, bubbles – also known as geodomes – perhaps offer the most intensely immersive of all camping experiences. Transparent spheres offer 360° views of the surrounding landscape. They provide a remarkable way to sleep beneath the stars in comfort.
3 of our favourites THE BUBBLE
On the Aspinall Foundation’s Port Lympne Reserve in Kent, this luxurious bubble features two domes stitched together to form a bedroom and living area.
Sleeps two, from £359 a night, aspinallfoundation.org
THE DOME GARDEN
This glamping village in the Gloucestershire countryside features 11 eco pod domes, all with proper beds, wood-burning stoves and comfortable en suites. Simple Dome, sleeps four, from £454 for a threenight weekend, domegarden.co.uk
CAMP KATUR
Set in 250 acres of North Yorkshire countryside, Camp Katur’s geodome sits alongside a selection of cabins, tepees and bell tents, and comes with a log burner and double bed. Sleeps up to four, from £120 a night, campkatur.com