'Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures.' Lovelle Drachman
If you are of a curious disposition, but have never ventured into the heady realm of glamping, then let me introduce you to the wonderful world that you’ve been missing out on. Grab a coffee, get cosy and we’ll take a look at what glamping is, and why you definitely should be jumping on the bandwagon (or in it as may well be the case).
So, what exactly is it?
Do you dream of spending time in the great outdoors, watching the sunset whilst the birds sing their final soliloquy of the night and the wind whispers gently through the meadow grass? Is this image immediately ruined by the thought of struggling with stubborn tent poles, battling the elements and dealing with the ensuing arguments and inevitable disappointment that goes hand in hand with setting up camp for the night? Then fear not – glamping provides all of the pleasure associated with time spent hanging out with Mother Nature, with none of the pain, inconvenience and discomfort associated with traditional camping.
According to GlampingHub the term ‘glamping’ first originated in 2007, although the concept had already been around for many moons.. By 2016 it had been included in the Oxford English Dictionary. As the razor-witted amongst you will no doubt have guessed, ‘glamping’ is an amalgamation of ‘glamorous’ and ‘camping’. Yup, we’re talking posh camping – genius, right?
Whereas traditional camping involves searching for a suitable spot (needless to say in the rain) and assembling your own accommodation for the night (cue inevitable threats of divorce), when glamping, the accommodation is all set up, ready and waiting - just turn up, unpack and relax!
Ooh, camping - nooo! Glamping? Why yes please, dahling!
But how is it better than camping?
The types of glamping structures available (there are many, and I mean, many) allow you to truly immerse yourself in nature in a number of unique ways never before experienced from the confines of a tent. Depending on the location you may be able to:
Take an outdoor bath in the rain;
Sip your morning coffee on a private deck surrounded by sheep;
Warm up in a log-fired jacuzzi whilst star-gazing;
Hang out in a hammock for two in your own private forest.
The list really is endless. Glamping offers the perfect opportunity to connect with nature in a luxurious, exclusive and memorable way. Glamping also involves far more comfort and access to facilities than you’d ever get from your average campsite:
King size bed? Tick.
Egyptian cotton linen? Tick.
Underfloor heating? Tick
En suite shower and flushing loo? Tick, tick.
Wood fired hot tub or jacuzzi ? Tick to those too.
Not only are these just some of the things available at glamping sites across the UK and elsewhere, but you may get hampers of goodies on arrival, breakfast delivered to the door, marshmallows for toasting over your own private fire-pit and much, much more.
Some glamping sites have help-yourself gin bars (yes really! Sign me up…), on site butlers,, or offer private boat tours. In fact, the possibilities are endless. If it’s an option, someone probably has a glamp-site somewhere that has it.
OK, so what kind of place can you glamp in?
What type of glamorous abodes are we talking about? Well, here it gets really interesting - if you’re looking for a quirky, unique, and extraordinary place to stay then take your pick.
Popular glamping options include yurts, tipis, pods, bell tents, cabins, domes, hobbit houses, treehouses and safari tents, but you may also find converted airstreams, caves, buses, fire engines, horse boxes and even tanks out there available to rent.
Whatever floats your boat. Or bus. That bandwagon? That’s out there too, somewhere.
I'm convinced! But why stay in a shepherd hut?
Obviously here at the farm we love a good, old-fashioned shepherd hut. Any why not? In our experience, nothing beats a beautiful, traditional hut for romance and nostalgia, with a healthy dash of luxury and a sprinkling of quirkiness thrown in. Shepherd huts have been around since the 16th century. They were used by shepherds as accommodation when they needed to stay outdoors to tend their flock. They were far more basic structures, however, with none of the modern conveniences that you see today - so no walk-in rainfall shower for the poor lowly shepherd.
Today shepherd huts have been reimagined as cosy, romantic retreats, boasting all sorts of additions, turning them into mini homes from home. Whereas many glamping structures may involve a compost loo or separate bathroom, most shepherd huts have en suite bathrooms, so there’s no need to traipse out into the cold and windy night, torch in hand.
The same is true of the cooking facilities. Whilst you may be guaranteed your own BBQ and fire-pit for camping out under the stars, with many tents, yurts, tipis etc, this is the only option, or there may be a stand alone cooking area. Not so with a shepherd hut - the majority have a kitchenette built in so if the weather is inclement, or you just don’t fancy more BBQ fare, you can cook inside too. And who doesn't want options, at the end of a hard day relaxing?
So all in all a shepherd hut offers the ultimate in glamping getaways - sleeping, cooking and bathroom facilities all in one unique, quirky yet ultimately traditional space. Just imagine curling up with your favourite novel listening to the rain patter on the roof. Or sipping wine under the starry night sky. Or watching the sunset whilst relaxing in an outdoor bath. Here at Marsh Farm we're all about getting back to nature, without skimping on the luxury - it's your holiday after all! So get ready to unpack, unplug and unwind and jump into your own glamping adventure today.
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