Sarah Turner 

Play the field: 10 of the best glamping holidays in the UK

Yurts, safari tents, shepherds’ huts and even a vintage school bus provide the perfect hideouts to glamp it up with nature on the doorstep
  
  

A view of the Perthshire hills and two yurts at Alexander House.
The yurts at Alexander House look out over the Perthshire Hills Photograph: PR

Alexander House, Perthshire

Nestling under the scots pines, two lorries have been converted into cosy cabins with a claw bath, toilet and kitchenette. They’re ideal for two, although small children can be squeezed into what was the lorry cab on a rollaway bed. Outside is a hot tub, picnic area and barbecue. Also available on the estate – an hour from Edinburgh – are three yurts, all with wraparound scenery of the Perthshire hills.
From £300 for two nights, alexanderhousescotland.com

Abbey Home Farm, Gloucestershire

This organic farm near Burgord offers gorgeous views of the rolling countryside from a range of huts and yurts, as well as a cart shed and cottage. Its off-grid shepherds’ huts in Wiggold Wood are situated away from other campers and it’s just stroll down the old railway line to the farm shop, stocked with the farm’s own milk, vegetables, fruit and meat. There’s a café on site, plus farm tours and activities for children.
From £150 for two nights, theorganicfarmshop.co.uk

Camp Kátur, Yorkshire

Enjoy a spot of stargazing in the North Yorkshire countryside from the comfort of one of the clear geodomes at Camp Kátur. New this year is the larger geodome, set in the forest with its own circular decking. Glamping here caters for all tastes and family sizes, with bell tents, hobbit pods and lodges – some sleeping up to 18 people. There are barbecues and firepits for cooking, sessions on foraging and bushcraft, and kids get their own play area with swings and ropes. From May, Kátur should have an outdoor pub and restaurant up and running.
From £220 for two nights, campkatur.com

Wild Meadow, Norfolk

For those craving space and privacy, there are only four yurts on the Raynham estate, which is filled with wildflowers and stretches far and wide across north Norfolk. A large, canvas-covered, communal tent provides cooking space and rain cover, while the main house is occasionally open to the public but also holds recitals and other events. The yurts come with wood-burning stoves, a barbecue area and relaxing extra-large king-size beds.
From £390 for three nights, raynham.co.uk

Cadland pop-up rooms, Hampshire

This collection of bell tents aims to bring a boutique Hamptons hotel vibe to the south coast this summer. A few steps away from a secluded beach on the Solent, there will also be a bar and restaurant, with outdoor seating and table service; deliveries can also be made to your tent. The beach will have loungers and watersports tuition.
From £499 for three nights, thepopuphotel.com

Roarsome Adventures, Cornwall

Two converted vintage American school buses will be taking up residence on Mesmear Farm in Cornwall for the summer. Kitted out with a novel chalet-inspired interior, each bus sleeps four comfortably with bunk beds, plus there’s a kitchen and sitting areas. The farm has animals to feed and eggs to collect, while Polzeath beach’s Cornwall-meets-California vibe is a little less than a mile away for walks, surfing lessons or boat trips.
From £550 for two night, dinoskiwear.com/adventures

Burning Heart River Camp, East Sussex

Set in a magical four-acre meadow with a river that weaves through the farm, this is an idyllic spot in which to stay overnight in a yurt. By day you can watch the water from the luxury of a king-size bed, relax in an outdoor bath or shower, and fish or swim straight from the jetty; by night, warm yourself by the fire-bowl and enjoy the tranquillity.
From £145 a night, canopyandstars.co.uk

Drovers Rest, Herefordshire

Situated in the foothills of the Black Mountains on the border of Wales is Drovers Rest, an organic farm offering “super-posh glamping”. Its deluxe safari tents are spacious, with two bedrooms, a covered veranda with sofa and powerful wifi, plus their own hot monsoon shower and flushing loo. There are regular pizza, barbecue and curry nights using produce from the farm, a chillout barn with a cocktail bar and a barn house with table tennis and a well-stocked library.
From £300 for four nights, droversrest.co.uk

Ten Acres Vineyard, Devon

Vineyards and the more glamorous side of camping go together well. This one, on a south-facing slope with Dartmoor in the distance, was first planted in 2008. A cellar-door shop means you won’t go thirsty – it sells local ales and ciders as well as its own apple juice, wine, food and camping accessories. The campsite has just 15 pitches, including a furnished and two unfurnished bell tents. The nearby thatched village of Winkleigh has shops, pubs and tea rooms.
From £60 for two nights, tenacres vineyardcamping.co.uk

Chiltern Yurt Retreat, Buckinghamshire

Home to bluebells and badgers, this gentle glade in the Chilterns near Great Missenden is the perfect glamping hideout with a yurt, wooden cabin and a vaulted hut with a church-door entrance, based on the “tin tabernacles” that used to be found across Britain. Badger’s Bower, the hut, has a giant bath, fire pit, king-size bed, and up to six people can be accommodated in tents nearby. Pubs and shops are a five-minute walk away so you don’t need a car. Immediate surroundings also include a population of deer, kingfishers and owls.
From £350 for two nights, chilternyurtretreat.co.uk

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