All within two hours of London
16 April 2021
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It’s time to start planning a British staycation – but if camping is a stretch, we’ve rounded up the loveliest glamping sites near London for a countryside escape with a smart edge.
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The Shepherds Hide
ESSEX
Along the banks of the Colne Estuary, where watery fingers reach inland at the highest of tides, Mill Farm takes its name from an old wooden watermill built in 1831 that still stands on the edge of a tidal pool. The two shepherd’s huts on the estate can feel like bird hides at times, with windows peeping out at the surrounding land that herons and moorhens call home. Inside, however, it’s very comfortable with woodburners, compact kitchenettes, and en-suite shower rooms. It’s just a five-minute drive to Brightlingsea Beach, and during summer the farm’s strawberry fields are open to the public, so you can grab a punnet and fill up for your tea.
Address: The Shepherds Hide, Mill Farm, Colchester CO7 8JJ
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Wingbury Farm Glamping
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Just beyond the northern tip of the Chilterns – the natural ridge just north-west of London that runs like a backbone across the heart of the home counties – the three modern glamping pods at Wingbury Farm sit in an almost perfectly flat field in rural Buckinghamshire. With fully equipped kitchens, TVs, and thermostatically controlled heating, the cabins have all mod cons, while outside there are wood-fired hot tubs where guests can enjoy south-east-facing views that capture the best of the sunset. There’s a good pub in Wingrave, a 20-minute walk away, and it’s about a 30-minute drive to the Chilterns and the National Trust’s wooded Ashridge Estate.
Address: Wingbury Farm Glamping, Upper Wingbury Farm, Wingrave HP22 4LW
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Free Range Glamping
KENT
Set on the 500-acre farm that surrounds the Tudor mansion of Bore Place, Free Range Glamping offers yurts and shepherd’s huts in a sprawling, hilltop wildflower meadow. There’s an illusion that you’re totally off-grid – accommodation is heated by woodburners, there are grills for cooking over the campfire, and every structure has a canvas dining shelter alongside – but, in fact, there’s running water and ample comforts, with gas hobs provided and quirky open-air showers sheltered by a willow screen. It’s a 300-yard walk to the main farm, where there are ‘proper’ showers and loos, along with bike hire, yoga workshops, and the chance to join a farm walk. For a day out, Chartwell, Emmetts Garden, and Hever Castle are all within a 10-minute drive.
Address: Free Range Glamping, Bore Place, Chiddingstone, Edenbridge TN8 7AR
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Gravel Pit Farm
KENT
It’s a 15-minute walk or five-minute drive from the local train station of Marden to this spot, making it one of the best-connected sites for a post-pandemic escape from London. With just a couple of safari tents, each sleeping up to six people, it’s also great for family gatherings and reunions, with giant fire-pits for barbecuing food and an open meadow space where children can play games. The neighbouring field – flowering yellow in May or pale with wheat in summer – lures you out onto footpaths to explore. A 20-minute trek on foot leads to Herbert Hall winery (one of the paths takes you right past some of the vines) and it’s the same, by car, to National Trust properties Sissinghurst Castle Garden and Scotney Castle.
Address: Gravel Pit Farm, Gravel Pit Lane, Goudhurst Road, Marden, Kent, TN12 9NP
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Bensfield Treehouse
EAST SUSSEX
The 80ft rope bridge that spans the seasonal pond on Bensfield Farm sways ever so gently as you stride across the atmospheric gangway to the treehouse at the other end. Built around a vast oak tree, the house has everything you’d expect from a modern self-catering set-up, including a king-size bed and shower room, albeit with the ever-present tree trunk protruding through the centre of the space. Outside, there’s a copper bathtub on the deck where it’s possible to bathe in the last of the evening light as it streaks through the oak canopy. It’s a five-minute drive through High Weald countryside to the local train station at Wadhurst, about an hour from London Charing Cross.
Address: Bensfield Treehouse, Wadhurst TN5 6JT
