Glamping holidays in the South Downs, England
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Description of Glamping holidays in the South Downs, England
Go camping with a difference in the heart of the South Downs National Park. Glamping is the perfect combination of camping and comfort; stay in one of 4 tents that are kitted out to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Each tent sleeps 6 people, with 1 double, two singles and a bunk-bed. Elevated on a wooden platform, there is a lounge area and kitchen with running water. There is a separate log cabin bathroom on your platform, with toilet, hot shower and wash basin. Relax around the table for dinner and keep warm by the fire under the stars.
Three of the tents are located together next to a small wood so are perfect for groups who want to camp together. In March a new addition of a communal yurt is on its way to this area and when erected will be a nice space for everyone to relax together; especially when the weather is ominous. Cedars is a separate tent that is located its own field; a nice private spot with the wonders of the wood to explore.
This area of the South Downs is so beautiful and is right on your doorstep as you step outside your tent into the landscape. With the woods to explore and the South Downs Way not far, you can walk to your heart’s content. We can also arrange activities such as horse riding, fishing, clay pigeon shooting and biking. There are villages nearby if you fancy a pub lunch and a pint, or visit the local butcher and bring back some supplies for a barbecue outside you tent. There are loads of places of interest to visit in the area whether you fancy a historical trip to Jane Austen’s House, a walk around Uppark House and Gardens or an outing to Marwell Zoo with the kids.
Rooms, food and facilities
There are 4 tents to choose from all measuring 9m x 5m and are built on top of fully lined wooden platforms that offer insulation from the ground. There are a couple of solar powered lights in each tent and bathroom, with wood burning stoves for water heating.
Each tent can accommodate 6 people in 3 rooms; a double, twin and bunk all including duvets and pillows. Tents also include a well equipped kitchen with food preparation areas, a gas hob, fridge, sink with running cold water tap, open plan living and dining area, large table and comfortable seating area. On the wooden platform there is also a separate log cabin bathroom with flushing toilet, basin and hot shower; the water is heated by its own wood burning stove.
Cedars tent is located on the edge of woodland and offers complete privacy so is perfect for families as the woods are right there to explore. Cedars has its own flint circled campfire just outside and a huge oak table for you to eat around.
Beeches, Oaks and Firs are in a separate field next to a small wood. These are all quite close to each other so are perfect for groups of Glampers. Firs is a little distance from Oaks and Beeches so can be a private tent or easily make up as the third group tent. The bathroom set up is the same as Cedars for each tent and there is also a fire pit for each tent or a large communal fire pit for larger parties. There are picnic tables, hammocks and swings dotted about as well.
We are in the process of adding a communal yurt to the group area which will be on a large deck in the same field for a slight extra cost. Full of bean bags for hanging out as a group and with a large dining table for communal meals, this will be a great addition to your stay; especially in compromising weather conditions. It can also be used as extra accommodation for larger groups.
Other facilities and activities (some of which are at an extra cost) include:
-Extra linen and towels
-Bike hire
-Tennis
-Horse riding
-Clay Pigeon Shooting
-Fishing
Map
Travel guides
How to find us
The nearest train station is Petersfield, which is about 5 miles away; from there you can get a short 10 minute taxi all the way here.
From London take the M3; turn on the A331 to Farnham, next turn onto the A31 towards Alton, then the A32 towards Farnham. At the West Meon Hub pub take a left; you’ll go through a tunnel, and then turn right after 1 mile at a signpost – East Meon 2.5 miles and Bereleigh 1 mile. After a mile you’ll see the entrance to the estate on the left – brick and flint wall, lodge house and a tarmac driveway.
From London taking the A3; exit onto A272 for Winchester, drive through Stroud and Langrish, ignoring the sign post to East Meon in Langrish. When you see the “East Meon 2.5 miles and Bereleigh 1 mile” sign turn left and follow instructions as above.
Responsible Travel
Planet
As the tents are situated right by the woods there is plenty of wildlife dotted about. We don’t deter any of the wildlife that is living in the land and we welcome everything. There are loads of hares around and we like to keep it that way; a white barn owl lives at the bottom of the field by the tents; at least 18 couples of kites are dotted about; buzzards, pheasants, partridges and deer can be found scattered around as well.In the 350 acres of primitive woodland, we’ve done a lot of work thinning out some of the trees, and as a result we’ve created a new environment that is encouraging a thriving and diverse population of plants blooming on the woodland floors. There are some particularly beautiful Orchids that attract a range of amazing butterflies. Chappetts Copse is Beech woodland that is managed by a nature reserve and neighbours our wood; I think that some of their wildlife are spreading into our wood which is great.
We are planning on carrying out some work to build tree house accommodation that should be done by September 2013. We’ve been really careful with our planning permission to make sure we’ve had correct ecological reports done so that we do not build near these wonderful wild plants. The tree houses are going to be really eco friendly, being built using wood from trees in the forest and with more solar panels. We allow our wood to be accessible to anyone so they will be perfect for ramblers as they venture off the South Downs Way trail. People can stay in the woods in a tree house and enjoy the butterflies and wildflowers as they re-charge themselves.
Although the tents don’t have electricity, they do have battery powered low lighting that is sourced from solar panels on the roofs of the tents themselves. For heat we have wood burning stoves inside the tents and outside a flint circled camp fire or fire-pits; these are a great way to source your own heat, cook and light up the outdoors at night-time.
People
My family and I have a lot of involvement in the local community. My mum in particular is involved with the school and the parish council. They are often having fundraising events and whenever they have a doo, I help out too; I put up tents for events; help out the school putting things ups; last year I dug the school a pond and I’m designated DJ as well.We do fundraising for the Countryside Alliance in the form of a clay pigeon shoot and a supper which is quite fun. Each year I budget in some money from the business for charity; a weekend break glamping is auctioned off with all proceeds going to a good cause. Personally I am also involved in raising money for people with cataracts in India. A few friends and I are running the equivalent of 6 marathons in 7 days across the Gobi desert this June. We’re also holding a fundraising ball and we hope the money raised will cure about 5,000 people from blindness.
We really encourage using local businesses and local people as its good for the economy in the area. As a family we employ a lot of local people on our estate and similarly we use local tradesmen and businesses. I’ve recently beet cutting back some of the Red Cedar in the woods as it’s the natural time of year to do this; it’s been sent to a local mans business to be sawn into wood that will be used to build the tree houses in the woods. Although we don’t provide food, we always suggest that people get the meat for their barbecues from the local butcher at Harriotts in West Meon; it’s very good.
We’re very friendly with nearby business Meon Springs who offer some accommodation and activities; if either of us are fully booked we’ll always send our customers over to each other. We also promote the local pubs in the area. The Old George and the Izaak Walton are in East Meon, or the Thomas Lord in West Meon is great for a high end meal. The walk to the Thomas Lord is also a nice activity with the reward of a drink the other end.
There’s loads to do in the local area; Petersfield has a market once a month; East Meon has a May fair and 2 summer fates; there is also a beer festival and music festival which are really nice to get involved with and I have done some volunteer DJing for them as well. Other places nearby to visit include; Marwell Zoological Park; Peppa Pig world; Go Ape; Winchester City Mill; Uppark House and gardens; Jane Austen’s house and you'll find plenty more.
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