Glamping in a Shepherd’s Hut – 10 top tips…

We stayed in a number of glamping locations as part of our research for Dimpsey (well that’s what I told hubby it was anyway, it’s normally a bit difficult to drag him away from his farm ;-))  As part of doing that we learnt a few good tips and thought we would share them 🙂

Pre-holiday Welcome Letter

• Firstly, read the pre-visit instructions that they send you – they usually contain some tips about little quirks of the location that can be useful.  Things like a location map and the times when Satnav doesn’t take you to the right place – as well as a telephone number if you get lost.
• Next print this document out and put it ready to take with you in the car – don’t rely on the fact that your mobile signal will work to recall the email.  We discovered this one in Wales – cue the classic “couple in a car ” argument 😉
• Most people list the things that you will find in your shepherd’s hut – so again read this rather than making assumptions.  We assumed that there would be a fridge in one location – wrong!
• A lot of glamping locations have compost toilets – as they are in out of the way locations.  They have come on loads since the early days, so they really aren’t a hassle – but can be a bit of a surprise if you didn’t realise, so do check before you book.

Useful things to pack for a glamping trip

• We always take some empty carrier bags with us – they come in really useful as extra rubbish bags, or to separate clean from dirty washing on the way home.
• Many places offer a welcome basket of basic provisions – but this will be mentioned in their Welcome letter, so if they don’t you may need to take some milk etc with you in case you arrive late.  It’s also worth checking where the nearest shop/pub is.  Again, do read the information before you go – as it’s often listed in there.
• Make sure that you take appropriate footwear with you – you will want to so some walking so wellies and/or walking boots might come in useful.
• Glamping holidays are all about the outdoors and are meant to be relaxing, so download some music you love, pack that book or magazine you’ve been meaning to read for ages – and get ready to unwind and recharge.
• A torch is always good to have with you, and you might want a penknife and a box of matches.  Campfire and candlelight are great companions for a glamping holiday.  Oh, and we always take a bag of marshmallows and skewer sticks with us – you can’t beat toasting marshmallows over the fire embers.
• We always take a pair of flip flops or thick socks so we have something to wear inside the shepherd’s hut – rather than outdoor shoes.

There, I hope that some of these glamping tips will be useful for you. For the record, Satnav brings you almost to our door, there is a fridge in the Dimpsey hut and it is a flushing toilet.  But you will still need to read our Welcome letter when you book to get things like phone numbers etc.  Most importantly, wherever you stay, make sure that you do enjoy yourselves and take time out to relax!