New and unusual places to stay in the West Country with Classic Glamping

From a shipping container to a luxury shepherd’s hut with hot tub, and from a Victorian gypsy caravan to a tin tabernacle, Classic Glamping introduces a number of novel options across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset – comfort and quirkiness guaranteed…

NEW

No-expense-spared safari tents in South Devon

Opening on 3^rd July, Brownscombe Luxury Glamping – three huge safari tents, situated on the slopes of a field full of buttercups in a beautiful valley in South Devon – is set to be a hit with discerning families. Bovey, Dart and Tamar (each sleeps six) boast living and dining areas, showers, flushing loos, log-fired ranges and fridges. They’re set far enough apart to give guests privacy but, if the neighbouring kids get on, you may choose to join family forces for a communal barbeque and toasting of marshmallows over the fire-pits provided for each tent. Children can visit the friendly pigs, collect eggs and play table tennis or table football in the games room. The owner runs a little shop, Brownscombe Larder, in the nearby outbuilding, where you can order breakfast and barbecue hampers, and stock up on basics. Nearby boat trips on the River Dart beckon, and the beach, shops and restaurants of Totnes and Dartmouth are also a draw. A week’s stay costs from £125 pp (£750 total).

Wendy house for grown-ups in South Devon

Opening on 8^th June and part of Brownscombe Luxury Glamping, Brownscombe Tabernacle (sleeps two) is rather special. Prefab ‘tin tabernacles’ were once used by Methodist preachers throughout the South West and this one is hand-crafted, from the stained glass window to the bell tower. It makes an unusual and romantic retreat and has a hot shower, flushing loo, electricity, a fully-fitted kitchen, a log-fired stove, a wood-fired hot tub and lovely views. It’s situated in the beautiful village of Compton, near Paignton. A week’s stay costs from £249 pp (£498 total).

A shepherd’s life plus hot tub in mid Devon

At Binneford Farm the same family has worked the land for generations and this is a real back-to-nature retreat, staying in one of two newly-opened luxury shepherds’ huts (each sleeping two). Completely tucked away in a large field overlooking a lake, Shepherd’s Joy has just one neighbour, Shepherd’s Bliss, and both have hot tubs. Relax and delight in watching herons, buzzards and deer. At night, listen for foxes and owls. Walking, cycling, fishing and horse riding are available – or head to Tiverton, with its castle, museum and country park, or the historic market town of Crediton. A week’s stay costs from £167 pp (£333 total).

Cedar yurts with Wifi and under-floor heating set in woodland in South Devon

Opening on 24^th July, Owl and Pheasant Cedar Yurts (each sleeps five) are cedar-clad literally from top to toe and perched on the slope of a wooded valley teeming with wildlife. For a comfortable dwelling at the heart of nature, this is hard to beat. Both yurts have a cantilevered deck giving guests spectacular views across the treetops. The nearby, very picturesque waterside village of Dittisham has two good pubs, an excellent seafood café and a village store, and there’s a foot ferry to the Greenway estate – former holiday home of author Agatha Christie and now owned by the National Trust. A week’s stay costs from £89 pp (£444 total).

Romany romance in South Cornwall

Fancy gypsy wagon glamping in Cornwall? Opening on 5^th May, Jinka’s Wagon (sleeps two), once the horse-drawn home of a travelling family, is a Victorian caravan, beautifully restored and sitting in a meadow near Looe in South Cornwall. Climb the wooden steps to find vintage oil lamps, patterned crockery and a traditional stove-top kettle. Nearby there is historic Lanreath, between the harbour town of Looe and picturesque Polperro – or walk along the South West Coast Path or explore the inland woods. There are great beaches at Talland Bay and Lansallos, too. A week’s stay costs from £146 pp (£291 total).

Tor View shepherd’s hut in Somerset

From 10^th April you can take in the achingly beautiful views of rural Somerset from Tor View Shepherd’s Hut (sleeps two), olde worlde in style but offering 21^st century comforts. A tip-top triumph of bespoke design, the hut is set between the foothills of the Mendips and the ancient landscape of the Somerset Levels. A huge meadow stretches out in front and there are stunning views towards Glastonbury Tor. Explore the local footpaths – Iron Age Maesbury Castle is but a short stroll – or visit the Tor, or Cheddar Gorge, the caves of Wookey Hole, or maybe spend a day in Bath. A week’s stay costs from £153 pp (£306 total).

UNUSUAL

Shipping container in a wildflower meadow in South Cornwall

Half tin, half tent, Rusty the Tin Tent (sleeps four) was once a shipping container but is now a high spec, fully-equipped glamping getaway near Mullion, South Cornwall. Cook on a log-fired range, sleep in beds made from scaffolding poles (but with sprung mattresses) and shop for farm-fresh local produce at the on-site honesty shop. Discover the stunning coves and Mediterranean-esque scenery of the local coastline including the breathtaking Lizard Peninsula. Explore the quaint fishing villages of Cadgwith and Porthleven, or become a surf dude. A week’s stay costs from £97 pp (£387 total).

Iconic Airstream in South Devon

Airstream 1234 (sleeps two) is all dazzling silver and sleek lines – quite a contrast to the undulating Devonshire greenery in which she’s secreted. Built in 1956 in America, she was once owned by a member of Wally Byam’s Caravanners Club (founder of Airstream) but is now parked two miles from Dartmouth. She still has window stickers from a 1961 Omaha, Nebraska meeting but is otherwise extravagantly restored and has underfloor heating, air-con, a fully-fitted kitchen, Wifi and a power shower. A week’s stay costs from £180 pp (£360 total).

Treehouse living for less-able guests in South Devon

Fir Tree Lodge and Birch Tree Lodge (each sleeps six) are a cross between safari tents and treehouses and are brilliantly suited to people with mobility issues because everything is accessed via sloping wooden walkways. The lodges are located in South Devon at Seale-Hayne, an innovative centre owned and run by the Dame Hannah Roger’s Trust – a charity devoted to providing cultural, educational and physical support for less-able or disadvantaged children and adults. Up in the treetops, the tents provide fabulous views of the Devon countryside. The raised wooden balconies have rocking chairs for the ultimate holiday chill-out. A week’s stay costs from £65 pp (£387 total).

For more information call Classic Glamping on 01326 555 555 (www.classicglamping.co.uk).

To help plan your visit to the South West, with plenty of ideas of places to go and things to do suggested by Classic’s local experts, visit www.classicguide.co.uk.

Ends / 7 April 2015

Press: For further information and high-resolution images, please contact Rebecca Milne or Mischa Mack at Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email r.milne@travelpr.co.uk or m.mack@travelpr.co.uk.