6 Places to go family glamping in Somerset
I consider myself a seasoned camper. Almost all school holidays, and many a weekend of my childhood were spent under canvas in various locations across England and France. I still feel the call of al fresco adventures like these, but now, with three young kids, my desire to wake up to birdsong and fresh country air comes with a craving for a comfy bed, kitchen appliances, some form of warmth and perhaps a cheeky hot tub with rather wonderful views. Basically, I want as much convenience as possible for my getaway under canvas – the luxury of a hotel, combined with the freedom of the great outdoors. I want family-friendly glamping in Somerset.
We’re all familiar with ‘glampsites’ by now, but Somerset does them particularly well. With rural countryside and spectacular scenery, there is a wealth of places to choose from that are perfect for families to reconnect with nature, nurture little outdoor enthusiasts and even get a bit of adult relaxation.
I’ve picked out a few outstanding ones in the county, where you can watch youngsters gambolling round green fields by day, and cosy up beside the fire, feasting on hot chocolate by dark starry night.
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Family-friendly Somerset Glamping
Yeabridge Farm Hideaway
Surrounded by gorgeous South Somerset countryside and lush greenery, Yeabridge Farm Hideaway is a quiet retreat that is perfect for an outdoorsy family holiday.
Choose between four yurts (each sleeping five), a shepherd’s hut, two-storey Owl Nest Loft or big red converted bus, or hire the whole site exclusively for you and your friends. Each accommodation comes with its own outdoor space, picnic table, fire pit, charcoal BBQ, access to a laundry room and dedicated washroom with a hot shower, toilet, and fluffy towels. There’s also two communal kitchens equipped with fridge, camping stoves, oven, crockery, utensils and pans.
Upon arrival, deploy children to fetch giant wheelbarrows. These colourful wagons are a brilliant way of ferrying stuff (and offspring) around the site. Inside the yurts, you’ll find wooden floors, solar lighting, safety candles and a wood burning stove. There is no electricity inside, but guests are provided with their own secure charging box in the laundry room.
You’ll also find a hen hutch next to your yurt! Guests can ‘hire’ chickens for £20, and I highly recommend it if going with children. These feathered friends kept our kids entertained for the duration of our stay. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them more enamoured with anything as they were with these birds. As a bonus, you get to eat any eggs they lay.
When not playing with chickens, kids can explore the large grassy area, adorned with glowing festoon lights, or clamber on wooden play equipment hidden away in the woods.
Last-minute glamping essentials can be found in the honesty shop. Watch out for a cheeky squirrel that likes to help himself. BBQ hampers from Bagnell Farm can be ordered and delivered to your yurt, or if you don’t fancy cooking, The Royal Oak in Over Stratton is a short walk.
Hadspen Glamping with hot tub Somerset
Hidden away in an amphitheatre-esque five-acre field, whose rolling hills are dotted with sheep, Hadspen Glamping offers a luxury camping experience in three safari-style lodges that will push your bucolic buttons.
The site was transformed by two couples – Lucy and Robert Comer, and David and Stephanie York, who thought the pastoral prettiness and proximity to local attractions would make the perfect glamping retreat.
Choose from Horsecombe Lodge (sleeping four), Lime Kiln Lodge, (suitable for up to five), and Grisway Lodge (with space for seven guests). Although off-grid, this is glamping with hotel-like facilities – lodges are lit with solar power and heated with a wood-burning stove.
All accommodation comes with a fully-equipped kitchen, ensuite drench shower room, and toilet, as well as a veranda with outdoor seating, BBQ and wood-fired hot tub or copper bath. The tubs are filled for your arrival and tucked away with privacy in mind, making them an ideal spot for savouring the spectacular views over the hills, and a very exciting bath time for kids!
Inside, you’ll also find sumptuous sofas and comfy beds laden with fluffy towels and plumped cushions to add to the upmarket snuggle factor. To save you some hassle, opt for a locally-sourced food hamper to have ready and waiting in your lodge.
While the inside of each lodge will make you want to hunker down and get cosy, glamping is of course, as much about The Great Outdoors. Turn up during lambing season, and youngsters can meet and sometimes get involved with bottle feeding new additions to the owners’ flock.
Hire a bicycle and head off exploring, venture to the nearby market towns of Bruton and Castle Cary, where you’ll find quirky shops, art galleries and restaurants, or pop across the road to The Newt in Somerset.
Tractors and Cream Glamping
Bed down in one of Tractors and Cream’s six geodesic domes under the big skies of the Somerset levels. The domes come with all the necessary creature comforts – some are ensuite, some have outdoor bathtubs, all have a private toilet and kitchen next door, as well as access to a communal games room, larger kitchen and children’s play area.
Guests can opt for various add-ons, ranging from dance classes and cake decorating to afternoon tea and pampering activities, or even a silent disco. The site has undergone rewilding efforts and tree planting, resulting in lovely natural spaces where children can run free between the domes and the playground. Fabulous.
Mendip Basecamp
Mendip Activity Centre is the largest independent activity centre in the South West, with a private rock climbing venue, target sports ranges, dry ski slope and a watersports river. The off-grid Mendip Basecamp campsite runs alongside it, offering thrilling adventure holidays to families looking for an active, outdoorsy getaway.
For camping with slightly reduced effort, there are nine nomadic bell tents and two glamphouse safari tents – be sure to hire a fire pit on arrival for evening s’mores. Visitors aged four and upwards can take part in over 20 activities, all led by fully-qualified instructors. They include tobogganing, skiing, paddleboarding, frisbee golf, abseiling, kayaking and more!
Middle Stone Farm
Immerse yourself in Somerset country life at this Middle Stone Farm glamping and farm holiday experience, within striking distance of Exmoor National Park. Spread out across the family-run farm, there are six large luxury safari tents, a bespoke wooden cabin and a holiday cottage, all with private bathrooms and hot tubs.
Farm tours take place during your stay, with the chance to meet pigs, alpaca, sheep, geese and chickens, whose animal chirrups provide the soundtrack to your stay. There’s often the chance for a tractor ride too. Little ones will adore the play areas and meadow, adults will relish the fabulous farm shop produce and gorgeous views.
The Little Shire family glamping Somerset
Ever dreamt of visiting Hobbiton™? Well, here’s Somerset’s answer to the Shire™. These hobbit-style huts, built into the hillside at the back of Rookery Farm near Wells, offer underground family glamping luxury.
Families will want to go for the slightly larger glamping pods, Quackers or The Wabbit, which have two and three bedrooms respectively. They’re slightly pricier than some glamping pods in Somerset, but their facilities are top spec. Both come quipped with a fully-fitted kitchen, living room with sofa and Smart TV, private stove heated hot tub , free wifi, towels, robes and linen. The Wabbit also comes with a private BBQ cabin, under floor heating and a marble table and chairs – and definitely the one I’ve got my eye on for our family of five.
On the working farm, you’ll find a number of public use businesses, plus a gorgeous play park with its own play hobbit house. Do check their Facebook page for special discounts on stays.
Read more about Somerset glamping:
Yurt holiday in Somerset Yeabridge Farm Hideaway
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