Wixoldbury Farm Glamping

At the end of a narrow, three-quarter-mile long country lane, over the speed bumps, past the alpaca farm and across the tiny stream, Wixoldbury Farm feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere. And in a sense, it is. Looking across the meadows it’s all cows, clouds and countryside as far as the eye can see but it also belies a convenient reality. Quiet but not quite remote, inconspicuous but not inaccessible, Wixoldbury is also within striking distance of Wales, Bristol and the Cotswolds, all of which are within a 25-minute drive.

Home to two charming roundhouses and ‘Popeye’ the traditional shepherd’s hut, Wixoldbury is a working Gloucestershire farm five miles from the M5. In a fenced off paddock a short walk from where you park your car (trollies are provided for luggage), the glamping area occupies a particularly picturesque spot on the farm, with nosey sheep nuzzling along the fence line and a deck outside each accommodation unit where you can sit and enjoy the view.

Each abode has a compact kitchen, an en-suite shower room and can comfortably sleep two people, though sofa beds are provided for children in the roundhouses. While the shepherd’s hut enjoys the ambience of a wood-burning stove – warm, glowing and hard to beat – the roundhouses benefit from tall, sloping ceilings that lend them a wonderful sense of space. And, whichever you choose, all guests can use the communal barbecue den and dining area, as well as gathering around the campfire late at night.

Host Jane knows the area like the back of her hand. Not just the 40 acres of farmland you have to explore but also the wider countryside. She can explain the beautiful 20-minute walk to the Rose & Crown pub – down the lane to the alpaca farm, then a half-mile footpath on an old track lined by bushy hedgerows – or give directions to Iron Acton, where you can walk the riverside trail along the banks of the Frome. For those with youngsters, meanwhile, Cattle Country Park and Berkeley Castle are both within a half-hour drive, but with Bath and Bristol so close by you’re never short of options. Two cabins are coming for 2021... stay tuned