Duncan Smith was born with a love of camping. It was passed down to him from his parents. “It doesn’t matter if you come out of a five-star hotel or a tent, so long as you have slept warm, dry and comfortable”, his father, Brian, used to say. At Hengrave Meadow Glamping, however, he's cannily combined the best of both, with proper beds and mattresses that ensure hotel-quality sleep but the peace and quiet of an ancient two-acre meadow, so you still get the joy of camping in the great outdoors.
Hengrave Meadow Glamping is a quiet, rural site with just three luxury bell tents, kitted out with proper beds and soft furnishings. Outside, guests have their own cooking area, complete with a picnic bench, camping gas cooker and barbecue, all covered by a shady canopy perfect for sunny summer days. The most striking thing about the place, though, is the general peace of the meadow. Grass is left long and wild in many places – ideal for the bumble bees and dragonflies – and the meadow itself is accompanied by two small ponds and sheltered by thick hedges and mature trees. It was previously used for grazing ponies and sheep but it's now home to an abundance of wildlife, and is essentially an extension to Duncan's garden – the family live on site in the Gardener's Cottage, always on hand to help enhance your stay in whatever way they can.
There's clever use of the space here. An old stable is home to electric points, a communal fridge-freezer and necessities like bread, milk and other fresh items to buy – if you’re lucky you might also manage to get a few eggs from the flock of ex-battery hens that live in Duncan’s garden. The private toilet and shower facilities, meanwhile, are inside a converted shepherd's hut and it's all just a short stroll from your tent.
The quiet local lanes and footpaths are great for walkers and cyclists, with routes starting from the site’s doorstep, including a path beside an impressive 300-year-old yew hedge belonging to the neighbours. Hengrave Meadow is on the edge of the village of Swannington, a pretty and rural hamlet with a village green, Medieval church and a calm stream running through it. You can explore the market town of Reepham or hop on a bike and cycle the car-free Marriotts Way into Norwich for a day exploring the lanes. And, when you return, you can enjoy kicking back in the quiet meadow, appreciating the novelty of simply doing nothing at all.
