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Gold Hill Glamping

90%

· West Melbury, Dorset, England

1 acre hosted by Jon S.

1 glamping pitch

It was an iconic Hovis advert that baked the image of Gold Hill, a romantic cobbled street in Dorset, into the country’s collective imagination. But the people of Shaftesbury have been enjoying the view here for centuries. And, two miles south of town, almost within view from that fabled street, there’s now a glamping site that bears the same name. It too boasts classic country views – the meadow sloping westwards to take in the best of the evening light – and, despite being new, has a similarly timeless, picture-perfect feel.

There are just two bell tents at Gold Hill Glamping in total, despite a spacious three acres of meadow to fill. The result is ample space for everyone and even an additional, fenced-off area for equestrians who wish to holiday with their horse. Glampers can choose from the traditional bell tent structure or the bulbous ‘lotus belle’ tent, which looks similar but bulges outwards in the middle like an oversized pudding to provide extra space.

Each tent has a comfortable double bed and soft furnishings, with futons that you can convert into extra beds for children if you don’t mind bringing along their bedding. Outside, meanwhile, there’s a picnic bench, a campfire pit and a well-equipped kitchen shelter. And, while there are flushing loos and hot showers back by the farmhouse a hundred yards or so away, there’s also an additional composting loo closer to hand in the field.

Despite the comforts, Gold Hill Glamping is still suitably rustic. There’s no electricity and, though there are lanterns, campfires are the go-to form of evening light. The place remains very much a working farm too. There are ponies to pat and you can watch the cows being milked if you chat eagerly enough to farmers Clea and Jonathan. A neighbouring stretch of woodland was also once a forest school and today is left as a secret discovery spot for family glampers, with rope swings hanging from branches, fairy doors hidden among tree trunks and a stream to splash in.

If you find the time to head elsewhere, there are footpaths aplenty to roam, taking in Mlebury Hill, Compton Abbas and Fontmell Down (stopping at the good pub in Fontmell Magna). Or walk back north to Shaftsebury, finishing with the steep stroll up Gold Hill and maybe even buying a fresh loaf of bread at the end.

We are delighted to show you Cornfield Lodge, the newest addition to our glamping accommodation. Cornfield lodge is a wood clad mobile home situated on our farm with far reaching views over the Blackmore Vale countryside. Cornfield lodge is ideal for couples or young families, it is enclosed in its own garden, making it perfect for those with small children. Cornfield lodge offers two bedrooms, one bedroom has a double bed and the other bedroom is a twin bed room. The sofa in the living room also doubles up as a double sofa bed, if extra accommodation is needed. Both bedrooms come fully furnished with extra blankets and hot water bottles available. There is a heater in the double bedroom and a spare oil fired radiator if needed. There is a small lounge / dining area with a wood burner, comfy sofa (which is also a sofa bed), table, four chairs and a Television/DVD player with Freeview. Free full Fibre internet Wifi connection. The kitchen is equipped with a gas hob, electric oven, refrigerator, microwave, utensils, crockery, and oven proof dishes. The bathroom has a toilet, shower and basin.. Parking is available in the farmyard which is very close to Cornfield lodge, so no need to struggle far with bags. Gas and electricity are in included in the price of your stay. Bedding and towels are provided. Cornfield lodge sleeps four people, as said it could sleep an extra person on the sofa bed if needed, but it is a compact space! However there is a spacious enclosed garden area, with a picnic bench, parasol, deck chairs, fire pit/ bbq and under cover seating area with a rustic table and chairs. Cornfield lodge offers peace, tranquility and space. Please note that Cornfield lodge is situated on a working farm, so from time to time there might be tractors driving around and you might be lucky enough to have a herd of cows pass by your window!

Activities

Hiking

Natural features

Forest

Field

Farm

90%

5 Ratings · 6 reviews

Emma K.recommends

June 22, 2022

Willow Bell

Glamping

Loved staying here was Amazing scenery and great hosts peaceful and tranquil just what we needed to relax and chill out, best nights sleep in comfortable bed also would highly recommend staying here ..5 stars

Elizabeth M.

June 14, 2022

Hazel Belle

We stayed at Gold Hill Glamping for two nights, in the Hazel Belle tent. The tent was cosy and well equipped. Nice to have marshmallows waiting for us to toast. And a nice selection of games for our two boys. Lovely view, and private area. The facilities were good, in that it was handy to have a composting loo close to the tent, as well as a normal loo down in the farmyard. Super handy to have a gas stove in the kitchen area, alongside the fire-pit. When we needed a few bits, it was handy to have the owners mobile number, and we got a quick response, and the items bought to the tent promptly. A few downsides: We were surprised to find there was no sink for washing up pots and pans etc. I would have expected there to be one (didn’t think to check as thought for the price that there would be one, like a normal campsite). Another annoyance was the fact that the hot tap in the sink in the shower room wasn’t working.

Caroline G.

August 13, 2021

We had the best time at Gold Hill Camping! The kids loved saying good morning to the cows and watching them get milked. John and Claire where very warm and welcoming, they talked to us about the diary farm and also showed us their lovely pets, Ponies, goats, chickens, rabbit and guinea pig. My children loved the outdoor experience having dinner around the campfire them snuggling in to bed. The tent was very comfortable with cute design. Would definitely return for more dairy farm fun. Thank you again. The Gobetti Family

Mat M.recommends

August 13, 2021

Willow Bell

It was our first time Glamping and it was a great experience. The family were lovely and made you feel very welcome, the children loved being shown round the farm and seeing the many animals they have on site. We stayed in the hazel bell tent and it was very comfortable, warm with the added little log fire inside. Would highly recommend. Thank you for a great stay

The W.

June 15, 2021

We had a fantastic week staying in the lodge. It was equipped with everything we needed for a family of 4 and was the ideal place to have some well needed down time. The views are incredible and we all loved being able to go and visit the cows and chickens. The homemade Victoria Sponge was the best welcome anyone could ask for!

E R.recommends

May 24, 2021

Hazel Belle

We spent a very fun weekend at Gold Hill Glamping in the Lotus Belle tent, with friends staying in the smaller bell tent. The owners were very friendly and helpful, coming straight over to mend a small hole in one of the tents that was letting the rain in. The kids all loved playing in the long grass in the meadows, meeting the farm animals and watching the milking. The eco-loos were clean and there was plenty of kitchen/ cooking equipment. The surrounding countryside and views from the tents are lovely. We walked directly from the campsite along the footpaths and lanes up to Compton Abbas Airfield, which provided lots of entertainment as there were several small aircraft taking off and landing.

Location

West Melbury, Dorset, England, United KingdomTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking

Hosted by Jon S.

Joined in November 2020

From the host

Hello, welcome to Gold Hill Glamping, which is based at Allan’s Farm, a working dairy farm and our family home. You are likely to see the cows coming in for milking twice a day. There are our lovely shetland ponies Pixie and Trudie to stroke and and past the time with, they love attention! There are usually fresh farm eggs available to buy if you wish. Wildlife is in abundance here. Deer and hares are regular visitors and different species of owl can be heard hooting behind the glamping fields. We have a lovely bell tent, called Willow Bell which has its own eco- loo and BBQ area with Kadai fire-pit and logs / chairs to sit around the fire. We are excited to be welcoming a spacious Lotus Belle tent to our glamping portfolio from Spring 2021. The Lotus Belle offers all the comfort and spaciousness of a yurt but with the simplicity and ease of a bell tent. Hazel, our Lotus Belle tent, will be situated in a separate, and peaceful location on the farm with its own eco – loo and simple glamping kitchen facilities. Thereby, allowing for visitors to glamp completely separately, but also offering the option for friends and family to stay here together. The tents have a very comfortable double bed, which will be fully furnished for your stay, plus two single futon-style beds (please bring your own bedding for the futons). All crockery, BBQ tools, bedding, a fire pit, seating area and a couple of finishing touches are provided for your stay. Both bell tents also have access to a hot shower, and flushing toilet a short walk away in a converted building in the farmyard. We are also planning a small honesty shop, to buy local sausages, eggs and Barber's cheese which is made from our milk.

Nearby attractions

A neighbouring section of woodland is home to a ‘secret’ forest school play area (particularly stunning in bluebell season; April–early May), within walking distance of the glamping fields. The little forest used to be a forest school, but is now available exclusively for glampers to enjoy, with a mud kitchen, a tiny stream to paddle in and space to build dens and play hide and seek. There are also a few fairy doors hidden in the trees and rope tree swings for the more adventurous. For those with longer legs, footpath leads south out of the farm and there’s ample good walking nearby. Walk east and up Melbury Hill, Compton Down and Fontmell Down, with superb views 360-degree views from the top of Melbury in particular, or you can walk the two-and-a-half miles in to Shaftesbury (largely along quiet lanes rather than footpaths). The delightful town is home to Gold Hill, the iconic cobbled street, which makes for a romantic Dorset scene and the setting for a certain Hovis advert – as well as lending its name to similarly romantic glamping site, of course. The town has a small Gold Hill Museum (01747 852157) and St Peters Church, a standing reminder of its medieval magnificence when it boasted a castle, twelve churches and four market crosses. Further afield, it’s a 15-minute drive to partially ruined Old Wardour Castle (0174 7870487), similar to Sturminster Newton Mill (01747 854355) and 20 minutes or so to Blandford Forum.

Food and drink

It’s three miles to the stream-side Fontmell Inn (01747 811441), a highly recommended spot with an almost country house feel that the Telegraph recently claimed was “worth travelling out of your way to savour”, though it takes less than 10 minutes to get there from Gold Hill Glamping. It’s a touch further to the similarly excellent Cricketers (01258 268107) at the foot of Hambledon Hill in Iwerne Courtney. Given its location at the intersection of several popular footpaths its a good walkers’ pub with a tranquil summer garden. For more options and cafés, it’s a five-to-ten minute drive into Shaftesbury.

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