It’s been a while since I’ve blogged, but with global travel opening up again I’m beginning to have things to actually write about. Fortunately I’ve been able to enjoy the thrills of the newly coined ‘staycations’ over the past couple of years, one of which has lead me to this blog post.
I’ve only blogged once (I think) in the Hidden Gem series, as I don’t want to understate how special I think these places are. Basically – go see them!
For the second post I’m going for one of my staycations that I had in 2021. It was my Christmas present from my now fiancée and something I’ve never considered before – treetop camping! Now I know there are quite a few places around the UK that offer this experience, but I’m just going off the site we went to. Somerset’s Hidden Gem.
Treetop Camping?
I’m not going to insult anyone’s intelligence and explain what treetop camping is. The more suitable question is probably ‘how does that work?!’
As you can see from the photo, the ‘tent’ is a hard structure suspended in a tree by a series of metal cables. There’s not much else to it really! Inside is a bed, small log burner to provide heat and some nifty underfloor storage.
Being up in the trees does of course bring its own ‘challenges’. You are subject to the weather, particularly if you’re fortunate to be in a woodland clearing. When we went in May it was sunny (mostly) but we still felt the movement of the pod from the wind. Though the thought of this may terrify some people, I can assure you the one we visited felt totally secure throughout!
Is that it?
Short answer – no. While the concept of treetop camping in itself is unique, you may be thinking that’s hardly a gem. The site we were at in Glastonbury was truly a beautiful, secluded break. You need not even leave the tent ‘area’ if you bring enough supplies!
The ‘pitch’ (if we stick to the camping terminology) is at the bottom of a farmer’s field along the hedgerow. You go through a small gate to the area which is all decked out nicely. To one side is a corner sofa, well crafted in the same wood as the decking. A large, moveable fire pit completes the ‘living room’ area.
There are a couple of steps down to the kitchen area, which can be neatly closed up when not in use. There’s a fridge, stove and sink – arguably all you need! A small table with 2 chairs is also provided which can be closed away behind the doors in the kitchen when you go to bed or head out.
Passing the kitchen around the back is your ‘bathroom’. This is another feature which for me made the whole experience that little bit more unique. The toilet is enclosed is a small booth, then outside you have the shower. Yes, outside. It’s well screened and within the whole area you have total privacy. Still, showering in the outside feels somewhat liberating and raw. The gentle May breeze made it a little uncomfortable when stepping out from the hot water, though I imagine in the height of summer it’s gorgeous.
To get over to the ‘tent’ you walk along a small footbridge. Again, this is well secure and roped either side for protection – it would take a lot to fall from there. That wasn’t a challenge by the way…
So where is it?
I’ve sold it to you haven’t I? This unique stay my fiancée found on Airbnb (click here for the link – I’m on no commission by the way, I just think it’s great and should be shouted about). Our host, Pippa, was great and she offers locally sourced breakfast hampers if you want them brought down to you.
Talking of local, you’re probably wondering where it is. Depending on how good your geography is, if I say Glastonbury you probably have a good enough idea of where it is. If not, give it a Google! We went for a little explore through the woodland (which I’m not sure is actually allowed, it seemed un-public) and stumbled across an open field overlooking Glastonbury festival. It was actually on while we were there which was totally unintended. We couldn’t see much from the field other than the site, but it was mostly remote anyway with pandemic restrictions still in place. We had it on in bed one night, so we kind of felt like we were there!
So there you have it, my second Hidden Gem. I would highly recommend the place we went to, however if you’ve had a treetop camping experience somewhere else then let me know in the comments below! I’d love to get out and visit some more of these around the country. If Glastonbury is a bit too far for you, I would urge you to hunt out a similar stay a bit closer to home. If like me you love the outdoors, you won’t regret it!