Gollin Farm Shepherds Hut

“Dream Big, Aim High”, reads the rustic red and white sign above the bed in this cosy shepherd’s hut. It seems fitting given the location. With the wood-burner stoked up for the night and the quilted double duvet pulled snuggly around you, you’ll certainly enjoy sweet dreams, while the setting, in the heart of the Peak District National Park is about as high as they come. The highest settlement in England, the local village of Flash, is less than a mile down the narrow lane.

Yet, while we can wax lyrical about the views, the surrounding mountains and the drystone-wall-striped scenery of the Peak District, it’s the nuts and bolts of hospitality that this glamping site really gets right. Set in a one-acre meadow on Gollin Farm, the two-person shepherd’s hut has an interior reminiscent of an old country cottage – think chunky Welsh dresser, deep armchairs and a stack of logs that will keep the fire going until morning – while outside there’s a firepit for late-night s’mores toasting and a barbecue for farm-shop steak. Since there’s just the one hut on the site, you’ve the whole place to yourself. There’s plenty of room to kick back beside the hut and it’s a short stroll down the meadow path to a modern toilet and shower, watched along the way by your neighbours: chickens, sheep and a single pet deer that thinks she’s part of the flock. If you come in springtime you’ll have the added bonus of buoyant lambs on site too.

While candles beside the bed, board games for rainy days and a digital radio on standby make the shepherd’s hut a neat retreat for couples, it’s walkers and outdoor enthusiasts that are most in their element. There are ample walking opportunities right from the doorstep, from Axe Edge Moor and Crome Hill to the Three Shires Heads (the hilltop point where the boundaries of Staffordshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire all meet), while nearby towns like Buxton provide popular café stops for lunch. The village of Flash, though rural, also has a decent café and pub, which acts as a popular starting point for hikers. Since it’s the highest point in England you can convince yourself the walking will all be easy downhill, too. No doubt the spectacular views – of brown peaks and rocky outcrops – will quickly make you realise otherwise.