Oakwood Glamping

In the south west corner of West Sussex there’s a sweet spot. A place where chalky hills and open footpaths level out to grassy fields, beaches and the sea. Go there and you’ll find country pubs in one direction and seaside chip shops in the other. Go there and you’ll find Oakwood Glamping, a sweet spot within the sweet spot and the ideal place to stay.

There are just two glamping abodes at Oakwood in total, each with its own private kitchen, its own private washroom and a firepit with a tripod for outdoor cooking. They’re all equipped with everything you need in order to simply turn up with little more than a toothbrush. But that’s where the similarities end. For each of these enchanting spaces is unique. There’s the Gypsy Wagon, a traditional bow-top structure with intricate traditional paintwork and a raised double bed inside, and a beautiful ‘Woodland Wagon’, which is actually a shepherd’s hut and has admirable paintwork of its own – there’s a spectacular interior mural depicting plants and animals from the adjacent native woodland, including foxgloves and croaking toads. Just like the wagons, all the bedding, towels and finer touches are well covered; simply turn up and relax.

Kicking back comes easy at Oakwood. The three dwellings occupy a one-acre field that overlooks a hay meadow, secluded by hedges and mature trees all around. Return to the lane through which you entered, meanwhile, and it’s a hundred yards to a footpath that takes you through a long stretch of woodland and across the fields to a white-washed pub in the village beyond. That, of course, is the inland, country pub direction, a benefit of being within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park. Head south and you’re going in the beachy, ice-creamy direction of the coast. It’s a 45-minute walk to the historic harbour village of Bosham, with cute shops, a gallery and endless sailing boats and it’s a 10-minute drive into the heart of Chichester. So simply take your pick. A day in the hills? A day beside the beach? Or perhaps a bit of both?