No two campsites are ever completely alike, but we are fairly confident that the campsite at Hidden Glen has an authentic claim to being oddly unique in Britain. Not weird, or good, or bad, just unique.
There are a couple of reasons why this place tops the unique bill. The first matter is one of exclusivity, for camping here is a very exclusive affair, limited to just a few pitches, and only by prior arrangement with owners Peter and Therese, who have, in the past, been known to decide that a lone camper is sufficient for their purposes.
That may sound slightly sinister, but rest assured all that campers have been required to do here is, in effect, sing for their supper. Not literally sing of course, there’s no danger of Simon Cowell springing out from behind a nearby bush to make you warble your way through a rendition of ‘I Will Always Love You’ before letting you pitch your tent. Thank goodness. The simple arrangement at Hidden Glen is that campers dedicate just an hour of their time working on the farm each day in exchange for the use of the campsite. It had only really been advertised in Holland and Germany before, but worked out so well with the European campers that the doors are now wide open to any hard-working Brits keen to join the fun at this campsite.
And what a campsite it is too. Lying on a gentle slope overlooking some vast and empty lands of afforested rolling hills that romp off relentlessly into the distance, the ground is home to the stony remnants of an Iron-Age hut village. And the principal pitch (because so far rarely no more than a single tent has been allowed at any given time) is sheltered within a ring of rocks and trees. This camping circle also houses a kitchen shelter (with grass roof), cooker and, round the back, a very Heath-Robinson-looking compost toilet. If you need a shower there is a bucket and plenty of privacy. Firewood is also provided for the built-in fireplace, plus a picnic bench for meal times. All in all it’s a strange and hypnotic mix of the civilised and the wild all rolled into one very mysterious setting.
This may sound a little far fetched, but at night, safe in that stone circle, with the light from the fire dancing across the shadows, you can almost hear the wolves and bears that would have been present when man first camped in this exact spot in bygone years. Such is the elemental feel of this ancient place.
Back to working matters: this is quite a small farm and, in the past when work was scarce, Peter and Therese would match the camping numbers to the work quota. The result was that this unspoilt, atmospheric place lying in the foothills of the northern Cairngorms, just four miles from the sea, could often be devoid of campers. What a waste, they thought, so decided to approach things in a slightly more flexible way.
They do still intend to allow campers the opportunity to ‘toil in the soil’ in exchange for camping fees, but when the workforce outstrips the need, surplus campers are required to pay a small camping fee.
The farm itself is devoted to a system of sustainable agriculture, complementing the surrounding wildlife rather than restricting it, and Therese grows an astounding array of organic vegetables. These, and the farm’s free-range eggs are available to campers.
So what will it be? Toil in the soil, or dish the dosh? It doesn’t matter either way really, as the highlight here is the circle of stones that transports you back to a time when living meant camping.