Categories: Camping

Farm glamping stays: Feather Down farms now available for 2023

You don’t connect with a farm by joining its WiFi network. You get your hands dirty. You get mud on your boots and straw in your hair. You collect eggs for breakfast and you load up the fire to cook your food. You see the farm in action. And, yes, sometimes, you smell a bit of farming too.

That’s the thinking behind ‘Feather Down’, a network of family farm stays available on Hipcamp in the UK. At dozens of farm locations you’ll find safari tents, king-sized beds, and comfortable furnishings but all notably lacking in the most high end mod cons. Underfloor heating? Try stoking the woodburner. Mood lighting? It’s time for the oil lamps.

Feather Down is about comfort but it’s also about a simpler way of life. And it’s why, today, we’re excited to release hundreds of available dates to book on hipcamp.comso you can find and book your farm experience for 2023, wherever you are in the UK.

Feather Down farm locations

With the majority of hosts positioned in or near UK National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Feather Down farm locations speak for themselves. While those on the hunt for beach holidays might head to Lunsford Farm near Hastings or Treganhoe in Cornwall, there are also great family sites for hiking, like Howbeck Lodge in the Lake District or Hidcote Manor in the Cotswolds. One thing you can be sure of is space to run wild and a location amongst nature. Here are just a few of our favourites…

Eight of the most popular farms

Layer Marney, Essex

This Tudor country estate is one of the most established Feather Down locations and it’s popular for a reason. With woodland walks, hot tubs, and acres to explore, it’s a great place to switch of from a busy life and, given the handy Essex location, is easy to reach for Londoners.

 

Howbeck Lodge, Lake District

Just to the north of the Lake District, this Cumbrian farm offers easy access to the best of the national park but with a quieter location. Paddle in the beck, cook over the campfire, or bring the hiking boots and spend a day hiking up Blencathra and exploring the Caldbeck Fells.

 

Chesters Estate, Scottish Borders

This 1,800-acre estate beside the River Teviot is a serious treat. Food is a theme, with a Pick-Your-Own vegetable patch inside the old walled garden and an on-site brewery. Farm tours offer a chance to see all the diverse ways Hosts John and Ellie make the place tick. Or, of course, you can just chill in your safari tent (or, perhaps, the hot tub).

 

Midgham Farm, New Forest

Feed the lambs, build dens in the woods, and spot New Forest ponies. This popular spot is great for visits to the south coast and Stonehenge, as well as the New Forest itself. There’s an awesome playground for kids and comfortable safari tents for all, including en-suite options.

 

Upper Shadymoor, Shropshire

On a sunny day, a wild swim in the lake is the perfect way to start your day on this Shropshire estate. It’s a great location for families who love to spot wildlife, particularly deer, owls, and badgers, and it’s not far to the Shropshire Hills for a good day’s walking.

 

Heydon Grove, Norfolk

Quiet country lanes for cycling, National Trust Blickling Hall just down the road, and the North Norfolk coast not far away either, including popular spots like Cromer and Sheringham. What’s not to like?

 

Wyresdale Park, Lancashire

Tucked amongst trees on the edge of a beautiful lake, this jaw-dropping location is on the edge of the Forest of Bowland. Inquisitive peacocks wander along the pathways of the estate and it’s not far until you’re out onto the surrounding hills. And despite the wild feel, Wyresdale is also conveniently located just off the M6.

 

Balnab Farm, Dumfries & Galloway

A working dairy farm on Scotland’s Machars Peninsula, Balnab is a great place for getting stuck in to farm life while enjoying the luxuries of your safari tent. Enjoy farm tours with the Vance family and buy fresh goods direct from their honesty shop.

 

 

More about Feather Down farms

 

The Fresh Air Experience

Have you ever bottle fed a lamb? Have you ever cooked over a wood-fired stove? Have you ever lived for a weekend without electricity, stocked up with oil lanterns, candles and logs? It’s making the effort to slow down on a holiday that can really help you connect with nature.

It’s this more deliberate pace of life and appreciation of the outdoors that we see mentioned time and time again in Hipcamper reviews. Whether it’s meeting ponies at Midgham Farm, just west of the New Forest, or watching the cows being milked at Billingsmoor in Devon, basing yourself on a farm guarantees acres of space and oodles of hands-on activities. Feather Down sites are all places where you can learn about agriculture directly from your host and really experience farming life first hand.

The Accommodation

While no two farms are the same, there’s a comfortable consistency to Feather Down’s accommodation. The Canvas Hideaways—off-grid safari tent accommodation with comfy beds, a proper flushing loo, a fully-equipped kitchen and a living and dining area—offer ‘glamping’ whilst still keeping you close to nature. Your hosts have provided everything you need for a comfortable holiday but they also walk a careful line to ensure there aren’t too many distractions either.

“Going without electricity is our greatest luxury”, one member of the Feather Down team recently told us. And he meant it. Without TVs and phones to distract you it’s the simple tasks that bring families together. You can light the fire together, the kids can make pancakes and, once the candelabra’s lit, there are board games to play and books to read. Life without the gadgets forces you to slow down and appreciate time with the people around you.

Most of the tents have private showers alongside or even inside the tent but, for the few locations that don’t, you’ll still be allocated a cubicle in the farm-house shower block. And, at a few lucky locations, there are also hot tubs you can soak in too (for our favourite, check out the views from the hot tub at Hollings Hill Farm near the Malvern Hills).

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