Wild Sustainable Glamping
We are incredibly excited to announce that our new sustainable glamping project is up and running and open for business! We’ve worked tirelessly over the last few months getting everything ready. From levelling the pitch to furnishing the tent to building the ‘Bird Hide’ loo to creating an outdoor kitchen. We think it looks great, and we hope you do too!
The 5m bell tent is situated at the far end of our land, away from our noisy children and nosey animals! The tent is nestled in 12 acres of glorious Cotswold countryside, with breathtaking, panoramic valley views. There are fabulous sunsets to the West and a beautiful sunrise to the East. We hope that this romantic spot in nature will delight all who stay in it. The farm also features on Stroud's new Sustainability Trail opening in September 2022.
The tent comes with a very comfortable double bed, made up with fresh contemporary linen, wood burning stove, gorgeous floor mats made from recycled plastic bottles, a small library containing a curious collection of books, pretty bunting, low level seating and scatter cushions The interior has been tastefully decorated to create a tranquil yet contemporary space for guests to relax and unwind in.
To compliment the tent is a basic kitchen, which comes complete with kettle, toaster, mini fridge, tea and coffee making facilities and a washing up area.
The tent provides guests with an off grid, low carbon lifestyle. A bike generator powers electrical items such as phone chargers, lights, toaster, kettle and a mini fridge. Simply plug in a usb device, jump on the bike and start pedalling. The speedometer clocks how many miles have been done. There is a plastic free policy in place with suggestions about alternatives. Signage displayed around the site is designed to help guests understand their energy consumption. There are numerous opportunities to learn about conservation and biodiversity through various initiatives. We are keen that guests should leave with a greater awareness about their carbon footprint and the things they can do to reduce it.
To compliment the tent is our one of a kind 'Bird Hide' bucket toilet, which at night, can be reached by following a string of solar lights. It’s rather romantic! It is entirely handmade and, apart from the items needed to build the actual toilet, is constructed entirely from secondhand materials.
The foundations are built from three large concrete fence posts that had been discarded in a hedge on the farm. The substructure for the floor is built from two pallets. The floor itself is made from broken down pallets, a job which required a great deal of elbow grease but one that Gill enjoyed tremendously, armed with her ‘pallet buster’. The walls are made from woven hazel, coppiced from our woods. Hours and hours of cutting, trimming and weaving were required to build the walls up, but we think they are beautiful.
The actual toilet box is built from a timber frame with an internal casing painted in water repellent paint. Again, pallets were used to clad the internal and external sides of the box. The lid is ply, which again, has been painted in specialist paint to protect the wood from stains and spills.
There are certain rules to follow when using the loo to ensure the area is kept clean and odour free. Gill had a bit of fun with the wording and enjoyed writing a quirky poem to get the message across in a fun and friendly way.
The inside of the toilet block has been carefully furnished with rustic items, including an old jam pot for a sink, reclaimed mirrors and a tree stump for the sink pedestal.
The finishing touch? A pair of binoculars and bird log so visitors can sit, relax, do their business and watch birds. It really is a loo with a view!
Finally, there is an outdoor solar shower, nestled among the bracken field with views across the valley, which can supply hot water to the shower and also the kitchen if needed.
We really do hope guests find this a unique place to come and visit. It is an opportunity to re-wild oneself and reconnect with nature.