Glamping & Camping

Sitting round a fire pit, toasting marshmallows until they’re so gooey they nearly fall off the stick. Listening for the twit-twoooo of owls after dark. Sleeping under a dazzling blanket of stars. There’s no doubt, camping in the countryside along the Great West Way can be a magical experience. 

Setting up camp in the great outdoors allows you to reset to the natural rhythms of night and day, as well as spend quality time with people you love. If you spend most days staring at a computer or your smartphone, you may well embrace time to take a break from such digital distractions. Discover the old fashioned fun you can have when you replace your WiFi connection with a decent pile of wood. Watching the flames flicker and crackle is entertainment enough, but you can also play card games and share travel tales with friends - old and new.  

If a pup tent and a sleeping bag is a little too back to basics however, or you just want to try something totally different, there are some truly imaginative glamping sites to be found along the Great West Way. The fancier constructions allow you to feel close to nature, but with the reassurance of a hot shower and a sturdy roof over your head - whether that’s in a yurt or glamping pods, a rustic log cabin or even a treehouse. 

In what amounts to a Great British Glamp-off, sites are on a quest for the most marshmallow-like pillows, the most fragrant botanical toiletries and the tastiest breakfast hamper - all including locally-sourced produce, naturally. Some even have quirky design themes or offer experiences like mindfulness walks, guided birdwatching tours and cooking classes. And most have communal areas, where you can sit and read a book about the local area or enjoy a sundowner cider with mesmerising views.