We wanted adventure. We wanted something completely different. We wanted to get away from it all…although not too far away – we still wanted some creature comforts, such as an indoor toilet and solid walls.
Mark hit upon the perfect solution.
Glamping.
And if you read no further than this, let me just tell you it was brilliant. So much so that none of us wanted to come home.
While there are many unique experiences to choose from these days, we booked two nights last week in a woodland megapod at Deer’s Glade, a caravan and camping park with a David Bellamy gold award for conservation. It was just 35 minutes away from home in north Norfolk and ticked all our boxes – especially the woodland part.
To make it more magical for Freya I decided to write her a letter from Belle, the fairy who lives in the fairy garden she got for her birthday.
As a reward for being so good during her first month of nursery, Fairy Belle wanted to send us all on an adventure. With nursery being such a big change in Freya’s little life, rather than hit her with something else, I thought the letter would give her some hints as to where we were going and a job to concentrate on (collecting different types of leaves) when we arrived.
She was certainly very excited – especially when she laid eyes on the pod for the first time (although she wasn’t alone there).
The last one at the end of a long walkway surrounded by lush green woodland, our pod, Willow, was perfect for us. Freya likes to get up at 5am and is still working on her indoor voice and we had been worried about annoying other glampers. Thankfully that wasn’t a problem.
It was lovely and clean and smelled fresh as well as containing everything we wanted (kitchenette, tv, comfy double bed, double futon, lights, heating and the all important loo).
It also had some extra homey touches that I thought were really nice and certainly added to our feeling of comfort.
Outside there was a deck and a well-maintained private area containing a picnic bench, barbecue and, Mark’s favourite, a chiminea.
There were two showers (one was out of action while we were there, although it wasn’t a problem). The one I used was so nice and warm I could have stayed in forever (you know, if I didn’t have a three-year-old with me trying to open the door and get out). It was also clean and kitted out to a high standard.
Of course, while we wanted somewhere pleasant to stay, what we were really there for was the outdoor experience.
We live in a top floor flat and while we are thankful to have some fabulous parks nearby, which we take full advantage of, there is nothing like being able to open your door any time you want and step into a back garden – or, in this case, a wood.
As a result we really made the most of being outside and enjoyed going for long walks, visiting the fishing lake (not to fish) and making use of the on-site children’s play area. We even played several rounds of pooh sticks (I didn’t even know it was a thing until I watched Katie Morag – and they say TV isn’t educational).
Once Freya was snuggled up and asleep, Mark and I even got to sit outside on our deck (we took our video monitor, although frankly this was overkill) and enjoy each other’s company as well as the great outdoors.
I say enjoy…
It was the dead of night (ok, 8pm), pitch black (aside from the spotlights and a warm glow from the embers in the chiminea) when we suddenly heard a loud crashing in the woods close by.
It sounded like something really big was coming towards us.
Where we live it’s never totally dark or totally quiet. It’s safe to say we were well out of our comfort zone.
Naturally we assumed the noise was a 7ft masked man, wielding an axe, smashing through the undergrowth in an attempt to get us.
We both clambered up and Mark grabbed the (penguin-shaped) torch (so brave) and wafted it around wildly (I’m not sure what the plan was. Make our attacker laugh at the cuteness of our torch?)
There! Movement!
Oh.
Not 7ft, exactly, or wearing a mask and clutching an axe. And probably not out to get us either. But it was REALLY loud.
Our attacker, as it turned out, was a hedgehog (but a really BIG ONE. Sort of).
We had a quiet (shhh, Freya’s asleep) giggle about our silliness before we settled back down to enjoy being outdoors.
And I mean enjoy this time.
One of the things I was really hoping for was to see a deer (it is Deer’s Glade, after all) but the friendly lady who checked us in didn’t think they often roamed in our part of the woods.
Imagine our surprise when we came back to the pod in the early afternoon on our second day and I spotted something moving in the trees directly opposite. We all stood stock still – even Freya was quiet – and we watched as a deer came into view (I tried to get a photo but there were too many trees in the way). It was so exciting and I probably wouldn’t have believed it had happened if Mark and Freya hadn’t seen it too. There was something really magical about it – although our whole stay felt special.
While it almost seemed wrong to leave the site we did make several trips to the sea and enjoyed a visit to Amazona Zoo in Cromer, which is only about five miles away.
Overall our first glamping experience couldn’t have gone better – and it definitely won’t be our last.
Have you ever been glamping? Did you love it too?
After The Rain 
Hahaha! A six foot hedgehog is something to imagine. Love Deer’s Glade, not stayed there myself, but we’ve visited when others have; I love the woods and there’s definitely something magical about the place (not seen a deer there though ~ lucky you). Glamping sounds amazing, we camp, but it’s no fun when it’s windy/raining! Perhaps a pod is the way to go?
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We felt really daft afterwards, hehe. We actually had rain on our final morning and it was lovely sitting in the pod listening to it pitter patter on the roof. Highly recommended.
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Oh this looks amazing. It looks so magical – this is exactly the sort of place I would love to take Boo. I am glad to see that the attacker wasn’t 7ft tall hehe! I am glad you all had a fab time!
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Boo would love it. So many places to explore (and lots of mud when we went too) 🙂
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I stayed here at the weekend too and reviewed! It was a beautiful setting and facilities were fab! We had a similar experience where we heard noise in the night and jumped out in a panic to find a duck outside! Lovely post! Xx
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Hehe, maybe the wildlife is out to get us after all! Glad you also had a great time. I’ll pop over and have a read. Thanks for commenting.
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Will be on the look out for scary hedgehogs from now on! Glamping sounds fun, on my list. xx
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Yes, be warned. It was terrifying. Hehe.
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Glamping looks like so much fun, and the destination you visited looks really desirable set in the woods like that. Sounds like a wonderful adventure!
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It really was, we will definitely be going glamping again. Thanks for commenting 🙂
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Those pods always look really fun especially with kids. Need to watch out for lethal wildlife though! #myfavouritetrip
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Hah! So true. Thank you for commenting 🙂
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It looks a beautiful idyllic spot! We love a bit of glamping! I loved the bridge.
#myfavouritetrip
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We will definitely be going again. I’m almost tempted to try camping but not quite 🙂
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This sounds like a lovely little holiday! I’m definitely a glamping over camping fan! We’ve got family in Norfolk so will check this campsite out at some point! Laughing about the hedgehog!
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Oh brilliant, yes it would be a great place to stay. Just watch out for the local wildlife! Thanks for commenting 🙂
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I’ve just recently come back from a glamping trip in a gypsy caravan. I’m not the camping type, but had so much fun. Your trip looks great! Especially love the fire! x #myfavouritetrip
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It really was amazing, thank you. Your trip looks fabulous too. Very jealous. Maybe we will try for a gypsy caravan next 🙂
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Hi Tara, I am seriously jealous… What a man you must have! Cozy, ‘LOVE’ socks and a penguin torch! Not only that, but he was prepared to use the torch to protect his family (I laughed until I wet myself).
Joking apart, your glamping experience sounds right up my street. A cozy little wooden pod with all amenities. Nature right on the doorstep. It sounds perfect. And the fact that it’s such a short drive from where you live is even more perfect.
xx
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Hehe! The love socks are mine but the rest is all him 🙂 It really was wonderful. Has glamping caught on in Zante?
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What an amazing trip! I have been camping so many times but not glamping and I’d absolutely love to go. Love the pod and the special finishing touches inside as well as the chiminea outside, how cozy! The surroundings looks beautiful, definitely my type of trip away. Lovely photos. Thanks so much for linking up #MyFavouriteTrip Polly
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Wonderful. You’d have to drag me home kicking and screaming.
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Freya keeps asking when we are going to go back. “Why do we have to live here now?” She keeps asking about the flat. I’m with her!
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That looks just perfect. I am bookmarking for next year!
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I hope you get to go! Just watch our for giant hedgehogs 🙂
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We stayed at deers glade in the summer and absolutely loved it! Although we were in a tent so camping rather than glamping unfortunately 😂
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We will definitely be going back. I quite fancy camping but we live in a flat and don’t really have anywhere to keep all the equipment. The camping facilities at Deers Glade looked super.
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I’d love to go glamping. Thanks for sharing your experience. #mmbc
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