Spring Safari….

‘In all things of nature there is something of the marvellous.’*
*Aristotle

As the Easter holidays begin and the clocks have sprung forward to usher in the longer days, we were delighted to have been invited to review the Campion Safari Tent at Western Meadows Glamping…

We try to live life to the full here at Hen Corner, a little bit of country life in London, and have discovered how to get the best of both worlds for a spring break in the West Country. We were definitely looking forward to the fresh air, fantastic views and farm animal noises (it was sheep and chickens this time) and the opportunity for our children to run, jump, read and explore in a screen-free zone was also a big pull. But camping? I hear you say…

Do not fear, as this is Glamping, glamorous camping, that has become so popular that Classic Cottages have developed a sister company, Classic Glamping, especially to help you find your perfect match. Whilst I loved the look of the Shepherd’s Hut and Airstream, for our family this Safari Tent was perfect. It was spacious, with three double/twin sleeping areas, private bathroom with hot water and double shower and a kitchen area equipped with fridge freezer, power sockets, overhead lighting and all the cooking equipment you might need for your stay. This truly brought together meadow camping under canvas with the home comforts that allow rejuvenation on your holiday.

Within minutes of our arrival, our host Erika was baking delicious fresh scones for our welcome cream tea and our children were deciding who would sleep in the double den bed. Andy lit the wood-burner, which not only heated the tent but also had a large hot plate for our breakfast bacon and a spacious oven that effortlessly warmed a casserole that I’d brought with us. Throughout our stay, Erika’s husband, Mike, kindly ensured that our wood basket was regularly topped up and any treats or necessities could be collected from the on site Honesty Shop with the bill settled on departure.

Whilst it was wet and windy outside, evenings were cozy in front of the stove as we played cards by candlelight, then off to our big warm beds, drifting off to sleep to the occasional bleat of a sheep and a distant hoot of an owl. Our days were filled with all that Cornwall has to offer; we visited the Eden Project, Tintagel and had pasties in Port Isaac. On our final day, we drove back to London via West Bay at Bridport and stopped for a cone of chips in the harbour and a quick stroll on the beach at the feet of the most amazing Jurassic Coast cliffs.

Western Meadows was certainly a home from home, they even had their own chickens and bees, and did I mention the big comfy sofa in the tent?

Coming up at the Corner – 20% off all courses booked by end of April

If you’d like to visit us here in London, we have courses running right throughout the year. Families, Feathers and Fun is the next session coming up. Closely followed by Intro to Bee Keeping, Bread: Sweet and Savoury and Perfect Pasta. We have many more courses available, both in the garden and the kitchen, and the promotional code SPRING15 will give you 20% off all bookings before the end of April – Pass it on!

Other News:

• We’ve said a sad goodbye to Sapphire, our beautiful old grey cat, she would have been 19 this month
• Our new kitchen is starting to take shape, the stone floor has been laid through into the conservatory
• Essential Surrey have written a piece about our courses for their 9 regional magazines, they are out next month

Jobs for this week:

• Gather the chickens and head off to the Horniman Museum for their Chirpy Chickens event
• Buy some HenPower Easter Eggs that support creatively engaging older people
• Probably painting the plastered walls in the new kitchen during the Bank Holiday weekend…

Have a good week yourself…

Join us on the Journey!