Editor’s Choice

With a fun vibe and great deals for regular customers, The Tardebigge is a modern independent restaurant and bar created by a third generation of hospitality professionals who know how to get people enjoying themselves. With their tagline ‘Good hosts, good food and drink, good times,’ these upbeat millennials – two brothers and a sister – have harnessed a winning combination of feel-good factors to their village venue between Bromsgrove and Redditch. Built by local aristocrat the Earl of Plymouth in 1911, The Tardebigge became the village hall in 1911. Now it has been fully refurbished in contemporary mode and repurposed by Patrick, Francesca and Jonathan Owens into a venue embracing quality, sustainability and vibrant décor, together generating a great atmosphere for socialising and celebrating. The food is almost all cooked from scratch using quality ingredients, seasonal and locally sourced when possible and always freshly made. Drinks include The Tardebigge’s signature cocktails, good wines and a wide range of beers and the two come together in cut-price splendour in the Saturday afternoon Bottomless Brunches, featuring a two course meal and selected drinks topped up throughout. Customers can also take up free membership of The Tardebigge’s Good Host Group Club, operating 4 to 7pm Monday to Friday and offering 15% off food two for one pizzas, £6 cocktails and other bargains. The Tardebigge, Hewel Lane, Redditch, Worcestershire B97 6QL T 01527 546 724 E thetardebigge@goodhostgroup.com www.thetardebigge.com

Quality south coast holidays, couples retreat and friends reunite

Pristine luxury accommodation is now available with Oakwood West Holidays in the picturesque coastal countryside of West Sussex. Set in 100 acres of grounds on the edge of a meadow, near the sailing hotspot of Bosham, this dog-friendly site is perfectly positioned for exploring South Downs National Park, the elegant city of Chichester and the Goodwood Estate, renowned for motor sport and horse racing. Pride of place goes to two spacious cottages created from former stables, plus two new purpose-built lodges. Set on the edge of a meadow, they each sleep four or six people with flexible sleeping arrangements. All are designed with contemporary excellence and feature numerous fine touches such as bespoke wallpaper, hand-painted murals, stupendous bathrooms, impressive outdoor areas and their own private hot tubs. Glamping accommodation is provided in a Gypsy caravan, a hand-crafted shepherds hut and a belle tent, each sleeping two and served by designated shower and toilet facilities, fire pits and kitchen huts. Charcoal made onsite gives an extra special flavour to barbequed meals. Hired altogether, Oakwood West can take up to 34 people, making it ideal for extended family celebrations and special interest groups. Guest greeter Sarah Hayes says: “Everything is done to a high level of quality and it really is a beautiful site with the most fantastic sunsets over the trees and wildlife meadow.” The Osiers, Clay Lane, West Ashling, Chichester PO18 8DJ T 07900 350102 E oakwoodwestleisure@gmail.com www.oakwoodwestholidays.co.uk Facebook @ Oakwoodholidays Instagram @ Oakwood_West_Holidays

Wales’s golden Gower Peninsula has always delighted sun worshippers, surfers, swimmers and sandcastle builders, as well as providing inspiration for generations of writers and artists. The family business of Hillside Glamping Holidays is the perfect spot from which to enjoy this amazing land of adventure, with four spacious safari tents providing home comforts along with private hot tubs and exquisite countryside views. The tents are well spaced out on the five acre Hillside site on a long established farm. They each sleep up to six people in three bedrooms and have ample living and dining space warmed by a woodburning stove, plus a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom with walk-in shower. Dogs are allowed in two of the tents. Many guests thrive on the outdoor activities in this designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with its delightful bays, caves, castles, cliffs and shipwrecks. At low tide, remains of the Norwegian vessel Helvetia can be seen near Rhossili Beach at low tide, where it ran aground in stormy weather in 1887. Gower Heritage Centre is a popular local attraction, based on a working water mill. Hillside spokeswoman Amy Hutchings says: “People come here mainly for the peacefulness, the beaches and the outdoor activities, especially watersports, mountain biking and walking but also pony trekking, fishing, even hang-gliding.” Hillside, Upper Hardingsdown, Llangennith SA3 1JR T 01792 386210 or 07588812955 E info@hillsideglampingholidays.co.uk www.hillsideglampingholidays.co.uk Dogs and their well-behaved humans share absolute peace and tranquillity when they book their holiday or short break with Welltrough Glamping. Set on a 270 acre farm in the exquisite Cheshire countryside, the site’s upmarket pods, shepherd’s hut and superior woodland hut come with all the comforts of home, along with their own electrically heated hot tubs from which to enjoy star-spangled night skies. There is also a well-serviced campsite for touring caravans and motorhomes, with hardstanding, electricity and water for all pitches. Relaxation is a key theme of this adults only site, which has a friendly contingent of resident alpacas and angora goats. There is a large, mown dog walking area on-site and two village pubs within strolling distance in Lower Withington. Just a little further afield, guests can enjoy attractions such as nearby Jodrell Bank Observatory or the impressive Tatton Park estate, perhaps visit the pleasant towns of Knutsford and Macclesfield or go celebrity spotting in the affluent ‘footballer belt’ around Alderley Edge, Prestbury and Wilmslow. Alderley Edge is also famous for walks with stunning views across the Cheshire Plain. All Welltrough’s glamping accommodation comes thoroughly well equipped for two adults, with super-comfy double beds, plumbed-in toilets and showers, fully equipped kitchens with fridges and dishwashers, wi-fi and both indoor and outdoor seating areas. The woodland hut has gas central heating. Welltrough Hall Farm, Lower Withington, Cheshire SK11 9EF T 07734 605965 E welltroughglamping@gmail.com www.welltroughglamping.co.uk

Get your glamping buzz with Blean Bees

Blean Bees glamping is the perfect, relaxing antidote to a workaday world of gadgets and gizmos, pressure and stress. Blean Bees has a small separate apiary area producing honey and the land is managed in harmony with nature. The serene and scenic surroundings are designed to benefit native wildlife and give guests the chance to unwind in beautiful surroundings on the edge of Blean Woods National Nature Reserve. At the same time, the site is within easy reach of some fantastic places, including the seaside town of Whitstable, the medieval market town of Faversham and the cathedral city of Canterbury. There are five family bell tents or the delightful Eco-Hut. The bell tents, named after British native trees, have double beds or airbeds airbeds and foam beds. The Eco-Hut has a comfy double bed, sofa bed and camp bed. All the bell tents and Eco Hut are fully equipped and take up to five people. Compost toilets and hot showers are provided on-site. Owner Tilly Bayes says: “Our site is very pretty, very peaceful and very low-impact on the environment. It’s a great choice for people who care about their carbon footprint.” For more information or to book online, visit www.bleanbees.com Blean Bees, Denstroude Lane, Canterbury, Kent CT2 9LA T 07462 556479 E bleanbees@gmail.com www.bleanbees.com

Travel well and widely with Elgar Coaches

Exciting day trips, holidays and outings are on offer from Elgar Coaches, the friendly, family-run coach company which has been serving the public of Worcestershire for nearly 25 years. The award-winning company runs a fleet of highly comfortable, wellmaintained vehicles from 24 to 57 seats, including some with disability access. Coaches are available for private hire for any purpose, including group outings and corporate events, but Elgar specialises in arranging allinclusive holidays and excursions so passengers can relax and enjoy them with complete peace of mind. The imaginative choices this year include tours of the Harry Potter Studios in London and celebrations to mark the Queen’s 70-year reign. The latter include a one-night Nottingham show, Dance Through The Decades, with overnight accommodation on May 29; a coronation display at Windsor Castle on July 30 and an array of Her Majesty’s portraits and personal effects at Buckingham Palace on August 18. This summer’s holiday selections provide full board with quality hotels in prime positions, among them include five days in Llandudno, North Wales, from June 13, with tours of Anglesey and Snowdonia; five days in Babbacombe, Devon, from August 1 with tours of Brixham and Dartmoor; and seven days among the stunning lakes and mountains of Killarney, Ireland from June 28. Visit www.elgarcoaches.com to learn of many more brilliant options and download a brochure.

Editor’s Choice

Romantic glamping in a Wiltshire wildlife haven

Wildlife, nature walks and cycle trails are amazing around Hare’s Rest and The Hoot, two cosy and romantic glamping hideaways in the idyllic Wiltshire countryside renowned for white chalk horses carved on the hillsides. Guests regularly spot deer, red kites and buzzards and seek the elusive namesake of the Hare’s Rest while they relax in these green and peaceful surroundings. Hooting owls add their magic to evenings by the campfire. Hare’s Rest is a snug, hand-built shepherd’s hut for two and The Hoot an ingeniously converted horsebox perfect for a couple plus either two young children or one extra adult. Both stand in a 1½ acre paddock and have home comforts including hot showers, kitchens, comfy beds and firepit/barbecue. Many visitors go wild swimming in the River Frome and visit the historic Cotswold town of Bradford upon Avon, which has great café culture extending to barges selling cream teas and snacks on the Kennet & Avon Canal. Also within easy reach by car are the splendid city of Bath, Longleat Safari Park, Stonehenge, Iford Manor Gardens and the market town of Frome. Hosts Ruth Evans and her husband, Cliff – who built the accommodation - welcome guests with hampers of tasty local produce including their own hens’ eggs and milk from the local farm which supplies Fortnum & Mason, ‘the Queen’s Grocer.’ Hare’s Rest and The Hoot, Southwick, Trowbridge BA14 9NR T 07702 308559 E ruththelodge@icloud.com

Glorious glamping in scenic West Wales

Glorious countryside and cosy accommodation await guests at The Woolly Sheep glampsite in beautiful West Wales, on the border of Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire. Onsite offerings include a children’s play area and accessible animals including pygmy goats, sheep, ducks and chickens. Fabulous beaches, the Preseli mountains and many intriguing towns and villages lie within a short drive or leisurely cycle ride. These include Narberth, with its boutique art, antiques and café scene, and the popular seaside towns of Tenby and Saundersfoot. Numerous attractions include Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo and The Boathouse, a museum in Laugharne where writer Dylan Thomas lived his last four years. The Woolly Sheep, about 10 miles from the coast, has two bespoke, hand-crafted shepherds’ huts for self-catering. One is perfect for couples and comes with its own hot tub, set in four acres of beautiful private gardens. The larger family hut sleeps four and sits in its very own children’s play park. Both huts have en-suite shower facilities and kitchenette, outdoor seating, firepits, quality bedding and locally woven soft furnishings. A bell tent can be hired with the family hut as extra accommodation. Generous welcome baskets are provided for guests staying three nights or more and an on-site shop sells kindling, food and drink. Breakfast packages, celebration cakes and other special orders can be fulfilled as required. The Woolly Sheep, Henllan Amgoed, Carmarthenshire, SA34 0SJ T 07966 692716 E jasoneleri@gmail.com www.thewoollysheepshepherdshut.co.uk Facebook and Instagram @ Thewoollysheepshepherdshut

Relax with nature at Dorset eco-glampsite

Coppet Hill luxury glampsite/campsite is all about connecting with nature, farming and the landscape. It’s partly about the glorious Dorset location near the Jurassic coast, partly about the peaceful surroundings where you may encounter deer or roaming ponies and partly about accommodation where you can light the campfire, watch the stars and hear owls hooting. It’s also a chance to learn about the eco-friendly ‘regenerative farming’ being undertaken to replenish the soil and diversify the wildlife after three generations of traditional dairy farming. The Coppet Hill experience encourages guests to walk the miles of nature trails onsite and enjoy family friendly activities such as pond dipping, moth identification and ‘owl prowls.’ Guests can snap nocturnal creatures such as badgers and foxes with ‘camera traps’, or wind their way through a spectacular half a million sunflowers. There are crops of wheat, beans and oats. Lupins are being trialled as a promising source of animal protein. This idyllic scene is off-grid with three glamping options; a spacious Lotus Belle Stargazer tent with a king-sized double bed and hot tub; and two ‘landpods’ for families of four, all with private showers and compost toilets and outdoor kitchens. There are also 11 quiet camping pitches, each big enough for two family tents or three smaller ones and with their own compost toilet, firepit, water standpipe and picnic bench. Hot showers, laundry facilities and other amenities are provided. Ellen Kingston runs the farm with her parents George and Amanda and sister Philippa and loves having her own children, aged eight and five, involved with it all. “It’s a really peaceful setting and people get a real opportunity to get up close with nature,” she says. “It’s very family friendly and we give people a chance to escape from everything and experience something different. They really appreciate the space.” Coppet Hill, Purcombe Farm, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6RL T 07966 849876 E hello@coppethill.co.uk www.coppethill.co.uk Facebook @ Coppethill

Wildaway, the school bus to idyllic Sussex holidays

Wildaway is the American school bus everyone would love to catch as their unique and supremely comfortable holiday hideaway in the Sussex countryside. Admired on Discovery+ and Channel 5 TV, the bus has been converted to stylish accommodation for the adventurous traveller, within easy reach of the South Downs and coastal resorts of Brighton and Hastings. The idea for the luxurious conversion was carried out by George Holliday, a successful music producer who travels anywhere in the world that his career takes him. During the COVID lockdown he lived and travelled in multiple vehicles, but it was when he converted a former library bus to a mobile home/ music studio that he found friends wanting to stay and had the idea for the Wildaway bs. He pitched the idea to friends George, Mia, Jamie and Naomi at a pub one night. “We went through a few beers, but the next morning they still thought it was a good idea,” said George. “We formed a partnership company and we bought the bus in New York and shipped it over. They all invested money and ideas in it and we had a team that helped build it.” The friends now ensure that all runs smoothly for guests who come to use the bus as a quirky hotel. There is lots to enjoy on the doorstep at Latchetts Lakes near Uckfield, especially the peaceful setting enabling guests to get close to nature. There are beautiful views across the lakes, starry night skies, glorious local walks and pubs, tearooms and restaurants within a walk or short drive. The site is close to the National Trust’s Sheffield Park and Garden, the steam trains of Bluebell Railway and the Bluebell Vineyard, one of several in the vicinity helping build England’s reputation as a wine producer of note. Wildaway, Latchetts Lakes, Tanyard Lane, Furner’s Green, Uckfield TN22 3RL T 07557 108826 E wildawaybus@gmail.com www.wildawaybus.com

Luxuriate in Hencote Vineyard’s short break experience

Shropshire’s Hencote Estate is an award-winning vineyard which invites guests to immerse themselves in a unique experience of viticulture within a superb setting. It not only grows the grapes and makes them into a superlative range of wines, but also offers luxurious holiday and glamping accommodation, even wedding packages, along with exquisite dining and the means to make memories. Just a few miles from Shrewsbury, the Hencote vineyard nurtures some 23,000 vines individually by hand, using traditional techniques. The grapes – ripened by a favourable microclimate - are then made into quality wines. These can be enjoyed in the estate’s beautiful restaurant, The View, and in its bar, The Balcony, both commanding fabulous views. The style is casual fine dining, emphasising quality local ingredients and heritage. Staying guests have a choice of a beautifully renovated Georgian farmhouse, The Grange, or luxury glamping in The Village, amid 60 acres of lush private gardens. The Grange accommodates up to 14 people in lavish comfort. It has high end furnishings and appliances, open plan living, dining and kitchen areas and seven en-suite bedrooms, including a master with its own steam room. Users have exclusive use of three acres of grounds with a private hot tub. The Village provides safari lodges each for two adults and either two or four children. These are also fitted out for indulgent comfort, with super-comfortable beds, roll-top baths and walk-in showers, a log burning stove and a veranda with woodfired hot tub. Guests are encouraged to enjoy learning about all that goes into making the wine. General Manager Mark Stevens says: “This is not just a place to come and glamp but to have a vineyard experience. We offer all-inclusive packages which include a bottle of our wine on arrival, breakfast each morning, vineyard tours and wine tasting one afternoon and an evening meal in our restaurant, all for a great price.” Hencote Estate, Hencote, Cross Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3AA T 01743 298444 E reception@hencote.com www.hencote.com