Editor’s Choice

Wigwam® Holidays Glenlivet offers the perfect blend of action-packed adventures, outdoor living and quality accommodation, within the natural surroundings and mountain backdrop of Scotland’s stunning Cairngorm National Park. People can relax on-site surrounded by woodland and wildlife, or embrace unbeatable opportunities for outdoor pursuits and tourism. Set beside the Highlands’ highest village, Tomintoul, the Glenlivet site is just 10 minutes’ drive from The Lecht ski centre and within an hour of another, Cairngorm Mountain. Glenlivet Trail Centre offers mountain biking for all abilities, as do mountains themselves, providing walking, climbing and even scrambling experiences ranging from gentle to jaw-dropping. The Glenlivet name is synonymous with the world famous single malt which has been distilled since 1824. It is one of seven working distilleries on the acclaimed Speyside Whisky Trail, along with one historic distillery and the Speyside Cooperage. Over the last 30 years, Wigwam® Holidays has grown to a franchise business with sites all over the UK, building on a reputation for high quality craftsmanship and great locations which enable glampers to get close to nature without compromising on comfort. The Glenlivet site has been developed by the man who effectively invented glamping, Charles Gulland. As a designer/ builder in the late 1980s, he responded to a challenge to create sustainable accommodation design from forest thinnings for a Dorset college. Subsequently, the Countryside Commission asked him to design low cost, sustainable accommodation for the West Highland Way. The result, back in 2007, was the first Wigwam® pod. Then, as now, there is an emphasis on quality and sustainability. Each Wigwam® pod sleeps four or five people, while lodges sleep six to eight. They have en-suite facilities including shower and toilet, a fully equipped kitchenette, a living area with TV and outdoor seating with a barbecue/firepit. Charles says: “Our mission is the same as ever, to deliver great holidays in the great outdoors.” Wigwam® Holidays Glenlivet, Old Military Road, Ballindalloch, Tomintoul, Cairngorm National Park AB37 9EX; T 01838 300361 or 07817 483126, E glenlivet@ wigwamholidays.com www.wigwamholidays.com/ glenlivet

If you’re a walker, or love the outdoors, then a visit to The Walking Hub in Kington should be on your bucket list. A true hidden gem in a quiet traditional border town, located on Offa’s Dyke National Trail, surrounded by hills and glorious countryside ready to be explored. A warm welcome awaits your stay at The Walking Hub B&B. Owner Ali Allen will greet you with homemade treats and mugs of tea and you’ll feel instantly at home in the friendly atmosphere of her charming 17th century home. It’s comfortable and cosy with original historic features, simple furnishings and understated décor. Beds have linen sheets or organic cotton and gentle ecofriendly products are used to keep the Hub beautifully clean. Breakfast is always healthy veggie fare with organic produce, local and inseason where possible. Homemade granola and overnight oats are a speciality and guaranteed to get you through a tough day in the hills. Directly below on the High Street is The Walking Hub Shop. Ali has created a one-of-a-kind speciality shop for walkers stuffed full of wonderful gear personally selected for performance, comfort and longevity. You’ll find unique brands and products, such as minimalist (or bare foot) shoes and Nordic poles reflecting her passion for lightweight gear, comfortable footwear and the health benefits of using poles.

Ali’s passion for walking, love of the environment and health is contagious and will infuse your visit at the Hub. Living with chronic life-long arthritis and being a Nurse has given Ali a unique perspective on life and The Hub is a perfect way to share her personal experiences and knowledge with others. Her message to “carry on walking” is a simple one. The Walking Hub also offers experiences, bespoke packages along The Mortimer Trial and special Nordic walking weekends (as seen in the Guardian), technique classes and 1:1 instruction. Picnic lunches, lifts and baggage transfer are available too. Everyone welcome, including groups, individuals and dogs. The Walking Hub, 26 High Street, Kington, Herefordshire HR5 3AX; T 07756 172160 E thewalkinghub@gmail.com www.thewalkinghub.com

Elvan Farm Shepherd’s Hut puts guests at the very heart of Dartmoor, in prime position to enjoy its wild walking country, free-roaming livestock and, after a little exertion, breathtaking views from the top of its famous tors. They’re also well placed to enjoy many communities which add their own contributions to the charm, history and tourist attractions of the area. Dartmoor is famous for its wild ponies, sheep and cattle and the owners of Elvan Farm play a direct part in the tradition, running four commons for grazing. Steve Alford is the sixth generation to take on the farm’s herd of ponies. He and his partner, Hayley, also keep a herd of pedigree Greyface Dartmoor Sheep as well as commercial flocks. Guests can relax and enjoy the comings and goings of the farm and the restful peace of the surroundings from their comfortable quarters, which include a luxurious, king-sized bed, en-suite facilities, a log burning stove plus a garden area with barbecue. The sunset over beautiful Cawsand Beacon is a nightly treat, as is the morning birdsong. It’s a great spot for a relaxing getaway. Hayley says: “There is walking, cycling, riding and, 10 minutes’ walk away, a popular spot for wild swimming. Nearby villages have got lovely shops, quaint tearooms and traditional country pubs.” Elvan Farm, Throwleigh, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2QE T 07791734865 E elvanfarmshepherdshuts@outlook.com www.elvanfarmshepherdhuts.co.uk Set in the heart of Dumfries and Galloway in the beautiful Nithsdale, Liftingstane Cottages offer a supremely comfortable base for a holiday in the Southwest of Scotland. Consisting of the traditional farmhouse and two cottages formed from the original steading, Liftingstane farmhouse sleeps eight in four bedrooms, Liftingstane Cottage sleeps five and Dairy Cottage sleeps four. All are exceptionally well appointed and have everything needed for a comfortable holiday including high quality mattresses, well equipped kitchens, Wi-Fi, log burning stoves for cosy evenings and underfloor heating. Dogs are made very welcome. All three have gardens with patios, plenty of space for parking and secure storage for bikes and other items. Located about twenty minutes north of Dumfries and only a short drive to Thornhill, all needs can be catered for, be they shopping or eating out. The area is noted for its sporting activities including the world renowned Seven Stanes graded mountain biking trails nearby. Two premier game rivers in southern Scotland are close by and are accessible for day ticket fishing for salmon and sea trout. History abounds. Drumlanrig Castle is ten minutes’ drive away and Burns fans can visit his homes in Dumfries and at Ellisland Farm. Nature lovers are spoilt for choice with wildlife and there is bird watching aplenty in the fields and forests or along the Solway coast. Liftingstane Cottages, Liftingstane Closeburn, Thornhill, Dumfries & Galloway DG3 5JQ; T 07976 015397, E liftingstane@hotmail.com www.liftingstanecottages.co.uk

Great glamping with private hot tub in northern idyll

Stunning views, luxurious accommodation and fabulous Jacuzzi hot tubs are just some of the attractions that have wowed the first guests of Derecroft Glamping near Lanchester, County Durham. With an idyllic hillside location on a small family farm 10 miles from the chic city of Durham – where the castle, cathedral and River Wear form a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the site launched just this year offers a cosy base for both chilling out and exploring. It is only 30 minutes’ drive from outstanding attractions such as Hadrian’s Wall, and the famous Beamish Living Museum of the North. Derecroft’s glamping pods have been designed and hand-crafted to exceptional standards by the site owners, Lee and Jane Spraggon with Jane’s adult son, Ben, a professional horse riding events competitor. Available for adults and families with children aged seven upwards, they each sleep four in a double bed and double sofabed. They are snugly insulated and centrally heated for use all year round and have stylish living areas, fully equipped kitchens and en-suite shower rooms. Outdoors, each has its own patio, pergola, dining furniture, barbecue and pizza ovens, plus a wood burning stove and a fabulous, private hot tub. Generous welcome packs are included. The views are extensive and beautiful and an extensive wildlife pond brings daily interest. As well as overlooking grazing sheep, guests may well see Ben busy training horses that are bred on site. Derecroft Glamping, Lanchester, County Durham DH8 7TG T 07548 151360 E derecroftglamping@gmail.com www.derecroftglamping.co.uk

Riverside Aymestrey, gastro-pub with winning ways

High quality and great standards come together in a dream combination at The Riverside, Aymestrey, where guests can eat, drink and stay in style. Winner of the 2022 Pub Chef of the Year, Best Sustainable Pub and West Midlands Pub of the Year awards, The Riverside offers the best of hospitality and tastiest cuisine in the cosy, oakbeamed surroundings of a 16th century inn near Ludlow, in the heart of rural Herefordshire. Guests can be sure of a warm welcome and relaxed atmosphere at this idyllic setting in the Lugg Valley, whether they are enjoying a light lunch as part of a family day out, a romantic dinner or perhaps a milestone celebration. It also offers the perfect setting for a short break with bed and breakfast, with nine beautifully appointed guest rooms a million thoughts away from the giddy world of work. Run by Chef patron Andy Link and George Parkes, The Riverside embraces modern values of sustainability in every aspect of the management and is hoping to achieve a net zero carbon footprint this year. It uses local, artisan and organic food sources throughout, with many of the ingredients coming from its own gardens, smallholding and heritage orchard. Everything is freshly prepared on-site, from stoneground spelt bread to homemade ice cream. The venue supports the expanding Slow Food Ark of Taste movement, which protects heritage foods. The Riverside Inn, Aymestrey, Herefordshire HR6 9ST; T 01568 708440 E enquiries@riversideaymestrey.co.uk www.riversideaymestrey.co.uk

Explore Yorkshire from luxurious wildlife haven

Nature lovers will be in bliss at Wigwam® Holidays Ball Hall Farm, a peaceful, award-winning glampsite set in six acres of woodland near York. All the site’s 12 cabins overlook a three acre lake teeming with wildlife, with regular visitors including swans, ducks, geese, deer, red kites, hares and barn owls.

The sustainably-run site has nine deluxe Wigwam® cabins for families of four and three wheelchairaccessible cabins for five, all fully equipped and stylish, enabling guests to relax in total comfort. The latter have gentle ramp access, wetroom showers, high toilets, wide doorways, grab rails and wheelchairfriendly kitchen units and picnic tables. The cabins are warm and well insulated for all seasons. Two or more can be booked together to cater for groups and mixed generations. They all have kitchenettes with cooking facilities, en-suite showers and toilets, comfy living areas with TV and outdoor space with firepits and barbecues. Everything needed is to hand, from the Memory Foam mattresses to cutlery and crockery. Guests are welcome to bring their dogs along to enjoy the on-site woodland walks. The area is brimming with top quality tourist spots. The active often head for nearby Allerthorpe Lakeland Park, which caters for varied watersports. York alone has crowd-pleasers for every taste, including the Minster, The Shambles medieval shopping area, the racecourse, National Railway Museum, Jorvik Viking Museum and York’s Chocolate Story. On the doorstep, they can enjoy Yorkshire Air Museum, the pleasant market town of Pocklington and Pocklington Canal, or go beyond to the wide open spaces of the Yorkshire Wolds. Burnby Hall – which is fully accessible - thrills plant lovers with attractions including eight amazing and very different gardens. York Maze – a maize maze - is the biggest in Britain, open during summer months. In just over an hour’s drive, guests can be at fabulous east coast seaside resorts such as Scarborough, Filey and Whitby, or in the North York Moors National Park. Wigwam® Holidays Ball Hall Farm, near York. T 07766 295131 E ballhallfarm@wigwamholidays.com www.wigwamholidays.com/ ball-hall-farm

Glampers staying with Incline View Holidays enjoy luxury shepherd’s huts on the edge of the North York Moors National Park, with a stunning outlook over the Cleveland Hills. If you enjoy unspoiled countryside with great views and exhilarating walks for all seasons this farm-based site is the place to find them. And, when you return to your snug accommodation after an active day out, you can relax in a private hot tub positioned for unbeatable views of stars in the park’s designated Dark Skies, completely unsullied by light pollution. The ‘incline’ of the glampsite name refers to nearby Ingleby Incline, the steep route of a Victorian cable railway which was used to transport local ironstone. Also begging to be climbed is Roseberry Topping, ‘Yorkshire’s Matterhorn,’ on the 109 mile Cleveland Way walking trail between Helmsley and Saltburn by the Sea.

The site’s three huts, Lapwing, Hare and Barn Owl, cater for two adults each and sit in a meadowfronted wildlife haven populated by traditional and rare breed sheep and cattle. Barn owls and hares are seen all year, as are deer and woodpeckers, while lapwings are seasonal visitors. Each hut has a comfy double bed with a Himalayan duvet, a fitted kitchen, en-suite shower and toilet, log burning stove, electric heating and outdoor seating. Hosts Louise and Mark are finalists in the 2022 Yorkshire Post Rural Award for Farm Diversification and encourage their guests to eat out in welcoming local villages, the nearest being Ingleby Greenhow, within walking distance. Day trips often take guests to ‘Heartbeat country,’ Goathland, or the coast, perhaps Whitby. Louise says: “People love how quiet and secluded it is, like our own little piece of magic. People who came last year loved being in the hot tub, looking at the stars when there was snow all around.”

Incline View Holidays, New Sheepfold Farm, Ingleby Greenhow, North Yorkshire TS9 6RQ; T 07841 488461, E info@inclineviewholidays.co.uk www.inclineviewholidays.co.uk

Luxury lodges in stunning Welsh Marches

Family breaks with Autism Friendly Holidays come with top quality play equipment and stress-busting sensory features to ensure that everyone feels relaxed, happy and has a great time, including anyone in the party with autism. So successful has been this family-run venture in Fleetwood, near Blackpool, that it recently won first place in the ‘Making a Difference’ category of the 2022 National Disability and Autism Awards and an award for ‘Most Autism Inclusive Holiday camp’ with Haven’s Cala Gran holiday park. Autism Friendly Holidays started 10 years ago when owners Alan and Jennifer Berry decided to design their own caravan accommodation for themselves and their autistic son, Lucas. Now they have six enchanting and well-equipped caravans to let on Haven’s Cala Gran holiday park, all providing a soothing, safe environment and all personally consumer-tested by Lucas, now 16. The Disney and Dr Seuss caravans sleep eight in four bedrooms and have sensory play dens with bubble walls and fibre optic waterfalls, remote controlled LED lights, sensory toys, PlayStations and safe space beds. Rainbow and Spongebob are similar but for 10 people in four bedrooms. Rainbow and Dr Seuss are wheelchair-accessible. New this year is the Harry Potterthemed caravan, sleeping eight, while the Mario and Gaming caravans have PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch systems as well as sensory and soft play equipment. Some caravans take dogs, all are warm and cosy and guests can buy passes giving them full use of the Haven holiday facilities including the swimming pools, bars, arcades and entertainment. Alan says: “When we first had Lucas, there was nothing for children with autism. Going on holiday was a nightmare. That’s why we started this. We soon found there was great demand and that’s how we’ve grown. “Many people just stay in their caravan because they love it so much, but we’re only 20 minutes from Blackpool, where there’s tons for everyone to do. The public transport is brilliant and some attractions, like Madame Tussaud’s, have autismfriendly hours.” Autism Friendly Holidays, Haven Cala Gran, Fleetwood FY7 8JY; T 07702 565259, E alan@autismfriendlycaravan.co.uk www.autismfriendlycaravan.co.uk

If you seek the peace of unspoiled Welsh countryside, close to the famous long distance walking route of Offa’s Dyke and with stunning valley views, you’ll be thrilled by the holiday accommodation of Acre Luxury Lodges. Each of four properties for let on two family farms near the Powys/Herefordshire border has its own private hot tub and everything needed to make it cosy, warm and welcoming for all seasons. Two properties are lodges which sleep six people, Red Kite named after the birds which now soar above the surrounding Radnor Valley and Offa’s Dyke, named after that famous walkway which once protected the 8th century AngloSaxon King Offa from marauding raiders. Both lodges hold hillside positions which make the most of those expansive verdant views. They have games rooms as well as well-equipped kitchens, bedrooms, living areas and balconies. The others are two delightful cottages, Upper Close sleeping eight and the newly renovated Middle Hanter, sleeping four. Upper Close was built by the Hamer farming family still working the land at the parent property, Rough Close, raising sheep, cattle and crops. Hosts Richard and Annabel ensure guests receive a great welcome and any support, advice and help ‘to do’ suggestions as wanted, ably assisted by their adult children and friendly pets. They have been looking after holiday guests since 2016 and often find them returning. Many visitors gravitate to the ‘book town’ of Hay on Wye, the historic city of Hereford or foodie towns such as Ludlow and Abergavenny. Seeing the dramatic Water-Break-Its-Neck waterfall is a ‘must’ for many, along with family-friendly Kington Owl Centre and the Hergest Croft Gardens, which are truly spectacular in autumn. Annabel says: “It really is idyllic here and there is lots of wildlife, including the kites and wandering deer. There are lots of lovely walks and our excellent local pub, The Harp Inn, is in walking distance.” Acre Luxury Lodges, Rowbatch Farmhouse, Stanner, Kington, Herefordshire; T 07788 548414, E acreluxurylodges@gmail.com www.acreluxurylodges.co.uk Please use code CLL22 when enquiring.