The glamping spot with delightful alpacas and ponies – plus top-notch roasts
GLAMPING in Warwickshire could be the break you never knew you needed.
Lifestyle Editor Catherine Bennion-Pedley looks at a quirky lodge that’s the ultimate family win.
THE PAD
Alpacas, ponies, sheep and super-friendly Scooby the cat are your delightful neighbours at Bob’s Lodge, one of six holiday homes sat on an idyllic Cotswolds farm.
Perfect for two families (Bob’s sleeps eight, plus a baby) there’s a geo-dome bedroom ideal for stargazing, three bedrooms inside the lodge, a hot tub, fire pit and properly equipped kitchen – including a Smeg coffee machine.
The slide down into the private garden provides much fun, and the mini sofas and toy box for the littlest go down a treat, too – almost as much as feeding ponies Queenie and Stan.
EXPLORE
Stratford-upon-Avon is just 25 minutes’ drive away and makes an excellent day trip.
Test out the whacky mechanical art creations and addictive marble room at the brilliant interactive MAD Museum.
Tickets cost £8.80 for adults and £6 for kids over six (Themadmuseum.co.uk).
Stop by Stratford Butterfly Farm, the UK’s largest home of tropical butterflies, to spy cocoons hatching, iguanas and numerous creepy-crawlies.
Entry costs £8.95 for adults and £7.95 for kids over three (Butterflyfarm.co.uk).
If the sun is shining, get up close to the army of swans by hiring a boat on the River Avon, £9 an hour (Avon-boating.co.uk).
Elsewhere, Blenheim Palace’s brand-new adventure area with forts, ziplines and water play is a delight – as are the gardens and miniature train.
Tickets cost from £28 for adults and £13.50 for kids over three (Blenheimpalace.com).
Warwick Castle, also half an hour away, ticks boxes for all ages – teens will love the immersive dungeon experience, while little ones will go crazy for the Horrible Histories maze and Zog playground.
The whole clan will dig the birds of prey display and climbing the turrets.
Tickets cost from £22 each, and under-threes go free (Warwick-castle.com).
REFUEL
Dig into top-notch roasts, from £18.95, at The Castle at Edgehill, 10 minutes’ drive from Bob’s Lodge.
It serves up stunning valley views alongside German pinot noir, £7.95 a glass (Castleatedgehill.co.uk).
In Stratford-upon-Avon, pick from the Ration Book at vintage tearoom The Fourteas, where coronation chicken sandwiches, £8, and pots of spiced chai tea, £4, are accompanied by dapper waiters and jazz (Thefourteas.co.uk).
Later, get your sweet fix at Hooray’s with its huge array of gelato – try the delicious pumpkin-spiced-latte flavour in a cookie sandwich, £7.95 (Hooraysgelato.com).
BOOK IT
Three-night stays at Bob’s Lodge cost from £148 per person (Towanderuk.co.uk/properties/bobs-lodge).
BTW
Pick up elderflower and quince gin at Stratford’s Shakespeare Distillery shop – that’s our kind of culture fix (Shakespearedistillery.com)!
PACK IT
Fill the gap left by the TV series and be a faithful to the card game. The Traitors, £11.99, Gingerfox.co.uk.
A fancy staycay deserves new PJs, and these are made of organic cotton. Pyjamas, £45, Myza at John Lewis & Partners.
Water-resistant, eco-friendly and super-stylish. Backpack, £75, Roka London at National Trust Shop.