Going Glamping at the Dandelion Hideaway in Leicestershire

We have been lucky enough to have so many special experiences, but one which we hadn't done together is camping. However, when we were offered the chance to try glamping at the Dandelion Hideaway in Leicestershire, it really appealed. After all, who could turn down a luxury type of camping, with little canvas houses instead of tents and running water and your own bathroom?

[kad_youtube url="https://youtu.be/Grw4DoNuTak" width=200 height=100 ]

 

I'm glad we tried it and would absolutely recommend it for families. It was amazing to feel so far removed from the city, I loved seeing rabbits running around and eating freshly picked eggs (so much nicer than normal) and it really made me think about history - especially how people lived without electricity and how night was really so different from day back then. I really felt as if we got away from it all (despite knowing that sounds clichéd) and was delighted that we all had a great time. Each cottage is really beautifully done, with so much space around it, and with a gorgeous veranda to sit outside on and rest. And I even saw a badger's set!

Watch Robert's video, above, for more!

Now, over to the kids:

Robert aged 11 says: When we arrived at the farm, we were met by Farmer John who talked to us briefly about the farm then drove us to our tent on a tractor (this was such fun, especially when we bumped down a hill!). When we got there he showed us our rooms and how to use the facilities (including lighting a fire, which we have never done before) before leaving us to settle in.

[caption id="attachment_2475" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We had to light lamps to see at night![/caption]

There were two bedrooms in the tent. Mum and Dad’s one had a double bed whilst ours had two singles. They both connected to the bathroom which had a toilet plus a bath and shower (with hot water). There was also a smaller room which was taken up entirely by a bed. It had two sets of little doors on either side, one that led to the dining area and the other brought you into our parents’ room. Jess and I both slept there at night as it was like a secret room!

The living room and kitchen were merged into one with a big black fire in the middle. Every half an hour we had to add more wood to the flames to keep our tent warm. There was no electricity so our heat and light came from oil lamps and candles. It did get very dark later on and it was strange not to be able to turn on a light.

The Dandelion Hideaway had provided us with all the cutlery and utensils you could need for cooking plus they gave us a complimentary cake and I always say that a complimentary cake equals a great glamping experience. Next to the table was a selection of chairs and sofas where you could sit down near the fire and read a book. At the front of the house there was also an outside porch with a table and chairs.

I am terrible with the cold so I was freezing when trying to get to sleep although I was wearing the warmest pyjamas I had, a vest and a dressing gown. In the morning we fried some eggs in a saucepan which we placed over the fire before getting dressed and meeting Farmer John near the entrance.

He then took us on a tour of the farm. Farmer John showed us the massive heaps of food that he kept to feed to the animals and explained to us how he ran the farm before taking us to see some cute baby goats which we were allowed to stroke. We were then taken to where the older of the animals were kept and I was amazed by how many there were. The farm was taking care of over a thousand of the creatures.

[caption id="attachment_2468" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Grooming a shetland pony[/caption]

After the tour we groomed some ponies. We were each allowed to pick one before getting to brush and comb its hair. I was paired up with a pony called Bluebell and I when I was done grooming her she looked like a cross between Justin Bieber and Donald "Because I don't want to, Greta" Trump! We then got to lead our pony onto a field and feed some of the bigger animals.

At the farm there is a games room where you can play table-tennis and table football plus loads of space to run around. At any time you are allowed to walk into the chicken pen and take some eggs. After the initial feeling that the chickens were going to kill me (well, I am from London) I learnt that they were totally safe and enjoyed my fried eggs for breakfast.

[caption id="attachment_2469" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Freshly picked eggs[/caption]

Later that day we were shown some of the goats getting milked and I even had a go at using the suckers to extract some liquid. The farmer then took us to a small room where were tried some fresh goat milk, it was delicious. The farm sends off all their milk to a company which sells goat’s cheese and goats’ milk - they are one of the business’s nine providers.

[caption id="attachment_2470" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Goats being milked[/caption]

The shop near the entrance is very well done. There is no shop keeper so it is done all on honesty. You take what you want then write down what you “bought” before paying independently at the end of your stay. There is also a space to charge your mobile devices.

[caption id="attachment_2471" align="alignnone" width="1200"] In the honesty shop[/caption]

Overall I loved the experience, but I am not sure if I would go back due to the lack of electricity and warmth.It was great to be so close to nature instead of the busy crowds of London, everyone was very friendly and of course they gave complimentary cake.

Jess aged 14 says: I had a great time at the Dandelion Hideaway. With lots of exams coming up, this gave me the opportunity to disconnect, breathe fresh air, read a book (which I probably should do more often), and run around the field with my diablo.

[caption id="attachment_2472" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Jess playing diablo as the sun sets - see how much space there was to play![/caption]

I quite liked having no electricity, although it was annoying at night as you couldn’t see where you were going! Luckily we had torches with us to solve this problem, but it still felt strange. I really loved reading by the fire and eating toasted marshmallows and pizza, as well as delicious fruit from the local village.

The farm was amazing, and I loved our tour. Farmer John talked a lot about how politics affects farming, which was extremely interesting and also very funny at parts. I learnt a lot about how farms work, and also had a really good time grooming ponies and leading them into a field.

[caption id="attachment_2473" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The secret room![/caption]

Coupled with our visit to the local town of Market Bosworth, our weekend away truly was a great one. Despite my impending exams I was surprisingly relaxed, and I loved seeing the animals. I would definitely return.

[caption id="attachment_2476" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Jess grooming a Shetland pony[/caption]

The Dandelion Hideaway, which has five secluded canvas cottages, costs from £500 for a 4 night break (Mon-Friday), from £575 for a 3 night weekend break (Fri-Mon) and from £725 for a week. All prices are per canvas cottage so for up to six people sharing including all wood for camp fire and stove. Farm activities and Woodland Explorers Club (which includes hands on activities for kids) are complimentary.

There is also one very romantic, secluded canvas cottage just for two, which comes with its own tree house and wood burning hot tub. Contact 01455 292888 or the website.

We were very lucky to be offered our stay on a complimentary basis. However, the Dandelion had no input into this piece and all our views and opinions are our own.

The Dandelion is situated very near Bosworth - site of the famous battle, where Richard III died. Read our post about our visit there.

If you like the idea of glamping, you may enjoy these posts from other top family travel bloggers!

Explorer glamping at Chessington by PODcast

Glamping pods at Oakdown Holiday Park by Tin box Traveller

Ready Camp Scarborough  Glamping from the Camping and Caravanning club by Samantha at North East Family Fun

and

Jollydays Yorkshire family glamping adventure by Yorkshire Tots 

More in Leicestershire:

Skeletons, skulls and visiting the King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester

The National Space Centre, Leicester (by Robert)

We've teamed up with Country Kids - read about more lovely outdoor adventures and trips there!

What to do in Norwich (by all of us!)

Jess, aged 14, writes: During half term, our family visited Norwich and the Norfolk Broads. Over the course of our two days in Norwich, we visited fascinating museums, ate delicious food, and saw gorgeous sights, such as the castle and cathedral. We were very lucky to have a fair bit of sun, and loved walking around the city. Here are our favourite bits (don't miss the video which Robert made too - just click on the link!)

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We stayed in the Norwich City Holiday Inn, which was very convenient and great for families. We always find inter-connecting rooms useful, and the fact that Robert and I had separate beds was a bonus. The food was good, and everything was clean and tidy. It wasn't luxurious, but it is a great budget choice for families, and it's right next to Norwich City's football stadium!

Sarah says: We decided to start at our trip at the Museum of Norwich at Bridewell and were really impressed by this lovely, informative gem of a museum. The museum gives the story of this city (once England's second in terms of importance), and taught us a lot, impressing all of us. It is bright and easy to navigate (it's set out logically) and also very interactive, which appealed to the children.

[caption id="attachment_2303" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We loved looking around the Norwich Museum.[/caption]

Norwich's story includes that of the "strangers" - Huguenots who were invited to come from the Netherlands in the 16th century in order to help the textile industry. Thirty families of master weavers came initially (soon followed by more) and made a huge contribution to the city's fortunes.

Norwich's story is not only one of textiles and weaving, but also of mustard (Colman's of course), plus football (we found out why Norwich City are called the Canaries), chocolate (Caleys and Rowntrees) and shoes (Norwich used to provide eight million pairs of shoes a year!).

[caption id="attachment_2305" align="alignnone" width="900"] We loved looking at the old fashioned objects from Norwich[/caption]

We were surprised by how much there was to see in this small museum and I was especially fascinated by its darker side, as it used to be a prison. The stories of some of those who spent time here were really sobering.
The Museum is in Bridewell Alley, off Bedford Street and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 to 4.30am. It costs £5.20 for adults and £3.90 for children. You can also pop in for an hour for just £1 which seems a great idea to us.

[caption id="attachment_2307" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We loved visiting Norwich Castle![/caption]

Robert, aged 10, writes: I really enjoyed exploring the medieval castle. We studied an array of interesting displays on the top floor and had fun taking part in some interactive activities on British History on the first floor. My favourite was an activity where you catapulted a rock and had to try and knock over a wall. The castle used to be a prison and there was a very interesting display about this, including stories of criminals and even a prison cell.

The second floor was my favourite though. When we went there was an exhibition on dragons and the How To Train Your Dragon books so there were loads of things to do on that topic. They included listening to books being read out and arts and crafts. I created my own mini dragon.

[caption id="attachment_2309" align="alignnone" width="851"] There was so much to do, see, and make in Norwich Castle[/caption]

Jess says: Norwich Cathedral is one of the most complete major Romanesque buildings in Europe, and has the second tallest spire and largest monastic cloisters in England. It was absolutely beautiful, and we walked around for about half an hour. There are guided tours around the 900 year -old Cathedral but we did not take one, preferring to walk around at a leisurely pace.

[caption id="attachment_2301" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The Cathedral was absolutely beautiful.[/caption]

We really enjoyed reading the inscriptions on the walls and tombstones, and reading the memorials. We also thought the staff were extremely friendly.The Cathedral is free to enter, although they do ask for donations.

[caption id="attachment_2310" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert loved looking at the art and making his own versions of it at the Sainsbury's Centre for Art[/caption]

Robert says: I loved going to the Sainsbury's Centre for Art as it displayed a large assortment of intricate sculptures and detailed painting that had been made over the years. I was stunned by the art and felt so relaxed when I drew some of my favourites on a piece of paper I was given, as it was so quiet and calm. The building itself was enormous; you could go outside and walk around the giant plot of land surrounding the gallery which had a starring role in the second Avengers movie. I really enjoyed going there and it was the highlight of my trip.

Sarah writes: Norwich was a lovely city to walk around and we really enjoyed the combination of the old and new side. There are lovely cobbled streets to walk along and small, independent shops and galleries in the Lanes and the medieval quarter, but there are also all the high street favourites, and it's so convenient to walk everywhere! Don't miss the huge market, which is right in the centre, and which is full of all sorts of different stalls (from food to clothes).

[caption id="attachment_2312" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Norwich was full of lovely shops.[/caption]

We especially enjoyed the fantastic food at the Macarons and More shop in the Royal Arcade (look at their website for some amazing pictures!) and had a terrific lunch at the Britons Arms, which is set in a 15th century building - and which featured in the film Stardust.

[caption id="attachment_2313" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We had a delicious lunch at the Britons Arms[/caption]

We had hoped to visit the Strangers' Hall, which has been a home to merchants and mayors in Norwich since 1320, but unfortunately it was closed, so definitely check up on its opening times if you're interested in a visit.

Jess writes: We had a lovely time in Norwich - the castle was beautiful, the museum was fascinating, and I loved my cinnamon pretzel, massive pistachio macaroon, and my raspberry meringue pavlova. Norwich is full of scrumptious food, which was one of the reasons that it is perfect for families. Norwich is full of so many things to see and do, and we would love to go back and see them all.

Disclosure: Our visit to Norwich was organised with help from Visit Norwich. We stayed in the Holiday Inn on a complimentary basis, although neither Visit Norwich not the hotel had any input into this piece. Our rooms at the Holiday Inn would have cost £95 per night including breakfast. Kids eat free at the hotel (we took advantage of this!)

More by us:

Seeing seals at Horsey Beach in Norfolk

Our Top Tips for Getting Around in London

A Fascinating Day at the Newseum in Washington DC