Ever want to go on an adventure that isn’t overseas, which takes you somewhere you’ve never been before?
The influencer lifestyle we are all accustomed to has become the norm, but what if you want to go off the beaten track, maybe to a UK city that you’ve never visited before, and you don’t want to stay in a plush 5* hotel, but you do want to stay somewhere unique, unusual, and adventurous?
#TeamCoco’s Rachel McAlley recently stayed at Jollydays Glamping, an off-road countryside outdoor lifestyle glamping site on the outskirts of York in North Yorkshire. With 200 acres of magical woodland surrounding the site, which can only be accessed by one small private road, you are well and truly away from the busy city life when you stay at Jollydays luxury camping.
I drove down the track and parked in the middle of the woods before walking to the reception check-in hut, which also doubles as an ‘honesty shop’ where you can buy your woodland essentials.
Once checked in we collected a wheelbarrow to transport our luggage to the woodcutters hut where we were spending the night, deep in the woodland. The woodcutters hut didn’t have electric, so no TV or lighting aside from candles and my mobile phone torch. Also, the loos and bathroom facilities were shared, and a short 5-minute walk from the woodcutters hut. We definitely needed our wellies for this little jaunt!
The woodcutters hut does have a luxury double bed dressed in beautiful bedding, complete with woodland art and pictures, and a wood-burning stove to keep warm. Located outside the woodcutters hut was our own personal decked area with picnic bench, and a little shed with gas hob, crockery, cutlery and a large water barrel.
Whilst still daylight we took the water barrel and walked to the water tap to get our much needed water for hot drinks which we made on the hob. The water was also used to wash our dishes in our little shed, or we could have walked to the dishwashing area, which again was a 5-minute walk away from the hut.
We were given a welcome pack which included candles, matches, firelighters, kitchen cloth and health & safety documents. The only thing we needed to buy from the honesty hut was wood for our little stove, but luckily it was a warm day and we didn’t need to use the wood.
We had the option of eating our food at our woodcutters hut on the decked area and picnic table or we could join other families in the main campfire area, where we could have made homemade pizza and used the pizza oven, or we could toast marshmallows on the open campfire.
There is an indoor tent, which is a communal area for all guests staying at Jollydays Glamping, where the only electric points can be found, and fairy lights adorn the facade. Inside this tent there are plenty of kids games, sofas and a table to charge phones etc. This is a really fabulous communal area to meet other glampers who are also enjoying the great outdoors.
With a staggering 200 acres of woodland to investigate this is a perfect staycation destination for the outdoorsy and adventurous types. It takes you back to primitive times when there was no electricity and you had to walk for water, but with huge benefits of having a luxurious bed, stove and pretty candles. A definite 21st century way of camping in style.
The honesty hut also stocked a few luxuries to purchase including; wine, champagne, marshmallows for toasting, sweets, crisps, and soft drinks.
It was dark by now and we opted to stay in our woodcutters hut surrounded by tealights and candles and enjoy our hotdogs on the decking, before retiring for the evening to the very comfy double bed.
In the morning we woke early, with the sound of the birds signing, so we ventured to the bathrooms in our wellies and have a shower, brush our teeth, and collect some more water.
It was time to leave Jollydays Glamping, so we checked out, paid for our marshmallows from the honesty hut, and walk to Northwood Trail, a magical fairy land next door to Jollydays, which included free entry as part of our glamping experience.
This was an excellent adventure, different from the norm, and full of fun and excitement, one that is well worth the visit to North Yorkshire.
Rachel was hosted by Jollydays Glamping, which included 1-night accommodation in a luxury woodcutters hut. All food and drink and any extras such as wood for the stove was paid for.
If you are interested in camping at Jollydays Glamping there is a choice of staying at a woodcutters hut, lodge tent, or a woodland tent. Prices vary at different times of the year, visit the website for full details – www.jollydaysglamping.co.uk
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