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Amber's Bell Tent Camping Little Ma…

King's Lynn, Norfolk, England
1 acre hosted by Amber W.
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Secluded bell tent camping on a wild North Norfolk estate.

A Roman road as straight as a camper’s tent peg runs from 11th-century Castle Acre out to the North Norfolk coast. Today it makes up part of the Peddars Way, a scenic long-distance footpath that runs right past a new glamping site on the Little Massingham Estate. Hidden in a glade surrounded by oak trees, you wouldn’t know Amber’s Bell Tent Camping is there unless you were looking for it. And it’s worth looking for. With hammocks in the trees, acres of wild space to roam and some of Norfolk’s best beaches within a half-hour drive, it’s the perfect place to quietly find a little freedom.

The Little Massingham Estate is actually one of multiple Amber’s Bell Tent Camping locations. There are several other spots in Norfolk, all on similarly grand, country estates, so you can trust that the accommodation – bell tents with proper beds, soft furnishings and wood burners – are a thoroughly popular option. Three of the tents are in a little dell, sat atop decks and with the most secluded feel, while four more are in a young plantation of oak trees that children will love to play hide-and-go-seek in. All tents have campfire pits outside and there’s a washblock (newly built for 2021) a short stroll away. A beautiful old brick barn with a slightly jaunty roof also makes for an excellent social space and games room, with a pizza oven and plenty of picnicking space outside.

If talk of a 2,000-acre country estate fills your head with images of water fountains, manicured lawns and ornate gardens, then you’ll need to think again. The Little Massingham approach is a little different. Vast tracts of the land have been set aside for their new re-wilding project and glampers can take to the footpaths to see the pigs and wild grazing ponies. Hedgerows are left largely untrimmed to follow their natural growth, bulging and brimming with blackberries in late summer.

Plans are afoot to offer tractor-and-trailer tours of the estate in the not-to-distant future, helping visitors learn more about the exciting re-wilding project and what’s involved. Until then, you’ll have to make do with cycling along the Roman road to Castle Acre Priory (now looked after by the good folk at English Heritage), pedaling to the pretty pub in Great Massingham or driving out to the coast to swim in the sea at Brancaster Beach or eat fish and chips in Thornham. It’s a tough life, eh.

Activities
Biking
Hiking
Wildlife watching
Natural features
Forest
Field
Farm
Not currently accepting bookings on Hipcamp
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Location
King's Lynn, Norfolk, England, United KingdomTraditional, ancestral territory of various First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Amber W.Joined in March 2015
From the host
On the far reaches of North West Norfolk, this 2,000 acre estate is truly a place of raw beauty. There are forests and health land. Wild ponies and piggies. They all play a part in the important rewilding work that is happening here and across the county with Wild East.  It's a really special place. Nestled deep deep within this rambling wilderness resides the cosiest of sites. 7 of our furnished bells lie in woodland and dell, offering a sheltered settlement of style and comfort within miles  of untamed landscape, along with a luxed out railway carriage and 8 woodland tent pitches. Under the big Norfolk skies, 2 of our 5m bells sit up on decks in the bluebell dell, and a small couples' retreat also decked in the corner. The adjacent oak woodland is home to 4 more bells, canopied under the young trees creating a really lovely timbered retreat. There's the old field barn overlooking the wood, which is a fantastic sheltered space for campers to gather - great for an exclusive glamping gathering.
Nearby attractions

If you go back down the entrance track you pop out onto a quiet lane that was once a Roman road and now forms part of the Peddars Way, a 50-mile-long trail that runs from Thetford and the centre of Norfolk out to the coast (where it joins the Norfolk Coast Path). It’s about 14 miles to this confluence at Holme (just under half an hour by car) but the whole stretch of coastline around that area is beautiful and diverse. If you want big sandy beaches, try Brancaster or Holkham Bay. If you fancy spotting wildlife, try Titchwell, Blakeney, Cley or Morston Quay. If you want history try Sandringham or Holkham Hall (or, nearest, and en-route to the coast, Houghton Hall). The handy thing about the curvature of Norfolk’s coastline is that most seaside spots are pretty much equidistant from the glamping site. It’s not all about the coast, though. There’s a nice walk from your bell tent over the fields to the pub in Great Massingham, a picturesque village with two duck ponds, and English Heritage-owned Castle Acre Priory (0370 333 1181) is just a 10-minute drive away.

Food and drink

It takes about 15 minutes to cycle or 45 minutes to walk to the Dabbling Duck (01485 520827) overlooking the village green in Great Massingham. It’s a well-named pub given the village’s picturesque pair of duck ponds, which always have plenty of feathered occupants, and it’s a fine spot for an evening meal or a pint. A tad further, but in the direction of the coast, the Rose & Crown (01485 521807) is another fabulous option, with a slightly more off-the-beaten track feel. While, out on the coast, the village of Thornham has a range of options, from good gastro pubs to a nice deli, a farm shop, fish’n’chips and even a café in a Mongolian yurt.

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