Middle Stone Farm

Middle Stone Farm in Somerset is open all year round offering a choice of quirky and very comfortable accommodation. In its own private corner of the farm, a wooden cabin called The Deckhouse can be booked on its own or, if you're quick, together with the rest of the site to accommodate larger groups. The whitewashed cabin works well for both couples and families, with a king-sized bed and mini bunk room (suitable for two young children), while a large, open plan living space has a slightly retro feel. It makes a beautiful contrast with the modern shower room and smart new wood-burner that gives added warmth to the airy interior. Plus, of course there’s another wood-fired hot tub just outside, complete with a barbecue area, log store and views across the farmland.

The Stable Cottage is a more conventional option, also sleeping up to four people. This is furnished with a mix of traditional and contemporary furniture – comfy sofas, colourful rugs and pictures, along with a slate floor and beams in the open-plan living room. It too has a wood-burning stove, modern kitchen, and uncluttered bedrooms with brass bedsteads and colourful quilts. Outside on the private terrace is a raised patio with private hot tub, barbecue and views around the farm. The cottage is dog friendly at certain times of the year.

Their six safari lodges are open from Spring to November. It's fitting that Middle Stone Farm decided to name the three lodges in their first field after birds of prey – Buzzard, Hawk and Kestrel. The second field of lodges opened in 2018 and are named Badger, Fox and Stag. Firmly at the upper end of the luxury scale, the safari tents feature everything you could possibly need beneath the forest green wingspan of their canvas roofs, including some added luxuries, like wood fired hot tubs outside, perfect for star spotting at night. At the heart of each tent is the wood-burning stove – a source of heat but also great for cooking on – and there’s even a small fridge beneath the aptly named ‘cupboard bed’: a two-person cubbyhole in the wall that children particularly adore. Each tent has an en-suite shower room at the far end, while, out front, the large sun deck reveals far-reaching views towards the Somerset hills. Three of the lodges are also dog friendly at certain times of the year. 

Evening campfires remind guests that, despite all the luxuries, this is still very much a camping holiday. The farm shop is open from Spring to November and sells local produce, including artisan beers, interesting breads, fine wines and home-cooked dishes. The emphasis is on low food miles but all the essentials are stocked too. Wood-fired pizzas are available in to groups too. For a proper pint, though, it’s a fair trek along the Somerset footpaths (three-and-a-half miles) to the nearest local watering hole. But then, the real gift of this glampsite is its off-the-beaten track location. Hop in to the car to get to the West Somerset beaches, drive the 20 minutes to the Quantock Hills, explore the nearby market town of Taunton or cycle into the fringes of Exmoor National Park three miles away. Off the track it may be, but you needn’t drive far for heaps of options.