Middle Stone Farm

It seems fitting that Middle Stone Farm has named its six safari tents Buzzard, Hawk, Kestrel, Badger, Fox and Stag, in two separate three acre fields with brilliant views towards the surrounding hills. Positioned between Exmoor and the Quantock Hills, this remote patch of rural Somerset is an ideal sanctuary for wildlife. Barn owls can occasionally be heard hooting and house martins arrive beneath the eaves of Catherine and Patrick’s farmhouse every summer. Then there are the farm’s own critters: goats, sheep, chickens and alpacas – it all adds to Middle Stone’s blissful backcountry feel.

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.

In its own private corner of the farm, a wooden cabin called The Deckhouse offers an alternative to the three safari tents, and can be booked on its own or, if you're quick, together with the rest of the site to accommodate larger groups (they happily host small wedding parties and organised groups). The whitewashed cabin works well for both couples and families, with a king-sized bed and separate bunkroom, 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.

Evening campfires remind guests that, despite all the luxuries, this is still very much a camping holiday. Organic meat from the farm is available from the site shop if you want something to sear over the flames, along with local ciders, beer and wine, Exmoor gin, sourdough from the local bakery and the weekend papers (among other treats). 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.