If you're a fan of camping or glamping you may have already heard of Feather Down Farms - a great way to get back to nature. Locations can be found across Europe, offering a family-friendly glamping experience that also supports local farmers. We took a trip to Moor Farm in Gloucestershire to try it out for ourselves…
Where is Moor Farm?
Situated just outside the Cotswolds on the banks of the Severn, Moor Farm is an idyllic getaway yet easily accessible from the M5. On arrival you drive past the local church and up to the farm gates, along an impressive tree-lined driveway that really sets off your upcoming vacation. Upon arrival we were greeted by Wendy and Richard, our hosts, who showed us around a few of the facilities at the farm including the honesty shop, situated in the old carriage house of the beautiful farm courtyard. We immediately felt welcome and relaxed and we hadn’t even seen our gorgeous accommodation yet!
Richard led us up to the field where the tents are situated, we were in Woodpecker, tucked nicely into the woodland behind us so we had some privacy from the other five tents. They have certainly thought about the location of each tent as you didn’t feel overlooked by anyone, despite there being a full house that weekend with all six tents filled with families. It’s also dog friendly, so your pooch doesn’t have to miss out on the family holiday.
On their website they promote their farms as a family trip, but we went as a couple with our two dogs and had a brilliant time - it's such a different staycation experience.
Where will I sleep?
The Feather Down farm tents are really impressive – almost like a safari tent, the interiors are based on a typical 19th century farmhouse, with an empty space under the ‘cupboard bed’ which would have been for cattle. The main room has a spacious dining table, a small sofa, sink and worksurfaces, a huge cool box (cooled by ice packs which you collected from the honesty shop) and of course the log burner.
Each tent sleeps six, with a double bed, bunk bed and the cute cupboard bed which children would love! Our bed was comfortable and the duvets were just right to keep us cosy at night.
It was wonderful falling asleep with the canopy of the tent above us, listening to the weather outside and the trees in the wind, I found it very soothing and slept brilliantly throughout our stay.
Depending on which accommodation you go for, the facilities are slightly different – our tent had an ensuite bathroom with loo and shower (with hot water) but some have a separate shower next to the tent. I did find that the shower was a bit temperamental as to what temperature it wanted to be but other than that I was really impressed by the facilities of the tents.
There's no electricity, but you get two oil lamps and are shown how to use them, plus matches, firelighters and plenty of wood to get you started with the log burner. My partner loved making the fire each morning ready for our coffees, and cooking on the stove was fun too. It makes it lovely and cosy in the tent, so even if you had some rainy days you’d still be perfectly comfortable. Outside you’re provided with some deck chairs, a bench and also a fire pit and BBQ, so plenty of opportunities to cook alfresco.
What is there to do at Moor Farm?
We stayed for two nights so spent our first evening chatting to Richard down at the farm and trying out their homemade perry – which is delicious but deceptively strong! Richard has so many brilliant stories and is really passionate about regenerative agriculture, he was brilliant company during our stay.
The next day we decided to walk over to Frampton-on-Severn, a pretty village around a traditional cricket green. There are two pubs in Frampton, we’d recommend a visit to The Three Horseshoes for a friendly welcome and delicious pub grub – you have to try their pies! The walk was just over 2 miles each way, and you can pass through nearby Wheatenhurst for a look at the marina and to walk along the canal.
If you’d rather stay on site, Moor Farm has an indoor heated pool, which you can book out for your group. The woods behind the tents are kitted out with all manner of dens and rope swings so children will have endless fun playing. I also recommend the farm tour, which is every Wednesday and Saturday at 4:30 – you jump on the back of a trailer behind Richard’s tractor and he drives you around the farm, explaining more about their processes, plus you get to meet the animals. Depending on the season you visit, there’s always something different to see - we also had a trip into the woods hunting for wild orchids. After the farm tour is the famous pizza night…
What can I eat?
Firstly the pizza night is a must – it’s £10 per person (£5 for kids) and as well as a pizza each adults get unlimited homemade perry! You're provided with a freshly rolled pizza base, then the fun begins with a table laden with different toppings so you can make your own. The huge pizza oven is expertly manned by Richard’s son (who used to be a chef) and I have to say, no exaggeration – they were the best pizzas I’ve ever tasted. It’s a great way to meet and mingle with the other families that are staying as well.
Aside from pizza night the cooking is up to you – we enjoyed beef fajitas the first night, cooked up on the log stove of course, and breakfasts were made up of goodies from the honesty shop including bacon, eggs and baked beans. The cool box works really well, it kept everything fresh for our stay. If you wanted to have your breakfast supplies delivered in the morning, Richard and Wendy also offer this service. Cooking on the fire was really enjoyable and makes you appreciate our everyday mod-cons, it’s a lesson in history as well as the fun and novelty of it.
How much does it cost?
A three night stay at Moor Farm in August 2022 (arriving Friday) is £660. There are also still four night stays from Mondays available at £695. For a seven night stay it's £1,286. I think this is a great price for what you get – it’s not just another hotel room, it’s the whole experience of the stay. There’s a real sense of community that develops really quickly, everyone was so friendly.
Final thoughts
This UK staycation has got everything good about camping, that sense of escape and adventure – without having to put up and take down the tent! I love that you’re also supporting real farmers and learning more about how our food is produced. We’re already planning on going again next year and taking my niece and nephew (who will be 7 and 3 by then) I just know they’ll love it.