Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the UK can be be properly beautiful. Living in my London bubble, I’m often guilty of forgetting that a whole world exists outside of the city’s relentless concrete, jarring sirens and questionable street smells – a world of rolling green hills, lofty forests with dappled light and heavenly meadows.
That’s why a weekend of glamping in Gloucestershire was the wake up call I needed. In the luscious area surrounding the Forest of Dean (which includes a National Trust footpath with wild horses and roaming cows), Mrs Mills Yurts is a little haven where you can retreat from the rest of the world. With only four tents set inside the grounds of a renovated farmhouse, each of the yurts is tucked away in its own corner of the site, making it an almost private experience. The campsite even had a host of cute critters in residence, including geese, two chickens, goats and a cat. Proper Beatrix Potter vibes.
After breathing in some much needed fresh air, we immediately settled in with a cocktail and dunk in the wood-fired hot tub, sweating out all the toxins of city life. (One thing to note: if you’re heating up the hot tub yourself, make sure to do it pretty far in advance otherwise you could be there all night.) Then we settled into a night in the most comfy, squishy kingsized bed, in a yurt that was made even cosier by its working wood-burner, which we used as a stove to fry bacon in the morning. Mrs Mills herself – a tall woman wearing a glamorous pair of oversized thick black-rimmed glasses – kitted us out with everything we might possibly need, from plush dressing gowns right down to the champagne flutes.
Two nights away was enough to make me want to throw away my Oyster card and raise chickens in the countryside
Like a culinary fairy godmother, Mrs Mills kept us well fed and watered. She delivered a slap-up breakfast on the first morning, with yoghurt parfait, croissants, eggs, bacon and fresh bread. We were also delighted to find a plate of homemade millionaire’s shortbread appear in the kitchen after we came back hungry from a long walk. The best part, though, was the fire pit which we used to warm up one of Mrs Mills’ pre-prepared homemade meals (we can vouch for the Persian curry), Bear Grylls style. If you can’t be bothered to cook your food over a fire, though, you’ve also got access to a well-stocked indoor kitchen with a full oven, sink, kettle, and fridge.
We were blessed with glorious sunshine on our visit, but I’m confident in saying that the yurts would be just as cosy in the middle of winter. And by the end of it all? Somehow, two nights away in Gloucestershire was enough to make me want to throw away my Oyster card and raise a bunch of chickens in the countryside.
Mrs Mills Yurts. Dursley Cross Farm, May Hill, GL17 0RA. £120-£175 per night. Book online.
Time Out travelled as guests of Mrs Mills Yurts. Our reviews and recommendations have been editorially independent since 1968. For more, see our editorial guidelines.
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