Glamping on the Downs
Glamping on the Downs
We enjoyed a beautiful weekend glamping at Feather Down’s Lunsford Farm.
By Melanie Burgess
Nestled in the hills between Hastings and Rye is the quaint Lunsford Farm, where you can stay for a peaceful glamping weekend surrounded by nature. The farm is owned by Andrew Dunlop, the 4th generation of his family to farm the land – his great-grandfather was a tenant as far back as 1888 – and it is still a working farm today producing salt marsh lamb.
The farm has featured on TV: ‘Celebs on the Farm,’ in which it was host to all manner of celebrities including Lorraine Chase, Paul Merson and Louie Spence.
The glamping field is situated at the top of the hill with a beautiful view of Pett Level and Winchelsea. There’s also a picturesque nearby beach which is accessible from the footpath.
Just 5 miles away, you will find the beautiful town of Rye in one direction and the historic town of Hastings in the other. You’ll never be bored during your stay: there is so much to do in the area, from walking along sandy beaches at Camber Sands to the wetlands and bird watching at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.
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The shower block is a little trek from the glamping tents but has under-floor heating and excellent facilities – these are positioned at the entrance of the farm along with an honesty shop where you can buy meat from the freezer (including Lunsford’s famous salt marsh lamb chops), beer or wine. The shower blocks and the honesty shop are about 400 metres from the glamping area. Andrew told us how important it was to him that the showers block be warm and welcoming, and that wouldn’t have been possible on the glamping field.
A gas cooker can be borrowed (just pay for the gas) if you don’t fancy firing up the wood burner for a cup of tea or coffee. Just indicate on a form what you’ve taken and settle up at the end of the stay. Remember to pick up some firelighters to help get the wood fire started if you’re going to build a fire for the log burner or the outside barbecue.
Although the track is mowed, if your car has a low undercarriage, do cross carefully to the glamping field.
The canvas tents feature 2 bedrooms and a fully functional toilet – there is also a small cubby hole with a bed suitable for a small child.. The tent was quaint and atmospheric and reminded me of a Western movie. I imagine that this would be what the interior of a cabin looked like on a ranch on the prairie.
Everything was immaculate and there were many kitchen items available to use, from a spatula to a teapot, glasses, cups, and plates. A real home from a home. The dining table can seat 6, and there is also a comfortable sofa and great storage boxes.
The bed was lush. I managed to sleep 13 hours straight. The bed linen is first-class, top hotel quality.
When we stayed, the weather was around 20 degrees C with light wind and rain. We were very comfortable in the tent.
There is a log burner inside the tent and a BBQ, a bench and 2 deck chairs outside. There are 4 tents on the field, a pizza oven and a lovely wooden seesaw for the kids to play on.
If you’re craving a lovely stay in the countryside with a mixture of wild beauty and creature comforts, be sure to put Lunsford or another Feather Down farm on your radar.
