The Dandelion Hideaway

The Dandelion Hideaway | +441455292888 

Listen up boyfriends and husbands – this review is for you. I am about to hand over the secret combination of romance, fun and outdoor adventure – which your other halves will truly love – and in return truly love you. This is not for the faint hearted though – in the last 3 months Brad proposed to Charlotte in this very spot, there have been countless wedding anniversaries, 30^th birthdays and even honeymoons. This is the epitome of romance and seclusion…so what is it? It’s called glamping – and it’s based in a little corner of pastoral England. This glamorous camping experience can be found in Leicestershire on a working farm where guests can find out about farming today, get up close to the Shetland ponies, be head hen keeper for a clutch of hens, watch the adorable goats being milked and perhaps even glimpse a badger from the hide…whilst sleeping in an opulent canvas cottage under the stars. This is Dandelion hideaway.

Our experience started on a Friday night after a manic week in London – the instructions we were sent by Farmer John and his wife Sharon said in large bold type – for your own sanity please arrive in daylight. Well we are obviously insane because we arrived at 11pm in pitch black – and were hit by the proposition of getting all our things from the car (parked at the top of the field) to our canvas cottage at the bottom of the field. We didn’t have to worry for long though – like a St Bernard on wheels – Farmer John was there in his Land-Rover ready to take us down to our lodgings for the next few days.

We passed 4 canvas cottages, which sleep 6, on the way to our little hideaway at the bottom of the field.  Bluebells is just for two and has been built to spend lazy days and moonlit nights stargazing. We fell in love with the place straight away – it’s like a combination of Cath Kidson and Kirsty’s home show. Chunky blankets, tea lights, fresh flowers and a roaring fire which doubles as the range oven are all features of this divine destination.

Bluebells comes complete with a tandem, just in case the romance of the canvas cottage is not enough for you – and unlike any other camping experience it has an en suite roll top bath with lashings of hot water and tea lights to complete the romance.

Just when we were thinking it couldn’t be any more perfect we looked in the oven to find the most delicious stew either of us have ever eaten and a note from Sharon telling us to enjoy. The bed was scrumptious with a thick duvet and enough cushions and blankets to get lost in for days.

There is a lot to do locally if you feel the need to venture out – from cycling through the National Forest to the excellent Battle of Bosworth exhibition, the National Space Centre and castles galore. We even sampled the delicious goat’s milk and cheese after milking the goats – certainly an experience not to be forgotten.

John and Sharon are excellent hosts – attentive yet not invasive – as well as being full of information about farming and the local area.

If you looking for relaxation, romance and something that’s just a little bit different then this is the place for you.

Melissa Davis, Director, MD Communications