Glamping in Dorset is the perfect opportunity to explore this beautiful county in the south west of England.
Dorset is home to miles of golden sandy beaches, the rugged Jurassic Coast and many bustling towns and villages.
Dorset is fortunate enough to be able to combine the peace and tranquility of the countryside, with the hustle and bustle of larger towns such as Bournemouth and Poole.
There are plenty of places to go glamping in Dorset, our list below only includes some of our favourite spots.
Please forgive us if we miss out any!
The Dorset Hideaway
Photo Credit The Dorset Hideaway
Just 3.5 miles from Charmouth Beach is the award-winning “Dark Skies” glamping site, The Dorset Hideaway, set amongst the unspoiled rural countryside of Marshwood Vale in West Dorset, is a prime location for stargazing.
Go hiking or bird-watching across 50 acres of bucolic farmland, with zero interference from road traffic or noise. Take your dog for a walk, go fishing at the pond, or explore the Jurassic Coast.
Youngsters can enjoy tractor trailer rides, visits at the petting zoo, barn games, an adventure playground, basketball, and simply frolicking in the open field.
Glampers can choose from geodesic domes or contemporary yurts. Both have:
- A king-sized bed
- Beddings including an electric blanket
- USB charging sockets, DAB radio, and Bluetooth speaker
- Private shower and toilet a few steps away
- Drinking water, tea & coffee making facilities
- Small fridge or cooler box
- A deck with a picnic table, chairs, fire pit, barbecue grill, and first bag of logs
- Crockery, cutlery and washing up supplies, and
- Private parking
Domes have a separate room with a WC and cloakroom (underfloor heated), a panoramic front window, own private hot tub, a 2-seater sofa bed, an 8kw log burner, hairdryer, towels, and a second deck area with a covered swing seat to watch the sunset or rise!
Yurts feature 3 large windows and a central skylight. There are 2 Futons, an outdoor covered kitchenette, an electric induction hob, and a kettle. The deck area has tiled work surfaces, electric sockets, and other conveniences such as night-time lighting and water tap.
Nearby is a communal kitchen complete with hobs, oven, fridge/freezer (ice packs available), and a dining and dishwashing area. A modern toilet block features underfloor-heated bath facilities. Note that it received the 2020 Loo of the Year Platinum Award!
Also on offer are spa and beauty treatments, a hot tub to hire on your private deck, a fossil course at the barn, and painting courses at the art studio. Books, board games, and DVDs can be hired at the Reception Area.
Dog lovers will be pleased to find a fenced area dedicated to off-lead dog walks and exercises, complete with pop bin and bags.
Crafty Camping
Photo Credit Crafty Camping
You’ll find peace and serenity – with a little bit of magic and romance – at Crafty Camping, a unique adults-only camp in Lyme Regis, West Dorset.
Expert woodsman Guy Mallinson of BBC’s Mastercrafts fame turned this private, secluded woodland, which used to be the base for his woodcraft workshops, into a sylvan paradise.
Two hand-crafted yurts, a tipi, a bell tent, and a shepherd’s hut were lovingly and cunningly designed by Mallinson, each with a king-sized bed, private loo, and outdoor “tree shower”, log burners, and electric sockets.
Outside of each is a private deck, pizza oven, icebox fridge, sink with hot and cold water, gas hob with Kelly kettle, crockery, hammock, chairs, parasol, table, and BBQ.
The bell tent has a woven willow shower and a “living” grass roof over the “his” and “hers” loos. Heated towel rails and electric blankets are available on chilly nights.
The latest addition, the ultra-chic Woodsman’s Treehouse, has a hanging boardwalk, a spiral staircase leading to a spa deck (complete with hot tub and sauna), stylish interiors, and an immaculate modern kitchen. From the inside, it looks nothing like a tree house at all. There’s even a rotating fireplace that can be pointed toward the bed, sofa, or kitchen.
On-site there’s another yurt with comfortable couches, a craft library, and board games – a communal space for reading, relaxing, and socials.
There’s also a sauna yurt and a lovely little pond a few steps away.
Walnut Farm Glamping
Photo Credit Walnut Farm Glamping
Tucked away on the edge of a nature reserve, Walnut Farm is an ancient cherry and apple orchard in West Dorset – less than 5 minutes’ drive from the market town of Bridport and the pretty harbour of West Bay.
Walnut Farm Glamping is set on 12-acres of tranquil farmland, surrounded by fruit trees, meadows, streams, bridges, and footpaths. A hike to the east leads to the unspoiled countryside and the Loscombe Nature Reserve, a haven for birdlife. A stroll to the west leads to a pub 10 minutes away.
Photo Credit Walnut Farm Glamping
Walnut Farm offers 3 en-suite yurts set on large raised larch decks in their secluded paddock. Each has a spacious deck with a copper fire bowl for campfire and BBQs.
The Russet Yurt is on a meadow by the side of a hill, just above the farm. Sunsets are not to be missed from this yurt! Pippin, down by the cherry orchard, has views of low-lying mist in the valley at dawn.
The brand-new Skylark has stunning views of the apple orchard, the valley across, and the surrounding Dorset hills.
Photo Credit Walnut Farm Glamping
All 3 yurts feature:
- A super-king bed with luxury downs and linen
- Rustic log bedside tables
- Fireside chairs and a sofa
- Heated en-suite bathroom with flushing loo, sink, and hot shower, basin with mirror
- Fresh cotton towels
- A wood-burning stove
- Dining table and chairs
- An Indian tea table with kettle, tea, coffee, and cups
- Electricity throughout with bedside sockets and USB chargers
- Games
A fourth yurt houses a shared kitchen fully equipped with a fridge-freezer, gas range, sink, cabinets, crockery, and utensils.
There’s a huge copper fire bowl for evening campfires and barbecue and a clay pizza oven where pizza evenings can be hosted. A wood-fired hot tub sits near the orchard for guests wanting a hot bath underneath the stars.
Dorset Forest Garden Glamping
Photo Credit Dorset Forest Garden
This award-winning glamping site is a two-time Silver recipient of the Dorset Tourism Award which called it a “stunning spot to escape the world and get back to nature”. It has also bagged the Silver Award for Green Tourism.
Dorset Forest Garden is a 1.5-acre fruit forest within 20 acres of farmland in Beaminster, West Dorset – less than 10 miles from Jurassic Coast. Owned by Tracy and James Oldfield, it’s an environmentally friendly fruit farm using permaculture principles.
With not a road or house in sight, guests can relax amid fruit trees and shrubs while stargazing at night.
Photo Credit Dorset Forest Garden
Adult-only glampers can choose from 1 of 3 individually styled shepherd’s huts or a canvas yurt, each with its wood-fired hot tub and quiet, secluded space.
The Artisan hut is set in its secret garden, accessed through a hornbeam arch.
The Forager, nestled amongst fruit trees, has open, far-reaching views toward Eggardon Hill, the National Trust-owned Iron Age fort.
The Astronomer (available October 2020) sits beside a copse, set apart from the forest garden. It boasts a stargazing roof-light and has extra space for
a small tent if required – for an additional fee.
The huts are built in traditional style, with corrugated tin rooftops, old-fashioned metal wheels, restored and repurposed furnishing, and interior lighting that uses candles for a romantic, old-world touch.
Inclusions:
- A king-sized bed with feather duvet
- Bedding and towels
- En-suite shower and flushing toilet
- Kitchen with fridge, gas ring, china, cutlery, and washing up facilities
- A wood-burner with an unlimited supply of wood
- Outdoor seating and BBQ fire pit
- Indoor BBQ with plenty of seating
- Games, books, and an OS map
- The option of your own private wood-fired hot tub outside – as you enjoy gazing at the stars
Available between April and October is the Nomad Yurt which features all of the above except for a shower that has a compost toilet and is adjacent to the yurt.
Green Valley Yurts
Green Valley Yurts is located in Longmeadow Farm, an organic smallholding in Cerne Valley at the heart of the Dorset Downs – an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’
Only a short drive from the sea, it is surrounded by charming villages and historic sites you can explore: Minterne Gardens (3km), Cerne Abbas Giant (.7km), and Cerne Abbey (.3km). It’s a great place for walking, cycling, or paddling in the stream.
Green Valley’s six yurts, widely spaced apart, have a picnic area and BBQ fire pit. Each is individually furnished with a wood stove, a double bed, single Futons, and piles of cosy cushions, blankets, and throws.
The yurts are off-the-grid. They are lit by solar-powered lanterns, fairy lights, and candles that create a romantic and magical atmosphere.
Three of them are authentically Mongolian. One is large and 2 are medium-sized, hand-crafted, and fully insulated with thick felt lining. The large one sleeps up to 7 people, while the medium ones can accommodate 5.
Three smaller yurts were made by a local craftsman. These can sleep up to 4 and are located in a separate field.
At the heart of the campsite is the Facilities Barn, a communal area where guests can cook, eat, shower, play, and relax. The kitchen is well-equipped with fridges, hobs, crockery, cooking utensils, and a large, communal dining area and picnic benches outside.
There are individual hot showers as well as a larger family shower room and toilets. Toys, games, and books are available for hire.
There’s a wholefood shop on-site selling local produce such as meat, bread, cheese, eggs, and organic veggies. A vegan café serves healthy plant-based food, pizza, and coffee.
Feather Down East Shilvinghampton Farm
Offering panoramic views across the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Featherdown East Shilvinghampton is a fun, refreshing escape perfect for families with young children.
Eight safari tents are neatly clustered in a meadow with a small copse and campfire site in the middle, close to the farmyard – so cows, goats, pigs, hens, and ducks are just a short walk away.
Children will enjoy bottle-feeding baby goats and lambs, climbing tractors, building dens at a nearby trail, and meeting the beef suckler calves and pedigree limousins. The whole family can also tour the farm with the resident alpaca (weekends and school holidays only).
Each of the tents can accommodate 4 to 6 people, with separate bedrooms containing a double bed, bunk bed and cupboard bed (for 1 adult and 2 children), a dining table, sofa, running water, a flushing toilet, and a covered deck with chairs, table, and BBQ.
Standard Canvas Lodges give access to communal showers, while the more deluxe Canvas Frills Lodges have en-suite showers with hot water, towels, and a wooden terrace.
A newer Canvas Frills Lodge is better-kitted with wooden doors, additional roof insulation, a wooden deck with an awning, and bedroom shutters that open from the inside.
All bed and kitchen linen, candles, oil lamps, and wood for heating and cooking are provided. As are the fresh eggs which you can grab yourself from the chicken coop.
Guests are invited to try the hosts’ home-cooked meals. Owners Martin and Joby Bartlett raise their own beef and pork, and the site’s honesty shop carries a fridge stocked with their farm-produced steaks, meatballs, pork sausages, and bacon. Locally churned butter, freshly baked croissants, and home-bade stews and pies are also available.
There’s an outdoor covered eating area next to a pizza oven, perfect for gathering with family and friends. There’s also a Jacuzzi that can be hired seasonally.
East Shilvinghampton is less than 10 minutes from the iconic Chesil Beach and only 15 mins. from the golden sands of Weymouth Beach.
Farmstead Glamping
Photo Credit Farmstead Glamping
This is a multi-award-winning retreat near Sturminster Newton in North Dorset. Opened only in 2017, Farmstead Glamping has already received the Dorset Tourism Gold Award twice and the Gold title by Green Tourism.
The glamping site sits on an idyllic spot in the Colber Farm, a rambling dairy run by the Hannam family who have farmed the area for 5 generations.
They offer 2 charming, locally produced artisan shepherd’s huts, custom-made from the ground. They are well-kitted with comfortable beds, en-suite rooms, a wood burner, USB charging sockets, bijou kitchens, and seating areas.
Kitchens are well-equipped with gas hobs and running hot and cold water. There isn’t a fridge but there’s a top-quality cool box that can keep food cold for 2+ days (ice packs provided). There’s also an own outdoor space with fire pits and wood-fired hot tubs.
The Happy Hare hut has a king-sized bed while the Pleasant Pheasant has a standard double. Hot water bottles and extra blankets are provided on chilly nights.
All bed linen, towels, pots, pans, plates, and cutlery are provided. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, sugar, and marshmallows are on the house. So is cake or cream tea on arrival.
Radio, cards, board games, books, and binoculars are also available.
Suggested activities include walkabouts to Blackmore vale (2-5 miles), extreme sports at Gorecomb (25 min. drive), and visits to historic homes and landscape gardens (35 min. drive).
Guests are recommended to bring wellies and torches. In the summer, kids can come along and sleep in a bell tent that can be pitched next to the huts.
Mountain Cottage Yurts
Photo Credit Mountain Cottage Yurts
This family-run farm is set amongst 50 acres of pastureland in Corfe Mullen near Wimborne Minster. It sits adjacent to woodland and is just a short drive from beaches at Bournemouth and Poole and close to the Jurassic Coast.
Mountain Cottage Yurts offers 5 Mongolian-style yurts that are set amidst a bucolic wildflower meadow.
Orchid is a 16-ft. yurt nestled in a secluded spot among the trees, with a double bed and 2 single Futons, ideal for a family of 2 adults and 2 children. Meadow, the largest yurt, is at 18 feet and has 3 double Futons, perfect for larger groups of 4 adults and 2 kids.
The Rose and Poppy are 12-ft. yurts that sleep 2 adults and a child, and Daisy, the newest addition, has a double bed and 2 single Futons – perfect for a family of 4.
Each of the yurts is in a secluded paddock and has a wood-burning stove and bespoke furniture. Outside is a deck with a table, chairs, fire pit, and BBQ. Cooking utensils, including pots and plates, are provided.
Photo Credit Mountain Cottage Yurts
There’s an outdoor kitchen complete with camping gas stoves, a sink, fridge, storage boxes for food, more pots and pans, cutlery, glasses, and mugs. There’s also a communal wood-fired cob oven with plenty of seating and table space for enjoying pizza.
A rustic cabin houses hot showers, a baby changing table, and a beautifully crafted composting loo with separate male and female cubicles.
You can arrange for a massage in the comfort of your yurt. Holistic therapies on offer are reflexology, facials, deep tissue, LaStone, and several different massages.
For children, there’s a playhouse and sandpit for toddlers while older kids can hang out at the adventure playground.
There are plenty of walking paths which include the Castleman Trailway and the river Stour.
Black Pig Retreats
The Straw Bothy – Photo Credit Black Pig Retreats
What used to be a horse riding school is now a luxurious glamping site in Motcombe, Shaftesbury.
Black Pig Retreats on Bittles Brook Farm offers 3 safari tents overlooking the Blackmore Vale, as well as a Bedouin-inspired straw bale hut ideal for a couple’s getaway.
Opened only in 2017, the place is still home to a few horses, some sheep, chickens, and 2 large pigs who inspired the retreat’s name.
The spacious tents are inspired by the countries that owners Carolyn and Clive have visited in their travels, and named after the black pigs from those regions.
Each one is fully kitted with a shower room, separate toilet, wood-burning stoves, hot running water, king-sized beds, and comfortable sofas. The kitchen and dining area has a fridge and freezer, a solid table and chairs, a 2-burner gas hob, kettle, and 2 USB ports. There are electric lights in the sitting area and bathroom and battery lamps in the bedrooms.
The tents’ canvas opens up to a large veranda with another table and chairs for al fresco dining. Each tent also has a fire pit.
One of the 2 bigger tents, the Gascon, is furnished with a king-sized bedroom, an enclosed double cabin bed, and a twin room. It has 4 beds in total which can comfortably sleep 6 people. It is situated halfway up a rolling wildflower meadow which leads to wonderful walks to ancient woodlands, historic towns, and even a castle or two.
The Murciano, likewise, accommodates up to 6. It has 4 beds, a twin room, and a double cabin bed.
Sleeping 4, the smaller Mukota’s king-sized bed and 2 singles are separated by a canvas partition. Outside of it is a converted horse trailer that serves as its bathroom.
The Straw Bothy has a King Bed with an option to add 2 small single beds. It shares a meadow with the Mukota, so it’s ideal for booking with friends.
For additional bathing facilities, a quirky ‘Chuck Wagon’ is parked nearby which houses a WC, an outdoor shower, and a kitchen.
If you’re coming with children, they’ll enjoy visiting the farm animals and friendly dogs and cats, or playing in the shallow brook.
Off-site the family can climb the steep Gold Hill or explore the surrounding villages with their local pubs and shops.
Safari Glamping UK
Safari Glamping in Stalbridge, Templecombe offers a rustic and adventurous glamping experience for those looking to connect with nature more actively.
Host Charlie brings out the best his 50-acre orchard can offer, with activities like riding, shooting, mountain biking, even hot air ballooning. Guests can mix and match the sedentary with the active – from exploring the woods to visiting a Victorian-style estate garden, foraging wild herbs to climbing giant trees, taking art classes, or shooting bows and arrows.
Two luxury tents are set amongst wildflowers, surrounded by ancient, secluded woodland. This place affords total freedom and privacy for a group of friends or a couple of families.
Each lodge has luxurious beds, a wood-burning stove, a comfortable sofa, and seats in the living area. There’s a kitchen with a fridge, 4 gas hob cookers, and hot water, as well as a wooden cabin with a shower, basin, and loo. There are additional chairs and a table at the veranda for outdoor dining, and a fire pit on the doorstep.
Kids can enjoy hours of building forts and dens, taking turns at the monkey swing, or just lazing on the hammock under the trees.
Cooking, cleaning, shopping, and mother’s help service are also on offer to ensure that families can relax fully without the hassle of logistics and cleanup.
