Jollydays Glamping – Our woodland tent was huge. I think perhaps the name tent is misleading. Whilst technically it is a tent as it’s made from canvas, it has the feel more of a woodland lodge.
Outdoor Living
You approach the lodge via a very large deck, so large that is makes the patio table sat upon it look small. A pair of double doors (yes, doors!) welcome you into your home for the next few days. In the centre of the main living room is a large wood burning stove. This is a such a lovely addition, especially if, like us you visit at the end of October! There is something so cosy about it being colder outside and having to snuggle into your woollies and gather around a fire.
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Al Fresco Cooking – the Barbecue
On our first evening Mr Wonders lit up the barbie (one of those big barrel types – charcoal provided) and cooked up a feast of sausages and chicken. The Woodland tents come with a full-size fridge so you can bring plenty of barbecue supplies with you. If you forget, then Jollydays will provide a barbecue pack or you can pop into Stamford Bridge (a few minutes by car) and visit the local butcher or even the Co-op.
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Jollydays Glamping Yorkshire
While I am thinking about Stamford Bridge, do visit while you are at Jollydays glamping. It’s a large village on the River Derwent, with an active ‘Stamford Bridge in Bloom’ group that keeps the place looking pretty. It has historical significance (think 1066), and a stunning viaduct. Perhaps just as importantly when you are staying nearby, it has several local pubs. The Three Cups is excellent for reasonably priced food and is comfortably family friendly.
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Local Food
The village also boasts several shops, a pizza takeaway, Chinese takeaway, Indian restaurant and very popular fish and chip shop. In the summer there are grateful ducks to be fed.
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Star Gazing
After our barbecue and a couple of glasses of fortifying fizz, we wrapped up warm and ventured out into the clear, cold night. It’s very dark (on a related note, don’t forget a torch) and there is little light pollution. We were lucky enough to be at Jollydays camping at the same time as the Orionids Meteor Shower, so the children got to wish on falling stars as we stargazed into the dark skies.
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Toasting Marshmallows
Once the children had their fill of the celestial fireworks (and I was ready for another glass of Prosecco) we headed back into the tent and stoked the fire. I have had a set of toasting forks for the longest time, and both remembered where they were and to actually bring them. We loaded them up with the most enormous marshmallows that Tesco possessed and fought over the optimal place to sit on the sofa whilst toasting them. Once gooey I sandwiched them between two chocolate digestives to make decadent s’mores. Master T blackened his marshmallow rather but declared it all the better for being crunchy!
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Living Area – Jollydays Luxury Camping
The woodland tent has a large dining table that seats six comfortably inside as well as the picnic table on the porch. The wood burner sits majestically in the middle if the room and around it are two sofas that convert into beds for if there are more than four of you. I don’t have any good photos of inside our tent – they just don’t do it justice. I have lots from around the camp that I am sure gives a much better idea of how beautiful it was. It’s wasn’t just Jollydays camping, it was Jollydays luxury camping!
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Kitchen
Further into the tent and adjacent to each other are two pretty whitewashed sheds, one with a kitchen inside and one with the bathroom. The kitchen was well equipped with a sink, four ringed gas hob and a fridge. On an open shelf sat plates, cups, glasses and even a cafetiere and teapot. The bathroom is surprisingly plush and luxurious with a roll top bath and shower over. Mr Wonders grumbled about the shower as the shower head was too low and he had to crouch underneath it get washed properly. The room itself was so pretty though, I forgave it, and besides I am shorter than him!
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Fairy Lights
A string of fairy lights illuminated the area from the kitchen to the bathroom. I think there is definitely scope for more fairy lights though, particularly outside and perhaps in the bedrooms also. Admittedly I am one of the world’s biggest fairy light fans but I would still recommend to someone who wasn’t that they should bring a couple of battery sets with you. I think they are nice and reassuring left on in the children’s bedrooms. You can buy them very cheaply from Amazon, and one set of batteries should last you a long weekend. The beds came with plenty of bedding, so you don’t need to even take sleeping bags.
I love the next photo – Miss H in one her (many) Halloween costumes.
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Jollydays Camping – a Woodland Idyll
The camp itself is a woodland idyll. The tents are set far enough apart that you feel a perfect sense of privacy. Voices can carry through the night but the camp keeps a strict order of quietness after 11pm which I was grateful for.
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Wash Tents
There are a toilet and wash tents for the accommodation that don’t have their own private facilities and a ‘Tea Tent’ that is much grander than it sounds. It was beautifully staged for Halloween.
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Camp Fire
Every evening there is a central camp fire where you can gather with the other guests if you would like and utilise the pizza oven. We joined the camp fire on one of the evenings and there was a lovely sense of camaraderie around the glowing embers.
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Children’s Play Area
In the clearing near the campfire is a children’s play house and swings from a large tree. Both my children loved the swings.
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Woodland Escape
Jollydays really is a peaceful woodland escape from real life. It’s close enough to fabulous York so that there’s lots to do (just look at my ‘Family Days Out’ category for a huge selection) but when you are there you are as far away from the bustle of normal life as you’d ever need to be. The children loved their woodland adventure and so did we.
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Jollydays Glamping – Website
We’d recommend Jollydays camping as a lovely place to stay and explore the area. Have a look at their website for prices and availability.
Looking for Glamping in Yorkshire? Have a look at our list of great Yorkshire Glamping places or our review of North Star Club – glamping in Sancton, East Yorkshire or our review of Camp Katur.
Jollydays kindly invited us to visit to review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
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