shepherd's hut in Ringwood

This unique and beautifully painted gypsy caravan will offer you the quirky glamping experience you and your partner or family are looking for. Snuggled into a woodland area in our garden, overlooking the fields behind where deer and rabbits are frequently seen. It is hard to believe you are only minutes from the friendly market town of Ringwood, on the edge of the New Forest. Fernwood Glamping has been selected for the 2023 addition of Bradts Slow Travel Guide for The New Forest. The space This unique and beautifully painted gypsy caravan has been built on an original 1930s dray base. It was locally made and has lined curtains, upholstered seats and cushions. It has a four foot wide double bed with a mattress from John Lewis, which can be reached by climbing onto the bench seats. From here guests can look out of the small leaded window. Please ask if you need to borrow a step to access the top bunk. This van is comfortable for two but can be used by a family of four as there is a second bed under the main bed suitable for smaller children (aged approximately 4 -10 years as it is only 5 feet long). We charge £20 for each younger guest per night and will provide a sleeping bag with integral pillow and a towel. DO NOT BOOK FOR MORE THAN 2 ADULTS The van is lit by a small lamp, fairy lights and tea lights (although we do provide an LED lantern and light incase you want to read). We have added a low level heater which can be used to extend our glamping season and a double plug socket. There is a small wood burner, which makes the whole hut toasty warm in a few minutes and even after you let it die down, it will continue to keep you warm over night as the gypsy caravan has a modern insulation lining between the green canvas on the outside and the pretty rose fabric which makes up the internal lining. We provide you with a basket of wood which you can use here or on the chiminea outside as you sit and enjoy the sunset (perhaps even toast marshmallows!). A tray with a traditional tea set and a tea pot is set out for you on the cupboard. We have a beautiful octagonal thatched summer house with decking that overlaps the pond, exclusively used by gypsy van guests It is naturally colonised by local wildlife, including dragonflies, frogs and newts. There are power points here, a kettle, tea and coffee, a mini fridge with a pint of milk and some board games and guide books. There is a compost toilet nearby just for the gypsy van guests, hand built with a pretty toilet seat and lit by fairy lights. Alternatively there is a flush toilet in the garage block (shared use). Guests may use the shared indoor electric shower. The gypsy van also has its own basic outdoor solar shower where guests can warm up water in solar bags to use in the porta-shower. We can also help out with additional hot water should the sun not shine enough! (Great fun- yes I have tried it!). Our gypsy caravan is snuggled into the wooded area at the end of the garden, close to the fields behind, regularly grazed by deer who have become quite used to us now. We have even seen both fallow and roe deer at the same time. A fox sometimes does his nightly rounds and walks across the fence line. Very occasionally, guests have seen a badger in the ditch. There is a small secluded grassy area outside the caravan with a bench seat. Alternatively, you might choose to sit on the small seats built into the doorway of the gypsy caravan. From here you can peek through the arch to the pond. Guest access Guests may use the back garden and the summer house. We have a dog and rabbits. We are happy to introduce you to our pets but we do ask that you do not go into the side garden unaccompanied. Our tree house has become a deer hide and children should not use this unsupervised as it is about a four metre drop into the ditch! We do not allow additional camping or pup tents. There is plenty of off road parking on the front drive. We prefer to greet our guests and show you around on your arrival. If we are are both out, we can arrange to leave a key out for you and will come and say hello as soon as we can. Other things to note At the bottom of Hangersley Hill, there is a Tesco Local, a Fish and Chip Shop, an Off Licence and a bakery that runs a pizza takeaway Friday and Saturday night. A continental breakfast hamper can be ordered in advance and can be brought to the summer house in the morning. The cost would be £20 for a couple or £25 / £30 for a family of 3 or 4. A message will be sent out the week before to ask if you would like one and if so which morning(s). Ringwood is a traditional market town on the edge of the New Forest which has still retained much of its original character. Every Wednesday the marketplace is blocked off for the traditional street market, but every evening it is buzzing with people, whether it is a meal out in a restaurant or a drink in the pub. In the day time there are plenty of small and unique shops to browse in and coffee shops. The old cattle market has now changed to The Furlong with places to sit and relax and some more well known high street shops, sometimes even French markets or street entertainment. Ringwood is also on the Avon Valley Path, a 34-mile route across fields and footpaths across the Forest and alongside our beautiful River Avon that takes you from Salisbury Cathedral to Christchurch Priory. The Castleman trail also runs along an old railway track with sections open near Burley and again from Ringwood, through Moors valley Countryside park and on to Poole and can be done in sections or one long day as a cycle trail, with sections along the River and through the forest. There are lots of family friendly attractions and things to do nearby including Blashford Lakes Wildlife Reserve, Owl Raptor and Reptile Centre, Go Ape or the play trail at Moors Valley or walks at Avon Heath Country Park. For watersports there is also the New Forest Water Park on the road out of Ringwood towards Salisbury. The New Forest villages are full of tea shops, ice creams, donkeys and ponies and well worth a visit. If you prefer open space, we can recommend walks and quieter rural pubs in the forest too.