Waking up to the natural light filling the wooden glamping pod, I climbed down from the cosy bed nook, made a cup of tea, and stepped out on to the deck.
Living in a city, I’m used to a constant hum of noise at any given time of the day, so there was something serene about sitting outside, the only sounds coming from chirping birds and the occasional mooing cow. Paired with the sprawling green fields that surrounded the pod, my country break was off to a strong start.
My boyfriend Tom and I based ourselves at Vilberie, at The Orchard, set in Somerset’s picturesque landscape, for a long-awaited weekend away.
The cabin had everything we needed for a comfortable stay – a small kitchenette with a fridge and hob, a double bed, which had some of the softest bedding I’ve ever slept in, a living area with a woodburner, and a deck with a barbecue and seating.
One of the biggest highlights had to be the separate hut, which had a huge stone bathtub and rainfall shower. It’s just a few steps from the cabin, and it felt like being in a luxury spa – a soak was divine and the owners put out some lovely bubble bath products. (The only downside being it took 25 minutes to fill the beast!).
There were plenty of other lovely touches to make for a welcoming stay, including a hamper filled with local cider, cheese and other goodies, as well as fluffy bathrobes and slippers so you can wrap up when heading to the bathtub.
We also made use of the on-site petanque court, sipping the free ciders and taking in the uninterrupted countryside views. I’ll admit that the game got rather competitive. We’d downloaded an app beforehand, which included tips and useful information, including how to get the barbecue going, as well as local walks and pubs not to miss.
Speaking of walks and pubs, the area didn’t disappoint. There are plenty of trails in the area, or for those after a challenge, we did a 25-minute drive to Cheddar Gorge and took on the National Trust walk there.
It’s quite a steep and at times challenging loop, but the views over Somerset at the top are well worth it.
After all that, a trip to the pub was on the cards, and based on recommendations from the Orchard team, we headed to The Pheasant Inn. It turned out to be one of our favourite evenings of the trip.
Tom opted for gammon and chips, while I went for the steak. The portions were incredibly generous, the bill reasonable and the owners, super-friendly.
The next morning we headed to Stonehenge, which was about an hour’s drive from the cabin.
We explored the on-site exhibition before choosing between a bus ride or walk to see the stones.
We went for the latter, which took about 20 minutes to the UNESCO world heritage site.
The stones are very impressive, and it’s hard not to be slightly awed by their history, but we were glad we’d included them as a day trip, rather than planning a whole trip around seeing them.
Overall, Somerset had everything we needed for a dreamy break – beautiful walks, memorable days out, good food and friendly locals.
Charging around
We were fortunate enough to borrow a Mini Countryman, which is a hybrid with both a combustion engine and electric motor. On the drive from London to Somerset, we’d used both the engine and motor, but for slightly shorter trips we drove solely on electric.
The car lived up to its “built for adventure” slogan. A smooth and easy drive, it was ideal for navigating those winding country lanes, and we were impressed with how far we were able to travel using the electric motor only (up to around 26 miles). It may be compact, but it comfortably fitted two suitcases in the boot, along with various bags on the back seat. One hiccup was the in-built satnav – while it always got us from A to B, it wasn’t always the most efficient route, particularly when it took us through a farm. Luckily, the locals were friendly about it.
Charging the car was a simple process, and as there was a charging point at the accommodation, we didn’t have to give it too much thought.
The MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid is priced from £33,500 and more information can be found at mini.co.uk.
Book the holiday
Canopy and Stars offers a two-night stay at Vilberie, The Orchard, from £295, self-catering. Find out more at canopyandstars.co.uk/vilberie.
For more information about Somerset, head to visitsomerset.co.uk.
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