The award winning Mapperton Estate spans some 2000 acres and is best known for it's Jacobean manor house and gardens that spill from a manicured croquet lawn down through pristine topiary gardens to an arboretum. What's perhaps lesser known is that, away from the carefully maintained lawns and shrubs, a tenth of the estate is now being handed back to nature as part of an extensive re-wilding project. And it's here that a new pop-up glamping site is found, where the home comforts of coffee machines and a wood-burning stove are smuggled in amongst the wild, natural beauty of the re-wilded countryside.
The process of re-wilding is all about standing back and letting nature take its course – a hands-off approach that leads to potentially unexpected outcomes. Here, the results are a huge rise in bird numbers and butterflies galore, while the meadow around the bell tents are pimpled with buttercups and wildflowers. A roaming herd of rare-breed White Park cattle add grazing and foraging to the natural processes and binoculars are provided in your tent for watching them more closely or picking out the local wildlife.
The accommodation itself is private and well maintained. There are just two bell tents in total, each with a hand-built king-sized bed, a welcome hamper with things like fresh eggs and milk, and access to the composting loos and private shower facilities in the meadow. Considered touches include lanterns and board games and all guests are given free tickets to Mapperton Gardens, so you can stroll over to the country house (it takes around 10 minutes) and enjoy the more regimented side of nature, where bushes are sculpted into perfect shapes, ponds are perfectly tiled and everything is just so. The gardens are roughly divided over several periods, with the oldest designs from the 17th century where it's quite literally like a scene from a period drama – the house featured in the film adaptation of Far From The Madding Crowd.
There are plenty of paths to follow beyond the grounds of Mapperton, including the Jubilee Trail, which passes through the estate and can be followed south to North Poorton and into the nearby woods. Further afield it's a 20-minute drive to West Bay and the Jurassic Coast and five minutes to the popular market town of Beaminster for pubs, good food and other essentials. There's also, however, an exceptional café inside an old barn in the courtyard back at Mapperton, so you never need stray that far. And the food is so good, glampers may well become regular customers during their stay.
Guests at the glamping site are given free tickets to Mapperton Gardens, so exploring the estate while you're here is a must. Some 15 acres of gardens descend from the croquet lawn, through the formal topiary down to the wild garden. Registered Grade II*, it is among a handful of the top gardens in the south west, and can broadly be divided into four main periods: the 17–19th century, the 1920s, the 1950–60s, and the present day. There's plenty of information about each period’s garden, along with detailed planting notes, in the guidebook sold in their gift shop. Elsewhere, Mapperton Camps is five minutes from the quiet market town of Beaminster, famed for its miles of uninterrupted countryside, perfect for afternoon rambles. Furleigh Wine Estate (01308 488991) is also located in Beaminster, offering tours and tasting sessions for their award-winning wines and a selection of wines that you can buy to enjoy back at camp. The Jurassic Coast, with its long pebble beaches and dramatic cliffs, is also only 15 minutes’ drive away. Start at West Bay Harbour and walk along the cliff path to Eype for a lesser known stretch of the coastal trail with fantastic views.
Mapperton's Coach House Café serves food inside the beautiful old barn setting as well as in the sun outside. Elsewhere, it's a five-minute drive into Beaminster, where Brassica (01308 538100) is a lovely intimate restaurant with bright and quirky décor, voted the best local restaurant in the South West by the Good Food Guide. Ollerod (01308 862200), also in Beaminster, is a relaxed restaurant and bar overlooking the Brit River with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The Seaside Boarding House (01308 897205) is slightly further away, taking around 20 minutes in the car, set close to the coastline, the restaurant has stunning sea views and fine food made from fresh local ingredients.
