My honest review of the UK’s first off-grid glamping destination

In a new series So, Is It Worth It? our travel experts put experiences to the test to see if they’re really worth your time and money. This week, we’re glamping in Sussex.

I was sceptical about spending the night in a tent during a winter storm.

Wouldn’t it be better, I thought, to be cocooned in an Airbnb rather than a wooden structure covered with canvas, with no electricity, oven, or hot water or means of living a faff-free life?

It turns out, the faff – cooking on a fire, lighting crackling lanterns for the simple pleasure of sight, and boiling hot water for washing up – was almost as therapeutic as a five-star spa weekend in Tuscany.

Of course, the weather was significantly worse, but poor old Blighty can’t help that. It was certainly more memorable, anyway.

On arrival at Feather Down’s Lunsford Farm site, we are greeted by friendly farmer Andrew, clad in all the gear and hopping in and out of a Land Rover with the same familiarity Lewis Hamilton might in his Mercedes.

After a warm chat, Andrew – who is one of generations of farmers in his family to look after this coastal slice of Sussex – leads us to our tent, pitched in a field flanked by three others.

The wooden and canvas bolthole, by the UK’s first glamping pioneers Feather Down – who operate on farms across the country – was to be our home for the weekend, and it was absolutely glorious.

What’s the vibe?

Walking into a Feather Down campsite is like stepping back in time, in all the best ways (without all the bad stuff like plagues and public executions).

The tents, complete with hard wooden floors, two bedrooms and a double room cubby – accommodating a maximum of six guests – are perfectly set up for families, but we found it just as good for a couple’s escape.

Thankfully, my task-happy fiancé – he loves chopping things, making fires, you get the picture – soon made friends with the log burner, which was to be our source of comfort, heat, and largely our only light as the chilly October night drew in.

The vibe reminded me of a historical tour I took in Edinburgh of Mary King’s Close; a maze of 17th-century alleyways buried under the Scottish capital which are frozen in time.

Becoming a 17th-century wench (whose partner did most of the heavy lifting) for a weekend was a refreshing break from the convenience of modern life, where I have everything I need right at my fingertips.

On one evening of our stay, we walked 20 minutes to the local public house – The Royal Oak in Pett – to get out and shake off the day’s ride, where we got some hearty (but standard) meat and tankards of mead.

I jest, but the pub was a proper local haunt. The atmosphere was friendly and the tight-knit community seemed to embrace visitors, which was a welcome change from London anonymity.

Another evening, we slow-cooked a spaghetti bolognese over the log burner, stoking the wood to manage the temperature and hyperfixating on the task in hand, which would have been a slapdash process in our flat.

Chopping onions on a wooden slab under candlelight made me feel like an ASMR YouTube star, and a game of cards after dinner rounded out our blissfully analogue evening.

While cooking in a tent was a magical meditation for us, it’s worth noting that it could easily be a nightmare if you’re not so into this kind of thing.

What facilities are there?

This is barefoot living in its most basic form. There is no hot water for a brew, for example, but you do have a fire to heat the hob and kettle.

If that makes you grimace, then this experience is probably not for you.

At this Feather Down spot on Lunsford Farm, the showers are not in your tent, but a five-minute walk away in a barn at the farm steading.

Don’t worry, though, it’s not a port-a-loo situation, but a lovely heated area with powerful hot showers. There’s even a little honesty shop for all your needs. We got back from the pub and decided to buy some marshmallows to melt on the fire, very cute.

In your tent, you’ll also find a cool box and ice water bottles to keep it this way, so you can store a few beers or snacks as you please.

All cooking equipment you could want hangs around the log burner centrepiece, as it might over an AGA in a farmhouse kitchen.

Mercifully, there is a flushing loo in your tent. Phew.

Where is it and what is the area like?

Lunsford Farm is on the south coast, between Hastings and Rye, and the tents sit on top of a vista looking down to the coast. Walks in the area consist of long pebble beaches, or undulating farmland, or a mixture of both.

We walked to Rye for the day, which took a few hours (we admittedly took the bus back), but once you’re there, it’s a lovely chocolate box village with quaint pubs and lots to explore.

The other way is Hastings, which has an equally attractive old town and a great little hike – or funicular – up to a viewpoint.

After, head for some fish and chips in a shipping container, where you can also explore the Fishermen’s Museum and the Shipwreck Museum.

On our way back to London, we also stopped at Battle, and paid £20 to enter the Abbey and the site of the famed 1066 battle, when Harold II of England was defeated by the invading Normans.

I am not good at museums – my limit is usually 30 minutes before I get impatient – but this was really fascinating.

Elsewhere, Feather Down has similar set-ups throughout the UK and Europe, all with slightly different facilities, from hot tubs to electricity and private showers, so you can choose what level of luxury you’re keen on.

In the UK, there are two farms in Dorset, two in Gloucestershire, and one in Bedfordshire, Cornwall, Devon, Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk, Shropshire, Somerset, as well as Gwynedd and West Berkshire in Wales.

Further afield, guests can enjoy exploring the countryside in Germany, the Netherlands, France and Belgium, with several locations set up there for Feather Down glampers.

How much does it cost?

Prices start from around £400 for a six-person tent for two nights, but rates fluctuate depending on the season.

There are also some farms with smaller tents, where couples can stay for two nights from £160 per tent.

Kitty Chrisp was a guest of Feather Down at Lunsford Farm, but don’t expect us to sugarcoat anything – our reviews are 100% independent.

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