If you’re looking to get away from it all, there are few places better than the Shropshire countryside. In fact, apart from the owls hooting in the trees and pheasants calling from the bushes, our only neighbours at Amber’s Bell Tent Camping were flocks of sheep and the inhabitants of the five other bell tents at Hopton Court.

All socially distanced across the site, it felt like the perfect compromise of peaceful escape without having to pitch up in a deserted field and forgo all mod cons. Glamping is much more fun when there’s a proper bed to relax in after a hard day’s exploring.

Picked as one of the Cool Camping collection, there are five separate Amber’s Bell Tent Camping sites including three in Norfolk, one in Worcestershire on a pick-your-own farm, and our own rural idyll just outside Ludlow in Shropshire.

All covered by the Cool Camping coronavirus booking guarantee, Hopton Court won us over for its facilities and location. As a bonus, the Hopton Court Estate has its own impressive pedigree, as it was reputedly dreamed up by John Nash, architect of Buckingham Palace. 

And if our bell tents were slightly less palatial than a royal residence, the six-acre glamping site where we stayed — part of an 1,800-acre estate — is definitely designed for those who prefer their camping on the luxurious side.

As well as real double beds, plus space for additional camp beds for kids, there’s a wood-burning stove inside the tent, stylish bedlinen (ours was peacock patterned) and a decent array of crockery, cutlery and cooking equipment, as well as ice blocks to make a fridge inside a vintage trunk, a small barbecue and picnic table outside and a bigger communal fire pit. 

You can also buy small gas stoves if you don’t fancy relying on your own al fresco cooking skills and don’t have your own camping gear.

The separate washblock has individual lockable facilities for each tent, with a proper shower (bring your own towels), plus there are washing-up facilities and pure drinking water direct from the estate’s borehole, filtered by UV filter.

And while spray bottles to clean down surfaces aren’t normally top of a holiday wishlist, it’s a reassuring addition to see them dotted around the site — everything is deep cleaned before new guests arrive as well.

The sauna is closed this summer, as is the honesty shop, although it’s easy to order additional kindling, wood and eco hot log discs to burn. Even someone as out of practice at making fires as I managed to get a good blaze going with the latter and a few firelighters — as our July visit saw very unseasonal rain, the toasty warmth this pumped out was distinctly comforting. If you’re even unluckier with the summer weather, there are hot water bottles too.

When the sun shines, there are rope swings in the trees, hammocks and plenty of room to run around, not to mention the nearby Shopshire Hills and Wyre Forest to explore, plus the open heights of Catherton Common, as well as Titterstone Clee Hill for more avid hikers.

The campsite’s pond and surrounding woodland are also perfect for spotting wildlife.

Or as the sun sets, and the solar lights — attached to tent pegs and on the tables — start to flicker, just sit back, relax and wait for the first owls to break the silence.
 

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