I camp often, but this was my first glamping experience. What would it be like, we wondered? Would we have enough to do? How would we entertain ourselves and our five-year-old for four nights without Wi-Fi? 

Well, we needn’t have worried. But onto that in a minute. 

First, the drive to Little Seed was stunning. We drove down from Swaledale, where we’d been camping at Usher Gap in Muker. A landscape of rolling hills, purple heather, and waterfalls was punctuated by stops at Asygarth Falls (who knew it was so close to the road!), Stump Cross Caverns (well worth a visit if your child likes fossils) and Pateley Bridge (Spar and Nisa/Coop for groceries, pizza, fish and chips and pancakes). 

Arrival and cabin…

On arrival at Little Seed Field, we parked the van and picked up a wheelbarrow, ready to transport our gear to Field Mouse , our home for the next four nights. Our son loved this touch and opted to ride in the wheelbarrow for the final trip. The cabin was warm and welcoming, and one of the first things we noticed was how the cabins were cleverly placed to offer almost total privacy—so much so that we barely saw another family all week! 

What’s in the cabin?

●    Bedding – thick and warm
●    Beds – one double and a set of bunk beds
●    Ensuite – modern bathroom with standard, flushing toilet, rainfall shower with plenty of hot water
●    Plugs – yes, you can take your hairdryer and straighteners!
●    Kettle, crockery and cutlery, table and chairs
●    Log burner – no need for this in August, but I’d love to come back and try it in winter
●    Firepit/BBQ and outdoor seating (logs available to order pre-arrival)

Surrounding area…

The cabin was so comfortable, and we had some lovely lazy mornings, but the main event at Little Seed had to be the great outdoors. We walked down to the ponds and spotted dragonflies, frogs, bees, butterflies, voles, swallows, pheasants, and different varieties of mushrooms. I recommend taking drawing equipment if you have kids. My son spent a good hour or so drawing the wildlife he’d spotted.

And beyond…

The weather was mixed during our stay (thanks, August!), so we ventured off-site a few times into Nidderdale to break up the rainy days. The Himalyan Garden and Sculpture Park, an award-winning North Yorkshire garden with over 90 permanent sculptures, was a hit with my son, with food that got the thumbs up from my husband. A trip to Brimham Rocks, a National Trust property with dramatic moorland rock formations, left my son energised and our nerves jangling – there are plenty of sheer drops! Nidderdale is full of interesting spots  – we barely scratched the surface.

Back at Little Seed

Back at Little Seed, one of my highlights was a dairy farm tour organised by Joanne and her son, Jacob. Over a good hour, they took us through the life of a dairy cow and the milking process, allowing us to get up close to the afternoon’s milking. I’ve seen Countryfile, but this gave things a whole new perspective. They were so generous with their time, answering any questions we had. 

But as good as it was, the dairy farm experience came second to something else: nothing beats looking up at the starry sky over a crackling firepit each night. There’s just something so wonderful about that.

If you’re considering booking Little Seed Field for a glamping holiday, don’t hesitate. In a hectic world, there aren’t many experiences that feel entirely new or different–or that take your breath away–Little Seed has more than a few of those.