Forcett Grange Glamping In North Yorkshire
A couple of weeks ago I spent two nights glamping at Wigwam Holidays, Forcett Grange glamping site near Richmond in North Yorkshire. Just an hour away from Newcastle, the wigwam pods are ideal for both first time or seasoned glampers, as they have everything you could possibly want or need for your visit.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary two night stay at Forcett Grange.
I often find that one of the most difficult things when preparing for a glamping trip is figuring out what to take with you. Each place is different, with varying levels of amenities and it’s not always obvious from the websites what is included.
With a booking at Forcett Grange glamping you get access to an app that literally has every bit of information you could possibly need to know, including what to know and do before your visit, what to pack, what’s included, how to check in, and detailed instructions for getting there. It makes life a lot easier so you don’t end up taking things you don’t need.
A lot of this information is also available on their website, so you can take a look through before you book as well. There is really no specialist camping or glamping gear you need to get before you go, treat it like any other self catered stay where all you need is your clothes, personal items and a food shop.
Forcett Grange Glamping
Set in a very old quarry, the glamping site is secluded, remote and surrounded by the North Yorkshire countryside. The Sat Nav takes you so far, and then there are very clear signs that take you to the reception cabin for check in. Check in is between 3-5pm, and you get your key as well as information on the entry gate, and where to park.
The cabins themselves are a short drive through the woodland road from the check in point, so you’re right in the heart of the quarry which has been beautifully landscaped to suit. There are two cabin areas each with their own car park and a drop off point so you can easily unload your car.
All of the cabins are easily reached, with no steps at all even for the ones sitting on the higher points.
The Wigwams
Our cabin was The Quarrier, sat on the end of a row of six on top of a small hill sunken into the quarry. There was a huge grassy space at the bottom of the hill surrounded by the high quarry walls and trees, so it was really quiet and peaceful. One morning I spotted the resident fox skulking along in the shadows.
The outside space at the entrance to the Quarrier was great, with a sheltered area under the entrance to the cabin, a big picnic table with bench seating, a fixed fire pit, and round the side was the private hot tub. Each cabin has all of these things, and they even preheat the hot tub for you before you arrive. Trust me this is 100% worth it, heating a full wood fired hot tub can take up to four hours doing it yourself and is a complete pain.
The inside of the cabins are so spacious, again designed for access to everyone, with a spotless kitchen area complete with microwave, mini hob, kettle, toaster, fridge and sink. The cupboards are stocked with all the utensils and cutlery you will need, as well as fairy liquid and essentials like salt, pepper tea and coffee.
You do need to take your own food shop, but there are shops nearby full details of which you can find in the pre arrival information they send you, and in the information that’s in the cabin when you get there.
Each cabin sleeps up to six people, and one double bed is made up and has all the bedding provided for you. Any more and you would need to take your own. The other two beds are folded out from the seating benches, so there’s loads of space.
The cabins have plenty of heaters, so can be visited year round and would be so cosy, and lots of plugs and electricity for chargers. There is a mini TV if you want to broadcast anything, but be aware there is no wifi so it’s all done on your own 4G network. Signal was absolutely fine during my stay, but it’s also an opportunity to go off grid if you prefer, or pre download anything onto ipads before you go.
The bathrooms are through a door at the back of the cabin, and they’re basically a big wet room, with shower area, toilet, sink and mirror, and heated towel rail. You can get fluffy robes included if you wish and they’ll be hanging on the back of the bathroom door – I’d suggest doing this as they’re great for to and from the hot tub especially when the weather gets colder.
One set of towels is also provided as part of your stay, but any more, and beach towels for the hot tub would need to be taken by yourselves.
Once unpacked and put the wine in the fridge, I was straight in the hot tub – it really makes a huge difference having this preheated for you as you aren’t waiting around for hours. There will also be a big bag of logs so you can keep it going, as well as instructions on temperatures and keeping it hot throughout your stay.
Dog Friendly & Glamping Essentials
For me, and I’m sure many others, the fact they are dog friendly is one of the best things about Forcett Grange glamping.
There’s loads of space inside the cabins for dogs of all sizes, and there are rings fixed to the outside of the cabins so you could tie them onto a long lead and let them roam without worrying they’ll wander off while you’re in the hot tub.
There’s also a big grassy area for them to run about, and it’s really safe for a wander through the woodland paths on site away from the main roads.
As well as logs for your wood fired hot tub, you’ll also be provided with them for your fire pit, which comes with a grate for on the top if you want to get stuck into glamping life and BBQ outside. It’s a lovely atmosphere for it, really quiet and you can’t hear the neighbouring cabins or see their hot tubs at all.
And of course you can’t go glamping without toasting some marshmallows over the fire. A marshmallow fork is provided and you can pay extra to get a marshmallow jar in your cabin, or take your own with biscuits to make smores.
There was a family in one of the pods further along from me, and they also had a tent pitched up outside for the kids who must have wanted to do some real camping. Ideal for family groups to get the best of both worlds.
What’s Nearby?
As well as being able to switch off, enjoy the hot tub, and relax around your cabin, Forcett Grange is ideally located to enjoy the local area. Richmond is the nearest town and it was a lovely day out for us on the Saturday. I’d had a really busy week at work so hadn’t prepared much food wise, so our first morning we went into the town for a walk and breakfast.
It’s a lovely place, with quaint streets to explore, very friendly people in the cafes – I’d recommend the Little Drummer Boy – they did a fabulous full English and giant scones. As well as little shops and pubs to visit, you can see the castle in the centre of the town, or walk down the hill to the river and see the Richmond Falls.
There is also a big Lidl so we stocked up on food for BBQ that night and for breakfast the next morning.
Other places nearby are Raby Castle, where you can go into the castle itself (I don’t think dogs are allowed), or just enjoy the grounds, cafe and deer spotting. Dogs are allowed to do this. Barnard Castle is also close by, and being North Yorkshire of course the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors are waiting to be explored too.
You could easily enjoy three full days out in the area with Forcett Grange glamping as your base, and it’s lovely to get back to a cosy cabin and relax in the hot tub with the smell of sausages cooking over the fire.
Book Your Stay At Forcett Grange
We had a great weekend here, and the cabins were really comfortable, spacious, and fully equipped so it was a stress free glamping trip even though I hadn’t had much chance to prepare. The hot tub and dog friendly policy were real highlights of the trip, and I think both of these things make a huge difference in selecting where to go glamping these days.
Being so thought out, it’s not just the spring and summer months that offer great glamping experiences. I love going in Autumn and Winter too, and Forcett Grange currently have an offer on where you can stay an extra night for the price of two.
Find full details of the offer and how to book on the Forcett Grange Glamping website here.
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