Clever Grain Silo Glamping Conversions
We’re constantly amazed by the innovative ways people create glamping accommodation out of unused vehicles and structures, giving new life to materials that would otherwise be scrapped. This time we’re looking at a farm staple – the grain silo.
Grain silos are large round structures often made from (or clad with) corrugated iron which are used to store grains in bulk for animal feed. They’re found in different sizes on most farms, depending on the size and purpose of the farm, making it relatively easy to get planning permission for the conversions. Because the external structures already exist and are in keeping with the landscape and environment there’s little objection to their new use.
One of the most picturesque grain silo glamping options we found was at Tuffon Hall Vineyard in Essex. Here, a converted grain silo stands in the vineyard itself, giving beautiful views and privacy in a setting many people don’t get to stay in. There’s a flushing toilet and shower inside, along with a living room area and kitchenette. A mezzanine level with double bed provides a cosy sleeping area and outside there’s a wood-fired hot tub and fire pit for enjoying a lazy evening whatever the weather.
There are several other single-silo options dotted around the UK; one in Ceredigion uses an extension to house a full kitchen while the upper floor hosts a large bedroom with en-suite wet room. From here you can see the sea and the beautiful countryside, making this location ideal for a holiday that takes in both hills and coastal walks – one dog is welcome here with guests. Similar sites can be found in Sussex, North Yorkshire, Powys and Suffolk.
In Framlingham, Suffolk, The Silos is another unique silo based offering which uses two silos, connected with a corrugated iron-clad hallway to blend the structures together. Here, the full height creates a real sense of space, as one silo hosts the bedroom and bathroom (complete with spacious shower and super-king size bed with gorgeous views out over the countryside) and the other is the living space and kitchen. You can cook a full meal here with a double oven and hob plus plenty of space in the kitchen down one side of the space. A log burner and sofas provide a comfortable seating area ideal for relaxing after a scenic walk.
Rutland is home to a three-silo conversion that featured on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces. Rocket Lodge joins three silos and four shepherd’s huts to create a holiday home that sleeps 6 people in the shepherd’s hut bedrooms – two doubles and one twin. One silo is the modern kitchen and dining area, another hosts the living space complete with suspended fire pit, while the third is given over entirely to a luxurious bathroom with freestanding copper roll top bath (there’s even a disco ball!). There is a second bathroom in a shepherd’s hut, so guests can soak away in the tub without being disturbed by the rest of the family. Outside a deck and hot tub provide the ideal place for another soak and a relaxing evening.
These clever conversion projects may inspire more farmers looking to diversify their income into creating their own glamping accommodation from silos, this could be the new shepherd’s hut! The sites in Ceredigion and Rutland show how several structures can be merged together for more space, or how silos can have auxiliary structures to provide space for a large kitchen, bathroom, or even another bedroom.
