A Tale of Two Horse Boxes – Part 1
When a friend of the team found a new, unique glamping accommodation and managed to book a last minute short break over the summer we were surprised at first – most of the glampsites in the UK have been fully booked for months, so we couldn’t believe that she had managed to find somewhere to stay! It turns out that 2021 is the first year that The Swallow at Waterhay Farm in Wiltshire has been available, but we think it will be booking up quickly with returning guests for the 2022 season, especially going by the comments our friend found in the guest book. Here’s what she had to say…
I booked The Swallow as a last minute break, I was really lucky to have found it because everywhere else I had thought about going was fully booked months ago. It’s a converted 1960’s horse box which has a kitchen area with a mini fridge well hidden in the drawers (not to mention every utensil you could ever hope to need)and a single gas ring and kettle. There’s a folder with local information and a pair of binoculars in the storage area over the cab, plus an OS map and some books about rewilding, nature and farming. These lovely touches really make you feel like you’re in the countryside, that’s if the gorgeous, unspoilt views aren’t enough!
There is a lot of storage space in The Swallow, so called because of the retro style wall covering across the back of the space. Drawers, a big storage space over the cab and a drawer under the bed means you can unpack quickly; stowing your main bags under the bed, so you can feel truly at home in minutes. The kitchen area is well designed and thought out, with a bench opposite the hob looking out through the double, full-height sliding doors where you can eat with a view across the field. There’s also a table and chairs outside on the covered deck, which makes a lovely place for every meal, if you’re lucky with the weather like I was.
Solar powered lighting gives you plenty of options for illuminating the space as you want. A halo of LED lights wrapped around a woven wooden frame above the bed makes a romantic atmosphere (although I was travelling solo it was easy to see how this would be a lovely place for a couples getaway), while an extending light over the comfy sofa brings light to the middle of the space. There’s a little log burner inside which I didn’t need to use as it was actually sunny while I was there, but you can see it would heat the space very efficiently in the colder months. Another retro style tungsten bulb throws out a warm, cosy light perfect for the evening, while the lamp above the cooking area gives great light for meal prepping and chopping.
Join us for part 2 where we find out more about the facilities and the setting of The Swallow.
