I stopped at this picturesque Melton Mowbray glamping site to see if I could recapture my lost youth
A few summers ago I took the plunge and decided to go camping.
It’s hardly adventurous I know, but it had been many years since I had last spent a night under canvas - two decades in fact.
I was lured back in by my boyhood memories of fresh air and beautiful surroundings, of the joy of just sitting enjoying a cuppa and time to think and that community feel you get on campsites where everyone comes together to savour the moment.
Sadly, reality proved different to my nostalgic memories and saying it didn’t go well is somewhat of an understatement. My car took on the appearance of someone moving house thanks to the dizzying amount of supplies and equipment we took. The pop-up tent, which promised to be a doddle for beginners, proved to be anything but and took far too much time and effort, as well as stress and angry words, to get things into place. Once the tent was in position we quickly discovered that what had looked like a decent sized home for the night was in fact cramped, stuffy and uncomfortable. It also came with the added worry that it might blow away at any moment and, in the end, we gave it up as a bad job and headed home defeated.
Fast forward time back to the present era and that burning desire to discover a simpler life where the background vista of cars and streetlights is replaced by woodland and wildlife remained increasingly strong.
It was with this in mind that we headed down to Twinlakes, the family-friendly theme park in Melton Mowbray which is run by the same family who own Nottinghamshire's very own Wheelgate, to see if we could conjure up the memories that I’ve always held dear.
As well as having children’s rides, splash pool, picnic areas, farm animals and much more, the 100 acre attraction now boasts 20 luxury glamping pods, which are tucked away in a peaceful countryside setting close to the main park.
The luxury pods - which also include tickets to the theme park - can accommodate up to six people and, as I was to find out, offers all that the more modern holidaymaker is looking for.
Glamping is the next step up from the real back-to-basics of camping and for those looking to really ‘slum it’ then glamping may not be for you.
But, for amateurs like me, it was a way nicer experience to simply unlock the door and whack the kettle on compared to my memories of an eternity grappling a non-compliant tent and unpacking the essentials in a windy Buxton field.
The lodges are spacious and offer an easy stay with a private bathroom and shower, a small kitchen area, TV and - probably most importantly nowadays - free wifi, helping elevate the comfort level up significantly.
Glamping pods are essentially intended as a place to get your head down after a quality day of exploring. It’s not intended to be stopped in like a hotel room and I did feel ventilation is an issue on a roasting summer’s night. More natural light would also have been welcome with maybe a couple sky lights added in for a more airy effect.
That aside the pods are well located in a quiet and secluded area with trees feet away, which in fact offered a further mini-retreat if you fancy plonking a chair down amongst the trees to kick back for a couple hours of ‘wilderness’
One of my favourite camping memories as a 10 year-old was playing impromptu games of football with other kids who you’d just met that day and instantly become firm friends with (if just for 24 hours). It’s a memory to be cherished and it was lovely to see these same friendships being formed out on the field while we took advantage of some alfresco dining on the decking area.
If you’re looking for complete solitude and peace and quiet then this place may not be for you. The pods are fairly close together and you’re likely to get to know your neighbours much better, whether you wish to do so or not. But if you’re a lover of a cheery nod and how-do and if chatting with friends you’ve just not met yet then I suspect you’re going to settle in rather nicely and take some pleasant and long-lasting memories back home the return to the rat race calls once again.
For further information - to make a booking - visit https://www.twinlakespark.co.uk/lodges