Glamping places near nature reserves

Ninety acres of rewilded ex-WW2 airfield and an ancient woodland make up your back garden at Two Pines treehouse in Northamptonshire. Thanks to a very special connection, owners Fin and Joanna jumped at the chance to buy the site in 2017. Fin’s parents’ home has been on the site since 1978 and he spent his childhood playing in the woods and meadows within it. His mum is a passionate amateur ecologist, who offers guided walks to guests who want to discover more about the different habitats, wildflowers, fungi, butterflies and lichen.

His equally talented Dad might let you take a look around his sculptor's workshop. After an idyllic day wandering around The Wilding, spotting rabbits and muntjac deer, head back to your fairy-lit perch among the pines to unwind in the outdoor tub under the stars (swimwear optional, there’s not a soul in sight). Inside is just as much of a delight with a wood burner, cosy seating area, luxury shower room and fully fitted kitchen.

If you can tear yourself away from the quirky luxury of Double-Deckerdence, not only are the Lincolnshire Wolds on the doorstep, it’s only a 30-minute walk to Red Hill Nature Reserve. Wander through the steep escarpment and grasslands spotting yellow-wort, bee orchids, butterflies, moths and lizards. In the famous Red Chalk disused quarry you can dust off your geology skills with some fossil hunting.

Take plenty of photos to browse through when you get back to the best seats in the county, aka the top deck of Double Deckerdence where you’ll find a hot tub and outdoor seating area. The fun carries on below with a king-size bed, roll-top bathtub and bar, plus a climbing wall and tunnel for the kids (big and small). Every meal time feels celebratory when prepared in the outdoor kitchen strung with festoon lights. There’s a firepit for toasting marshmallows, outdoor seating and a movie projector screen to watch a family favourite.

There’s not one, but two nature reserves within 15 minutes of Buck’s Coppice in Dorset. Powerstock Common and Nature Reserve brims with wildlife including rare and protected species. If you visit in Spring you’ll be rewarded with carpets of bluebells, in summer you might spot beautiful marsh fritillary butterflies and in autumn, there are dormice, deer and fungi. Kingcombe Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre is even closer. Here you can meander through grassland, past bursting hedgerows, streams and ponds with the River Hooke running through the middle of it all.

At Buck’s Coppice, you’ve got the rare treat of staying in the heart of a Site of Scientific Interest, in an off-grid sanctuary overlooking a wild swimming lake. Owner Sid has created a tranquil Scandi-inspired space that connects you to the natural surroundings with huge windows and muted, earthy tones. At the end of the lane, you can pick up the Jubilee Trail that runs across Dorset, and the market town of Bridport is a short drive away for arts, antiques and a lively café scene.

Tinkers Treehouse in East Sussex does things on a grand scale. The light-filled open plan space features a modern kitchen, wood burner, luxurious waterfall shower and a spacious deck designed with leisurely morning coffees and sundowners in mind. Bewl Water Reservoir, nearby, is equally epic – boasting the largest stretch of open water in the South East and a myriad of ways to enjoy the spectacular surroundings.

Miles of scenic pathways criss-cross the 800-acre parkland site and the reservoir itself offers a wide range of watersports including windsurfing and sailing. In summer, there’s an aquapark to throw yourselves around on, before recovering with an ice cream on the terrace of The Waterfront Café. 117 acres of the site are designated nature reserve, with a bird hide installed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust.

Drift off to sleep in a vintage gypsy caravan surrounded by over 100 acres of nature reserve near the Suffolk Coast AONB. A wide shepherd’s hut sits next to the caravan with a kitchen-come-dining space and a double bed for the kids. The Secret Meadows site is part of the Sinfield Nature Conservation Trust with over 100 acres of wild-flower meadows, woodland, scrub, natural regeneration and ponds.

There are farm animals to meet and plenty of wildlife to spot, ideally from a horizontal position in the hammock. Woodbridge, Bury St. Edmunds and Framlingham are all within easy reach for a day out but there’s plenty to keep you occupied on site. Navigate the turf labyrinth on the edge of the nightingale woods, take an Anglo Nubian goat for a walk or sign up for a bow & arrow making or whittling workshop. If you’re craving a bit of R&R, My Blissful Retreat offers luxurious treatments.

Floating in the branches in the Kent Downs AONB, The Lodge Treehouse invites you to kick back in the outdoor Jacuzzi bathtub after a busy day chatting to the animals on the smallholding. Leisurely soaks are an option whatever the weather as the tub is under a long awning. You’re 20 minutes from the coast and Samphire Hoe Beach, a man made nature reserve created in the nineties thanks to the Eurotunnel.

It was landscaped from earth cut to make the tunnel, sown with wildflower seeds and today is home to 200 species of plants, 220 species of birds, butterflies, moths, dragonflies and more. With a backdrop of cliffs and epic sea views. When you’re not wildlife spotting, go hiking on the North Downs Way, visit historic Canterbury or take a tour of the local vineyard. The George Inn is within strolling distance if you’d rather someone else made your dinner.