Why we love glamping in Herefordshire

If you're coming up from the south, Ross-on-Wye is well worth a pit stop. It's one of the most popular towns in Herefordshire, renowned for its historic buildings, adventure experiences, walking and cycling routes, and even a film trail that includes locations from the likes of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Doctor Who. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Wye Valley and often voted the UK’s best loved market town, it makes a great central touch point for glamping in Herefordshire.

A little further north you find Ledbury, with its distinctive black-and-white timber-framed buildings and thriving high street packed with independent shops. The annual Ledbury Poetry Festival is one of many things that helps the town regularly top the ‘Best places to live in the UK’ lists. If you can’t afford to buy property there, and who can, why not spend a day pottering the pretty streets instead. Further north again is Bromyard, which adds to the quirky, independent shops and contemporary art galleries with an unexpected sci-fi museum. There's also the National Trust’s Lower Brockhampton Estate, and the lonely beauty of the Downs only a stone's throw away. Bromyard also raises Ledbury for events, boasting a Speed Festival, Folk Festival, and even a ferret racing festival - yes, it’s a thing in this neck of the woods.

Glamping in Herefordshire almost certainly means sampling some cider and Leominster, deep in apple orchard country in the north of Herefordshire, is the place to go for it. It's an antiques mecca too, with more than 120 dealers, so be careful if a couple of pints tends to put you in a spendy mood.

The Black Hill and Cat’s Back route is rightly one of the most famous Herefordshire walks. The five-mile route from the Black Hill Car Park starts off steep enough to get you warmed up then levels out to give you stunning views of the Black mountains from the thin rambling ridge. Over in Herefordshire's Golden Valley, there's a moderately challenging and very scenic walk to Arthur's Stone, an atmospheric Neolithic burial chamber made of great stone slabs. The trail runs through rolling countryside in the Dore and if you find you need a break, then tick off another local specialty you really must try while glamping in Herefordshire, with a stop at a village pub.

The Garway Hill Circular is another popular walk. The moderately difficult 3.8 mile loop near Hereford takes in an easy peak surrounded by a rugged, natural landscape teeming with local wildlife and birds. Keep an eye out for a very unusual tree which has formed into an ideal circular frame for memorable photos. Symonds Yat Rock is a good choice if glamping in Herefordshire has taken you south into the Wye Valley. The vantage point from the top of the cliff has been appreciated for millennia, as the Iron-age fort here testifies. Take the undemanding and well-signed five-mile trail around the landmark for a slow, steady stroll before a delicious Sunday lunch at a local pub.

You might be one of those who try and completely avoid towns while you're glamping in Herefordshire, but sometimes it's worth heading into civilisation. In Hereford you'll find The Beefy Boys, an award-winning burger, beer, and cocktail joint. Affectionately known by the owners as a ‘meat boutique’, they also make the bold claim that they produce the best burgers on the planet, made from 21 day aged, 100% pure Herefordshire beef. There's also The Bookshop at Hereford, a sleek modern restaurant serving coffee, delicious brunch, a steak-led evening menu, and an award winning Sunday lunch.

Herefordshire is home to some of the best varieties of British hops and that mean great breweries. The Wye Valley Brewery offers guided tours of its impressive brewhouse, showing off both its special brewing process, and its range of award-winning ales, all sustainably and ethically produced. Your guide will also let you taste some of them too. But Herefordshire is also cider country, and Westons are at the top of the game, boasting the UK’s largest collection of oak vats, filled with crisp, delicious Herefordshire Cider. Discover the craft of cider making, from blossom to bottle, on a guided tour and tasting package. This place supplies many of the best pubs in Herefordshire with their cider, and it’s easy to see why.

When you're talking annual events to time your glamping in Herefordshire around, you have to start with Borderlines. It's the UK's largest rural film festival and has become acclaimed as one of the biggest and best festivals nationally. It showcases cinema from across the world and close to home each year, from previews and new releases to classics, silent movies and documentaries. All are carefully selected to delight film buffs, and uplift audiences.

Coming up hard on the heels of Borderlines, albeit probably carrying a bit of weight and sweating, is Abergavenny Food Festival, which takes place in September. Chefs, farmers and producers come together to deliver a delicious experience for people from all walks of life. A paradise for your palate, it’s a must do for foodies glamping in Herefordshire. If you prefer your nourishment more ephemeral, Ledbury Poetry Festival is the biggest, brightest international celebration of poetry and spoken word in the UK. Surrounded and inspired by woods, orchards, and hills, poets from across the global gather in the independent market town to perform, write, read, and listen to poetry, with contemporary literary titans standing alongside upcoming talents in a thrilling, eclectic mix of events, readings, performances, and masterclasses.

Glamping in Herefordshire with Canopy & Stars

Glamping in Herefordshire with us is a low-impact way of getting up close and personal with the natural world, while enjoying more than a few luxuries you'd never find at a campsite. Set amidst some of the most remote and beautiful scenery in the UK, our eclectic spaces for glamping in Herefordshire include everything from cosy timber cabins and shepherd’s huts, to treehouses perched in the boughs of ancient oaks. They all invite you to live as wild or indulgent as you like. Hike for miles with a comfy bed to come home to, forage in hedgerows for dinner or just sink into a hot tub hot tub under the stars with a glass in your hand.

How do we choose our places?

Each of our exciting and luxurious glamping locations has been personally inspected by a member of the Canopy & Stars team, who've met the owners and tested the space, ensuring it meets our exacting standard of being among the most unique and eclectic spaces in the UK. We look for comfort and quality, but also character, creativity and a sense of place.

We've chosen not to have a big checklist or a points system for our places. Beyond the basics, it's more about the feel of them and whether or not we think it will feel amazing when you stay. After we've seen a place, we tell you about it, letting you know what it's best for. So whether you’re glamping in Herefordshire to spend quality time with your family, reconnect with friends, or romance your partner, you'll know where to go for beauty and nature tailored to the break you're after.

About Canopy & Stars

Canopy & Stars is a small, independent travel company run by a small, close-knit team, all of whom own a stake in the business thanks to a unique employee ownership model in which a percentage of our profit goes into a charitable trust we established to help fund a range of environmental initiatives around the world. We treat our employees, accommodation owners, suppliers, and guests fairly, respectfully, and with kindness, and live by the values of sustainability and positive action for the planet. You can read more about us by checking out our about us page, strangely enough.