Glamping feasts made easy.

Cooking up a glamping feast to feed your clan doesn’t have to be hard.

We have got so used to the ease of a fast food delivery and ready meals. One of the wonderful things about glamping  is a taste of living slower, and enjoying the process of cooking, eating and time spent doing the everyday in a different way!   Much of the  ‘convenience’ we are used to may not be on your doorstep, but that’s half the fun, right?  Getting different people in your clan the chance  to cook, as well as new fun ways of cooking.

Immersing yourself in glamping life will make your stay so much more fulfilling.  But we all know that with hungry mouths to feed, a plan helps.  So that’s what this journal is all about.

We’ll walk you through a typical glamping stay. The meals that work best on different nights, what facilities are on site, and how to use them as well as what to bring to ensure you stay fed and watered without hassle and in all weathers!

Cooking over fire is not something most of us are used to doing. Other than sizzling a sausage over charcoal, so it can feel a little daunting to have to feed friends and family for a number of days, with the naked flame! Fear not though, there are lots of ideas and simple hacks to get you cooking outdoors like a pro.  You might be surprised what you can cook up over a fire pit, with charcoal or wood and the right equipment.

The difference between cooking over fire and using a gas BBQ, is that the heat source isn’t constant.  Using  charcoals you have a window of high heat and then a slow lowering of temperature.

The trick is to use the best temperatures for right ingredients and types of cooking.

Charcoal has to be hot and glowing, and the flame having died down. Certain Meats need longer over the coals to ensure they are fully cooked – Chicken and pork especially. Whilst periods when the coals are cooling are great for more tender ingredients like vegetables or fish.

Preparing your dishes  before the coals get hot will help. Also, cutting larger cuts of meat into smaller blocks – chicken skewers will cook faster than a thigh for example!

Getting flavour into food using marinades and rubs makes everything taste better. Plus you can leave it all day in the fridge whilst you’re out exploring. We have a selection of rubs and sauces in our pantry, plus ready marinated meats such as chicken and lamb.

Searing veg on the grill, or griddling them will add more flavour to your meal. Peppers, mushrooms and onion is good, or a corn on the cob, smothered in a herby butter go down well.

Fire pit kitchen

Our fire pits each has a grill top on which to BBQ, there is also a griddle –  a solid surface to cook on like frying. There are also mesh trays great for veg and fish. Skewers can be found in each tent so you can make your own kebabs. Savoury or sweet!

If you want to go all out, why not use the tripod with hanging bowl, to make a sauce or stew.  The bowl can hang low down close to the heat for fast frying or higher to just simmer. But of course, you have your gas hob to use in the tent if you’d prefer.

Pizza Oven

Our fire pit pizza ovens, sit in the fire on a trivet stand. Use wood to heat them up, it takes about 20 minutes, and the pizzas take a swift 3 minutes each.

Whilst most people use the ovens to cook a pizza, they can be used for roasting a chicken or even bake. We have pizza kits with sourdough balls and pizza sauce available to make home-made pizzas. Just bring  your preferred toppings.

What to pack, or prepare

As with any self catering holiday, its worth bringing your favourite foods for your stay.  We will cover the basics, from salt, pepper and olive oil. Tea, ground coffee and sugar is in your arrival hamper along with a couple of pints of milk, a loaf of bread, a pint of juice, crisps, eggs and a bottle of wine, as well as a jar of marshmallows.

You can add a hamper for your stay, we have breakfast hampers – full English and pastries, as well as BBQ hampers with a range of meats.  Our pantry has a selection of everything in our hampers plus goodies like sweets, chocolate and ice-creams. Coals and additional wood can also be purchased on site.

Your glamping kitchen also has foil, Tupperware and all the utensils you need to prepare cook and pack food for eating in or out.

Arrival day

Given you have so much else to think about at the start of your holiday, food on your first night can get lost amongst packing, organising family and friends, sorting out the house or pet arrangements, before tackling traffic.

So, on arrival day many opt to eat out.  Luckily, we have The Farmers Arms, our local pub next door that dishes up ‘pub food’ its worth booking, just in case.

Those of you arriving earlier may want to make the most of your stay and eat on the deck of your tent, especially if the weather is on your side. You may prefer to opt for one of our BBQ packs with local sausages, lamb, burgers, and buns to cook over your fire pit BBQ, and toasted Marshmallows to finish, before a dip in the hot tub.

When arriving a little late, or maybe during darker nights It is worth considering a pre made ‘one pot’ dish such as bolognaise or chilli, which are easy to heat up on the gas hob, just add a hunk of our sourdough bread, rice or spaghetti. Of course we have all the necessary utensils to make your ‘one pot’ creation from scratch on your arrival, if you prefer.

Delivery – Take out.

Currently there is only one delivery option.  Pizzas from ‘Mojito’s’ (details below). Alternatively you can pick up fish and chips in Upton upon severn or in Ledbury!

Breakfast like a king

We have a few options for breakfast.

We offer a full English breakfast pack which includes locally reared thick sliced back bacon, sausages, free range eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, and beans.

If you want to make an occasion of brunch, why not try cooking your full English over the firepit. We have veg trays and a griddle for frying up your eggs!

If you are looking for something lighter, we can also cook pastries to order and you can find them in the pantry – we have pain au Chocolat, Pain aux Raison and croissant. Just order on arrival or text the night before.

Lunches

Many guests choose to go out and explore for the day, which can include walking the hills, or a cycle ride, visiting the Forest of Dean or paddling down the Wye. When exploring you may want to take a picnic for your trip. We have supplied some Tupperware and foil for a packed lunch.  You have bread, eggs and crisps in your hamper. You may want to add a cooked sausage (also available from our pantry) along with a few goodies like chocolate and nuts.

If you are venturing out for a day of exploring locally, I recommend paying a visit to , the home of the Scotch Egg company. You’ll find it on the A449 the other side of Ledbury.

Alternatively, Clive’s Fruit Farm is great for a spot of fruit picking, you’ll find it near Upton-upon-Severn. A short ten-minute drive (or half hour bike ride). Both places have deli’s and cafes for a spot of lunch.

If you are enjoying chilling out on site, then maybe a buffet of nibbles would suit. Add some of your finds to the table, scotch eggs, quiche can be bought from the Deli in Ledbury make a salads, some breads and dips always go down well, Maybe add a few sausages, or a kebab cooked over the BBQ, and you have a feast.

Our little pantry has a selection of crisps and nuts, as well as Ice creams for cooling off in the sun. Our local pub The Farmers is open for lunches too if you want to keep it simple.

Dinner

Most people will opt for the traditional BBQ faire in the evenings, and we have lots of meats, including marinated chicken thighs and minted lamb.

Alternatively wrap fish in foil to steam over the fire or wrap potatoes in foil and drop them in the coals for a smoky jacket spud.

If you are keen on a homemade pizza we have sour dough balls to stretch your own base, just add toppings. pizza sauce is available in the pantry also. Then follow with baked banana, or a crumble foraged from the hedge.

If you are looking to go out to eat, I have listed below our top recommendations of places to eat. I’ve added a price code to help.

Eating out

Pubs

The Farmers Arms – Our local, lovely garden, oldy worldy, classic menu – 3 minute stroll £

The swan Inn – Hanley swan. Gastro style pub, lovely garden. 10 minutes drive.  ££

The Inn at Welland – gastro pub, just outside Welland, lovely interiors and food. ££

The Butchers Arms – Eldersfield. Lovely rustic gastro pub, 10 minute drive. ££

The Fleet – Twynning. Pub by the river Avon, decent food and lovely views, 15 minute drive. ££

The Jockey Inn – 15 minute drive lovely interiors, good food. Just across the river at Upton. ££

Restaurants

Mojito’s rum bar and Pizzeria – Upton–upon-Severn, pizzas and bar. et in or delivery £

The boat house – Tapas bar, upstairs over- looking the river. ££

Country house hotels

The Verzons – just outside Ledbury, Herefordshire, Beautiful interiors, stretch tent over terrace, great for cocktails too. ££

The cottage in the woods – Malvern, fabulous views with a great bar and high dining experience. £££

The feathers – Ledbury. Black and white old coach house hotel, good food, coffee house and bar. ££

Take outs and eat ins

Curry
Sitara – Ledbury – lovely interior and gret service £

Pundits – Upton upon Severn – Fusion food, and traditional curry. £

Fish & chips

Y-Pass – Ledbury, very good local f&C with vegan options too. £

Upton chippy – Upton-upon-Severn. Traditional F&C

Barnards Green Fish & Chips – Malvern. The best F&C in area £

A Fabulous Time Glamping

“This is our second time to Upsticks in the last couple of years. Previously we came as two couples and enjoyed hours of hot tub soaking with g and ts in hand. This time we had a little person with us who loved the chickens and sheep on the farm. As soon as you enter the huge tents your welcomed with a warm snuggly atmosphere, and a lovely welcome basket of treats. We preordered a breakfast and bbq back to get us going with meals, and found the little horse box pantry very useful for some essential top ups.”