free glamping fun

The communal Shack

Glamping star gazing

Stargazing – Time to look up

Looking up is something we often forget to do, yet star gazing can be one of the most magical experiences to share with family and loved ones. Stargazing offers us a window on a universe and it helps us get life into perspective,  and it’s the perfect antidote to our worries.

The night sky has caught our imaginations for centuries, from navigation by stars to divination and forecasting for people through astrology, stars just keep fascinating us.

There is a whole new world to discover above our heads a world to appreciate and explore. So when better to start than in the dark nights in the pastures of Worcestershire. Glamping at Upsticks offers the space and time outdoors to enjoy stars, whether lying on the grass or just wallowing in your own personal hot tub for spotting your star sign, or the Milky Way, or the space station passing overhead!

What you need to Stargaze

In your lodge you’ll find a star chart to help, you don’t need a telescope – but there is one in The shack which you are free to use.

There are so many spots to enjoy the night sky – and when glamping you get the chance to spend more time outdoors and see the things that we don’t notice when living in four walls. There are some wonderful spots on the top of hills in the Malvern’s to enjoy night skies as well as on site or just soaking in the hot tub.

Our tents face South East, so you not only get the sun rise to warm your tent in the morning you get the moon rise too. During summer months the moon can appear huge in the sky as it rises above the shack in the corner of the field, and glampers get the best view from their tents.

Best Star gazing tips

  • Best choose a night when the moon is new or in its first quarter.  Here is a handy timetable of moon times.
  • Turn off all outside lights near your tent – if you’re in the hot tub – turn the lights off. Alternatively grab a blanket, some cushions and a torch from the tent and take yourself off to the other side of the farm and snuggle down to star watch.
  • You will find a pair of binoculars you can use – but you can just use your eyes.
  • Allow your eyes to come accustomed to the dark – its amazing what you’ll start to pick out.
  • Moving lights are likely satellites, but if you are lucky you may see a shooting star in the form of a meteor.
  • visit Nasa, for tracking the space station, it comes around every 90 minutes or so
  • There are also some handy Apps like Night Sky or Star Walk which you can use to navigate the stars.

Star gazing is a great way to spend a night without screens.  Kids love picking out creatures in the pattern of star signs or tracking satellites. Night skies are the ultimate in romance. and making special memories. Dream, wonder and love the precious time together without distraction – apart from the odd shooting star of course.

 

UpSticks Glamping fire pit

Glamping holiday activities

Last year was was weird right? Home working, Zooming your life away, and having to become a teacher overnight, whilst doing the day job. Not to mention the face mask revolution. Who would have thought that would be a thing! On top of all of that stress, we weren’t able to travel – anywhere!  When we could eventually move about we had to stay here in the UK.

People wanted a break after the stresses of Covid. Being unable to travel abroad to warmer climates holidays which offered  lnew experiences here in the UK were top of the list After being holed up in our homes for so long people searched for holidays in the great outdoors. Glamping holidays offered the perfect mix of an experience an otherness, in the fresh air.

Glamping holiday bookings have rocketed

 

So 2021 saw glamping enquiries rocket. Our glamping site wasn’t alone in receiving a tsunami of enquiries. The everyday of running a busy season of glamping was manageable – but personally the enquiries swamp me. If you were one of those that rang in the early hours of Sunday morning, apologies if you didn’t get the best me.

I resorted to reverse marketing -posting on social media that we were full.  This felt weird – but without a single night free it seemed wrong to promote only to disappoint.

I did feel for our regular visitors. They were unable to get a look in, as so many people booked so early, which has overflowed into 2022 bookings, which have seen pre-bookings up. This year, we have less availability than we would normally have for this time of year, but there’s still plenty of choice.

Grab yourself a short break away

 

Chase End in the sun

Upsticks glamping; Chase end lodge in sun

 

Weekends are always the first to be booked up on the glamping site, especially popular with group bookings – where people hire our whole site.

Last year group bookings got hit by government restrictions. Later in the season a few hen parties and significant birthday events did go ahead. It was very welcome to hear the good humour and cheer of people partying together in our shack where the pizza ovens and silent disco were a big hit!

For those of you looking to book a short break our low season prices are detailed below.

  • Weekend prices start from £500 – a two night stay with a ‘twilight’ checkout on Sundays, so no need to rush off, enjoy a slow brunch or even late lunch.
  • Midweek breaks start from – £350 – We offer Monday to Wednesday or Wednesday to Friday stays.

All have the option of adding a hot tub for £45, which includes all wood, heating for your arrival and of course the water.

Couples retreat – book a midweek two night stay for 2 andclaim a free hot tub with code Just2

 

Book your break

Arrive to a ‘Hot’ Tub

The hot tubs have been a raging success. We put them in by each tent in 2020 and haven’t looked back.  Our glampers love them. It has been a bit of a learning curve for us and guests.  Our tubs are heated by wood burner, so its been a learning curve to effectively guide guests on how to get their tub toasty.  The amount of wood we get through has been a bit of a shocker too.  For that reason we are endeavouring to get the tubs hot for arrival. We know  that those first five minutes of your holiday really matter, and lighting fires isn’t top of the list of things to do.  Kids and adults alike just want to jump into their holiday and hot tub!

Our tubs have sand and UV light filters which means they don’t need big doses of chemicals to stay clear; nevertheless we empty, clean and refill between guests – so with a 10:30 checkout and 3pm arrival and a heating time of 3 hours we’ve set ourselves a tall task.  It’ll mean emptying tubs early on departure day, to meet the deadline. But jumping into your tub on arrival tends to stump a breakfast dip on departure day.

We have offers from time to time which discounts the price of your hot tub. Our current one is Couples Retreat (use code Just2 at checkout)- book a two night (or more)  midweek stay for two people,  and get your hot tub free.

 

New Glamping activities for 2022 – bikes, crafting and more

 

When we started our glamping journey, our guests just loved to come and chill.  Many planned to explore and book activities around the Malvern Hills and Wye valley. In the end many just stayed on site. It was such a pleasure watching people unwind during their stay. Families have space knowing it was a safe space. So parents could relax, and there was no agenda.

Over the last few years our audience has wanted to pack more into their holiday time.  Yet we know this can prove costly and add stress with driving, packing for the day etc.

It has been tricky to know what to offer our broad bunch of visitors. But we’ve put our thinking caps on and spoken to guests, a few specialists and come up with a list of activities which we hope will hit the mark.

 

Scavenger hunt and nature quiz

 

glamping activity

We had an orienteering quiz a while back, but it proved rather too big and complex.  So we have put together a scavenger hunt, along the lines of geocaching, with treasures to find.  Who doesn’t love finding treasure? We provide a map of the search area, compass, log book and pen as well as hints on tips on finding the treasure.

We recognise many families choose glamping to get a dose of nature.  Many little ones are fascinated with the natural world and we want to help them and grown ups leave tUpsticks having learnt a little about our space.  Our little Nature Quiz encourages kids of all ages to explore, collect and observe nature with a new eye.  Scrap books can be purchased to create a keepsake.

Crafting

We did have crafting materials in each tent’s entertainments box but unfortunately it was tough to maintain. So we have come up with a re-cycling box of crafting gear, which will live in the shack.  Along with glue, paints, brushes and scissors, bottles, card, reels, wool, and much more are there to get creating and reduce what goes to landfill. Perfect for quiet play and wet days.

Bikes

 

cycling at Upsticks Glamping

 

We invested in bikes last year.  So we have about 10 decent adult mountain bikes for hire.  We do have some kit to take little ones pedalling such as a tag-a-long and bike seats.  There are some great little rides about here with quiet lanes and some off road trails too. Destinations like Upton-upon-severn and Castlemorton common are great destinations which aren’t too taxing on the legs. It’s best to book ahead, and bring your own protective gear. We have maps and guides to help you get the most from your day on two wheels.

Games

Our ping pong table is due for an upgrade this year, and we are looking to add some traditional games like coconut shy and wellie wanging, a few space hoppers and sacks so you can create your very own village fete.

Obstacle course

 

Zip wire

We recognise kids love to play independently, climbing and crawling, balancing and swinging are always popular. So our biggest add this year will be an obstacle course. Think balance beams, cargo nets and an upgrade to the rope swing. It’ll be built around the shack area, so kids can let off steam in a safe place.

A new communal area

During the season we will be adding more space to our communal area. This will be great for our group events as well as additional activities for all our guests.  It’ll be perfect for arrival drinks, or a night of camping cinema.

So many ideas, we  can’t wait to get cracking on Upsticks glamping’s seventh season. We are going to be adding two further lodges to our collection this year, as well as all the activities.  So for visitors old and new we hope we have something that grabs your attention for 2022.

 

Looking for something else?

Last year we ventured into holiday letting property.  So we’ve been very busy with other projects.  We’ve really proud of what we’ve created and hope that many of our glamping guests will give our cottages a try.

 

cycling at Upsticks Glamping

Covid guarantee

In these very uncertain times, we understand it feels risky to make the commitment to book anything. So here are some details of our Covid Guarantee.

So many people were disappointed last year with bookings that had to be cancelled and some very unclear policies around refunds .We made the decision to refund everyone to make things simple.

For that reason Upsticks Glamping has decided to continue with our guarantee to refund all monies if Covid restrictions prevent you travelling. We do ask that you give as much notice as possible so we are able to re let your dates.

We are also part of the Cool camping Covid guarantee scheme which allows those booking through their site to get the opportunity to choose alternative dates, but not a full refund.

We hope both guarantees offer some peace of mind when making the decision to book with us.

Safety during Covid

W know privacy is important to our guests which is why we gave so much space between our tents; with plenty of room to roam without the intrusion of others.

In addition, each tent has it’s own private bathroom accessed via raised boardwalks.  So there’s no sharing of facilities.  If you decide to book a hot tub – that is also exclusive to you and sits next to your tent.  These are emptied, cleaned and refilled between guest arrivals.

In fact the only place you could ‘mix’ with others is the play shack, where there’s table tennis, and other garden games. We offer bats and ping pong balls for each tent to avoid ‘sharing’.   We also  have a silent disco kit which can be hired if you want to party into the night with distance, and ensuring other clampers aren’t disturbed.

Cleaning for covid safety

In terms of cleaning we use a professional laundry company for all our linen and towels.  Our small team of cleaners strip all soft furnishings and treat them where necessary.  All hamper boxes and jars are removed and replaced with a clean set. We hoover, steam mop and wash up, wipe and spray surfaces so you can feel safe in the knowledge that your Glamping tent is fresh and ready to enjoy.

We hope to welcome you here in 2021 and fingers crossed with a little more freedom that 2020 afforded us.

 

Stay safe everyone

 

Charlotte

Covid and glamping

Glamping under Covid restrictions

We are now looking forward to opening on the 4th July, in line with government guidance. It’s been a tough few months for many and we know people need a break.  At the same time there’s still fear and uncertainty about what to expect from a holiday like glamping.

Glamping is all about being free to enjoy the outdoors without the discomfort of hard floors and no facilities. It’s also about privacy and space, so no surprise then that so many lovely people want to stay here this summer after an enforced period of isolation and lack of outdoor space. But will Covid protection measures mar your holiday?  Well for us luckily there are no shared facilities on site. No shared bathrooms or kitchens, camp fires or hot tubs – everything is private.  The only place you could bump into someone is our horse box pantry. Given it’s so small, its a one person shopping experience anyway!  We only have three tents, so maximum there are 18 people and as we have acres of land you can always find a private spot.

Clean and safe

To make sure you and your clan are safe we include all hand wash, sanitizer and cleaning equipment, so no need to come armed with mops and antibac – we’ve got it covered. Our cleaning team which includes Myself, my daughter Imi and the lovely Josephine will be making sure the place is super clean as always. Sheets and towels are professionally laundered, and hot tubs cleaned down between guests. So rest assured.

Exploring and days out

The human spirit to want to explore and discover new places and experiences lives on.  This lock down time has emphasized how lucky we are to be able to travel learn and meet new people. Glamping has often been thought of as soft camping – but it is so much more than that.

Many camp sites can’t cater for the experiential things our guests yearn fr like camp fires, or bathing under the stars.  Space and uniqueness are all part of glamping. Where else can you go and stay with tree trunks in your bedroom or upstairs lofts in your tent. More than that, access to acres of open farm land to picnic and building dens in hidden places is all part of the adventure.

New unique experiences on site

This year because of social distancing and the fact that our brilliant local pub may not be open we are looking at offering private dining in our ‘shack’ a restaurant experience in the outdoors. Or you could make your own pizzas in the fire pit oven.  We are exploring working with local specialists to offer pilates or yoga, learning to cook over fire or foraging.

All these things are great to learn and experience something new. More than anything the Malvern hills and Forest of Dean offers so much to do and explore it is just great to get out to explore somewhere new.

No risk booking

We totally understand it is tough to commit to booking a break when you don;t know what the future holds. So to help we’ve decided to offer some flexibility by

  • reducing deposits to just 20% to secure dates.
  • Deferring balance due dates to  just 2 weeks before arrival. 
  • We will refund any bookings if government restrictions on travel impact your holiday plans or if you prefer offer alternative dates.

 

 

Ragged stone at dusk

UpSticks Treats

Book your 2018 Break and get £50 off

Upsticks is full of festive fun. with the halls decked and a dose of snow, it’s been picture perfect both inside and out at Upsticks. Take a look at our festive video

So now the season is upon us, and the New Year beckons. It’s got us reflecting on the good times and planning for new ones. So we have a few Upsticks treats to help with holiday plans in 2018.

We couldn’t have asked for a better first year – with lovely visitors to share our space.  We’ve already got some great times to look forward to in 2018, and we’d love you to be a part of those.

So as the festive fun gets underway why not start planning for next year. Our weekend stays proved very popular, so nab yours early to save dis-appointment – get some great mid-week bargains.

There’s a treat waiting for you when you come to book, just quote TREAT2018 and you’ll get a special discount of £50 off your stay.

Plan your stay in 2018

Mad March

We kick off in March welcoming visitors for Cheltenham Gold cup week – This year we’re offering breakfast and transfers as part of our special race-goers packages. After a heavy day celebrating your winners, quaffing champers and Guinness, what more could you want than a tasty meal in one of our local gastro-pubs and cosy up in deep feather duvets and a warm log burner. So get in early race week is always popular!

[qbutton size=”” style=”” text=”Book Race Week” icon_pack=”” fa_icon=”” fe_icon=”” icon_color=”” link=”/book-now/” target=”_self” color=”” hover_color=”” border_color=”” hover_border_color=”” background_color=”” hover_background_color=”” font_style=”” font_weight=”” text_align=”” margin=””]


Easter

Marching on – chocolate treats and egg hunts abound,  as Easter comes early this year. Escape to let your little ones run wild – make their hunt a proper challenge this year. For gown ups, enjoy some peace and tranquility or a blast on the bikes. Gander over the Malverns before collapsing around a hot fire or in the privacy of your own outdoor bathing den.

[qbutton size=”” style=”” text=”Book Easter” icon_pack=”” fa_icon=”” fe_icon=”” icon_color=”” link=”/book-now/” target=”_self” color=”” hover_color=”” border_color=”” hover_border_color=”” background_color=”” hover_background_color=”” font_style=”” font_weight=”” text_align=”” margin=””]


May Day

No need for help here – the early bank holiday is still available (just), so whisk your clan off for a long weekend in the country – with the promise of some spring sun watch the flowers bloom and lambs skip in the fields and explore rivers, hills and trails.


Whitsun

Late bank Holiday is such a great time of year. warmth is heating up the soil, everything is growing and there’s so much going on. Festivals be it music, food or walking or the famous Malvern Spring gardening show –  there’s never a shortage of things to do around here.


Long hot days of Summer

During summer we have some great deals on offer – stay two nights and the third is half price!  Stay an extra night over the weekend and pay just an extra £75. As our two storey tents sleep 6 it’s a bargain! Remember to use your Upsticks Treat2018 code

Now more than ever there’s so much to entertain you at Upsticks – as well as the local attractions of pretty towns like Ledbury and Malvern, there’s rivers to canoe down, and hills to conquer. On site we have a range of bikes to cycle the lanes, a ZIP wire is being built as we write for kids of all ages to get their thrills. A new private outdoor bathing den is a real back to basics experience – light the fire and fill your old tin bath with steaming hot water and enjoy a soak in the great outdoors. We have hammocks to swing in and read a book or two and our orienteering trail to keep little ones busy.

The pantry is extended with not only meat hampers for the BBQ and breakfasts , but wines, beers cider, chocolate, preserves, bread and basics. Send over an order before your stay and we can make sure we have all you need in stock.

[qbutton size=”” style=”” text=”Book Summer” icon_pack=”” fa_icon=”” fe_icon=”” icon_color=”” link=”/book-now/” target=”_self” color=”” hover_color=”” border_color=”” hover_border_color=”” background_color=”” hover_background_color=”” font_style=”” font_weight=”” text_align=”” margin=””]

 

[qbutton size=”” style=”” text=”click me” icon_pack=”” fa_icon=”” fe_icon=”” icon_color=”” link=”google.com” target=”_blank” color=”” hover_color=”” border_color=”” hover_border_color=”” background_color=”” hover_background_color=”” font_style=”” font_weight=”” text_align=”” margin=””]