Michael Edwards swaps his usual hotel suite for a luxury dome in this high-end glamping experience at Abbey Farm glamping, Norfolk.
Can glamping get any more glam than this? Between the Norfolk Broads and a stunning coastline, Abbey Farm sits in rustic serenity. A rural retreat for all seasons.
On the farm’s bucolic East Meadow, three domes look out across seven acres and beyond. There’s a futuristic sci-fi aura to the white geodesic domes. Or perhaps a touch of an Antarctic exploration base. After all these spacious domes are lined with polar insulation.
This is high-tech, high-end glamping: all the luxury of a huge hotel suite and a mere footstep away from open-air countryside living. Guests relax into 21st-century luxury glamping with instant hot-water showers, reliable wi-fi and all the style of a photoshoot for a glossy interior magazine living.
In fact, the Abbey Farm Glamping domes are 360-degree open plan. Only the central bathroom has a door. Journeying clockwise from the lockable front door, after that bathroom door there is the bedroom area. A wide double bed, with cosy deep duvets, is framed by wardrobes and charging points on both sides of the bed.
Then a right turn takes guests into the kitchen with its two-ring hob, microwave, and fridge. Cutlery and crockery are by The White Company with three sets of glasses: one set for the complimentary Abbey Farm gin and tonic, another for wine and flutes for bubbly too.
This may be glamping, but the kitchen is better equipped than many a holiday cottage. A long oval black wood table gives country views out towards those big Norfolk skies.
Another right turn enters the lounge area with a wood burner, large smart television and sofa that converts into a double bed. Remember to mentally pack your passwords to sign in to Amazon Prime, Netflix, BBC I-player and most other apps you belong to.
But there is one more surprise. Fortunately, Boy Scout and Girl Guides tents never did mezzanine levels, but the domes do. Up above the bathroom, there is another double bed. So, this heady dome sleeps six. That makes it a favourite for family or friends’ getaways.
Though the real star is the patio with hot tub, BBQ and pizza oven, garden furniture and hammock. These domes are designed for outdoor living under Norfolk’s peaceful dark skies.
Three-night weekend escapes, with weary urbanites fleeing the city, are often fully booked. The domes offer all the fresh air freedom of camping but none of the disadvantages. This is plug and play camping. Forget groundsheets and tent pegs. Walk into the dome and pour yourself a G & T.
Hosts Jonathan and Lara provide a luxurious starter pack of coffee, tea, pastries, jam and the essentials of Abbey gin and Abbey Farm beer. There’s even a pillow mister for restorative sleep. Scoutmasters never dished those out.
Guests can order a decadent afternoon tea, a BBQ pack, a charcuterie platter, a pizza kit with balls of dough ready to roll out and cover with a nduja sauce before sprinkling with herbs. Living on-site, Jonathan and Lara are just a phone call away in the event of an emergency.
Just off the road from Norwich to Cromer, the domes provide a luxurious base for exploring Norfolk. Walk out from Abbey Farm Glamping onto quiet lanes ideal for biking or walking.
Heading off by car, the North Norfolk coastline, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is a mere 15-minute drive away at Overstrand and Cromer. Heading further west the salt marshlands of Blakeney are home to thousands of seals. Bring binoculars to spot those seals and a surprising variety of birdlife. Book a boat trip with an experienced guide to maximise your chances of spotting the seals.
Heading inland through a landscape of sheep grazed pastures, tall pine trees and flint walled cottages takes visitors to some of Norfolk’s grand stately homes. Both National Trust properties, Felbrigg Hall and Blickling Hall have well-signposted footpaths. If you are tiring of self-catering, Blickling Hall has the superb Buckinghamshire Arms pub within its grounds.
Abbey Farm Glamping’s domes propel glamping to new heights of luxury and stylish design. A place giving time to relax, space to think and the opportunity to declutter busy lives.
Tell Me More About Abbey Farm Glamping
Abbey Farm Glamping, Alby, Norwich, Norfolk, NR11 7HG
T: 07979 997355 E: info@abbeyfarmnorfolk.com
Domes, sleeping six can be booked from £675 for a 4-night stay.
