Glamping in Shepherd Huts with children : Scamper Holidays Swansea Reviewed

We love trying out as many different accommodation options and giving families inspiration of different adventures they can have with their children.  After the arrival of our little adventurers, we found that the accommodation choice is a huge part of the travel experience and lots of what our little adventurers remember are linked to where we stay.  We love glamping and think it offers so many advantages to families; it has all the benefits of camping but with added luxury of amenities and comforts (and without all the paraphernalia of camping). When we found out that a Shepherd’s Hut could accommodate the five of us we were really keen to give them a try..  Here’s what we thought of Scamper Holidays Swansea.

What are Shepherds Hut?

Before we booked this trip, I will be honest, we didn’t know much about shepherd huts and always assumed that from the size of them they would be too small for a family of 5.  A shepherd huts are buildings which were traditionally places for shepherds to rest during sheep raising and lambing but in the last few years, these have been tastefully decorated, equipped for visitors and are now an ideal choice for those looking to go glamping.

Scamper Holidays, Swansea

Scamper holidays are based in two beautiful locations in the Gower.  The site we stayed at was the one at Rhossili Bay and Shepherd Huts are located in a small part of a larger camping site. The larger site is the picturesque Pitton Cross Caravan & Camping Park, Rhossili.  Both sites are located within walking distances of stunning beaches and are truly unspoiled gems of the UK.  The company remains family run and have the hope to build sites which allow guests to ‘switch off, explore and reconnect with the natural world, their families and themselves.’  I adore this ethos and is one of the reasons we love to travel with our children.  Find out more about the different locations and accommodation choices at Scamper Holidays here.

What do Shepherd huts include?

As we arrived at the Scamper Holidays site, I thought the hut looked quite small but after entering and having a quick look around, we were all amazed at how much was included in such a small space.  There are three bunk beds, two of them are so cute and look like little cubby holes.  These were big enough for our little adventurers and Doc even tried them out to see how big they were.  There is also a double bed so the 5 of us could comfortably sleep.  The hut also has water supply, fully equipped kitchen with cooker, heating, TV and electrical points.  The last time we went glamping our accommodation didn’t have an electrical point so our time in the shepherd hut felt so much easier.

Scamper holidays also provide all linen, towels and extra blankets so they add all the extras which will help to make your stay more comfortable and enjoyable.

What did we think?

We loved the shepherd’s huts and for travelling with young little adventurers like ours, it is a perfect way of glamping.  Our children were all able to comfortably sleep on the beds and we never felt squashed.  The huts come equipped with everything that you would require for a weekend away from comfy beds, to a kitchen, heating, and cutlery so the things you need to bring from home are kept to a minimum.  Given that we visited in summer, it was easy for the children to have a break and go outside and play, eat their breakfast on the little porch area and generally make the most of the outdoor experience that glamping brings.  The views from the huts were stunning and you woke up to miles and miles and luscious greenery and the sea to the south of the huts.  Our little adventurers happily sat and enjoyed the views for ages (allowing the adults a little extra sleep time!)

The decor of the hut was really pretty, very lovingly decorated and I liked little touches like the heart shaped hanging made from shells.  The bunk beds were really cute and my little adventurers were really excited to sleep on them.  It felt like a real adventure.  It is obvious that the owners spend lots of time and energy in keeping the huts to really high standard. Having stayed in other glamping sites like safari tents, I think the shepherd’s huts are much more protected and even in winds (which this area of Wales is susceptible to), I think you would be lovely and warm inside the hut which makes it an ideal choice for glamping in all weather conditions.

The site in which the shepherd’s hut was located is lovely, there was a playground, fresh coffee and snack hut, onsite shop and well-maintained toilet and wash facilities.   Even though the site was pretty full there were no issues with noise and it had a really lovely vibe to the site.  Our little adventurers were comfortable going to the play areas and we never had issues with letting them have a wander around the site.

Tips for staying in a Shepherds hut with children

• Keep your luggage to a minimum.  The huts were big enough for us all but I can imagine it becoming very cramped with lots
• the huts are self-catering accommodation and have enough cutlery, pans, knives etc that you will require for cooking and eating and were all perfect for use even by young children, ie. plastic bowls etc.
• where you can, arrive before it gets dark, it makes it much easier to settle yourselves in and get the children used to the layout of the hut.
• bring reading books with you, the shepherd hut had a very whimsical feel to it and was a perfect place to read and lose yourself in stories of magic and wonder.

Overall. we loved the experience of sleeping at Scamper Holidays and the Shepherd Huts.  We had been camping the weekend before and a weekend of glamping was a welcome change.  It felt like a real holiday with everyone sleeping comfortably and well and having all the amenities to hand really helped too.  Shepherd Huts are definitely a great way to try glamping and the location at Rhosilli Bay is a truly beautiful part of the world to try it in.

Here’s a short video of our time at Scamper Holidays, Rhosilli Bay.