*I was gifted the stay with Puddleduck Valley, however all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own*
Following on from my post best places to go Glamping, I wanted to share my full Glamping experience that I had with Puddleduck Valley.
Puddleduck Valley is a combination of holiday accommodation, a petting farm and forest. While staying you can feed and pet the animals, collect the chicken eggs, toast marshmallows on the fire and even play in the meadows & woods.
It is located on the border of Devon & Cornwall, and just far away enough from the real world to feel like you're in the middle of nowhere.
While I enjoy camping, as I get older I definitely appreciate the more 'glamourous' type of camping.
Puddleduck have 2 yurts which they offer for glampers, and we stayed in the Snuggledown Yurt.
The snuggledown is an authentic top quality Mongolian yurt made in Ulan Bator, which can sleep a family of up to 4.
The yurt contains a king size bed, two single beds, a wood burning stove and all the equipment to make your glamping experience both adventurous and easy.
The Yurt has access to it's own private bathroom too, meaning you really are camping in luxury.
The Accommodation
When we arrived we were greeted by Phil and Mel, the hosts of Puddleduck. They were extremely friendly and welcoming, and showed us around the facilities.
The Yurt itself is much larger than I expected, with loads of space to move around. We had it set up for 2, so there was a little more pace than if a whole family was in there.
The wood burning fire is the centrepiece of the Yurt, and you are provided everything you needed to get the fire started (including instructions!)
The warmth grom the fire heats up the Yurt at night when the cold sets in.
It was beautifully lit up with the fairy lights, helping to create a truly magical atmosphere.
Each Yurt has it's own picnic bench outside, as well as firepit. We absolutely loved sitting by the fire each night outside, and it is something I have missed being able to do since returning home from the trip!
The Facilities
There are 2 yurts which had shared access to the large farm kitchen, and it had been equipped with the basics for you.
There is everything you need in there to survive for your stay, as well as access to tea and coffee making facilities.
We didn't spend too much time in there, believe it or not, as we chose to cook on the firepit outside for a full outside experience!
As well as the kitchen, there is a large dining area in the conservatory that you could sit and eat in, with beautiful views of the surroundings.
One morning we took a walk to the chickens, and got a freshly layed egg to make one of the most delicious scrambled egg on toast.
The bathroom is clean, spacious and well equipped. It is definitely a treat to have a proper shower!
The Setting
Despite being a fully grown adult, one of my favourite parts of the stay was seeing and petting all the animals. Puddleduck have Guinee pigs, rabbits and chickens in a barn which you can go and pet whenever you like.
I loved the Guinee pigs, they were so cuddly and friendly!
There are also some goats, which you can help put in and out of their field, pet and feed.
Mel & Phil let me help take the goats in and out of their field with them one morning, as well as feed the chickens by hand.
One of the mornings I was petting the animals, Phil was showing the child of some of the other guests all the animals, and Phil was so enthusiastic and engaging. The little boy was absolutely loving it, getting super excited. This is what makes Puddleduck that extra bit special for me.
Just a short walk for the Yurt was a beautiful forest, which had this tranquil lake in it. Sitting here was so peaceful and relaxing, we spent a lot of time here.
We were very lucky with the weather as well, it was sunny and warm, but not overly hot.
Puddleduck is only a 25 min drive away from Bude, so on one of the days we took a drive there. Puddleduck also offer loads of activities for kids and parents alike, from lambing to forest walks.
Part of what made this stay so special was how welcoming and friendly the hosts are. Phil and Mel were always available to help with anything, nothing was too much effort. They were amazing with all the guests that were there, especially children.
Puddleduck is an amazing place to visit, whether you are a family or a couple looking to escape. It is a place to full switch off from the world and enjoy some peace and serenity.
We are already planning our next trip back!
