Leafy Fields Glamping

Sophia Ainsworth

Location

Ashill, Devon

Description

Leafy Fields is multi award winning Glamping Site set in the beautiful Devon countryside, complete with farm animals, open space, and even a Sensory Room!

Leafy Fields’ gently sloping 2 acer field is located near the pretty village of Ashill, next to a working dairy farm, on the edge of the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  

​The two enormous Safari Lodges and new large Shepheard hut are located at the top of the field and boast a fantastic view across the culm valley. There is a dedicated children’s play area with climbing frame for younger children. Back in the summer of 2017 the owners (Andrew and Dannie) at Leafy Fields had the pleasure of welcoming Alan Gardner AKA (Ch4’s Autistic Gardner). He designed a wonderful garden that Andrew and Dannie will be putting in front of the stable block. He watched how the children and adults used that particular area, and made his plans to uniquely suit the space! 

​Andrew and Dannie achieved planning permission for Alan’s garden design in the spring of 2018 and in the 2018-19 winter closed season they got to work with planting lots of pussy willow and hornbeams circles, and are completing the garden in phases, carrying out all the work themselves. The planting in the garden was completed by Easter 2019, and the hard landscaping will be completed over a longer period as work will only progress in the winters. In the winter 2019 – 20 we were delighted to be able to harvest willow fresh from the garden to make willow crafts, in a series of workshops which were very popular and we hope to repeat next winter!

Accommodation

SAFARI TENTS

Leafy Fields fantastic Safari Tents, Fox and Badger, sleep up to 6 and have a spacious internal space of 11m x 5m including a two 2m deck, making them the perfect option for families. Leafy Fields really does offer family glamping at its best, with plenty of space for children to run around, and for parents and grandparents to relax. The Safari Tents have three bedrooms – a king room, bunk bed room and a quirky king size cabin bed.  Inside the Safari Tents you will also find a shower room with sink, mains flushing toilet, and a large luxury shower pod powered by an on-demand gas boiler.  The tent is kept toasty warm with an electric heater! There is also a chill out space/sensory area in a cubby area under the cabin bed which is the perfect place to use our Spectrum Pack while on holiday at Leafy Fields

The kitchens are well equipped with pans, enamel crockery, cutlery, and all you need for a self catering holiday.  There’s a mini fridge, an electric induction hob and microwave. Family dinners can be enjoyed around the large ‘farmhouse’ style table which seats six.  For a relaxed evening there are sofas and a coffee table. There is also seating on the deck in front of the tent, a lovely place to enjoy a glass of wine and watch the sun set.  The tent is lit with LED energy saving lighting and you will find a couple of sockets in the Safari Tent which are suitable for charging a phone or laptop (this is a 16AMP supply).  There’s no guest WiFi, there is a good mobile signal on site with most networks

Outside the Safari Tents you will find a fire pit with seating and large picnic table, and a small play kitchen on each deck. Badger Safari Tent will also offers the chance for families to book a night or two in the wood fired hot tub!

BELL TENTS

If it’s camping under the stars that you’re after, then Clover is the pad for you! This is a great way to introduce young children to camping or just to enjoy a more relaxed holiday. The large cream canvas bell tent, with a fun colour full fly sheet, offer a close to camping experience without the stress and hassle of putting up a tent and packing all that equipment. The bell tent is equipped with two single beds, and a king bed with mattresses. Cooking facilities are provided in the purpose build kitchen shed, including a hob, kettle, pot and pan plus utensils, cutlery and crockery for four, a mini electric fridge. And no ned to worry about shared toilet blocks or showers, at Leafy Fields you can enjoy a soak in the free standing, roll top bath tub in the homely bathing cubby just next to the tent! You can also purchase a campfire pack to enjoy toasting marshmallows over an open fire. Bedding is not provided.

SHEPHERDS HUT  

The Shepherd hut “Crivens” sleeps up to 4 people and is beautifully equipped to offer you a luxury glamping experience. In a sunny position with fantastic views, and sited in its own corner of the field near our Safari Tents, Crivens has its own tucked away garden, with plenty of space to explore, play or just relax. The large quirky shepherd hut has a wriggly tin roof, black metal wheels, and a wooden ramp instead of steps. In Crivens you will find a king size bed with wipe clean mattress protector, as well as a set of 2 single beds for children (one pull out). There are electric lights, a small stove, microwave, sink with hot and cold running water, a small fridge and cooking utensils, a pan, a pot and a kettle together with cups, cutlery, plates and bowls. There is also a luxury shower pod and mains flushing toilet within the hut. The hut is well insulated and also has an electric heater. Crivens is ideal for small families on a mini break, or for grandparents on a multi generation holiday with the grandchildren.  

Farm animals and Wildlife

Leafy Fields sits on Ingleton Farm and is home to an abundance of animals that you will meet during your stay, including, 4 miniature horses, 3 of which live on our glamping site, are our children’s pets; Lilly, Bella, Minty! The 4th, April is away with a friend learning how to be a horse as she was bottle fed as a foal.

You will also see the resident guinea pigs, which all have different textures of fur and just love to be cuddled. Nothing makes you happier than than a guinea pig cuddle……except baby guinea pig snuggles!

There are also a a small flock of Quails that are fun to watch scampering about in their runs. They lay delicious eggs. If you would like to try them while on holiday, Andrew and Dannie would be happy to help!  

Bobbie and Brian are the 2 pampered farm cats. They live on site and are often to be found visiting guests in the safari lodges. They are brothers, bobby is the black one and the most friendly.

In the summer of 2019 Leafy Fields added a small flock of Bantams and Heritage chickens to the growing menagerie. These particular breeds are fairly quiet and friendly chickens as well as very curious, and they love following people around. The chickens are usually free range out on the field, however due to restrictions following the avian flu outbreak, they are enjoying an extended stay in their indoor home, which also helps keep them extra safe from the nearby foxes and buzzards who like to pray on them on occasion. At the start of the 2021 season we increased our flock to include a number of chickens that lay blue, white, brown and double yoke egg so it’s a bit like an Easter egg hunt trying to find where the eggs have been laid!

Our sheep are a tiny, rare breed called Ouessant. They are very friendly, especially Colin, our lamb born during lockdown 1.  They will come to see you at the fence and may eat some sheep feed out of your hand. Please only feed them our sheep feed. Always wash your hands after feeding or petting our sheep and pop the bag in the bin please. We often have pet lambs available in the autumn, and if you would like to meet them, Andrew and Dannie would be happy to help!

Leafy Fields provide a variety of habitats for wildlife; including log piles, bug hotels, solitary bee hives, long grass areas, tall hedges with berries left for birds in the winter, and over grown areas for wildlife to hide. We have also put up bird boxes and scattered wild flower seeds in the spring and summer.

Grass is allowed to grow long and go to seed before being cut to help scatter the seed across the drive and car park to encourage grass to grow across these stony areas. No weed killers are used at Leafy Fields!   ​

Guests are encouraged to explore the natural environment, we provide wildlife information books and displays, bug hunting, and bird watching kits. We also provide hot water bottles to reduce the use of electricity on site at night (use of some items has been affected by Covid).

​Leafy Fields have taken part in the Devon greater horseshoe bat survey twice which has given Andrew and Dannie some very interesting information about the bats that hunt on their field. Guests are encouraged to enjoy watching the bats feeding at dusk in the various feeding grounds the site offers them. There is also a bat detector available to burrow and listen to the bats hunting!

Pet Friendly

well behaved doggy guests and responsible owners are welcome at Leafy Fields Glamping.

​Fox Safari Tent can take 2 dogs, and our other accommodations can take one dog.

You can add a dog to your holiday as an extra at the time of booking. A doggy welcome pack including two bowls, a mat, a towel, a small dog bed pad and some treats for your doggy is included when adding pets to your booking

If the dog is an appropriate size, we do advise that you bring a crate for your doggy friend to sleep in.

There are a few rules to keep everyone safe and happy.

  1. Dogs must never be left alone or alone with a child in the accommodation (this is for safety)
  2. Dogs must be kept on a lead while on the site as we have cats and live stock who live here and not everyone staying on our site is confident around dogs. We are also surrounded by agricultural land and farm animals.
  3. We recommend using a crate at night if that is suitable for the size of dog.
  4. Please always pick up after your dog. Poo bags can be put in the main big blue bin near the main gate. Please don’t keep it inside the accommodation.
  5. Dogs are not allowed in the play area.
  6. Please don’t allow your dog to bark too much as it may disturb others.
  7. Please don’t let your dog chew on our wooden furniture and toys etc in the accommodation. It is also advisable to keep an eye on electric cables that they might chew too.
  8. We reserve the right to charge for the replacement or repair of items damaged by your dog

Diversity and Inclusion at Leafy Fields

Leafy Fields is a unique, small family business that is passionate about diversity and inclusion. They are a family with Autistic and dyslexic members so understand the needs of autistic people and appreciate that hidden disabilities are different for each individual. Andrew and Dannie are happy to help wherever they can to enable your whole family to have a successful and relaxing family holiday together. 

Leafy Fields ‘Sunflower room’, a sensory play space in the stable block is always very popular, giving a place to chill and relax with a parent. The Sunflower Room is usually an added extra that would need to be paid for, however, Andrew and Dannie have offered this free to Spectrum Holiday guests!

​​Leafy Fields was the first glamping site to achieve the Autism Friendly Award from the National Autistic Society which they have held since 2017. Andrew and Dannie are ambassadors for the Global Purple Angle dementia friendly scheme and have received the ‘All Welcome’ tourism training. In 2019 they joined the ‘Ask for Clive’ movement to stand against intolerance and provide a safe space for the LGBTQ community. We are part of the sunflower lanyards scheme for hidden disabilities, and are ready to recognise and assist any guest wearing the lanyard as required.

There is hedging and fencing all around the glamping field, and the front gates are kept locked (you are issued a key on arrival) to slow wonderers/runners, giving parents a chance to catch up.

Things You May Need To Know

Leafy Fields is situated on Ingleton Farm and there are farm animals on the site. The sheep that are kept near the car park will bleat to say hello when people pass by, The farm cats roam freely as do the chickens (This is not the case at the moment due to avian flu) The horses are kept in their field while guests are staying at the glamping site. The site is next door to a dairy farm and the cows can be heard at various points during the day. Families should be aware that while we did not experience any loud or unsettling noises or smells during our visit, Leafy Fields is a working farm and both of these things are a possibility. There is no WIFI at Leafy Fields, however you can get good phone signal if using mobile data. Travel hair dryers are provided and you are asked not to plug in anything over 16amps. While the area is fenced and the gates remain locked, this is no guarantee of safety if your child is prone to run or escape.

Included in your stay

Cooking utensils, pots and pans, cuttlery, bedding (included for bookings of 3 nights or longer), Spectrum Pack, and use of the Sunflower Sensory Room, all come as standard with any booking made through Spectrum Holidays

S’mores and more!

Andrew and Dannie work with a selection of small local business owners to bring you the most delicious s’mores boxes and butter shortbread to add to your holiday booking (Trust us, we tried them all) The kit comes complete with all you need to make s’mores at home. The details of how to order will be on your booking form.

You can see a map of Leafy Fields Glamping Site here. There is space outside the Safari Tents and The Shepherds Hut for 1 car, and if staying in the Bell Tent, the car park is a very short walk from the tent.

Local Amenities

The Strand Stores Cafe – Culmstock – A lovely village store with the bonus of being a cafe. Great food, great atmosphere! All day breakfast is top quality, and wonderful cakes too. The Strand, Culmstock, Cullompton EX15 3JH, England +44 1884 840232 Open: 7:15am -7 :00pm

The Culm Valley Inn – Seasonal fare in a whitewashed, dog-friendly pub with open fires and a garden. A lot of our customers have enjoyed eating here. They often have live music events and can become very busy especially in the summer. It can be difficult to get a taxi back from here. Riverside, Culmstock EX15 3JJ

Tesco Superstore, Cullompton – The store is not 24 hours and closes at midnight every night except Sunday where is coses at 4pm. Station Road, Cullompton, EX15 1BQ

Aldi, Cullompton – This store opens from 8am to 10pm every nights expect Sunday when it opens at 10am and closes at 4pm. Unit 1, Brook Road, Cullompton, EX15 1FU

Places To Visit

The Grand Western Canal – The Grand Western Canal extends for eleven and a quarter miles, the Country Park provides a wonderful location to enjoy a peaceful walk or cycle ride along the towpath, have a go at fishing, launch a boat or hire a canoe. There are also horse drawn barge trips from Tiverton. There is a pay and display car park at Tiverton, and a disabled toilet (RADAR key). The Canal can be found at Burlescombe, Sampford Peverell, Holberton and Tiverton.    

​At the canal basin in Tiverton there are cafes and a new play area. Holberton has Ivan’s Café and a farm shop near the canal. Sampford Peverell has a number of pubs, a great play area and a few small village shops. The train station is also near this village. Burlescombe has a large number of ducks and often swans. Kingfishers can also be seen here from time to time.

Bare Foot Paddling – Barefoot Paddling is mobile paddle sports centre offering Kayaking, Sea Kayaking and Paddle boarding in some of the best locations the Southwest has to offer. This business has experience with autism.

Barefoot  paddling prides itself on offering a fantastic service that is tailored to you, whether its your first ever go on a paddle board, a British canoeing course or a enjoyable day trip. You will be looked after, encouraged and supported but most of all you will have fun.

The Southwest offers not only a beautiful and dramatic coastline but also scenic estuaries and historic waterways. Paddling in these areas gives you a completely different view of them. A great way to explore an area that you have never been to or to find out something new about a place you’ve known for years. 07869 103741 or e.mail Info@barefootpaddling.co.uk

The Bear Trail – This is a fantastic day out, near Leafy Fields that Andrew and Dannie have enjoyed many times with their own children. It is well fenced, has good toilet facilities and food sold on site. Get out into the great wide open and explore our fun and challenging muddy obstacle trail. Leap over the muddy bear pits, whizz down the zip wires or crawl through the tunnels – it’s the perfect day out for the whole family.

If you have little bears who would prefer not to get their paws wet, we’ve got a path that runs alongside the obstacles. There’s also a ‘cubs’ corner’ designed for children under one metre, but we think you’ll struggle to stop them joining in. One of the things we love most about the trail is it’s perfect for all ages, from toddlers clambering up the nets, teenagers swinging over the hay bales to grandparents tackling Bear Mountain – it truly is a brilliant experience for all the family

Animal Antics at Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park – Animal Antics at Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park. Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park is well known for its impressive life sized animatronic dinosaurs but this north Devon attraction also has lions, wolves, sea lions, wallabies and lots more. Meet some of the resident animals up close at the daily Animal Antics Encounter and then explore and climb in the gigantic indoor soft play Dinosaurus Playzone. Unique animal experiences are also available for you to purchase or to buy as a gift. For details visit www.wildlifedinosaurpark.co.uk or call 01271 882486

Exe Valley Leisure Centre – Exe Valley Leisure Centre has a public swimming pool with a learner pool. check their website for times

Paignton zoo – With over 2,500 animals across 80 acres – you’re in for a really wild time at Paignton Zoo.

Located in Devon, Paignton Zoo is one of the South West’s most exciting visitor attractions.  It’s a place to roam, discover and get in touch with your inner animal. Get up close to some of the animal wonders of the world across our specially designed habitats – from the savannah to the wetlands and the tropical forest.  Run wild in our play areas or hop aboard our unique Jungle Express train to get even closer to the action

Beaches

Being located in Mid Devon, Leafy Fields are really lucky to be just 45mins drive from the stunning Devon Jurassic Coast to the south. From Exmouth’s golden sands, to Seaton, Budleigh Salterton’s and Lyme Regis’s pebble beaches. There are also the quieter, equally gorgeous, North Devon and Somerset beaches within reasonable driving distance for a day trip, Croyde is a particular favourite of Andrew and Dannie’s with sand and rockpools to enjoy. A little further afield are the red sandy beaches or Dawlish, Torque and Paignton on the English Riviera.

​Devon also has a number of wild swimming opportunities in some cool shallow rivers, both on Exmoor, and near the edge of the Blackdown hills, which are very popular in the summer. River swimming and paddling is only possible when the rivers are shallow and low in the high summer. It is not advisable in the few days following heavy rain. It is an activity that is a firm favourite with the owners of Leafy Fields during the warm Devon summers

Before and during your stay

We understand that preparing an autistic person for a holiday can be challenging. At Spectrum Holidays we are always looking for ways to make this process easier for our families. We have visited Leaft Fields Glamping Site personally, and have put together a social story unique to the site which can be personalised you, or your child’s needs. Just let us know how we can best support you in your holiday preparation and we will create personalised visual countdown calendar or timetable for you too!

Inside the holiday homes you will find a set of visuals to help support you while on holiday, there is also a “now, next, later” travel keyring to take out and about with you as well as some information about the local area.

We work closely with Andrew and Dannie at Leafy Fields, and they will be happy to help should you have any questions during your holiday. You can also contact Spectrum Holidays with any queries. We can also provide additional information on the surrounding area, local amenities or visitor attractions that aren’t listed here.

Prices and How To Book

Fox Safari Tent (Sleeps 6) – 2 night minimum stay: From £135 per night

Badger Safari Tent (Sleeps 6, Bookable Hot Tub) – 2 night minimum stay – From £155 per night

Clover Bell Tent (Sleeps 4) – 2 night minimum stay – From £75 per night

Crivens Shepherds Hut (Sleeps 4) – 2 nights minimum stay – From £80 per night

Read the full booking terms here.

For up to date availability and pricing or to make a booking please contact us.

OUR BOOKING CALANDERS ARE OFFLINE AND WILL NOT REFLECT THE CORRECT INFORMATION – PLEASEE CLICK THE “CONTACT US” LINK ABOVE TO ENQUIRE ABOUT DATES AND PRICES

  

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Details

Availability

Calendars are currently being updated. Please contact us for booking information.