Brackenhill Glamping review: family-friendly South Hams glamping site with hot tubs
If you are looking for a luxurious family glamping holiday in Devon, look no further than award-winning Brackenhill Glamping in Ugborough, near Ivybridge. Not only are your kids and pets welcome, its safari tents come with hot tubs!
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Surrounded by nature with fantastic views of the Devon countryside, this quiet and peaceful glampsite is perfect for a rural getaway that allows you to spend time in nature.
We were invited to spend the weekend at Brackenhill. This is our full review for any families planning a holiday here.
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About Brackenhill Glamping
Brackenhill Glamping is set in a 1.5 acre field in rural Devon. It is home to two sizeable safari tents each with their own private pitch and facilities.
The two tents are situated far enough away from one another that you do not feel overlooked and would barely know that anyone else was staying on the site.
Both tents have a decked veranda kitted out with deckchairs, a picnic table and bean bags providing ample undercover space for dining as a family or lounging in the sun. There is a wooden gate that can be closed to cut the deck off from the steps helping to contain small children and prevent accidents.
Safari tents
Glow Worm and Slow Worm, as the two safari tents are called, are more luxurious than we would have expected from a glamping tent.
Glow Worm accommodates four people with a rollout bed for a fifth guest. Meanwhile Slow Worm accommodates six with with room for a travel cot. We stayed in Glow Worm.
There is a well-equipped kitchen with fridge, small induction hob, a full-size Belfast sink, toaster and kettle. A farmhouse kitchen table that seats five is situated right next to the kitchen for when outdoor dining might not be desirable.
The living room boasts two leather sofas, plenty of cosy blankets and cushions and a wood-burning stove that can be lit if the weather turns a bit chilly. Thankfully we didn’t need to light it during our stay, instead preferring to light the fire pit and sit outdoors.
The master bedroom features a delightful yellow four poster bed with twinkly fairy lights wrapped around the canopy posts which give a magical feel after dark.
There is a bunkbed in a separate room that will accommodate two small children and a further camp bed can be added to this room if required.
The two bedrooms share a full-size private bathroom, which means no heading to a shared toilet block in the middle of the night.
Hot water bottles are provided for chilly nights along with extra blankets in the bedrooms.
Facilities at Brackenhill Glamping
Both glamping tents have their own outdoor fire pit and BBQ area – perfect for al fresco family meals and toasting marshmallows at sundown. Toasting forks are provided.
A relatively new addition to each pitch is the wood-fired hot tub. This can comfortably fit two adults or an adult and two small children.
With temperatures reaching as high as 38 degrees, the hot tubs can be used whatever the weather. Even a little bit of rain didn’t stop us from enjoying a soak in the tub. It’s worth noting that this requires a little forward planning as it takes roughly 1.5 to two hours for the wood fire heated tub to warm up.
There is a small mud kitchen which is perfect for small children. It is in view of the tent and fire pit area so children can be left to play safely.
There are recycling bins in the safari tents, as well as bins at the top of the site. So it’s easy to separate your rubbish.
Brackenhill honesty shop
There is no village shop in Ugborough but luckily there is an honestly shop onsite. This provides all the basics you may need such as soft drinks, charcoal, wood, toiletries, snacks, ice creams and importantly marshmallows.
The nearest town is Ivybridge, which is a 10-minute drive away. So if you do need supplies that you can’t find in the honesty shop, it’s not far to go.
There is a Co-op, Tesco Express, a chemist and a petrol station in Ivybridge. If you need a larger supermarket, the nearest 24hr Superstore is the Tesco at Lee Mill.
Dog-friendly glamping
If you want to bring a furry friend with you, dogs are welcome at Brackenhill. There’s a small surcharge of £10 per stay per dog.
You can bring a maximum of two dogs. They must be kept on a lead in the field to protect the local wildlife.
Handy things to know
There are two pubs within a five-minute walk of the glamping site. Both the Anchor and the Ship offer gastro pub food and both pubs allow dogs in their bar areas.
We didn’t have time to visit the pubs during our stay. But we did hear the live music that was coming from the Anchor on Saturday evening as we sat around the fire pit and soaked in the tub.
Location
If using Google Maps to find the this glampsite, a search for ‘Brackenhill Glamping’ will take you straight there. If you have the What 3 Words app on your phone their reference is ///stated.degree.national.
Apparently Sat Nav can be a little unreliable. The postcode ‘PL21 0HQ’ may bring you to Hillhead Farm. If it does, head down the hill towards the village and Brackenhill is on the left-hand side a little after the Ugborough Village sign.
The wooden entrance gate has a Brackenhill Glamping sign. There is ample parking for more than one vehicle if members of your group are arriving separately.
If you have a lot of belongings to transfer from the car to the tent you can request a trolley and assistance.
Things to do close by
Stay at Brackenhill Glamping and you’re in a brilliant location for exploring this beautiful part of Devon.
Take a look at the Devon with Kids guide to things to do in the South Hams for a big round up of days out and places to visit. And buy the South Hams Colouring Book for Kids to accompany your holiday.
Brackenhill is a short five-minute drive from Dartmoor National Park where there are lots of challenging hikes and also walks that are ideal for children.
You’re also just a 30-minute drive from the South Devon coast. Here you will find the beaches of Mothecombe, Bigbury, Bantham and South Milton Sands.
Find out about more incredible South Devon beaches you must visit.
Brackenhill Glamping review
Brackenhill Glamping is a fantastic glampsite for families looking to holiday in South Devon, spend time in nature but still have access to all the home comforts that you are used to.
The location is ideal for exploring the local area with easy access to many local attractions and amenities. Although there is plenty to occupy the children on site while adults take time to relax.
The honesty shop provides all the basics you may need and the Safari tents are extremely well equipped.
Find out about more about booking Brackenhill Glamping in the South Hams.
Disclosure: Stacey and her family were invited to stay at Brackenhill Glamping in exchange for a review on Devon with Kids. All opinions are her own. Top image supplied by Brackenhill Glamping. All other images were taken by Stacey.
Looking for more family-friendly campsites? Check out my guide to camping in Devon.
Check out my guides to days out in Devon with kids
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