Are you looking for somewhere to escape to this year and recharge your batteries? From August 14th to September 14th 2020, Hampshire’s Cadland Estate has created ‘The Pop Up at Cadland’, an exciting new luxurious glamping experience.
‘Pants’, this is the best word I can think of, to sum up 2020. They’ve said that this year’s woes have been once in a generation, more like once in a century the way I see it!
I, like thousands of others, need somewhere to escape to but given the pesky virus, where’s safe? I’m not ready yet to experience the confines of a hotel, but, luxury glamping, that’s a different matter altogether!
Hampshire is one of my favourite counties, having experienced it for more than a decade, thanks to my husband’s businesses that called it home. Although I haven’t visited it much over recent years, the Cadland Estate has now provided an ideal reason thanks to its newly introduced ‘The Pop Up at Cadland’.
In conjunction with Mark Sorrill’s The Pop Up Hotel and celebrity Chef Luke Thomas, the Cadland Estate has created a unique clamping experience and restaurant in its grounds which are close to the sea and the renowned New Forest.
The Pop Up at Cadland is said to be far more than glamping in a beautiful location.
Guests will be housed within plush canvas tents and can access room service via their phone. As I’ve mentioned, chef Luke Thomas will be adding his own personal touch, and this comes in the form of a tantalising menu which uses the very best, local, sustainable, ingredients from New Forest suppliers and Cadland’s own Kitchen Garden.
The menu (as well as cocktails, drinks, coffee and takeaway options) will be served from dawn until late every day, with guests and locals also being given the option to enjoy a sit-down, socially distanced, formal feast in the evenings, with the Seaview and Cadland cut flowers to ease the senses.
The menu offers dishes such as smacked cucumber & crispy duck dressed in pomegranate hoi-sin, wood-fired spiced roast Cauliflower caesar or a dry-aged chuck-steak burger loaded with local crab and oozing smoked Lyburn Forest farm cheese.
There will be freshly shucked rock oysters, wine from the local Hampshire vineyard and locally farmed meat cooked on an open fire overlooking the Solent. Children’s cooking classes will be available at the weekends around a wood-fired oven where they will learn about local foraging and produce whilst cooking homemade pizzas.
The accommodation
As expected, there is not an airbed or sleeping bag in sight at The Pop Up at Cadland. The beautiful canvas tents all contain a real mattress, fresh, crisp linen, fluffy towels, toiletries and breathtaking sea views of the Solent from many of the tents on site.
There are some nods to the traditional camping experience with shoreside campfires and impeccably sanitised shared facilities, but those looking for a slightly larger slice of luxury can upgrade to an Emperor, Safari or Tenthouse Suite.
The latter includes up to three double/twin bedrooms, a proper bed and high-quality linens, as well as a huge stylish living/dining area with real furniture and en-suite, (in the tent), shower room.
The Pop Up at Cadland – Where and how?
Address: The Pop Up at Cadland, Calshot Beach, Castle Lane, Southampton, SO45 1BR. The prices start from £499 for three a night stay and bookings can be made via www.thepopuphotel.com/cadland.
Read more travel articles in our dedicated section here.