Reporter Richard Youle spent a weekend at Orchid Meadows, a 25-acre nature reserve and rewilding site in Ceredigion, Wales, run by Steve Hounsham and Lynn Thornborrow. The site offers glamping in a yurt, a glampervan, and a one-bedroom annexe. Youle describes his first yurt experience as exhilarating, particularly watching clouds through the circular skylight.
The Yurt Experience and Surroundings
The yurt, named Red Kite Yurt, features a double bed, sofa, wood burner, books, board games, an outdoor field kitchen, gas stove, woodburning pizza stove, and firebowl. Guests have a meadow to themselves, with shared shower and toilet facilities. The site includes meadows, a newly-planted woodland, wetland, bog, wildlife pond, orchard, vegetable garden, and mature beech trees.
Steve Hounsham noted, "Yurts fascinate a lot of people. In the old days of glamping there were bell tents but they're not good enough or exciting enough anymore."
Rewilding and Wildlife
Steve and Lynn have planted around 2,500 trees, including aspen, alder, western oak, and downy birch, creating a five-and-a-half acre woodland. A wildlife camera trap has captured heron, buzzard, barn owl, and polecat. Three types of orchids grow naturally: lesser butterfly, broad-leaved helleborine, and heath spotted. They are experimenting with Devil's-bit-Scabious to attract the rare marsh fritillary butterfly.
"A variety of plants is good for insect life. The key is variety," said Steve.
History and Philosophy
The couple, formerly running a tea room and guesthouse in the Yorkshire Dales, viewed over 100 smallholdings before finding Orchid Meadows during the Covid pandemic. They moved in April 2021. Their rewilding philosophy involves giving nature a helping hand where needed and growing food. A local horse training centre cuts the meadows for feed.
Steve explained, "It was about the right size, had lots of tall trees, a pond, and a lot of different bits of habitat. And we could see it could work as a glamping site."
Accommodation Options
The yurt and glampervan (Goldfinch Glampervan) are available May to October and September respectively; the annexe (Tawny Little House) is year-round. The glampervan, a donated touring caravan, has a small double bed, sitting area, field kitchen, firebowl, and pizza stove. The annexe has a kitchenette, ensuite bathroom, firepit, and free continental breakfast.
Guests receive cakes made by Lynn, free garden produce and eggs, and can buy breakfast baskets (£7.50) and homemade preserves.
Activities and Nearby Attractions
Orchid Meadows offers a mown nature trail with eight benches, a bird hide, and bushcraft courses led by a Forest School leader. The coast is 30 minutes away; Youle walked the coast path from Aberaeron to New Quay. A new 83-mile Teifi Valley Trail passes Tregaron to Cardigan.
Steve said, "We constantly remind ourselves how lucky we are. There are surprises around every corner. When we see people's reaction when they come here it's very satisfying for us. People just relax."
Prices start from £80 per night in summer. Steve and Lynn have become part of the community, with many guests returning. Youle concluded, "I would happily have stayed another couple of nights."
