“I’ve forgotten the milk!”
We’d only just arrived at Crowtree Farm to try out Wigwam Holidays, courtesy of owners, Patrick and Anne Mews. Forgetting the milk was just typical of me; I always forget something when we’re self-catering. Luckily, this was a mini staycation. Crowtree Wigwams are situated in Wragg Marsh near Spalding in South Lincolnshire, only 15 minutes drive from where we live. So we could have gone home to fetch the milk out of the fridge or I could have texted my friend who lives at the end of the road and asked her to deliver some to me. If I was really stuck I could have driven for five minutes and picked up some milk at the local shop.
In the end, we did none of these. There were coffee sachets, teabags and sugar provided and, anyway, we had wine. Who needs milk!
What are Wigwam Holidays?
Wigwam Holidays are a national company which have over 60 sites all over the UK. They feature state-of-the-art sustainable timber cabins, designed to give you all the best bits of camping but with more home comforts. All nine camping pods at Crowtree are top-of-the-range ‘Running Water Deluxe’ Wigwams, which are bigger and better equipped than the smaller ‘Wee Brave’ and ‘Big Chief’ pods you can find at other sites. As the name suggests, there’s running water in the form of an ensuite bathroom with Mira shower.
When we opened the door to No. 8, Pigeon’s Fancy, we were struck by how well constructed and finished it was and there was an appealing aroma of seasoned wood. Inside the heated cabin was a comfortable double bed plus a large sofa bed, a table and four chairs and a mini-kitchen. There was even a heated towel rail in the bathroom, ideal for pampered campers like me.
How much does it cost?
For two people a wigwam at Crowtree in low season costs £55 per night midweek and £70 at the weekend. High season prices are £75 and £85. There are extra costs for additional adults or children although there are often offers where children go free. Bring your dog for £5 per night and you can have three per wigwam.
What’s provided and what’s extra?
The coffee and tea should get you started but other than that, bring your own food. There’s a good sized fridge, a hob, microwave, kettle and toaster plus crockery, utensils and pans for four people.
You can pay for bedding packs and towels to be provided (£12 for double duvet, cover, sheet and pillows: £5 per person for towels) or you can save money and bring your own. You can also hire a travel cot and high chair (£5 per stay). Electricity is provided for most (usually all) of your stay but there is a smart meter for you to top up if you need to.
Guests can make use of individual fire pits for barbecues at a cost of £10 per night but this includes all the wood and charcoal.
As there are only nine pods, this is a lovely, small site so the entertainment is low key. Each pod has its own picnic table and chairs plus access to the ‘den’, where there is a table-tennis table and some board games. You can book a session of grass tennis or croquet at £5 per hour. There is a large area of grass in front of the wigwams – ample space for children to run around and play.
Who is a typical Wigwam holiday-maker?
Anne tells me the wigwams are often booked by family groups or people bringing their dogs for bracing walks along the river bank. Both Dougie and I agreed that Crowtree Wigwams would be a great place for any of our friends and family who were looking for accommodation in South Lincolnshire. Imagine booking the whole site for a big celebratory weekend? Whether you’re a couple, or a family with young children, Wigwam Holidays might just be your thing, especially if you like to be close to nature…but not too close.
Things to do nearby
There are lots of places you can visit whilst on a Wigwam Holiday at Crowtree. As a local, here are my suggestions.
Walk to Fosdyke Bridge – set off from your wigwam in time for lunch at The Ship Inn. We only had time for a quick stroll to the riverbank on our one-night stay but this would be great if you were staying longer.
Springfields – if you fancy a shopping trip, this outlet centre has a number of stores such as Next and M&S plus Starbucks and Costa for your caffeine fix. The gardens are also worth a look and children will love the crazy golf, mini railway and land train.
Water Taxi – from April to October you can board the water taxi which will take you on a leisurely 30 minute cruise along the river from Springfields into the town of Spalding and back again.
South Holland Centre – our local theatre and cinema in Spalding. Keep an eye on what’s on to time your visit to coincide with a play or your favourite comedian.
Baytree Garden Centre – Only a few minutes away, this extensive family-run garden centre has a super restaurant and café plus an owl centre.
Fun Farm – next to Baytree Garden Centre, this soft play centre also features a Laser Storm attraction plus a new outdoor High Ropes course.
Moulton Mill – the nearby pretty village of Moulton is home to the country’s largest windmill. Open from Thursday to Sunday, this renovated mill makes for a fascinating visit.
You’re also within an hour’s drive of the North Norfolk coast and you have the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds to explore too.
Our verdict
That evening, as the sun set, we toasted marshmallows on the fire pit. Enveloped by the silence and the beauty of Lincolnshire’s big skies, we felt a world away from home. The rain began to fall as we settled down for the night but the thick insulation of the cabin, plus the clever curved design, meant that we couldn’t hear the rain at all. This made for an excellent night’s sleep.
The next morning, after a hot shower and a cuppa, we reluctantly packed our bags. Our foray into glamping had been a short but great success. The pods were more spacious than we’d expected, particularly in the bathroom, the design being much better than we’d experienced in a mobile home.
“I’d definitely do this again,” said Dougie. “We could do a wigwam road trip around the UK. I see there’s lots of sites in Scotland. Let’s start there!”
Disclosure: We were invited to try out a Running Water Deluxe Wigwam at Crowtree Farm by owners, Patrick and Anne Mews. All opinions are my own.
I always love reading your travel reviews and this looks great. We definitely prefer glamping now the kids are older and if it has a toilet and a shower…. well that is surely a winner. Looks a great place to just spend the night chilling out in the great outdoors x
I think I’ve always been a bit of a glamper at heart, Tracey. My hubby did lots of proper camping with his family when he was younger but even he loves comfort now especially his own loo and shower. I couldn’t believe we were only a few minutes from home: it felt a world away. x
We stayed here two weeks ago for four nights with two teenagers and we all had an amazing time very well thought out and very clean
That’s great to hear that your teens enjoyed it, Lillian. We thought it was a lovely site and I agree about the clever design and cleanliness too.
I don’t do camping, but I’d love to try something like this 🙂
I don’t do camping either – so I’m sure you’ll have a great time in a wigwam.
I love the look of this, how cute are the wigwams. Did make me laugh about the milk… If only all holidays were like that! 😀
They are so well-constructed – and the shape makes them feel very spacious too. Yes, the benefits of a staycation – just go home when you forget something! x
What great glamping pods and so well equipped. I don’t think I’ve seen ones in this style that come with their own bathroom. Fab! #MondayEscapes
I’m glad our local site had the deluxe models as the bathroom and heating etc really sold it to me.
The more I read about glamping the more reluctant I am to drag my tent out of the attic! These pods look great, my family would love a stay in one. I’ll definitely look them up.
Mu husband used to do a lot of camping when he was younger and he adored these wigwams – all the best bits of the camping experience but so lovely to have home comforts.
OMG! Those look totally adorable. It looks all very well equipped and perfect if you’re into nature, but not into camping (like me, hehe)
#MondayEscapes
A girl after my own heart! These pods were meant for you 😉
ooh I would really like to try these out a Wigwam tour sounds like an amazing idea too. Thanks for linking up to #mondayescapes
The wigwam tour could be great fun but I bet I’d be hankering for a hotel now and again! But hubby is dead keen!
Looks like a nice little bolthole for stopping off at, although our family would need seven of them! They look lovely. #MondayEscapes
They only have nine, so reserve two more and you can have the whole site to yourselves! But I know what you mean, tricky for a bigger family to find the right holiday accommodation.
It has a bathroom, I keep saying I want to try clamping but the lack of bathrooms puts me off, I will have to try this thanks so much for linking up Trish x
That was a big selling point for me – the bathroom. It made such a difference having our own facilities and they were super smart too – it felt a bit like being in your own private sauna, especially with the heated towel rail!
I have always seen adverts for wigwam holidays and wondered what they were like. These actually look great, a bit of glamping is just the best, and they are so well equipped! #mondayescapes
I must admit, I wasn’t sure if they’d be my thing as I’m not a camper, although had good holidays in mobile homes in the past. But we were really surprised at how lovely they were and it did feel like a world away from home – even thought it was only 15 minutes!