Pods and shepherd's huts are popping up on campsites all over the UK, as caravan park owners respond to the current desire for glamping and Vintage camping holidays

At a recent Motorhome Caravan and Camping show,  we spied two intriguing products which show how many site owners are thinking.Neither fits neatly into any of the three show title categories but could best be described as accommodation units or “pods” for the trendy new activity of “glamping”.

Pods and shepherd's huts are popping up on campsites all over the UK, as caravan park owners respond to the current desire for glamping and Vintage camping holidays

At a recent Motorhome Caravan and Camping show,  we spied two intriguing products which show how many site owners are thinking.Neither fits neatly into any of the three show title categories but could best be described as accommodation units or “pods” for the trendy new activity of “glamping”.

Ashwood Shepherd's Hut

Standing between gleaming new touring caravans and elegant park homes, the Shepherds Hut by Ashwood Timber Products was the biggest challenge to the senses. Our first reaction was to laugh at its steel rimmed wheels and primitive looking exterior but hen we saw the luxury cottage interior, learned about the all-round insulation and pictured it alongside a farm or countryside B&B. In a moment we understood why Ashwood’s new business, near Taunton in Somerset, is already growing.

Prices start at £5290 (excluding VAT) for a complete body shell measuring 12ft x 7ft. The exterior is finished and the interior is timber clad ready for painting. Sizes increase in stages up to 20ft x 8ft. There is priced menu of interior fittings and Ashwood offers to tailor the units to customers’ requirements. Visit the website for more details

Tingdene Lodg-et

Park Home manufacturer Tingdene Homes has aimed its new micro-lodge at a slightly different market, but evidently, it is aiming for the same sort of customer. The “Lodg-et” is proposed as a camping pod, hotel room, garden room or even mobile events accommodation. It’s offered with or without wheels and comes in a standard size of 18ft x 8ft 6ins.

To differentiate the Lodg-et from normal camping pods, it has a furnished interior with a sofa bed, two fixed bunks and a fully fitted shower and toilet room for the ex-works price of £11,400 plus VAT of £172.58.

It also has a menu of exterior and interior options. Tingdene’s original concept was a standard unit that would be economical to produce, but feedback from the ExCel launch may prompt more flexibility. For more details about the Lodg-et, visit the website at www.lodg-et.com.