It was while sitting outside one quiet afternoon last October, I realised something. The crashing sound I kept hearing...a surprisingly loud noise, was the sound of leaves falling through the trees. Much louder than the gentle rustling you might imagine falling leaves to sound like. It made me think that although I have experienced quite a few autumns (more than I would care to admit!), this was the first time I had 'heard' autumn before!
I didn't realise when we started our venture into the world of glamping that so many of our guests would also experience similar "firsts" whilst staying with us. While some new experiences seem quite common, like first time visiting Wales, first time glamping, first time relaxing in a hot tub or first time sleeping in a romantic four poster bed, others have been more surprising.
Coming from a rural background it was remarkable to hear that people had never lit a fire, toasted a marshmallow or just wandered through a meadow.
I guess having lived in the countryside I must be used to having wildlife around me but some of our guests had never before heard an owl call, picked up a frog, seen a woodpecker, heard a giant dragonfly’s wings or watched a bird of prey circle overhead.
Several guests have said that having a tiny bird ask for food and then take a peanut from their hand has been a really special moment for them.
Most of our guests have been lucky enough to have had at least one clear night for stargazing during their stay and with almost zero light pollution the skies here are often spectacular. Nearly everyone has seen Mars this year as it has been so close, someone even thought it was a light on a TV mast because it was so bright! Four guests have now seen the International Space Station (ISS) whizz overhead and at least three more people revealed that they've seen their first shooting star, while two more said that they've finally seen the Milky Way. The first time you really see the night sky in all its glory is something that most people never forget. Awesome, in the true sense of the word.
Having people experience the wonders of nature and being outdoors for the first time because of something that we have done, is the most rewarding part of our journey into glamping.
We are very happy that our little glamping site has enabled new experiences to be had and wonderful memories to be made.
