Glamping York
‘Acorn Glade’ - more than a glamping retreat; it’s a feeling.
As a frequent guest of Acorn Glade, I’ve offered to write this blog to convey the unique
feeling each time, we come to stay at Wendy and Andrew’s magical glamping retreat. It’s one
like no other. Acorn Glade is an eco-friendly, quirky, and picturesque stay that suits anybody
wanting to take a moment, reflect, step back from life, drown out the noise from notifications
and Teams calls, reconnect with nature, and feel at one with your environment. Acorn Glade
is also a place for nurturing. For bringing out your inner curiosity. Is that an owl cooing in the
trees? How many fairy houses can you find around the lake? How many fish can you spot
when you’re feeding them? How many wallabies can you count? Why do the alpacas roam
in that way? Thousands of questions, with no need for answers. But a curiosity for your
environment and the pleasure of enjoying the moment is what Acorn Glade is all about.
Since coming to stay for the first time in 2022, we have discovered a new angle, a new quirk
to our favourite getaway. It started out exactly like this…
(LEFT IMAGE) We stayed in the Rose Hollow.
She overlooks the lake, has a warmly log
burner, is completely off-grid and welcomes
guests in a hand-made log bed. An absolute
delight, to sum up! Most importantly, we were
greeted with Wendy and Andrew’s infectious
smiles and bubbliness.
Next, I’ll walk you through our discovery of
The Chicken Shed (BELOW IMAGE).
The Chicken Shed. Exactly what it says on the
tin. A revamped chicken shed, filled with
homely amenities, teas, coffees & self-serving
cooking facilities. You’ll notice with Acorn
Glade, that Wendy and Andrew’s eye for
resourcefulness and innovation run
throughout. In the chicken shed, discover your
local eateries, taxi services, and information
on activities should you wish to venture out
the pleasant cocoon of Acorn Glade situated
just 20 mins from the stunning city of York and
a few mins from the quaint village of Melbourne. However, the beauty of Acorn Glade, is
perhaps how you’ll struggle to be bored with the vibrant nature and wildlife around you.
Talking of wildlife, getting acquainted with the alpacas was a top hit of ours.
(LEFT IMAGE) At Acorn Glade, take the chance to soak up each little experience. Back in
2022, we got to eat breakfast surrounded by alpacas. There’s a sentence you never thought
you would say! They peruse the grounds, mosey around the lake and graze contentedly.
Gorgeous and captivating creatures, the alpacas will be the most fascinating neighbours during your stay.
Next, we come back
to the innovation and creativity by the
most hospitable hosts, Wendy and
Andrew.
(RIGHT IMAGE) What you’ll notice in each
corner of Acorn Glade is the depth of thought
Wendy and Andrew put into their hospitable stay. From the Acorn weather reading, to
personalised chalkboard messages (one of which offered some local ice creams!), you’ll be
blown away by how much Acorn Glade is more than a home from home. Everything is
meticulously presented, personalised to each resident. To promise you’ll be taken care of
would be an understatement. Hugged by the grounds of Acorn Glade is the most tranquil
lake. Relax on the small rowing boat, paddleboard, or feed the fish. Take your pick. We
rowed on the lake and got to spot the mesmerising fish swimming about. Content in their
habitat as we were on the surface, this moment affords you chance to slow down and
breathe. Acorn Glade is its own kind of mindfulness. Consider it a meditation for the mind
and the soul. Time to cleanse and refresh. We departed our stay in 2022 and came back in
2023 to rekindle the beautiful
memories made from the
previous year.
(RIGHT IMAGE) 2023 marked our year anniversary and we came back to recapture the
magical moment that brought our relationship first together. We earmarked this visit to Acorn
Glade to discover more of the local area, and ventured down the road to Pocklington Canal.
Calm canal waters, tranquil scenery and ran by friendly locals, we took a gentle canal boat
ride. Something we’d never done before, it was a quintessential Sunday afternoon, taking
the day in our stride and going with the flow. Nearby to The Melbourne Arms pub, it provided
the perfect opportunity to take a steady day, out in the great outdoors, which only rightly
should be followed by a home-cooked Sunday roast. The Melbourne Arms did not
disappoint, but you’d need to discover for yourself!
(LEFT IMAGE) For our 2023 stay, we changed it up slightly and took comfort in a Daisy
Roundhouse. Like nowhere else, the circular wooden yurt offered the cosiest night’s sleep
with open wooden shutters to let the outdoors in. A theme that evokes through this blog is
the intertwined nature of Acorn Glade with its surroundings. Why the outdoors became ‘The
Great Outdoors’ is soon apparent each time you come here. The Daisy Roundhouse gifts a
king-size cosy bed, log burner and open wooden shutters that overlook the meadowland. In
the mornings, you very well may be greeted by the alpacas during breakfast.
Sustainable, green, and powered by solar panels, for those that are more ethically-minded,
Acorn Glade places human-kind and the environment delicately in harmony with one
another. Being an advocate for the environment myself, Acorn
Glade restores my faith that others care for the same causes;
Wendy and Andrew take great pride in leaving a minimal
footprint, and what resonates is how much they care for all
that inhabit Acorn Glade; humans, animals, wildlife and the
earth it situates upon. It draws us back every time!
Which brings me to our most recent stay in 2025 (RIGHT
IMAGE). Due to a sabbatical year from work which involved
travelling Europe, we had missed a year of Acorn
Glade and knew that a date in the diary to Acorn Glade
was well overdue. Beaming with excitement to see our
best hosts once again and to be back to the serenity of
Acorn Glade, we celebrated our first evening in the
Hobby Room. Plentiful of games – the classics that
take you back to childhood memories and some even
further generations – the room encapsulates fun
without the reliance of TV, Netflix or TikTok. May you
unleash your inner child, as I did, with Pacman Classic!
If the highest score is about 15,000 then you read the
blog of the retaining champion. Amongst the games
barrel are other arts and crafts hobbies and books to
inspire the mind.
Because this photo only rightly deserved a feature in the blog – the latest addition to the
Alpaca pack (LEFT IMAGE). Styled with a mullet, this dude rocks his style like no other. The quirks of Acorn Glade are endless. With its funky,
friendly animals to the design and innovation of the
Glade, it’s in every detail.
For our 2025 stay, we got to sleep in the epic Starlight
Mirror Dome. Far beyond my own engineering
expertise, Wendy and Andrew hand-erected the dome
with every screw and bolt that holds it robustly
together. (BELOW IMAGES)
The Starlight Mirror Dome is a
work of art, it simply goes
without saying. Again, wrapped
in the outdoors, the openness
of the dome allows the
environment to surround you.
Warm and cosy with the log
burner on, the dome is a
treasure for stargazing at night
and nature-spotting during the
day. I think it’s even worth a
stay just to experience the
innovation of an
accommodation such as this!
Wendy and Andrew are a true
inspiration, and in my opinion, pioneer
in their industry. How they transform
the concept of traditional glamping to
their bespoke and second-to-none
hospitality absolutely sets them, and
Acorn Glade, above all the rest. The
warm fuzz of cosiness in your
accommodation, the joy in Wendy’s
voice, the bubbliness and light-hearted
nature of Andrew’s, isn’t comparable.
As a pair, they go the extra mile, not
just on the big things, but on all the
little things. All the little things that can
be overlooked. But each and every
time we come back to our ‘Acorn
Glade reset’, your lungs are given a
fresh batch of air, your mind is bathed in inspiration and positivity. It’s a feeling that’s hard to
put into one word. But put into two words, it’s ‘Acorn Glade’.
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