Today’s interview interview is with Liz from Devon Yurts.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?

We are over 50 (ha-ha, that’s all you are getting!) and from Devon.

Have you always wanted to run a glamping site? How did you get interested in it?

We started the process in 2010 and the camp was officially opened in 2012 when we finally received our tented site licence from the local council. The original idea was hatched after reading a book called The Horse Boy, by Rupert Issacson – a true story about a family with an autistic son who travelled to Mongolia to seek healing from the Shamen who roam the steppes and who live in Yurts.

My own son is autistic and I felt inspired by the journey of this couple and their lad. I wanted to go to Mongolia but logistically with our home and family commitments it would never be realistic so we embarked on getting our own Mongolia Yurts imported. This was before they were readily available to buy on the internet like now.

Our first yurt arrived in 2010 and it was then we decided that a glamping site could work here so that we can share the spiritual influences that a truly authentic yurt can offer. We approached the local council and had to go through several months of meetings, and very thorough market research to justify the need for this type of accommodation in this area.

Our local council are very strict due to the rural location and the unspoilt beauty of the location. Obtaining planning permission was not easy and satisfying all the terms and conditions of the tented site licence was a challenge but we have eventually met all the criteria and our glamping site has been successful now for 3 years, with last summer being completely fully booked – I think the weather helped!

What made you pick the location for your glamping site?

We have always lived in South Devon, and have owned this farm for 15 years. So we know the area really well and we decided to use our land for something other than farming.

We have always loved this area of the South Hams, and we are fortunate to have always lived here, so the natural beauty is all around us. The specific location of the camp has been set up following consultation with the local council and the environment agency due to the proximity of the River, and our lake.

Do you get a wide range of different people from different walks of life or are there certain types of guests who come to stay at your site?

We have had people stay with us from all over the world, lots of families with young children who like to roam free in our fields, lots of romantic nights for couples and even some singles who are coming to the area for a variety of reasons, sometimes courses at our local college at Dartington Hall. I even have had a group of girls who came down from London to get tattooed in a well-known parlour in Torquay, people stay on the way down to Cornwall to break their journey, and I have had hen parties, 60th birthday parties, weddings, honeymoons. I have had people staying specifically to watch the meteor showers and sky watching, we have had walkers, cyclists, and pretty much people from every age group and every type for a wide diverse number of reasons.

When guests stay, do they usually cook on site or do you find a lot like to go exploring and eat out at local places?

We have 3 local pubs within a mile of our camp, Tally Ho’ Inn, at Littlehempston, Sea Trout Inn at Staverton and The Pig and Whistle pub at Littlehempston, so there are plenty of places to eat here, along with Riverford farm kitchen, also at Staverton, and a vast selection of bars and bistro’s and vegetarian restaurants in Totnes, and plenty of seafood on offer locally with organic produce everywhere due to the proximity of Riverford Farm, the largest organic farm in the UK.

Yes we have BBQ and fire pits available for our guests.

We have a stable kitchen/dining room which are fully fitted with all the pots, pans, crockery and cutlery that anyone might need, also has gas cookers, and hot water facilities, along with a lovely dining table and chairs all rustic fashion.

If there was one activity to participate in, landmark, or place of interest that you would recommend guests visit while staying at your site, what would it be and why?

Depending on what type of people are staying I often recommend the Sharpham Vineyard at Ashprington as they are situated on the banks of the River Dart in a fabulous location, the walks are amazing and you can take tours of the vineyard followed by wine and cheese tasting – it’s very popular with both adults and children.

What do you think sets your glamping site apart from others?

Our guests often like to explore our fields and land; they often just sit and watch the wildlife on our lake, plenty of wild birds to see along with badgers, foxes and deer. Families like to see our animals, horses and hens, and generally people just like to chill out and enjoy the quiet and peaceful rural Devon countryside.

There’s the dark skies and beautiful and peaceful location that overlooks the River Hems. Our site is truly a glamping site, we are fully licensed by our local council, we have luxurious beds, bedding and everything that anyone who does not relish camping in a soggy tent could hope for, flushing toilets, hot showers, comfortable memory foam mattresses, but we still keep our green credentials with solar power, recycling, local produce available, and discounts for those arriving on foot or by bicycle.

What has been the most memorable moment that has happened on your glamping site?

I have so many funny stories, including one that I really should not repeat about some naturists who stayed with us. Let’s just leave it at the point where they got amorous and carried away outside their yurt in full view on a lovely sunny afternoon – despite the fact that other guests were in their yurt a few yards away!!!

But a cleaner more family friendly story involved a lady and her 75 year old mother who came to stay with us, the lady was a walker who had won a competition to walk the length and breadth of the UK using the old pathways and using public transport and alternative places to stay, she was to write a blog whilst doing so, and I had donated her stay here to the competition organisers in the hope of having publicity, a good write up and feedback. She brought her elderly mother for company and arrived on foot. They asked about the local pubs and duly walked in the evening to the pub.

My husband and I were in bed later that evening (around midnight) when we received a phone call from the lady who stated she was lost in the lanes somewhere – she had no idea exactly where) and was unable to find her way back to the yurt camp. I could hear her elderly mother quietly sobbing in the back ground. Her mother was adamant that she could walk no further in the pitch dark and so my intrepid husband got out of bed, into our car and went searching for them.

He pretty much knew where to find them as despite our yurt camp being only a mile from the pub the lady and her mother had obviously imbibed plenty of the local cider to the point that they lost all sense of direction when leaving the pub and had promptly walked about 3 miles in the wrong direction into the rural abyss of Devon countryside. The lady was extremely grateful as was her mother, although they were quite embarrassed.

We laughed our socks off as they were meant to be walking everywhere but it’s a fundamental thing to carry a map or at least have a smart phone which can help you if you lose sense of direction. There are so many stories and adventures with our guests that I am seriously thinking about writing a book.

Do you provide any services/entertainment/activities onsite or elsewhere for your guests?

We can offer some alternative therapies, like Alexander technique and Yoga sessions, we are near to the Devon school of shiatsu, and a holistic macrobiotic school too, we also have local foragers who will give accompanied walks at additional charges.

What plans (if any) do you have for your glamping site in the future?

We do have plans for expansion in the next 12 – 18 months; this will depend on the local council planning department. We would like to add a Pod on the island in our lake, a Shepherds hut and a couple more yurts if possible. We intend to reapply to the council at the end of the season (around October 2014).