Cloud Nine Glamping Adventures, Dorset

Having spent the first few weeks of the Summer holidays in Devon and Wales, we were very excited to travel down to Dorset this August to stay with Cloud Nine. Described as “the ultimate family escape”, we were looking forward to switching off, embracing the great outdoors and taking part in some of the amazing activities offered here at their Dorset site. Having enjoyed a glamping break earlier in the Summer we had completely fallen in love with the luxury lifestyle and so had high hopes for Cloud Nine and all it offers to families such as ours.

The site is located in the historical grounds of St Giles House, Wimborne, where you will find acres of woodland and forests to explore as well as a private lake to swim in. In the Summer months, and the warm weather, it appears idyllic and as we arrived at Cloud Nine to check in we couldn’t wait to start exploring.

After quite a lengthy check-in we were escorted from the entrance of the site to our glamping tent via a golf buggy. With our cases in a trailer on the back, and the children perched in the front, they found it so exciting to arrive at the tent this way and it was the perfect way to take in the site as we drove through.

Our accommodation

Although there are several types of tents available, we were staying in the “Luxury Glamping Tent” which was located at the far field with reasonable distance between each tent to create your own personal space to use throughout your stay. The golf buggy dropped us directly at our tent and we arranged our return trip for departure later that day at reception.

To the outside of the tent we had a picnic bench, a fire pit/BBQ and a storage box containing a starter kit to start a fire as well as a bag of logs. Further supplies can be purchased from the shop to use throughout your stay.

Each tent come with its own private Portaloo which was very much a novelty to the children and came in useful during the night instead of having to trek to the facilities to use the bathroom. For those who prefer an en-suite bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower, there is the option of the Safari Tent which may have been a little more practical with children.

The luxury glamping tent offers 6 metres of living space which actually felt quite large, even with the five of us inside. We were so lucky that the weather was lovely throughout our stay which meant that we actually spent very little time inside the tent. I imagine that should the weather have been different, our entire experience would have been very different too!

Inside of the tents you will find a double bed for the adults and mattresses laid on the floor for the kids. Each bed had 15 tog duvets and pillows as well as a fleece throw as well as one cotton bath towel per guest. The luxury glamping tents also have a power supply with a plug socket which is a real must in my eyes!

There is very little furniture in the tent, just two small bedside tables with a lamp, a small kettle, 5 cup coffee maker for a big company and a separate table with the crockery/cutlery. With nowhere to hang our clothes, and no storage whatsoever, we simply placed our cases to one side and lived out of them for the week. Although this was absolutely fine, it would have been nice to have a hanging rail at the very least or a storage unit as clothes left on the floor did feel very damp in the morning.

Each tent provides drinking glasses and mugs, plates, bowls, cutlery, a small mirror and an LED lantern to navigate the field to the shower block/facilities in the evening. We noted that many of the other guests had arrived at Cloud Nine with their full camping set up including pots, pan, stoves and pop up furniture, and we realised perhaps we had actually arrived quite unprepared for what was ultimately, camping with three children.

Our favourite thing about the accommodation was definitely the outdoor area with the picnic bench and the fire pit. With no heating in the tent, although we had been lucky with the weather, it did feel incredibly cold at night so we stayed outside by the fire pit for as long as possible to stay cosy and warm.

If I was to ask the children their highlight of the stay they would all likely tell me, toasting marshmallows! Every night we would return to our tent and toast marshmallows on the fire pit and each time they would find it just as exciting as the last. I loved those moments and the look of pure happiness on each of their little faces.

The Facilities

With only Portaloo’s provided at the tent, it meant that we had to shower at our allocated shower block, shared with each of the tents on our particular field. To protect other people’s privacy we didn’t photograph the showers but they were very much what you would expect from a festival site. As a parent of young children we found the showers to be quite an issue as each cubicle was very small with the water running for just a very short time on a push tap. Our children are still quite young so still shower with Gaz or I which was quite a squeeze leaving us with no room to then change or keep our clothes dry in the meantime. We noticed that many parents were then using the accessible shower and toilet facilities meaning that those who needed to use this were left waiting for them to finish.

Other services were provided in a tent next to the showers and included a hairdryer, kettle, microwave, water machine and a fridge/freezer. This was really useful for those staying in tents without electricity who wished to boil water or dry their hair although we felt that the fridge/freezer was hugely inadequate for the number of people per field. We were unable to store any chilled or frozen food during our stay due to a lack of space and although we were able to store Megan’s antibiotics in the fridge each night, we often returned in the morning to find it had been moved and even on occasion, removed from the fridge altogether.

The biggest surprise for me was the sink facilities, with just two sinks provided per block which were used for both washing pots, cleaning teeth and freshening up. I felt very uncomfortable washing my face and cleaning my teeth each night stood directly beside somebody washing their pots, with a long queue of people standing behind us. I feel there should have been separate wash facilities away from the pot washing area for privacy as well as hygiene reasons.

On the site

The great thing about Cloud Nine is that, should you come prepared, you really don’t need to leave the site at all. Everything you need, be that supplies, food, drink or entertainment, is available and although we did leave the site on occasion, the children were more than happy to spend their days enjoying all it had to offer.

At the reception you can find out everything you need to know to make the most of your stay, book activities, hire bikes and make restaurant reservations, and we found that all members of staff were really friendly and willing to help. The reception is very central to the site so you can access this quite easily regardless of where your tent is located.

Next to the reception is the site shop which sells a range of products from ice lollies to camping staples. As expected, the prices are quite inflated but it was handy for things we had forgotten to bring, snacks on the go and more fire pit supplies when we ran out.

The Fairground

Although Cloud Nine states there are over 25 free activities on each of their sites, we found that the majority of activities did come at a cost. The fairground was one of the chargeable activities with even the very smallest rides starting at £3 per child. Although I love the idea of the fairground, taking me back to my own Summer holidays as a child, I think an adventure playground would have been a far better suited addition to the site to keep that authentic, outdoorsy feel.

The location of the fairground meant that it was quite a walk from the main site, including the Village Green with the pub and the majority of the food facilities. For that reason it was very quiet, especially in the evenings, which was a positive for us wanting a chilled out time with the children, but a real shame for the stall holders on the fairground itself who were missing out on the crowds at the opposite end of the site.

The Sports Field

The Sports Field is located behind the fun fair and although there are a couple of chargeable activities such as the climbing wall and circus school, you will find the majority of the free activities here. For younger children there was a small tent with soft toys, and for older children there was a number of games and sporting equipment to use as you wish.

From hoola hoops to bats and balls, footballs to bean bag throwing games, the children enjoyed playing here at the sports field each day whilst Gaz and I were able to sit and relax on a deck chair. With a small football field for the children to play together, a couple of the parents would referee a game and Harry especially really enjoyed taking part in the matches and making new friends in the meantime.

The fairground was also the location for the silent disco which was free to take part in and so much fun. You simply collect your headphones, tune into a choice of channels, and bust out your best dance moves as a family. If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen Harry’s dance moves which still makes me smile just thinking about it. It was so much fun and a real highlight of the week for us.

Enchanted Forest

Cloud Nine is separated into various different areas and Enchanted Forest was a really lovely little wooded area to run wild and enjoy being outside in nature. With coloured ribbons streamed throughout the trees it had a very magical feel to it and was a great spot to escape the more popular areas and just spend some time together.

Wild Woods

To the other of the site you will find the Wild Woods where a number of activities take place, all of which can be booked via the app or at reception. Our children had already booked onto a number of activities and although they aren’t cheap, they were well and truly worth it in my opinion with really dedicated and knowledgable instructors and a whole lot of fun along the way.

Tree climbing

Tree climbing is pre-bookable at £12 per child and states that it is suitable for children aged six. The session lasts for 30 minutes and the idea is to get the children roped onto the tree and see how close to the top they can get in that time. The instructor was fantastic, really patient with the children as they got to grasps with the technique, and so encouraging when they got tired or stuck on a particularly tricky part.

For younger children I would recommend an adult to take part too to help as it did look very difficult for the children to manoeuvre the harness and support their own body weight. That said, our three, who were the youngest children taking part in the activity, were up the tree faster than anyone else and they were so proud to make it so close to the top by the time the session ended.

I loved watching how much fun they had during the activity and afterwards they were bursting to tell us all about it. It was so lovely to see their confidence grow over the summer,  especially Eva who suffers with crippling shyness, and I have no doubt that taking part in activities such as this played a huge part in that.

Bush crafts

The Bush crafts activity was a firm favourite with the children and involved fire-building, campfire cooking, den-building, tracking & natural navigation and toasting marshmallows. It promises plenty of play as well, with epic games of manhunt, vertical hide n seek and capture the flag and quizzes too. The activity lasts for two hours and costs £25 per child.

The real bonus, and one we hadn’t realised until we arrived, was that the session is a drop-off meaning parents don’t need to stay and watch. Whilst the children took part in the activity Gaz and I went on a bike ride together, enjoyed a drink in the sunshine and our very couple of hours away from the children all Summer!

When we returned the children proudly showed us the den they had made, showed us their fire lighting skills, and regaled us with stories of toasting marshmallows, long after the day was over. For children who love getting to grips with the great outdoors, this is the perfect activity to learn new skills and gain a little independence at the same time.

Paddle boarding

At the lake you can paddle board, kayak and even experience wild swimming and, given the choice, our children all chose paddle boarding. Paddle boarding costs £15 per board for 45 minutes and is recommended for aged 6+ – should you wish to share a paddle board with a child there is plenty of space for both.

The girls took to it instantly and it wasn’t long before Harry had ditched my board to paddle on his own too. I was so impressed by how well they did and in fact, only one person fell into the water during the whole session – me!! Fully clothed!!

We absolutely loved paddle boarding and definitely recommend giving it a go if you haven’t tried before. The lake is such a beautiful spot either to walk around, paddle on or kayak across and although we didn’t swim in the lake (unless my brief dip counts…), it looked like a lot of fun for those who did!

Bike Hire

If I had one recommendation for Cloud Nine it would be to hire bikes – charged at £10 per bike, per day – or even better, to take your own. The site itself is quite large depending on where your tent is situated so it’s a really easy way to get about, especially with older children who are more capable at cycling.

We enjoyed so many bike rides throughout the week, cycling the entire perimeter of the site, past St Giles House and the lake, and whizzing in and out of the tents across the fields. Helmets are included with the bike hire so the children were able to safely play on their bikes by our tent too which was a great way to keep them entertained at the end of the day and also tired them out too!

Food & Drink

If you’re looking for food and drink, Cloud Nine has something to suit everyone although this is all at an extra cost and, as expected, it’s similar prices to that you would expect to pay at a festival – a pint of beer cost £6.50 and the average dish from the food vans £10-12. With cooking facilities very limited (unless you have brought your own camping set-up), we relied heavily on the food stalls for our main meal of the day and in the evenings would visit the The Stargazers Inn for a drink before bed.

The Stargazer Inn

Located at the Village green, The Stargazers Inn was very much the central hub of the site and in the evenings it was very busy. even more so when they hosted Bingo or a Quiz. On several of the nights we were unable to get a seat but during the day it was much quieter and a nice spot to sit whilst the kids played on one of two trampolines located there as entertainment.

The Food Stalls

To the left of The Stargazer Inn was a strip of food stalls selling hot and cold drinks and a variety of food from the morning right through to the night. You could also find picnic benches located around to then sit and enjoy these either outdoors or under cover.

Many of the food stalls originate from London and travel the UK during the Summer months serving at festivals and events and as such they are super efficient whilst also catering to a wide range of customers. Gaz particularly enjoyed the Muffin Man & Co for an early breakfast or a pick me up mid morning!

My favourite was Naked Bowls with freshly produced Buddha bowls inspired by world cuisine and all completely gluten free too. They even did a vegan option and it was certainly a very popular choice! The owner was incredibly friendly and I loved hearing her talk about how her business originated and grew in London before she made the move up North. It’s always lovely to find a fellow Northerner, especially at Cloud Nine where we were very much in the minority! 

The kids absolute favourite was the Dorset Pizza Kitchen, ran by the friendliest couple whose dog Dave completely stole the show, selling the tastiest pizza we have ever come across. They even did a gluten free option which was very welcomed and eating it outdoors in the evening sunshine just made it even tastier somehow!

As I said earlier, several of the food vans, the Dorset Pizza Kitchen included, were located at the fun fair as opposed to the Village Green where the majority of people congregated. This meant if the children wanted pizza and we wanted something else, we would all have to eat separately as it was quite a trek down the fields to the other end. I think perhaps having all of the food stalls together would have made it far more accessible to everyone and also far fairer to the stall owners who we learned pay the same rent no matter where they are located on the site.

Lastly, you can imagine just how excited the children were to discover a Hotel Chocolat van – the Chocmobile – on site and we enjoyed several hot chocolates in the evening as an after-dinner treat. Again this was located at the Funfair and I did feel quite sorry for them missing out on the trade which the other stalls had at the village green. Often these stalls would close early due to a lack of custom where as the others were still booming late into the evening.

Things to do nearby

Whilst many people visit Cloud Nine and never leave the site, we did have a couple of days where we had a drive to a nearby attraction or into a local town. On one of the cloudier days we spent the morning at Kingston Lacy using our National Trust passes, an opulent family home built to resemble a Venetian Palace. It is absolutely stunning and you can explore both inside the house and the gardens, as well as enjoy a large play area for the children. If you’re National Trust members it’s free to enter and well worth a wander for a couple of hours.

We also had a drive into the New Forest which was beautiful and took me back to my childhood holidays down in Hampshire. We visited Lyndhurst, commonly known as the ‘capital of the New Forest’ which is the perfect place for walking, cycling or just enjoying the town and the many cafes and shops to explore.

Things we loved

• The activities – they were so well organised, a lot of fun, and the children came away from each session with new skills and a real boost to their confidence.
• The silent disco – this was so much fun and a great opportunity to let loose.
• Bike hire – having the bikes made such a big difference to how we got around the site and kept the kids entertained throughout.
• The location – St Giles House has such a beautiful estate and we really enjoyed our time here as well as the local area.
• Getting outdoors – we loved embracing the Great Outdoors and switching off as much as possible.
• Making memories – Cloud Nine is the perfect place for family time and making memories around the campfire.

Things we’d change

• The accommodation – to me, if something is described as luxury then it should be just that. We felt that the accommodation was akin to camping just with a proper bed and bedding and I think this could definitely be improved.
• The facilities – we felt the shower and washing facilities did fall short. Although I would expect this at a festival, when visiting somewhere with young children I would expect a little more.
• A better selection of free activities – although Cloud Nine states there are over 25 free activities, the majority of these could be found on the sports fields in the form of footballs, hula hoops and bean bags. I would have loved to see more organised activities for the children included in the price of the holiday.

Although there were admittedly things we would change, and I can’t hand on my heart tell you that it was everything we had hoped it would be, it’s important to remember that Cloud Nine has only been running for just over 12 months and teething issues are to be expected. I think that opening a glamping experience such as this, in the middle of a pandemic, was a bold move and, as is the case with any kind of holiday resort, every Summer is a brand new learning curve.

For the majority of our stay it was idyllic with the children running wild in the sunshine, learning new skills, playing games, eating amazing food, and making the best memories which we will look back on for years to come. Would I return to Cloud Nine? Absolutely, but next time I would arrive far more prepared, with a full camping set-up, and my eyes wide open to the fact that everyone has very different ideas about the definition of luxury.

To find out more visit www.cloudnineglamping.com.

** We were invited to Cloud Nine in exchange for an honest review. All words and opinions are my own **