Riding Gate Lodge offers self-catering stays in its own private garden with a hot tub and views of rural Somerset. It’s tempting to call it a glamping pod – it certainly looks like one – but step inside and you find much more than you expect. There are two bedrooms, a bathroom and an open-plan living space that includes a kitchen that’s kitted out not just with the kitchen sink but with a dishwasher too. And outside on the deck, next to the hot tub, is an outdoor bath as well. This place doesn’t do things by halves, in fact it often doubles your expectations. If we’re going to call this a glamping pod then it’s a souped-up and super spacious one.
That’s probably why hosts, Simon and Judy, christened it Riding Gate Lodge. It sits in a green quarter of an acre out back of their home, a five-minute drive from the Somerset town of Wincanton. It’s a totally private refuge that’s perfect for couples of families of up to four to enjoy. Your hosts will welcome you or pop by to say hello so you know who they are but otherwise leave you to enjoy lodge living. It gives you everything that you’d expect from a modern holiday home but in a setting that’s like having a glamping site all to yourselves: fire pit, starry skies and all. Inside, it’s domestic things that set it apart from your typical glamping accommodation but they really raise the comfort stakes. There are proper beds and proper wardrobes in the bedrooms, there’s a 30-inch TV in the open-plan living space and truly comfy sofas to sit on. It has space for a solid dining table, quality curtains and there’s heating, wifi and a sound system too. It all helps ensure that you can enjoy indoor-outdoor living for longer.
Stay for a week and you’ll want at least one day right here but, on the others, explore what’s nearby. The art galleries and eateries of the rather well-to-do nearby village of Bruton tempts many guests as does Longleat Safari Park which is less than half an hour’s drive. Sherborne, with its abbey, is about the same distance with Glastonbury and Wells not much further away.
Riding Gate Lodge is a large luxurious 2 bedroomed holiday lodge set in the beautiful somerset countryside. It offers 1/4 acre of private greenspace with your own hot tub, fire pit, BBQ and large decking area as well as your own private car park. Relax and enjoy! This spacious, domed lodge is a stunning setting to relax as a family, a couple or with friends. It has a fully equipped kitchen, a private bathroom and two bedrooms which come with linen and towels provided. It has a television, a sound system & Wi-Fi throughout. The lodge is heated throughout enabling a comfortable stay all year round. Outside you will find your own private decked area overlooking rolling green fields, and a stunning countryside view with a quaint local church perched high upon the hill. You will also have the added luxury of your own secluded hot tub area adjoining the lodge to relax and enjoy. During your stay you will have the freedom of your own ¼ acre of green space to barbeque, play games or simply sit back and relax in your own pasture land. You will arrive to your own private car park and then it’s just a quick stroll over the little wooden bridge and along a short meandering pathway to arrive at your cosy accommodation. From the comfort of your living area, and through the wide arched front window, you may well spot cows and sheep wandering lazily through our neighbouring fields. You will have access to your own fire pit area as well. So sit back, toast your marshmallows and enjoy the spectacular starry views from your own piece of the Somerset countryside.Hosted by Simon M.
Joined in March 2023The town of Wincanton is just two miles from Riding Gate Lodge and is a nice place for a wander with a little high street of independent shops and eateries. Bruton (six miles) is another town that’s worth a visit. It’s home to Hauser + Wirth in Somerset, an art exhibition space on a former farm, on its outskirts with The Newt, another country pile re-imagined. There, you’ll find restaurants, lovely gardens and a cyder orchard. Stourhead House and Gardens is a more traditional country estate, open to visitors thanks to the National Trust, and only six miles from Riding Gate Lodge. The UK’s smallest city, Wells, is about 12 miles away, home to a magnificent cathedral and the impressive Bishop’s Palace. It’s the same distance to Sherborne where you can visit another historic site, Sherborne Abbey. And Glastonbury, with an abbey of its own, and its famous tor is within 20 miles. Longleat is 14 miles from the lodge with its drive-through and walk-through safaris as well as the Elizabethan mansion that’s at the heart of the place.
The Hunter’s Lodge Inn is the closest pub, just half a mile down the road offering pub grub and a children’s playground. The Smithy in the village of Barrow (two miles) is another country pub where there’s food from Wednesday evening until Sunday lunchtime. It has a fireplace inside and a lovely beer garden outside. But, perhaps, even easier to get to are the options in Wincanton. The Dolphin (just over a mile from site) is the closest place for a meal. In the heart of town, recommended options include Bootmakers, which is actually a pizza place, and Seed Cafe which is good for brunch, lunch, coffee and cake. The town also has a mixture of independent shops and supermarkets including a Co-op that’s the closet place to pick up supplies from. Bruton (six miles) has some great places for a special meal out, including At The Chapel in the town centre and The Roth Bar and Grill at Hauser + Wirth. The Newt at Castle Cary (eight miles) offers a choice of well-to-do places to eat too.
