When you book this glamping experience, you're given a 'what3words' code – a geolocation system that labels three-square-metre areas. This code will lead you along a green-frilled road to a tiny sign tucked into a hedge: the only indication that you've found The Nest.
Follow a dusty track through fields past a rush-lined pond and you'll reach the safari-style tented camp that feels a country mile apart from other glamping experiences - comfortable, chic and, for the most part, polished. Load your food and gear into one of the big wheelbarrows where you park your car and head out on a tree-lined path to find your home for the weekend.
Three of these canvas and wooden structures (called Pinkfoot, Cuckoo and Teal) are set around a huge lake, and sleep up to six people – or four adults and two children comfortably. Inside, there's all mod cons: behind roll-up canvas walls is a kitchenette, wooden dining table, a Chesterfield sofa, wonderfully comfy beds draped in feather duvets and loaded with faux-fur throws for that 'in-the-wild' feel.
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Inside Cuckoo there's a double room with views of the lake, a twin-bedded room and a double bed tucked away up a little ladder behind a sort-of cupboard door. It's rather sweet; probably better for kids or for those with an aversion to light. (Vampires beware, though: the tents themselves are fairly bright.). The lodge is centred around a dining, cooking and sofa area. The kitchenette is a bit of a let-down compared to the rest of the lodge; plastic plates may be safer but cheapen things a little. The lodges all have broad wooden decks with comfy furniture to bask in the sun, and barbecues are available for some al-fresco cooking.
Outside, sheep graze freely and geese float and flap in gaggles. Weather – and bravery – permitting, the stunningly clear lake is perfect for wild swimming; gently sloping banks, a soft, pebbled bottom and a quick drop-off mean getting in (and under!) is a doddle. Once you're successfully chilled or refreshed, warming up is easy: light the wood-burning stove (which doubles as a hob and an oven) or wood-fired hot tub (available upon request at an extra fee) to put some heat back into those limbs.
The bathrooms have deep, freestanding tubs for a good soak – you can roll up the side of the 'room' for some fancy views.
There are plenty of extra activities around, too, including wonderful horse-riding about 10 minutes' walk up one of the green lanes leading from the site; a tour of nearby fields is great for those without much riding experience. 'Film and firepit' evenings can be organised at your lodge – watching movies under the stars has never been so glam. A final flourish are the spa treatments available on site.
The town of Stamford is about 10 minutes' drive away, with plenty of pubs and antique shops, and good walks in the grounds of Burghley House, one of the Elizabethan period's grandest constructions. There are also lots of lovely country pubs around Stamford for a drink or dinner.
It would be remiss not to mention the few things that weren't ideal – the main one being the location. Looking at the lake is utterly tranquil, but the site's proximity to major roads means a constant hum of traffic which is difficult to ignore. A radio in the lodge might help a little (a quiet little wind-up number?). The vibe here is about switching off, but that should be a choice – the lack of WiFi, too, can be a cause for frustration.
Although the lodges are marketed as dog-friendly, ours both managed to get out pretty easily in the middle of the night. That may reveal their mischievous side, but also shows these properties aren't as secure as they perhaps should be.
Lastly, the lack of any in-lodge instructions means you're rather left to your own devices – it took us an evening to get the wood-burner working properly. Whether that reveals our less-than-practical side is another question…
William was a guest of The Nest, where stays start from £750 for four nights based on six guests.
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