Feather Down Farms review: off-grid glamping with animals, woodlands and a very special guinea pig called Gary

Our verdict

Just over an hour from London, New Barn Farm somehow feels much further away from everyday life. Set in peaceful Bedfordshire countryside, the Feather Down Farms site combines the adventure of staying under canvas with proper beds, hot water and enough home comforts to stop it feeling like actual camping.

I stayed for four nights with my children, aged 14 and 10, in a six-person canvas hideaway. It was our first Feather Down Farms stay, and our immediate reaction was how beautiful and peaceful the farm felt.

The hideaways sit beside Blackwell Spinney and look out over fields, with enough space between them to feel private. There are animals to meet, woodland to explore and plenty for children to do, but no packed programme or noisy entertainment complex. The whole point is to slow down, spend time outside and temporarily forget that Wi-Fi exists.

Feather Down Farms describes its accommodation as canvas hideaways rather than tents, which feels fair; ours had proper bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, an indoor shower and toilet, and hot running water.

How we tested

We visited on a Monday and stayed for four nights. I travelled with my two children, aged 14 and 10, and we stayed in a canvas hideaway sleeping up to six.

We drove from Hertfordshire, which took just over an hour. The farm was easy to find using sat nav, although you will need a car both to reach it and to explore the surrounding area.

What is the accommodation like?

We stayed in a six-person canvas hideaway, which felt extremely spacious for the three of us.

The beds were very comfortable, and my ten-year-old loved sleeping in the “magical cupboard bed”. It added to the sense that this was a proper adventure, rather than simply staying in an unusual holiday cottage.

Our hideaway had an indoor toilet and shower with hot water, which makes a considerable difference when travelling with children. Bedding and towels were provided, and the kitchen was fully stocked with cooking equipment.

There is no conventional fridge. Instead, the hideaway had an ice box, with ice blocks available to borrow free of charge. This worked well, although families staying for several days will need to be reasonably organised about food storage.

I would also recommend bringing a camping stove. Cooking on the wood-burning stove and outdoor fire is part of the experience, but a camping stove is useful when you need to make something quickly and don’t fancy embarking on a full fire-lighting exercise before breakfast.

Outside, we had our own firepit and barbecue area, which we used during our stay. The weather was extremely hot, so for younger children you can set up a paddling pool (you’ll need to bring your own). Despite the heat during the day, the hideaway was pleasantly cool in the mornings and at night.

What is there for children to do?

The farm has a real mix of activities, and it worked well for both a ten-year-old and a teenager.

The children groomed the ponies, used the go-karts and spent time on the rope swing, which was a particular highlight. There is also a sandpit, bikes available to hire and plenty of room for walking and exploring.

The standout experience, however, was looking after a guinea pig for the duration of our stay.

The farm currently has rather a lot of guinea pigs after a child accidentally placed a male in the girls’ enclosure, with fairly predictable results. My children chose one, named him Gary and spent the next few days giving him an enormous amount of attention.

Gary was cuddled, carried around and generally treated as an honorary member of the family. He also smelled quite strongly, but this did nothing to lessen his appeal. When I asked the children for their favourite part of the holiday, Gary won without hesitation.

That kind of simple, hands-on animal experience is what New Barn Farm does particularly well. It isn’t a polished petting zoo where children are ushered through a scheduled encounter. They have time to get to know the animals and feel involved in farm life.

What other facilities are available?

There is no swimming pool or conventional holiday park entertainment, but that isn’t really what New Barn Farm is trying to offer.

Facilities and activities include:

• Pony grooming

• Animal feeding and care

• Go-karts

• A sandpit

• A large rope swing

• Bicycle hire

• Woodland walks

• Farm tours

• An honesty shop

• A twice weekly outdoor pizza night

• Firepits and barbecues at each hideaway

There are also footpaths and field margins around the farm for walking and cycling. Wildlife in the surrounding area includes owls, woodpeckers, foxes, badgers and muntjac deer, although sightings will naturally depend on luck and how quietly your children are capable of moving.

What is the food like?

The honesty shop was very well stocked, with local produce, essentials and homemade food. Guests can also order freshly baked goods, which is a particularly welcome touch when you are staying off-grid but would still quite like someone else to deal with breakfast. There is also a meals-to-order service bringing dinners to your hideaway. 

New Barn Farm holds a weekly outdoor pizza night, hosted by farmers Hannah and Will. The pizzas are handmade, with a range of toppings, and cost £15 each.

It felt relaxed and personal, and was a lovely way to meet the hosts and other families without the atmosphere becoming forced or overly organised.

Most other meals will be self-catered, using the wood-burning stove, barbecue, firepit or a camping stove brought from home.

Where is New Barn Farm?

The farm is in the Bedfordshire countryside, within reach of London but secluded enough to feel properly rural.

The hideaways sit near woodland and face a six-acre field, with animals grazing nearby. They are spaced far enough apart to offer privacy, although families travelling together could also book several and use the site for a group break.

You will need a car. There is plenty to do on the farm, but shops, restaurants and nearby attractions are not realistically within walking distance for most families.

Nearby options include:

• Olney: A nearby market town with shops, places to eat and wild swimming

• Woburn Safari Park: A good option for another animal-focused day out

• Bletchley Park: Best suited to families with older children interested in wartime history

• Silverstone: Within reach for motorsport fans

• Towcester Racecourse: Another possible day trip

• Oxford and Cambridge: Both accessible by car for a longer day out

Carlton can also be reached by bike from the farm.

Is New Barn Farm good for teenagers?

Yes, although teenagers who require constant entertainment, charging points and uninterrupted Wi-Fi may need some advance preparation.

My 14-year-old enjoyed the animals, space and freedom of the farm, while my ten-year-old embraced the magical-bed-and-guinea-pig side of things. There was enough to do without the site feeling aimed exclusively at very young children.

The success of the stay will depend partly on whether your children enjoy animals and being outdoors. Those who do are likely to love it.

Final thoughts

New Barn Farm manages to make an off-grid holiday feel adventurous without making it unnecessarily hard work.

The setting is genuinely beautiful, the hideaways are spacious and comfortable, and the private shower, toilet and hot water make it much easier than conventional camping. There is enough structure to give children things to do, but families are also left with time and space to make their own entertainment.

The real highlights were the animals, the freedom the children had to explore and the small personal touches, from freshly baked food to the outdoor pizza night. Most of all, it was the opportunity to look after Gary the guinea pig that made the stay memorable for my children.

He smelled, but he was loved.

I’d recommend New Barn Farm to families who enjoy animals, countryside and a slower pace of life, but who aren’t quite ready to abandon proper beds and hot showers. It feels secluded despite being relatively easy to reach, and I would happily return.

About the author

Becky K has worked at Mumsnet for eight years and is passionate about comprehensive and trustworthy reviews for parents.

Originally from Ireland, Becky studied BSc Psychology at the University of London before returning to Dublin City University to earn her Masters degree in Journalism. She began her career on the news desks of several Dublin publications and worked in press relations and journalism in NYC and Australia before somehow tiring of endless beaches and blue skies, and returning to the UK.

A mum of two school-age children, Becky enjoys finding new and unusual days out that don’t cost the earth. In her spare time, she enjoys knitting, reading, true-crime podcasts and ancient history.

About the editor

Jenny Wonnacott is a Content Editor at Mumsnet, where she writes, edits and optimises family-focused content designed to make everyday parenting that bit easier.

As a mum of three, Jenny brings first-hand parenting experience to everything she writes, with plenty of trial-and-error along the way. Her family travels have ranged from UK camping trips to more adventurous long-haul breaks, giving her a clear understanding of what really matters when travelling with children - from location and layout to those small but crucial details that can turn an average family trip into the best holiday ever.

She regularly researches and reviews family travel options, combining expert insight with real parent feedback from the Mumsnet community to help other families plan holidays with confidence.

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