Glamping places to get to by train from London

Perched in its own private woodland at Downash Wood, Coddiwomple Cabin sits with views of Bewl Water and a sense of nature, privacy and freedom that makes the city feel a lifetime away. You can wander the trails round the huge reservoir, and you can sit back in the hot tub and let all your cares steam up into the sky.

There’s a direct train from London Charing Cross to Stonegate which takes an hour and ten minutes, with a ten-minute taxi (book in advance) the other side. Once there, it’s easy to settle into car-free living, with just a 15-minute walk to the local village, where there’s a bakery, fish mongers, art and craft shops and café, as well as the award-winning pub, the Bell Inn, and a lovely ancient church and village greens.

Built in the 1930s for city folk to come out of town and fish in summer, the Riverside’s an easy spot to relax in. There’s plenty of space in the lounge area for sprawling beside the wood burner, although the covered terrace with the river so close is the perfect spot for sitting in silence and watching the world glide by.

With a direct train from London Waterloo to Woking that takes about a half hour, and then a four-minute taxi ride (book in advance), it’s a breeze to get to. All the basics like tea, coffee, milk, salt, pepper, olive oil etc are provided – however, if you want anything more it’s just a mile to Ripley Nurseries Farm shop, or only 1.5 miles to the village of Ripley. Home to the famous Wisley garden and a wealth of cafés, pubs and restaurants. The Anchor is 400 years old, and The Clock House is Michelin starred.

The Arc cabin is magical; homespun yet contemporary. There’s a unique style to the bright fabrics, and more than a hint of design about the finishing touches. Through the reclaimed front door, the space is roomy and welcoming, with wood-burning stove. Bi-fold doors swing wide onto the veranda, a great spot for taking in the river views or sharing a meal on a summer evening. In the country-style kitchen, the many hobs, Belfast sink and long zinc worktop give you plenty of room, not just to cook, but create.

Getting to The Arc from London is very quick, with a simple 45-minute train from London Kings Cross to Peterborough and a 20-minute taxi the other side (book in advance). Once there, it’s a 20-minute walk to Elton Village store for whatever you want to cook in the well-equipped kitchen, or just a 15-minute walk to The Crown at Elton if you’re feeling lazy.

Only 35 miles from Central London, but the city feel is completely gone. The cabin is set within its own clearing, where the only thing that'll intrude on your hot tub time is the dappled light from the trees. With the king-sized bed, electric heating, en suite bathroom with hot shower and kitchen facilities, you'll be fine whatever the weather. Even the rain drumming on the covered veranda roof, which overlooks the stream, makes natural background music to a relaxing escape from the urban jungle.

With the train station only five minutes’ walk away, so a direct train from London Marylebone to Wendover will only take 49 minutes. The station is in the centre of Wendover, so you’ve plenty of shops to stock up in, and pubs and cafés to visit.

A wonderful mix of Nordic style, rustic country living and ingenious craftsmanship, the cabin is off grid, so you’ll be blissfully unaware of the real world. A great spot for kids, they’ll love to pack the binoculars and stomp through the woods. Later they’ll be treated to a BBQ, or something rustled up in the brilliant outdoor kitchen, then a clamber onto the bunk beds kept cosy by the wood burner. Grown-ups can embrace the al fresco lifestyle with an outdoor shower and – best of all – a private hot tub.

There are some excellent pubs within walking distance, too; one a short mile, the other a decent hike that will work off Sunday lunch. It’s also a relatively short journey, with a direct train from London Victoria to Charing, and an easy 10-minute taxi from there.

A beautifully crafted bolthole perched up in the trees behind David and Tricia’s house. You’ll wake up in the morning to views over the Mendips on one side, and a number of alpacas and horses munching grass on the other, along with light streaming in through the big floor to ceiling (curtainless!) windows. The huge balcony with uplighters and picnic table, and there’s an open, outdoor shower is just off to the side. It’s perfect for a little glass of something on summer evenings; the comfy sofa in front of the wood burner is ideal for the winter ones.

In the immediate area, there's everything from horse riding to wine tasting, and you can walk to the village of Wrington for great places to eat and drink, with The Plough Inn half a mile’s walk, and the village shop just ten minutes away. With a direct train from London Paddington to Yatton that only takes a couple of hours, and a ten-minute taxi ride the other side, it’s easy to visit.

Overlooking fields of endlessly sprawling grape vines, stepping into the Silo, you’ll be amazed by the swish, split-level living space that awaits you, with a cosy double bed on the upper level, accessible by ladder, while the perfect little kitchen, bathroom with rainforest shower and living area snuggled below. There’s a lovely walk around the vineyard right from the door where you can see the vines and a little further afield is Gosfield lake, where you can wild swim. As the sun sinks low, relax and pour yourself a glass of wine, before slipping into the hot tub to soak beneath the evening sky.

With a direct train from London Liverpool St to Braintree, it’s a nice quick hour’s ride to get here, with a 20-minute taxi the other side. Once all settled in and stocked up with wine, you might want snacks to pair – The Co Op is just 40 minutes’ walk, and the Pub should you fancy it, is a half hour’s walk.

Arcadia’s hidden away in the woods, around 80m from the nearest other building, you’ve this corner all to yourselves, and having the woods all around you makes it feel like its own little world. Sit on the sheepskins to snuggle into on the Adirondack chairs by the firepit. The perfect spot to disappear into the wild for a few days, and forest bathe to your heart’s content.

There’s a direct train from London Paddington to Stroud, which takes an hour and a half, with a ten-minute taxi the other side – which can be booked on arrival. If you arrive hungry, it’s a short walk to the terrace of The Crown Inn, and the next day you can hire electric bikes to explore the Five Valleys. Or you could just talk about doing it from the hot tub and consider it again tomorrow.

With a waterfall shower en suite, and outdoors, a jacuzzi bathtub, under the long awning, you can lie back and let the hot water foam around you. Out on the deck you’ll also find seating perfect for a sunset glass of wine or a morning coffee as you plan the day. Stick a movie on or run the bath and feel the weight of the world just drop away.

It takes roughly an hour on the train from St Pancras to Canterbury West, with a 25-minute taxi, and less than a mile from the treehouse is The George Inn, where you can get good food and beer if you don’t feel like cooking. A couple of miles away you’ll find an excellent village shop that you can raid for local produce once you’ve eaten your way through the welcome hamper. But there’s the option to have dinner dropped off too.

A beautiful treehouse hidden in the Cambridgeshire woods with a sauna. Flooded with light through the huge windows, surrounded by birdsong and hidden from the world by the woods. Happenoak has all the mod cons – a fully-equipped kitchen and bathroom – but the standout features are the bathtub, that’s taken a wander out onto the deck, so you can soak under the stars or in front of that endless countryside and the unique elevated sauna.

With a direct train from London Kings Cross to Cambridge, it’s an easy 48 minutes, with a 25-minute taxi the other side. All the tea, coffee, milk, muesli, butter, bread, jam, eggs and condiments are provided, and locally sourced and organic where possible. If you need anything else, there’s a newsagent in the middle of the village, a ten-minute walk away.

If cooking seems like too much of a chore, then half a mile away in Balsham is the Black Bull, with a lovely garden and a superb, locally sourced menu. When you get back, well, it’s probably time for another bath...