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🛒 Top picks for this trip
✅ Essentials Checklist
- Check what bedding is provided — many glamps include it, some don't
- Towels (usually not provided — always check)
- Toiletries (few glamping sites have shops nearby)
- Waterproof jacket (you're still outside getting to facilities)
- Wellies or waterproof shoes (paths between structures are often muddy)
- Phone charger (most have electricity — confirm before arriving)
- Food and drink for first evening (rural locations, shops close early)
- Torch or head torch for moving between tent and facilities at night
- Any prescription medication
🛒 More kit for this trip
👕 Clothing Checklist
- Layers — glamping is still outdoors
- Waterproof jacket
- Wellies or waterproof ankle boots
- Comfortable clothes for evenings
- Something for the morning walk to shower block if shared facilities
⭐ Nice to Have
- Bluetooth speaker
- Bottle of wine or prosecco
- Fairy lights (many bell tents already have them)
- Board games or cards
- Good book
- Candles (check fire rules first)
- Outdoor shoes comfortable enough for a countryside walk
- Camera
🚫 What to leave at home
Your own tent, sleeping mats or camping stove — the entire point of paying for glamping over camping is that the structure and often the cooking setup are provided; bringing your own defeats the purpose and just adds weight. A full home kitchen's worth of cookware — check the specific listing first, since most glamping structures with kitchens provide the basics (pans, kettle, plates). And overly formal clothing — glamping still means mud between structures and a fire pit in the evening, so it's closer to camping-smart than hotel-smart no matter how comfortable the bed is.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do glamping sites in the UK provide bedding?
Many do, particularly higher-end sites, but it varies significantly. Always check the booking details carefully. If bedding isn't included and you don't want to bring it, a good-quality sleeping bag liner with a duvet is a comfortable alternative.
What is the difference between a bell tent and a shepherd's hut?
A bell tent is a large canvas tent — warmer than a standard tent, atmospheric, but still a tent with a groundsheet. A shepherd's hut is a small converted railway-style wagon — fully insulated, often with a wood-burning stove, running water and sometimes en-suite facilities. Shepherd's huts cost more but are more comfortable in cold or wet weather.
Is glamping in the UK worth it in winter?
With a wood-burning stove and proper insulation, a shepherd's hut or heated pod in winter can be magical. A bell tent in January is a different matter — cold, and only for the committed. Always check what heating is provided and how effective it is before booking a winter glamping trip.
What are the glamping essentials you should always bring?
The non-negotiables: check whether bedding is provided and bring your own if not, always bring towels (rarely provided), bring a head torch for walking between structures at night, and bring a waterproof layer because glamping still involves being outside. Food for the first evening is essential — most glamping sites are rural with no nearby shops. A good Bluetooth speaker, candles (if allowed), and a board game make the experience. Don't overpack — glamping structures are not hotel rooms and storage space is limited.
What is the difference between a yurt, bell tent and shepherd's hut?
A bell tent is a canvas circular tent — atmospheric, affordable, warmer than a standard tent but still a tent. A yurt is a larger circular structure from Central Asian tradition — more insulated and usually more furnished than a bell tent. A shepherd's hut is a converted railway-style wagon on wheels — fully insulated, often with a wood-burning stove, proper bed and sometimes en-suite facilities. Shepherd's huts and pods are the most comfortable and most suitable for winter glamping.
What do you need for glamping that you wouldn't need for camping?
Less than you'd think, but a few things matter more: nicer bedding or a sleeping bag liner if the structure has a proper bed (not everyone brings their own sheets, but it upgrades the experience considerably), a decent book or board games since glamping sites tend to encourage slowing down rather than activity-packed days, and something to sit outside with in the evening — a camping chair or blanket for the site's fire pit if one is provided. What you DON'T need: your own tent, sleeping mats, or a stove, since these are the whole point of paying for glamping over camping.
Is glamping suitable for a hen do or group weekend?
Very well suited, and increasingly popular for exactly this. Bell tent clusters and yurt villages often sleep groups of 6–12 in adjacent structures with a shared fire pit or communal area — better for a hen weekend than a single cottage since everyone gets some privacy but the group still feels together. Book well ahead for peak season weekends (May–September Saturdays), as good group-sized glamping sites sell out months in advance.
What should I pack for glamping with kids?
Wellies and a full waterproof set regardless of forecast — children find mud and puddles between structures within the first hour regardless of the weather. A head torch each (children love having their own light for the walk to the shower block after dark), and simple entertainment that doesn't need charging, since glamping sites often have limited power sockets and patchy wifi. Check the specific site's policy on campfires and s'mores kits — many glampsites include a fire pit as standard, which is usually the highlight of a family glamping trip.
What are the true glamping essentials people forget most?
Beyond bedding and towels (the two most commonly assumed-included items that often aren't) — a head torch for the walk to shared facilities after dark, slippers or flip-flops for the structure's interior since most have wooden or rug flooring that gets cold and dirty from outdoor shoes, and a proper phone charger or power bank, since many glamping structures have limited or no power sockets. Firewood or kindling for a fire pit is also frequently assumed-provided when it isn't — check before arrival if a campfire is part of your plan.
What glamping equipment should you bring that isn't obvious?
A door draught excluder or extra blanket for canvas structures — even well-insulated bell tents and yurts have gaps at ground level that a standard sleeping bag doesn't fully address on cold nights. A small dustpan and brush, since canvas and wood floors bring in far more debris than a hotel room and most sites don't provide daily cleaning. And earplugs — glamping sites are often close enough together that neighbouring groups, wildlife, and dawn birdsong are more audible than in a fully enclosed room.
Can you bring dogs glamping, and what do you need to pack for them?
Many UK glamping sites are dog-friendly, but policies and limits vary far more than at standard campsites — check the specific listing rather than assuming, and confirm any per-dog surcharge before booking. Pack their own bed or blanket (canvas floors are cold), a lead for walking between structures at night, proof of vaccination if the site asks, waste bags, and a travel bowl. If you're looking specifically for pet-friendly options across the UK, our dog-friendly holiday packing list covers the wider essentials in more depth.
Check the weather and best time to visit before you finalise your Glamping packing list — and see country facts and travel info for entry requirements and local tips.
Not sure which suitcase size or clothing sizes you need? Check 247Sizing's luggage and clothing size guides before you pack.