10 reasons why glamping pods win out of season

Forget shivering, cosy and comfortable glamping pods are springing up across the UK, and only getting more popular. Riding a glamping wave that started when they first came to public attention a decade ago, industry insiders estimate that there are as many as 1,000 pod sites in the UK today.

We’ve marked those 10 years with 10 reasons why you’ll be bowled over by a pod holiday.

We love tent camping as much as anyone, but it’s not quite a roll up and hop into bed affair. If your tent’s already buried somewhere in the attic for the end of season, or it gave up the ghost after one holiday too many earlier this summer, pods are very tempting.

It’s a case of park the car and pop in to unpack. Everything is ready and waiting behind your pod door, with zero effort. 

Toasty enough to stay in all year round, pods are impressively designed to keep you at just the right temperature in the great outdoors. They hold heat brilliantly in winter, with many offering features like French windows that are double glazed, and soft lamb’s wool insulation built into their walls.

Take for example, Stanley Villa Farm Camping, where the insulated pods are topped up with free hot water bottles for guests. You’re absolutely sure to stay snuggly inside.

The solid walls of a pod are just what you need at this time of year, and even if the weather turns, you’ll be snoozing in comfort. Neither wind nor rain can touch you in your cosy cabin.

Forget waking with the dawn, you can enjoy a lay in as the solid walls won’t let the sunlight shine in at 5 am like a tent will!

Not only that but your perfect pod door is likely often lockable, giving you a safe and private hideaway.

Just like home, life in a pod doesn’t include sleeping on the floor, and the insulation of being off the ground packs in plenty of warmth and comfort. Whether there’s a handy platform provided and guests bring their own sleeping supplies, all the way up to a full scale four poster bed with soft cotton sheets, pods will have you covered.

Stonehenge Campsite and Glamping Pods is packed with proper beds for you to enjoy, not to mention the famous monument right at hand. Either way. it’s a recipe for a great night’s sleep.

Even in the wildest and most remote spots, most pods are set up with either mains or solar power including electric sockets and USB points, plus the luxury of lighting inside.

You can curl up with your favourite book after the sun goes down, or stay in touch with family and friends thanks to a working mobile.  Pods are ideal for the colder months, when the sun sets earlier and it’s lovely to be able to enjoy an evening indoors with a bit of headroom.

Whether you’re heading to the hills with someone special or taking a gaggle of little ones to the seaside, there is a pod that suits.

Quirky options with all the right eco credentials include Atlantic Surf Pods. A family of four will be perfectly comfortable in these curved and luxurious (truly glamping) pods by the Cornish Coast.

There’s no need to shut yourself indoors as the weather gets less summery. Pods give you access to the UK’s peaceful bays, rolling hills and unbeatable forests at any time of year.

There’s no need to sacrifice being outdoorsy just for creature comforts though. A pod has everything you need to enjoy a comfy stay.

Just like us, your pooch loves a holiday at any time of year. Whatever the season they’re always mad keen for a walk, a run on the beach or just curling up beside you in the warmth of a wood burner.

Like many pod sites, Mulino Pods will welcome your four legged friend to sniff out the beauty of the Peak District.

Being a perfect mini home from home, top-end pods like those at Peaks and Pods even offer your own private kitchen and bathroom. Campers might be braving the elements to get to the facilities block, but not you!

The raw beauty of the Peak District has never looked so luxurious!

Pods became so popular because they offer you exactly the basics that matter. But of course, there’s space to add a few touches of luxury too!

Heading in Cheshire’s countryside, you’ll love Kiss Wood Cabins’ cosy pods. Set in a lush valley, they feature underfloor heating so that you can walk around barefoot and keep your toes toasty.

You’ll be able to sink gratefully into your own bubbling hot tub and lie back in front of incredible views. Named after the lovely local flowers of England, these pods are far from frosty.

We haven't reached 'peak glamping' yet, but what will the next decade bring?