ABOUT
Romantic off-grid hideaway in Somerset
The Scrumpling, tucked beneath the trees in a Somerset woodland, is a stylishly renovated vintage caravan. The name is a nod to the site’s West Country location - an old word for a small, ‘ill-shaped’ apple - the kind of windfall fruits that would have gone into scrumpy in years gone by, having been gleaned from orchards and hedgerows.
Owners Rhiannon and Richard salvaged Barbie-pink ‘Penelope’ from the other side of the country and brought her to rest in a shady but sun-dappled corner of their property. Since then they’ve made her watertight, taken her bodywork back to its more natural roots and reshaped her fittings so she feels more like a shepherd’s hut than a traditional caravan.
Open for stays between April and October, The Scrumpling is surrounded by two acres of private woodland and meadow that are solely for the use of guests. A calm, nature-focused retreat, it’s ideal for solo travellers, couples or parents with babes-in-arms (the site’s big, wildlife-friendly pond makes it unsuitable for families with young children).
With the kitchen and bathroom relocated to separate spaces outside the caravan The Scrumpling is now wonderfully roomy inside, with a custom-built king-size bed at one end, storage space in the middle and a lounge-like area at the other end where guests can sink into a sofa, binoculars or book in hand. Decorated in a soft, romantic style that reflects the woodland surroundings, the caravan capitalises on what The Times recently called “the next big travel trend” - or as we like to put it the “caravanaisance”.
Guests can squirrel themselves away in the woods, drifting in a hammock, star-gazing from the campfire or enjoying a glass of local cider or apple juice as the sun sets over the pond. It’s all about slowing down, and enjoying the tiny flashes of delight the natural world provides; guests can also dip into a library of books, games and creative prompts to help them embrace those slow nature moments.
The site is also brilliantly well-connected for exploring the local area. Set in Somerset’s ‘golden triangle’, between Frome, Bruton and Wells, The Scrumpling is just off an old road once used by the Romans to transport lead from mines in the Mendips to their docks at Clausentum (now Southampton). Zip onto it and you’ll find you’re 30 minutes’ drive from Bath, 15 minutes’ from the Glastonbury Festival site, 17 minutes’ from Wells Cathedral, 25 minutes’ from the Cheddar Gorge and 18 minutes’ from Bruton. Even closer are Vobster Quay open-water swimming, diving and paddle-boarding centre, Babington House members’ club and the fireside bar at The Talbot Inn, in Mells - all are under 10 minutes away.
