Glamping at Castle Knights Usk

Like a lot of people we had to cancel a lot of travel plans this year, in fact, I was more organised this year than previous ones and had a road trip through Italy on the cards as well as a short break to France and the Channel Islands in the diary but just goes to show you never really can plan because who would of expected a pandemic in 2020, not me!

The one big positive about 2020 has been discovering and thoroughly enjoying the fantastic countryside we have on our doorstep in South Wales. We have been spending quite a lot of time in the Brecon Beacons slowly ticking off mountain summits and forest walks and it's an area of Wales we love and we had looked for a quick glamping getaway in the area but everywhere was booked out.

The boys had been keen to do some canoeing on the River Wye this summer so instead, we changed tack and came across the wonderful Castle Knights camping glamping in the grounds of Usk Castle and near Monmouth and the Wye Valley, it was perfect.

There are a few different options to stay in from Shepard's hut and Yurt to the 'Tom's Barrel" and the one we chose - Glyndwrs Fort which comfortably sleeps up to 4 people. My boys love knights and castles so this was a real treat especially as the inside of Glydwrs Fort has a real castle feel. The fort is still very much glamping but with perks obviously, such as lighting, plug sockets (great for charging your phone), a small radio and a nice seating area on the deck out the front and although there's no heating but we stayed nice and toasty in our season 3 sleeping bags (in fact at one point we were a little too warm).

The rest of the campsite while quite small it's car-free so safe for younger campers and is very well equipped and has excellent outdoor cooking facilities which provide enough shelter even in bad weather. The two large fire pits were also a hit with the kids who enjoyed roasted marshmallows after an early evening stroll around the Castle. There is also an outdoor swing, plenty of logs to sit on as well as tables for all the campers to spread out safely as per social distancing rules.

The campsite is also in a perfect location, right next to the Castle as well as a very short walk to Usk high street which has a lovely bakery and shop for all your needs. Usk itself is very pretty and it's worth taking a stroll through the area.

We also made sure to make the most of the location and as I mentioned we were keen to go canoeing on the River Wye so we headed to Symonds Yat which is a really fantastic place for walks and hikes and hired a family canoe. I was a bit nervous about staying safe but Wye Dean canoe hire had really good protocols in place, social distancing and mask-wearing were done throughout the hiring process and buoyancy aids are cleaned and sanitised after each use.

We had a great time on the river in truly stunning surroundings and for a moment it felt, despite everything, like a real holiday and it's been moments like these that have made summer for the boys.


*This is not an AD, we paid for our trip ourselves and thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Castle Knights Glamping.