Adult only, dog friendly, glamping in Rutland - FAQ's

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Bedding

In your dog friendly accommodation you just need bed linen (a bed sheet, duvet cover & pillow cases) and towels unless you have chosen to book the bedding and/or towels pack under extras. A double Duvet (in the pods) or a King size Duvet in Shepherds Rest together with two pillows are provided as standard - but you do need a sheet and covers to avoid soiling & to avoid extra charges!

Footwear

Wellies are advisable if there has been a deluge of rain! We are sited in the country, off the beaten track, in a secluded meadow.....although there are limestone paths that take you to your accommodation - in prolonged periods of rain, these can have surface water covering them in places.

Do we need to bring utensils or crockery?

Nope :-) In the units you will find all the essential crockery, utensils and pans needed to cook up a feast, inside or out. A starter amount of Tea, coffee, sugar, cooking oil & condiments are also provided together with shower gel, hand wash and toilet rolls. A small welcome pack will also be waiting for you on the dining table and in the fridge. The contents of this may vary but will always include some milk & either bread or similar :-)

In each unit you will also find:

Double bed (king in Shepherds Rest), shelving and hanging space for clothes, hairdryer, fans, usb chargers, kettle, toaster, caffettiere, two ring hob, combi microwave/cooker (full oven in Shepherds Rest), fridge with freezer compartment, en-suite with shower, flushing toilet, sink and heated towel rail; dining area with moveable or pull down table, leather sofa, mood lamps, twinkly lights, various games/books, torch and heated floors.

For your canine companions you will also find: 

Extra large water bowl; 2 dog food bowls, dog mitts, dog toys, dog mat (under sofa or under bed,) an old dog towel or two in the storage boxes outside, small throws, treat holding bag and poo bags. A doggie welcome pack will also be waiting for your beautiful paws.  We recommend bringing your own dog beds and throws if you would like snuggles on the furniture to avoid soiling.

We also provide a raised dog bed (to help keep your dog bedding dry if using outside after rain); a dog ramp to help our smaller or less mobile paws; paws paddling trays at each cabin and a shared paws paddling bath on entrance to the foot bridge. We also leave longer grass areas in the gardens for paws to play around and also as a cool place to lie in warmer weather if not taking advantage of the shade.

So, other than remembering your clothes,  toiletries and food, you just need to bring your sense of adventure for exploring or a good book to indulge in!

Rutland Rural Retreats is nestled within a private & secluded 4 acre meadow where we have just two glamping pods and one Shepherds Hut, all set a good distance apart & with privacy screening to allow maximum privacy. The gardens in no way back onto each other or touch each other. Please our ariel videos that demonstrates just how much space you get here unlike like other glamping sites.

The 3 units are also separated by a number of trees, hazel hurdles and meadow grasses, all which add to that sense of seclusion.  Ideal for couples wanting to get away from it all and avoid the regimental feel that many bigger sites may have as well as more nervous or reactive dogs who prefer their own space away from prying eyes. 

We also do not accept tents for this reason unless the site, as a whole, is being booked out as part of a retreat package.

Our dog friendly glamping accommodation is set off the beaten track from Littleworth Lane which adjoins the A47 at the bottom. The glamping meadow is surrounded on all four sides by trees and hedging with a perimeter low level stock fence enclosing it. It is not visible from any direction. Given its seclusion however you will hear farm machinery working in the adjacent fields on occassion and certainly if you come during harvest season and sometimes they can work late into the night! This can also result in crop dust in the air at this time.

Please google our location prior to booking. Given the proximity of the A47 over the fields, if the wind is blowing in the direction of the village, or towards the end of the season when the leaves begin to fall, you may occasionally hear some background road noise. 

A firepit complete with BBQ rack and paella pan is provided for guests enjoyment in the enclosed garden of each glamping unit free of charge. A fire pit starter kit can be added at time of booking and includes a 10kg bag of kiln dried Logs, a large bag of kindling and some fire starters and matches. Please note - only kiln dried logs and kindling purchased on site to be used in the fire pit since they are bought in especially to limit fire risk to adjacent meadow land.  Feel free to bring your own charcoal if you prefer - this can be purchased from various places, including the garage & hardware store in Uppingham. The use of disposable BBQ's is NOT permitted anywhere on site due to fire risk and danger to livestock. Please do not move the fire pit off the hardstanding area.

We kindly ask guests to leave to leave the fire pit and utensils in the state & place you found them, clean & ready for subsequent guests to enjoy.  Additional cleaning surcharges will be deducted if they are left dirty.

Shepherds Rest has always had its very own wood fired eco hot tub for those wanting to add an extra touch of indulgence to their experience.  We feel the eco nature of the hot tub together with its wood fired nature provides a sympathetic blend of luxury and fun without spoiling the tranquility or environment of the surroundings for fellow guests. 

We are currently (Jan 2026) working on having similar hot tubs added for both Woodpecker and Bumblebee so that guests who need Woodpecker for more reactive dogs or Bumblebee for its higher fencing, no longer have to forgo on the chance to have a dip. At WP and BB however these will be optional as extras so that you don't have to have them or incur extra cost, if you don't want to. We will keep you updated on their progress prior to the 2026 season commencing.

One bag of kiln dried fire wood is provided as part of the package for Shepherds Rest; extras can be purchased at time of booking or during your stay. Guests are solely responsible for filling and heating the hot tub as part of the experience. It takes approx 1 hour to fill the hot tub and 1-1.5 hours to heat, once full. Once heated, it will normally stay warm over night for an early morning dip the following day :-)

To maintain the tranquility of this dog friendly accommodation for other guests we would request that visitors are kept to a maximum of 2 adult visitors per glamping unit and they must vacate the site by 9 pm at the latest. Extra crockery and cutlery are provided for this purpose.

Unfortunately, due to the costs and time involve with changeovers in our dog friendly accommodation , our minimum glamping stay is predominantly 2 nights with discounts offered for stays of 3 nights or more.

We may, from time to time, offer special one night stays but these are obviously at a premium price. These will be advertised closer to availability via our social media accounts so keep an eye out as these will be available last minute only.

Absolutely! We warmly welcome your canine friends and have made our glamping site as dog friendly as possible so that they can enjoy their stay as much as you (see above re what is provided for paws).  We know the booking system states a max of 2 paws (it won't let us put a note against it :-( ) but Yes - we happily accept more than 2 paws if you drop us a line to discuss first so that we can make sure you feel you would be comfortable in the internal space available. We just point out that the bigger the paws, the less room for the humans but if you're like us........you probably don't care ;-) 

We do kindly ask guests to pick up all dog poo, both at your cabin and any deposited along your way as dog poo can be harmful to other animals and is pretty nasty to stand in. 

There is no additional charge for bringing your dogs, unlike at many other sites. Why would we, we welcome them even more than we do you ;-) and of course dogs are always welcome on the furniture for cuddles! We just ask that guests be responsible dog owners like we are and bring throws to protect any furnishings or bedding if you have chosen to book bedding as an extra; and leave the accommodation in the same state you found it - clean, tidy and free from dog hair and mess. We think that's fair but if anyone lets the side down for other dog owners by causing damage or soiling through not taking care & not using throws or leaving dog poo uncollected, then additional charges will be taken out of your security deposit so please be mindful of this.

For their safety, consideration to more nervous guests and that of other wildlife, sheep and horses over the brook, please keep dogs on lead at all times outside of your private enclosed garden area. Don't worry, the enclosed garden areas give plenty of room for them to stretch their legs, have zoomies and relax. The fencing is a little higher at Bumblebee for those that need it with 1.5m welded mesh or picket fencing all around, (1.2m - 1.5m at Woodpecker and 1m-1.5m at Shepherds rest)

There is also direct access from the meadow onto miles of off road countryside footpaths from 2025 onwards so once you arrive there really is no need to head back out onto the roads. 

Are Exempted dogs allowed?

We ask that you contact us direct to discuss. Our view is that the few should not spoil things for the many and so provided you can let us have a copy of your up to date exemption certificate and abide to the legislation (on leads and muzzled when outside of the secure garden area) then we would happily accept your beautiful paws in Bumblebee. We restrict to Bumblebee because this has the highest fencing at 1.5 metres. Please contact us prior to booking however.

Check in is from 4.00 pm - 8pm. An early check in of 2pm can be booked under the extras section at time of booking. Please don't arrive early unless you have been invited to. It takes this time for us to get the units and gardens clean and fresh so that you can enjoy your stay uninterrupted. In certain certain circumstances a later check in may be possible but contact us in advance if this is likely to be required. 

RRR operates a self check in to enable you to fully immerse yourselves in this remote experience. Gate code and directions will be provided a week prior to arrival via email. (Please check your spam in case it gets put into that.)

Check out by 11.00 am - please be prompt as cleaners arrive at 11am and will require access to your accommodation.

When checking out please leave the accommodation and garden as you found them, clean and tidy and follow the checking out instructions in the welcome pack inside your unit. Extra charges may apply if the units are not left in this state.

Each glamping unit has its own kitchenette with a fridge with freezer compartment.

No wifi here......the aim is to allow our guests to get away from it all so we actively encourage you to ditch the phones and talk to each other instead! Enjoy your surroundings, crack open a bottle, go for a walk but try to resist the urge to boot those phones up. If you really can't resist the urge then there is good 4g coverage here and usb charging sockets.

No - all our dog friendly accommodation glamping units are fully equipped with all the essentials to enable you to cook during your stay. If there is something we have forgotten or could improve by providing, please drop us a line with helpful feedback. Olive oil, salt and pepper are also provided.

 Yes. All three units have enclosed gardens with stock fencing. The fencing is approx. 1.2 - 1.5m in height for Woodpecker and 1m - 1.5m at Shepherds Rest; 1.5m all round at Bumblebee. The bottoms are reinforced where appropriate with logs and/or kick boards for smaller dogs and to deter local wildlife from paying a visit :-)  

We have found this to be a sympathetic height allowing the majority of dogs to be off lead and relaxing free when in the enclosed garden areas without the fencing encroaching on or spoiling the tranquillity and open views of the meadow. 

No separate tents or bookings for such are allowed on site to keep the intimate, secluded feel to the site. 

Yes. All three glamping units have mains electric and all the home comforts associated with this such as electric showers, heated towel rails, oven/microwave, electric fans, USB charging points etc

 Will you see any? Undoubtedly yes!

Guests often see our resident foxes meandering nearby,  see the Red Kites, Kingfishe, rowls and bats flying overhead, the odd muntjac here and there. Oh, and don't forget,  our resident horses and swiss valias black nose sheep but these reside the car park side of the brook, before you get to the glamping meadow so don't worry, our canine guests wont be teased by them ;-)! 

Unfortunately, due to the remote location and nature of the glamping accommodation, the units are not suitable for wheelchair access.

Yes, all three glamping units are connected to mains water.

Rutland Rural Retreats is an adult only dog friendly accommodation glamping site due to its ethos of providing a quiet, rural and relaxing environment to enable guests and their canine companions to truly relax and get away from it all. Unfortunately for that reason, children are not allowed on site. There are plenty of alternative venues which cater for bigger family's but very few that are dog friendly. We want to provide a special space for those that often have to leave their canine companions at home because of this.

Yes. Once entering the site, you follow a short limestone track to a small, purpose built car park. From here you collect your luggage trolley and stroll the short distance along the winding path, over the brook and into the meadow beyond where you will find your dog friendly accommodation glamping unit.

Smoking is only permitted in the enclosed garden areas. Please ensure any cigarette ends are properly disposed of and NEVER left on the ground or in the fire pit. Charges will apply if these are found after your stay or if the cabin is left smelling of smoke. Smoking is NEVER allowed in the cabins or on the decking.

 We are so grateful for all your kind reviews and have left a guest book in each unit as people love to look through these when staying for inspiration on how to spend their few days.

What we appreciate, more than anything however, is when guests have the time to leave their wonderful reviews on line on google for others to see and benefit from. Trip advisor sadly no longer supports independents but you will some of our older reviews on there from when they did. We are so very grateful when you do this. Facebook reviews sadly are often only available to people who are connected with you.

We have also left a google review card on the front of the welcome folders to make this as easy as possible to do. Just one tap and it takes you straight to our google page where you can leave your thoughts.

Thank you 

RRR

 Based in the East Midlands we are easily accessible. 

Leicester - 45 min

London - 2.5 hours (depending which side)

Sheffield - 1h 45 min

Nottingham - 50 mins

Bedford - 1h 15m

Cambridge - 1h 5 mins

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