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Whether you’ve always dreamt of staying in a winery or are keen to try out glamping, Hencote is an ideal destination. This award winning Shropshire winery also has a stylish restaurant and glamping lodges. It’s also a popular Shropshire wedding venue.
Hencote Glamping Village in Shropshire
If you’re looking for a fun UK staycation, these luxury Shropshire glamping tents are perfect. Hencote offer a Staycation Package which includes a chilled bottle of their Evolution Sparkling Wine, a breakfast hamper, wine tour and tasting and a £35 allocation per person towards dinner at The Balcony. You’ll also receive a complimentary glass of Hencote Evolution sparkling wine with your meal.
First Impressions of Hencote
You’ll receive detailed booking details via email, with check-in and check-out times. Hencote is located just 2.5 miles from Shrewsbury, on a hillside with panoramic views of the town.
Arriving at the Hencote Estate, you immediately notice the attention to detail. There’s an imposing sign and driveway leading you up the hill to the winery.
Contactless check-in is quick and easy and you’re given a map showing the location of your lodge. An electronic welcome pack gives you details about the lodge and local area, as well as the contact details of a member of the team. Free car parking is available a few minutes walk from the lodge entrance.
A well-maintained path leads to each lodge. Unlike in some glamping sites, there’s no camping at Hencote Glamping Village and it is very peaceful and private.
Hencote Glamping Lodges
We stayed in Chardonnay, which has three sleeping areas and is a good size for a family. There’s a bedroom with a comfy double bed, another bedroom with bunk beds and a sleeping nook that’s large enough for two young children.
Although the ten lodges look like safari tents from the outside and have tent flaps, inside there’s central heating and electric lighting. You also have access to complimentary high speed WiFi.
The tent’s layout is very clever, with sliding doors to make optimal use of the space. In the living and kitchen area, you have two sofas, a wood-burning stove, dining table for four and a large cubby hole to store luggage in.
The kitchenette is equipped with a mini-fridge, toaster, kettle and sink. There’s a very spacious bathroom with a roll-top bath and a walk-in rain shower. It’s equipped with soft fluffy towels and complimentary toiletries.
Underfloor heating keeps this space really cosy while wicker screening outside makes it totally private. The front porch has a large L shaped sofa and a dining table, as well as a bean bag that’s perfect for sunbathing.
As all the lodges in Hencote Glamping Village face South, the terrace really catches the sun. This is a lovely spot in which to enjoy a glass of Hencote wine or to have breakfast.
A highlight of glamping at Hencote is the private outdoor woodfired hottub. The staff will warm it up for you before your arrival and you can relax in style.
Within the Hencote Estate, there is also a Georgian farmhouse, The Grange, which has space for up to 14 guests, a steam room and an eight person cedar wood hot tub.
Hencote Dining
You can order a breakfast hamper which includes a lovely selection of local cheeses, hams, as well as smoked salmon, fruit and croissants.
Hencote’s restaurant, The View, has an elegant yet relaxed feel. There are floor to ceiling windows from which to admire the views of Shrewsbury and the surrounding countryside.
On the grand piano, you’ll see a monkey sculpture holding a bottle of Hencote wine. This is a nod to neighbouring Hencote Farm, where the owner bred monkeys in the 1960s.
At the moment, in line with government regulations, Hencote is open for outdoor dining on The Balcony and drinks on The Lower Deck. This terrace has several bookable pods with cosy seating which are ideal for small groups of up to 6 people.
From May 17, guests can choose to dine inside or out. There are infrared lamps on The Balcony Upper Deck and permanent parasols so you won’t get cold or wet if eating outside.
The Balcony menu features classics such as wood fired pizzas and prime cut burgers as well as tasty small plates such as grilled chicken satay skewers and Hencote vine tomatoes with burrata, peach and parma ham salad.
We particularly recommend the ham hock croquettes with piccalilli sauce, the pulled smoked chicken tacos and the grilled tuna steak with Asian slaw, edamame beans, ginger and soy dressing. A sommelier is on hand to guide your wine selection.
Finish your meal with a delicious Garden Berry Eton Mess, Vanilla Cheesecake with Poached Rhubarb and Ginger Beer Sorbet or a homemade gelato.
Hencote Wine Tasting Tour
The Hencote vineyards are planted on a South facing gradient, and cultivated using sustainable techniques. No herbicides are used, and the wines are picked by hand.
There are 23,000 vines in all, and you can actually adopt a vine! This makes a great gift for wine lovers.
The soil at Hencote sits on glacial till, material left behind by glacier movement thousands of years ago. This gives ideal growing conditions for the vines.
During the Hencote wine tasting tour, you’ll get a chance to see the vines and learn about the vinification process. Hencote’s top of the range wines mature in Italian terracotta clay amphora vessels. They’re a thing of beauty, and the Amphora Pinot Noir 2018 won the Gold Medal at the International Wine Challenge.
After the tour of Hencote vineyard and winery, you’ll get a chance to try four Hencote wines. We tried Evolution Sparkling 2018, Lifestyle Rosé NV, Solaris 2018 and Mark I 2018. Our favourite was Evolution, which has notes of elderflower and crab apples.
You can buy Hencote wine at the Wine Shop, located next to The View restaurant or order from the glamping lodge mini-bar. It’s also possible to buy online.
Things to Do Near Hencote
If you can tear yourself away from your hottub and the relaxing surroundings of the Hencote Estate, there are some fascinating things for solos, couples and families to do nearby. Just out of the lane, you can do a lovely walk down the hill towards Shrewsbury. Here are some other suggestions that you might like:
- Shrewsbury town centre – The Quarry Park and The Dingle, Shrewsbury Castle, Charles Darwin statue, Shrewsbury Abbey, boat trip on the River Severn, Battlefield Falconry Centre.
- The Iron Bridge – the first cast iron bridge in the world and the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. There are now 10 museums and several historic sites within the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.
- Sytch Farm Studios – if you’re a fan of pottery, this is a great place to buy directly from the potter. Book an appointment by email: enquiries@sytchfarmstudios.co.uk or phone: 01743718908.
- Much Wenlock – a picturesque small town with many medieval buildings and Wenlock Priory, the ruins of a 12th century monastery.
- Attingham Park – a Grade I listed 18th century country house and gardens near Atcham village.
All in all, the Hencote Estate is a great place to visit, whether for a wine tour, relaxing meal or a wonderful glamping stay. Mid-week bed and breakfast packages start at £165 and staycation packages are from £430, representing a 25% saving.
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