Glamping Hen Do Ideas: How To Plan The Perfect Woodland Weekend

A glamping hen do is the middle ground between a cottage and a campsite: proper beds, a fire pit, no neighbours to annoy. The two things that make or break it are the weather plan and the food plan.

Here's how to choose the site, dress the tents with things that survive a field, feed everyone without a kitchen, and keep the weekend going when it turns.

Choosing the site

• Check how far the toilets and showers are from the tents in the dark. This one detail decides how the weekend feels.
• Ask whether there's a covered communal space. Without one, a wet Saturday means everyone sitting on beds.
• Confirm the fire pit rules and whether wood is included - buying it locally on the day is expensive and often sold out.
• Check the last-mile road. Some sites need a walk from the car park with all your bags, which changes what you bring.
• Ask about a nearby pub. A twenty-minute walk to a pub is a whole extra activity for free.
• Confirm phone signal and whether the site has wifi, then tell everyone in advance so nobody panics on arrival.

Decor that survives a field

• Bunting is the perfect outdoor decoration - it packs flat, hangs from guy ropes and tent poles, and doesn't mind a breeze.
• String it between two tents rather than inside one. Outdoors is where the photographs happen.
• Air-filled balloons, not helium - helium sags in the cold and escapes the second a tent flap opens.
• Battery fairy lights and lanterns rather than candles anywhere near canvas.
• Bring a groundsheet or two cheap rugs. A rug outside a bell tent does more visually than anything you can hang up.
• Table confetti in a bell tent is a bad idea and a nightmare to clean. Save it for the table under cover. Shop this card
• Pack everything decorative in one clear box so it can go straight back in on Sunday morning.

Food without a kitchen

• Friday night: something that needs no cooking at all. Everyone arrives at different times and nobody is hungry at the same moment.
• Saturday breakfast: pastries and a big pot of coffee. Cooking eggs for twelve on a camp stove is a two-hour job.
• Saturday lunch: a grazing board on a trestle table. No plates, no heat, no timing.
• Saturday night: one-pot food or a barbecue with one named person in charge of it.
• Sunday: leftovers and the drive home. Don't plan a meal on a checkout morning.
• Bring twice the bin bags you think you need and a box for glass.

The weather plan

• Assume one wet half-day. Have one indoor activity ready that works under a gazebo or in the biggest tent.
• Wellies and a spare pair of socks on the packing list you send out, in bold.
• A tarp or gazebo over the eating area is the single best thing you can hire or borrow.
• Hot water in flasks in the evening - tea in a field at nine o'clock is disproportionately good.
• Layers, not coats: fields get cold two hours before anyone expects.
• Have a nearby indoor backup - a pub, a village hall, a spa an hour away - and the phone number saved.

Shop party supplies

How to write it so it lands

• Book the site before you invite anyone. Availability decides the date, not the other way round.
• Put one person in charge of the fire and one in charge of the music, and tell them in advance.
• Send the packing list two weeks out and again on the Wednesday.

Where to shop next

• How to host a stylish hen party at home
• What to put in hen party bags
• Classy hen party themes
• How to plan a hen do on a budget
• DIY afternoon tea hen party
• Hen party games at home
• Low-key hen do games
• Classy hen party games
• Hen party cottage ideas
• Hen party ideas in the UK
• How much a hen or stag do costs
• Shop party supplies
• Hen party decorations
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Party bag ideas for adults
• How much helium do you need for balloons?
• Congratulations cards
• Wedding cards
• Wedding cards guide
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What is a glamping hen do?

A hen weekend at a site with bell tents, cabins, shepherd's huts or yurts - proper beds and often a fire pit, with the outdoor feel of camping but none of the pitching. Most UK sites sleep 10 to 20 across several tents.

How do you decorate a bell tent for a hen do?

Bunting from the guy ropes and tent poles, battery fairy lights inside, air-filled balloons rather than helium, and a rug outside the door. Everything should pack flat and tolerate a breeze.

What should you pack for a glamping hen weekend?

Wellies, layers, a torch, a power bank, flasks, bin bags and twice the tea bags you think you need. Send the list to guests two weeks ahead, with wellies in bold.

How much does a glamping hen do cost in the UK?

Sites vary widely by region and season, so price two or three and divide by the confirmed group before you book. Costs fall sharply outside school holidays and on Friday-to-Sunday rather than bank holiday weekends.

Do you sell hen party decorations?

Not hen-branded ones - no sashes, veils or slogan kits. We do make and post real party decor that works for a hen do: bunting and banners, balloons, table confetti, cake toppers and party bag fillers, along with wedding and engagement cards and art prints.