Member Article

Shepherd’s Retreats join wildlife flock

Northumberland Wildlife Trust is delighted to welcome Shepherd’s Retreats as its latest Bronze Category corporate supporter.

The company offers guests a luxurious ‘back to nature’ (glamping) experience allowing them the chance to enjoy the glory of Northumberland including miles of sandy beaches, the Farne Islands and great local food.

At the end of 2018, Shepherd’s Retreats owner Samantha Smith and her family commissioned a Northumberland craftsman to build two bespoke huts: The Sandpiper and The Sanderling on the outskirts of Beadnell village.

Built from reclaimed wood, the bespoke huts are powered by solar energy and have glass panelled roofs enabling visitors to marvel at the fantastic dark skies. There are bird boxes in the private gardens of the huts, which attract various birds, including blue tits and swallows.

Careful consideration throughout the planning process was given with regard to the location of the huts and impact on the local environment, as the huts are located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The company was awarded silver in the 2019 Green Tourism Awards for the use of local produce in its welcome packs including cakes from Morpeth and craft ales from Amble.

In July 2019, the company won Gold in the North East Rural Business Awards for Tourism, with the judging panel commending the sustainable design and uniqueness of the huts.

Samantha and her family are proud to be supporting Northumberland Wildlife Trust and RNLI as their main charities and encourage all guests to get involved by providing information about the surrounding areas, wildlife on the Trust’s reserves in Northumberland and fundraising and donation suggestions.

Speaking about the latest addition, Mike Pratt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Chief Executive said: “It’s so encouraging for us that Samantha Smith and her family are just as passionate about Northumberland as we are, so I am sure this is going to be a wonderful partnership.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Northumberland Wildlife Trust .