In August 2026, a mum and daughter enjoyed one of our first Spectrum Experience Breaks at Leafy Fields Glamping in Devon. They spent three nights exploring, meeting the animals and enjoying some much-needed time together before the new school term.
Here, they share their experience in their own words—including the little details that helped them feel at home.
Our Experience – Leafy Fields (31st August – 3rd September ‘26)
We were extremely grateful and humbled to be awarded this short break by Spectrum Holidays. Leafy Fields is a perfect little getaway, a hidden gem, enabling us to unwind and spend time together in a peaceful setting, away from our busy routines.
Throughout our stay, we made some notes about the things we enjoyed. I have separated Theia’s feedback mine below in italics.
Before We Arrived
Before arriving, Theia felt a little anxious, she had been camping before but we never stayed in a safari tent so was unsure what to expect. Although she had seen photographs of the accommodation on the social story we received, she was still unsure about what to expect.
“When I first arrived, if I’m being honest, I didn’t really know what I thought. I felt a bit anxious because I didn’t know what else would be inside. I saw pictures but I still didn’t know what it would really be like.”
Exploring the Lodge
Once we arrived, Theia began exploring the accommodation and quickly claimed the mezzanine bed as her own. It was lovely to see her making herself and I’ve never seen her so keen to go to bed at night.
“When I explored the lodge, I found the bed above the sensory area. I was like, this bed is cool! I felt like a monkey! It is dark and comfortable and I think it’s probably the best part I like about this place, I loved the heart it had on the door too .”
We found the accommodation comfortable and welcoming. The different lighting features and colourful rainbow threads at the entrance made it feel particularly homely.
The beds were comfortable, the bedding was warm and we felt very cosy sat there on the sofa watching the sun go down. The electric heater was also very useful during the cooler evenings and there were even hot water bottles!
Sleeping and the Peaceful Surroundings
The surroundings were incredibly peaceful. The darkness and quiet made a noticeable difference, and everyone slept really well.
“It was very quiet at night. You could just hear the odd cow from the dairy farm and an owl. The beds were really comfortable and it was so dark. I slept really well.”
The Sensory Room
The sensory room was a nice touch and was situated away from the main accommodation and near the stable block. We wondered down there on our first day and spent about an hour there. The dart board was a hit!
“In the sensory room we met some friendly spiders! But they took their leave when we started playing soft darts.”
“There was also a cool chair in the corner which was fun to sit in. I thought the wooden-looking seat was real, but then when I sat on it, it collapsed underneath my bottom. My mum fell for it too!”
The Animals
The animals were another lovely part of the stay. They were very friendly and domesticated and often came over to greet us as we walked around the site.
Our daughter particularly enjoyed the goats.
“The animals came to greet me when I walked past and they were very gentle.”
“The goats were very friendly! They came under the bench to have a scratch and say hello. I think they were looking for food!”
The Facilities and Lighting
There were lots of thoughtful features throughout the accommodation. For me the kitchen was well equipped, I don’t think we lacked anything. There was a small fridge and microwave and on demand hot water that was fed by a gas heater outside the accommodation.
Our daughter particularly enjoyed the different lighting and sensory elements.
“I like the different lights in the tent and the rainbow threads when you come in. It feels very homely.”
“The electric heater is handy when it gets colder in the evenings.”
“In the shower they have lights, which I’ve never seen before! It’s great when you turn the main light off.”
These small touches made the accommodation feel comfortable and different from an ordinary holiday stay.
Visiting Coldharbour Mill
During our stay, we visited Coldharbour Mill near Uffculme village, about 10 minutes from the accommodation.
We spent about three hours exploring the old woolen mill which offered plenty of interesting things to see and explore and had a nice cafe on site.
“Today we went to the old woollen factory, at Coldharbour Mill, near Uffculme village. When we went inside the factory, it was actually very peaceful even though the machinery was running in the background.”
“They had lots of things you could touch, like wool and thread. I liked feeling the freshly spun wool.”
After exploring the mill, we spent some time near the café and stream.
“We went down near the café and there was a lovely view of the stream. We sat on a bench and had cream teas. They were delicious!”
“Above the river there was a bridge where you could look down and try to spot the ducks on the rocks. They have a lovely little house upon the riverbed.”
“I bought some dried lavender and I got a free bobbin! Today was great.”
Practical Feedback
Overall, we found the site welcoming and felt that the environment was safe and secure.
The only practical difficulty we experienced was with the entrance gate, the bottom latch was a little tricky but I got there! All the information sent prior to arrival and the pack in the safari tent pretty much answered any questions we had. The only issue we had during our stay was the hot water, which was quickly resolved with a message to Dannie who was able to pop over and change the gas cylinder. Wifi was a little intermittent but I had decent 4G connectivity so it didn’t prove to be a major issue, if anything disconnecting was a good thing!
Overall Experience
We had a really enjoyable and memorable short break. The accommodation was beautifully decorated, comfortable, and peaceful and full of interesting things to explore.
It was particularly lovely to see how much Theia relaxed during her stay, it was nice to have some mum, daughter time, which we don’t always get. We spent the evenings playing cards, scrabble and reading and spent daytimes on excursions, visiting the animals and painting. Her enjoyment and engagement were clear throughout the stay, and it was lovely to disengage from technology and make some lasting memories together.
The elevated bed, peaceful surroundings, uniqueness of the accommodation and animals were particular highlights. The opportunity to visit local attractions such as Coldharbour Mill also added to the experience.
“I think the best part I liked was the bed above the sensory area because it was really cool, dark and comfortable.”
“There was lots of stuff to explore and I liked all the animals. I had a really good time.”
Thank you so much for the opportunity to stay at Leafy Fields, it was such a joy to spend some quality time with my daughter before she went back to school. We don’t get to spend much time, just the two of us together. Dannie was a great host and her own understanding of neurodiversity is what made this tailored holiday so great.