GLAMPING is a pretty broad term to describe luxury accommodation these days, and for me I’ve always associated it with yurts or shepherd’s huts, writes Niall Griffiths.

The concept of safari tents was therefore quite unfamiliar to me before stepping onto Hillside Farm, which sits within 175 acres of farmland above the village of Llangennith, on the Gower Peninsula.

We were greeted by Ellen Taylor, who represents one of two generations of the same family who live on the farm today.

After unloading our stuff into nearby wheelbarrows, Ellen led us past the farm’s honesty shop, where guests can buy essentials or borrow a book to get stuck into during their stay.

From there a gravel path slopes around to where three large tents face out to a large open field with a small play area perfect for small children.

What strikes me first is the size of the large canvas tents that are held up by wooden frames and poles. It’s clear that the tents are more than spacious enough to cater for couples (like us) or families.

Each tent is elevated on a wooden platform which has a terrace to the front and a sheltered wood-fired hot tub to the side.

The view from the terrace is one of peaceful patchwork hills, disturbed only by the odd car or van navigating narrow country lanes.

Stepping inside, we’re met with a cosy open plan living and cooking space, complete with sofas, a dining table and a kitchen complete with all the appliances you’ll need during your stay.

The wooden panels separating this space from the bedrooms and bathroom to the rear give the illusion that you’re staying in a cabin.

And thanks to four wall-mounted heaters spread around the tent, that illusion becomes even more believable.

There is a double bed, two single beds along and a nest bed hidden away behind curtains. The bathroom boasts a good-sized shower, sink and toilet.

Mesh windows are dotted around the tent, and like the front door, can be rolled up or down to let the light in or keep it out.

Hillside serves as the perfect springboard for a wealth of activities within walking distance, namely the incomparable Rhossili Bay.

The sandy beach stretches for three miles from its northernmost point near Llangennith to the south and the village which shares the same name as the bay.

With several holiday parks dotted behind the sand dunes, Rhossili Bay is easily accessible by car and by foot if you follow the roads and twisting country lands.

But for the most adventurous, there are several coastal paths that can take you to the bay from further inland.

One such path is minutes from the road leading to Hillside Farm, and it is this path which we chose to follow for our first visit to the beach.

The journey took us through fields filled with curious animals, across small brooks and streams, and through fields of ferns until we found ourselves atop one of the steep hills overlooking the bay.

With strong winds quickly putting an end to our attempts at playing frisbee, we set about walking south towards Rhossili, taking time to look at wreck of the Helvetia.

All that is left of the ship, which went aground in 1887, is several gnarled pieces of wood jutting out from the sand.

After taking a longer, but equally scenic, route back to Hillside we decided it was time to give our hot tub a go.

Firewood is provided – pre-chopped – and it took around three hours to get it to temperature, allowing us to relax before heading to bed before our last full day.

To the northwest of Rhossili Bay is Whiteford Sands, which is also backed by sand dunes and is nearly stretched as far as its close neighbour.

The beach can be accessed from a stone ramp leading from a nearby caravan site or from a sandy path which leaves you at the edge of one of the many cliffs.

From here you can carefully clamber down the rocks, past numerous rockpools and in our case, a very adventurous rock-climbing dog.

If you stick close to the cliffs you can find several small caves, some of which you can easily enter.

After several successful games of frisbee – thanks in no small part to a large rocky outcrop which shielded us from the worst of the winds – we drove back to Hillside.

There are several small villages with pubs within driveable distance from the farm, but on our final night we took the easy route by taking the 20-minute walk down to The King’s Head Inn in Llangennith.

With the evening sun shining down on the pub’s beer garden, we had one last chance to soak in Rhossili Bay’s beauty before heading back to prepare for our return to civilisation.

If you’re interested in booking your own mini break at Hillside, search for Hillside Glamping Holidays on Facebook.