The Merry Harriers

What could make a stay in a swish shepherd’s hut in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty even more spectacular? A scenic pond? Yep. A 16th-century pub just opposite? Definitely. And a group of llamas in the grounds...? 100%.

These animals hang out in the village of Hambledon: go wave hello on your way to drinks at The Merry Harriers inn (which the site belongs to), where you can still spy the list of landlords’ names written on the walls dating as far back as the early 1700s. Or better yet ask at the bar about treks with these furry creatures in tow; amble alongside them on The Greensand Way while they carry a picnic prepared for you by the pub (with options to add a bit of fizz as a treat…).

You could also sip a glass of vino – kept cool in the wine fridge – while lying back on the teak sun loungers beside the firepit outside your shepherd’s hut during cooler summer evenings or cosy up in front of the logburner inside in winter. Your slick space will also have a private bathroom with a shower and luxury toiletries, a flatscreen TV, wifi access and a Nespresso coffee machine.

The underfloor heating is a cosy addition to the hut and one that’s especially welcome after getting feet wet on a fly fishing in the local area (check on site about organised trips). You can spend time outdoors gazing at more than 1,000 different tree and shrub species at the National Trust - Winkworth Arboretum too, just over five minutes’ drive away, or in the 25 acres of woodland and hills at award-winning Ramster Gardens about 10 minutes down the road…