Meet the couple who gave up high-flying careers to open a wifi-free glamping escape in Yorkshire

Though it put a stop to their immediate plans for the site, the couple said the pandemic gave them a brake which enabled them to revamp Acorn Glade, building a number of new lodges as well as prepping the space to be used all year round, rather than just in summer as it had been before.

Andrew said: “The previous owners shut down in the majority of the winter time, but we decided early on that we didn't want to do that.

“So part of the plan from the start was to invest in new cabins which are completely insulated and have wood burners, that make it viable for guests to come and have a nice time.

“But obviously that meant changing the accommodation, so we’ve invested quite heavily in the two new cabins - in addition to the one that was already here - and we’re looking at other plans for the future on how we can keep moving it forward as a small sized business.”

Acorn Glade also has no wifi, a decision Andrew and Wendy took in a bid to try and prompt guests to talk and connect with each other more.

Wendy said: “The idea is that people can put down their rectangles, and we’ve had a number of comments from people saying that they actually get to talk to each other when they come.

“We’ve also got a retro games console, as well as books and games like Mouse Trap. But a lot of people come because they enjoy the adventure and the mucking about of ighting a fire and sitting around it.”

The couple has also created a new building on the site named The Roost, which contains a wood burner as well as a table and chairs and guitar.

Originally from near Leeds, Andrew spent most of his previous career in the sports industry, most recently with an company running Formula One events.

Wendy had previously worked for British Airways as a cabin service director, while also doing training and recruitment.

Wendy noted how since moving from the South to take over the site in 2019, the couple have tried to become experts in the local area.

She said: “We’re able to highlight what there is, we know the great coffee shops and restaurants and pubs that are around. But we didnt want to ecommend things digitally, we wanted to do it all in person and find out what our guests want and what they’re looking for in their holiday. We spend a lot of time recommending places to guests.”

The couple noted how they had also made the decision to only allow a small number of guests at a time, enabling them to give each person more attention.

Wendy said: “We start by sending out messages once people have booked, building their excitement and talking to them about what we can offer.

“Then when the guests arrive we meet them personally rather than just leaving a key, and during their stay we will pop over if they need their fires lighting, or if they come in late we’ll light their fires for them. It's just little things like that, because we’re small enough to make those personal touches.”

The couple also hope to provide more experiences for their guests going forward, including supplying dining boxes with food and drink for guests, sourced from a local supplier.

Acorn Glade is home to a number of animals including rare white wallabies and a group of alpacas, which the Coe’s had looked after near their previous home in the South East.

Wendy uses the fleece from the alpacas for weaving and knitting, and runs workshops from Acorn Glade on how to use their fiber.

Wendy said: “We already had all the animals, and so they came with us. It meant the alpacas were liberated from living in a paddock, which they had done for a few years, to roaming around the place, and the guests love that.

“We also have wallabies which we’ve incorporated into our brand of Acorn Glade, which has gone down really well with the guests, as well as the REYTA judges.”

The couple took on care of the wallabies after their friends who owned a public garden decided to sell their property.

“They asked if we would take on some of the wallabies, because they werent sure who would be takin over the gardens,” said Wendy.

“We had to learn a lot quite quickly, but they're incredible creatures, and we have really rare ones because they’re all white.”

The couple have also discovered that the wallabies are related to the first ever wallabies to come over to the UK, brought here by their friend’s great grandfather. Wendy added that they believe this means almost all the wallabies in the UK are related to them.