Best shepherd huts to make the most of your garden: Traditional and contemporary styles to love
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Who hasn’t wondered, even for a fleeting moment, what it would be like to pack in the rat race for a simpler life?
Renounce London and her many charms - theatre, restaurants, architecture and innovation - for a serene life free from deadlines, train strikes and poor air quality. How does it sound? Glorious.
Well, perhaps for a day or two, before the boredom kicks in.
London is one of the world’s most exciting places to live, but that’s not to say we couldn’t use a breather now and again. Is there a way to have your cake and eat it? Yes, with two words you probably didn’t expect: shepherd huts.
Invest in one of these and you can continue being a big bad city wolf in the week before segueing into Little Bo Beep at the weekend when R&R is all that’s on the agenda.
Shepherd huts are a wildly popular glamping option, alongside Mongolian-style yurts and bell tents. Their compact size encourages outdoor living, meaning they’re best used in the summer months when good weather is more likely.
Far more spacious than a tent with a door and window and elevated on a set of wheels, you can fit creature comforts like a full-size bed, seating and storage inside. It’s the ultimate in tiny living.
If you’ve the space, why not bring the glamping feel home to your garden? A single shepherd’s hut makes a multifunctional alternative to a shed or summerhouse, adding a sprinkling of character along the way.
Use it for anything, whether you’d like one for WFH days, a playroom for the kids, a garden retreat, or a unique space to sleep overnight guests.
In true sheep-herding style, we’ve rounded up the best shepherd huts to buy in the UK. Most require building from scratch, so rope in a friend and wait for good weather before getting to it.
Ready to clamber onto the bandwagon? Let’s go.
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Crane Garden Buildings Shepherd Hut with End Door
Dimensions: 2.4 x 3.6m
Available in a slew of National Trust-esque colours, Crane Building's design echoes traditional hut styles with a door and small steps at the end. The FSC-certified redwood-clad hut boasts pine lining and double-glazed windows to let light in and cold out.
Inside there's enough space for a rug, desk and armchair, creating a cosy nook in which to retreat.
Comes with a five-year guarantee.
Crane Garden Buildings Shepherd Hut with Long Side Door
Dimensions: 2.4 x 3.6m
Offering a different layout to an end-door design, this shepherd hut puts the door in the centre with a set of windows on either side. Available in nature-inspired colours using paint with microporous properties to protect the Scandinavian wood underneath, this is a hut destined to become the garden's focal point. It will serve beautifully as a garden office or playroom for kids.
Norscan Shepherd’s Hut Glamping, Log Cabin
Dimensions: 2.5 x 2 x 3.2m
This adorable shepherd's hut features a little covered deck, creating space for potted plants or a small shoe rack to keep the interior clean.
Featuring a curved roof, stable door and window, the design rests on legs although spoked wheels are available as an extra for those who wish to stay true to the traditional look. The hut will arrive flat-packed on a pallet untreated, which you'll need to do post-build. There’s a bonus here: you can paint it any colour you want.
Construction should be straightforward as all pieces interlock or use tongue and groove to fit together. Comes with a one-year manufacturer’s guarantee.
Gudrum Classics Ltd Carry Shepherds Hut Playhouse
Dimensions: 2 x 2.6 x 1.5m
Designed for kids, this sweet design is painted a bright blue with white detailing to encourage little ones to get out into the garden for non-screen playtime. Windows are made from Plexiglass, and a large counter and bench keep smaller toys and create seating respectively. It can accommodate four children; prepare for your garden to become the ultimate playdate venue.
Sold with a three-year guarantee.
Buttercup Farm Shepherds Hut Hen House
Dimensions: 1 x 1.35m
If you haven't the space for a full-size shepherd's hut, hope is not lost. You can get this miniature one designed for poultry from Buttercup Farm. Designed to mimic the classic style, it has been constructed from tongue and groove board on a softwood frame with a corrugated finish to defend it against the elements and wheels for easy manoeuvrability.