THE HELIPOD | Quirky Stays 07

My final Quirky Stay of 2025 – at the Helipod – two cosy November nights glamping inside a grounded helicopter on the Lincolnshire coast.

Over the past year, I’ve been chasing down Quirky Stays, places that turn a night away into a story worth telling.

The very first was the truffle cabin at Honeydown, chosen as a way to be proactive in my grief, using the outdoors and small doses of adventure to help me process and reflect on my news. From there, the journey unfolded into the caravan perched on a Bristol rooftop, a wooden cabin in Wales, the crazy immersive world at Talliston, and then that cute fairy-tale mushroom-shaped cabin that provided a retreat from everything. More recently, I leaned into contrasts at a capsule hotel in London, where minimalism met the buzz of the city.

Each stay has had its own flavour of fun, surprise, and comfort, and together they’ve shaped this series into a little celebration of curiosity and resilience.

This journal marks the seventh and final entry for 2025 – and I knew I had to end on something memorable. So, I booked myself into a glamping pod made from an old military helicopter at RAF Wainfleet in Lincolnshire, combining the adventure with a trip to visit family and friends in the shire. Coined the Helipod, this turned out to be exactly the kind of playful, offbeat finale I was hoping for.

Quirky Stays 07 | The Helipod at RAF Wainfleet

Set on the site of the former RAF Wainfleet in Lincolnshire, once a training ground for the Dambusters no less, the Helipod is a decommissioned Westland Lynx that’s been converted into holiday accommodation. It sits alongside a restored air traffic control tower and old RAF bunkers, with the surrounding farmland giving the whole place a curious mix of history and countryside calm.

Inside, the Helipod is surprisingly cosy. The cabin has been fitted with a double sofa bed and even underfloor heating. It’s compact, of course, but that’s part of the fun – stepping into a space designed for flight and finding it transformed into a snug retreat. Behind the helicopter, a decked area offers a BBQ, chimenea, picnic bench, and outdoor sofa, so evenings can be spent under the stars with the hum of working countryside around you.

There’s a playful novelty in staying somewhere that once soared through the skies, now grounded as a quirky pod. Yet it’s also grounding in another sense: being here felt like a reminder of how adventure doesn’t always need to be grand, and that memories can live in familiar places. This is about finding joy in the unusual, and letting those small doses of outdoors and history help me pause, reflect, and reconnect.

Getting there was part of the adventure: Sea Lane, a mile and a half of narrow, pot‑holed Lincolnshire track, stretched straight from the main road to the coast. By the time I reached the site, the sense of remoteness was already setting the tone for retreat.

Watch the Quirky Stay Video…

Before I get into the details of sleeping inside the Helipod, let me point you to the video that goes with this post…

This one’s a playful little wander through RAF Wainfleet, showing the pod itself, the outdoor space, and a few snippets of the surrounding Lincolnshire countryside. You’ll see me settling into the snug cabin, see how I spend my time in Lincolnshire, as hear me share some small reflective moments.

It’s part novelty tour, part gentle pause, capturing both the fun of staying somewhere so unusual and the sense of history that lingers on the site. If you’d rather watch than read, do give it a look.

And please, hit that like button, leave me a comment, and come along for the ride as I wrap up this year’s series with this final quirky flourish.

Yes, In a Helicopter

On the east coast of Lincolnshire, RAF Wainfleet is a curious little compound where echoes of aviation history meet quirky reinvention. You can see the old air traffic control tower from miles away, a Jetstream sits in one corner, and in the other, a Lynx military helicopter has been transformed into a glamping pod. From a distance, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was still operational – flat tyres and red fairy lights strung around the rear prop the only giveaways that this aircraft is now grounded.

Walk around to the other side and the illusion breaks: a small wooden porch shelters the sliding door, with hooks and a shelf for coats and boots, and a covered seating area tucked in beside it. That porch proved invaluable in November, keeping the entrance dry and giving me space to shed layers before stepping inside.

The cockpit remains intact, complete with seats and controls, and the front doors open so you can climb in and ‘play helicopters’. In the main space, the cabin has been reimagined as a snug one‑room pod. It’s camping‑side glamping, nowhere near the luxury of Honeydown, but undeniably cosy and very quirky indeed.

The Helipod is, of course, helicopter‑sized: you can’t stand up fully inside. I’m short, so in the main body I could shuffle about with head and shoulders hunched, just enough to move around and get dressed easily. The futon folds into a normal double bed, much bigger than the capsule hotel, and makes the space feel surprisingly generous for something once built to fly. As quirky as it gets in terms of a glamping pod I reckon – this isn’t a shepherd’s hut like you normally see!

Helipod Amenities

As mentioned above, the Helipod is fitted out with the essentials. There’s a futon bed that folds easily between sofa and mattress, complete with appropriate union flag bedding. First impressions of the thin and lumpy futon mattress worried me a bit, but it was far more comfortable than any camping bed. I slept well, not least because that underfloor worked a treat against the November chill. It was very cosy and comfortable, but definitely basic.

Inside there is a kettle, mini fridge, TV and DVD player (with DVDs), but I didn’t use any of those. I did use what turned out to be very decent wifi, though, and was grateful for the good lighting and power for charging, which other quirky stays haven’t had. That decked outside was nice to have, although the picnic table doesn’t fit under the covered section, so you can’t use it when it’s raining. I lucked out with dry weather in the most part, and honestly, the November chill took me inside to eat anyway.

The Helipod comes with its own private kitchen and bathroom in a separate building. The bathroom opens directly off the main door, with the kitchen in another room – odd if you’re sharing, but spacious and well equipped. The shower was decent, and the kitchen had everything I needed including an oven, fridge and microwave. Towels aren’t provided, but a rechargeable lantern was, which proved handy for the very long evenings. As I say, this is not luxurious glamping, but the set-up is functional and thoughtful, and respectable enough as an outdoorsy base.

Glamping in November

Glamping in November is a choice; the short days and long nights must be prepared for. But they also bring their perks – the Helipod is surrounded by flat fields and little else, giving the biggest of the famous Lincolnshire skies that delivered phenomenal sunsets and, on my second morning, the famous Lincolnshire fog. It might not have been surrounded by a fairy garden or woodland wonderland, but those big skis present their own kind of magic.

I was very grateful for that futon sofa bed, because that gave me somewhere for a daytime perch; a place to read, write, and sip lots of tea. Especially in the evenings, when I was done sitting outside in the dark. I reheated past‑Zoe dinners and leaned into the retreat‑like rhythm of glamping in winter. The underfloor heating kept the cabin snug, and though I’d brought my Rumpl blanket just in case, I didn’t need it. My head torch was essential for navigating the site after dark – until I managed to break it that is, a farewell to an old companion! (Don’t worry, I’ve got a new one.)

The short daylight hours meant I rested more, slept longer, and accepted that photos would be gloomy. But that’s part of the November glamping life: embracing the quiet, the early finishes, and the chance to pause. It was quirky, yes, but also reflective, an adventure that reminded me how even small, unusual stays can help you slow down, process, and find comfort in the unexpected.

Beyond the Helipod

This was a quirky stay filled with warmth and reflection in many ways: family time, seaside wanders, nostalgia and memories, and solitude. Each part added its own layer to the experience, and together they made this final quirky stay feel complete.

Part of the reason for going was to give me the chance to combine an unusual stay with some time with loved ones. Lincolnshire is where my family are, so it was natural to build in visits alongside the Helipod adventure. We wandered Skegness beach together, surprisingly not bracing given the time of year. We indulged in fish and chips followed by seaside doughnuts – my favourite. I also caught up with a couple of previous colleagues at my old favourite haunt Coffee Aroma in Lincoln, and had a mooch around the city to see what’s changed since we moved away. Later, there was a long‑overdue dinner with a very good friend, the kind of evening that fills you up in more ways than one.

I carved out time for myself, too. I had intended to walk along the coast path to Gibraltar Point, but a sign warning of no safe passage across the river put paid to that plan. Instead, I headed to Chapel Point, where I walked the beach from the North Sea Observatory – the UK’s only purpose‑built marine observatory, with its impressive glass‑fronted café and gallery space overlooking the dunes. Just along the coast, I stopped at the Sound Tower, part of the ‘Structures on the Edge’ project. It’s a curious installation that funnels the wind and resonates with a gong, amplifying the natural drama of the site. Although I admit I didn’t really hear any of that – never mind!

The Helipod in Review

The Helipod was really fun, and about as quirky as it gets. It ticked all the boxes in terms of offbeat accommodation, and felt very different to all the others in the series. Glamping in a basic form, but still cosy and comfortable – a nice, weird, and unusual place for a two‑night stay. Strange, too, to think I’ve driven past RAF Wainfleet hundreds of times before without ever knowing this was here. Having lived surrounded by RAF bases for years, it was oddly satisfying to sleep on one, even if disused.

At night it was quite eerie, especially being there on my own with none of the other accommodation in use – just me and the sea birds. That added to the atmosphere, though, and made it feel even more like a retreat. I’d recommend it to anyone who fancies a fun and different glamping experience in Lincolnshire. You’ll need a car, as Sea Lane is not something you’ll get down on public transport.

I paid £140 for two nights, which seemed about right compared to other quirky stays I’ve done. It seems priced as a standard glamping stay would be, but with the novelty of sleeping in a helicopter. Would I return? Probably not; I’ve done this one now. But I might be tempted by the Jetstream, or even one of the other places run by the same team. A quirky stay in a combine harvester does sound like fun.

Helicopter Glamping Reflections

Ending the series here feels fitting. The Helipod was quirky, fun, offbeat, and unusual, but also grounding in its simplicity. It reminded me that adventure doesn’t always need grandeur, it can be about leaning into the odd, the basic, and the unexpected. And about things that are just a little bit silly.

Being on the east coast stirred something deeper, though. I missed my husband a lot, and realised that my love of the sea is less about joy and more about how close it brings me to my soul and emotions – which right now are full of sadness (more about this in the video). That’s part of why these quirky stays have really mattered: they’ve given me small, manageable doses of adventure, places to pause and reflect, and ways to process grief while still finding moments of fun.

This final stay was strange in all the right ways. It closed out the year with a reminder that there is space for both laughter and loss at the same time. And that’s what this series has been about all along, curiosity, resilience, and the gentle art of finding yourself in unusual places.

Quirky Stay in the Helicopter Glamping Pod: Fact File

Name: The Helipod at RAF Wainfleet.

Location: Sea Lane, Friskney, Lincolnshire.

Type of Stay: Glamping pod inside a decommissioned Lynx military helicopter.

Features: Quirky aviation setting, intact cockpit, single-room accommodation, outdoor seating, big Lincolnshire skies.

Facilities: One‑room pod with futon sofa bed, underfloor heating, kettle, fridge, TV/DVD, wifi, lighting and power. Separate brick-built private kitchen and shower room. Outdoor deck with BBQ, chimenea, sofa, and picnic bench.

Best For: Fun and unusual glamping, aviation enthusiasts, quirky weekend retreat, coastal countryside escape.

Sleeps: Two adults.

Cost: £140 total for two nights.

Booking: Direct (make sure you select the right one!)

Epilogue: A Year of Quirky Stays

Seven stays, seven stories, and a year of leaning into curiosity. From the earthy charm of the truffle cabin at Honeydown, the rooftop caravan in Bristol, the fairy‑tale mushroom cabin, the capsule hotel in London, and finally this grounded helicopter on the Lincolnshire coast, each one has been its own little adventure. Together, they’ve formed a patchwork of experiences that are as much about resilience and reflection as they are about novelty and fun.

This project began as a way to be proactive in my grief, to use the outdoors and mini adventures to help me process my situation. Along the way, it’s become a series of invitations: to pause, to laugh, to wonder, and to find comfort in unusual places.

Closing out 2025 here feels right. As I’ve said in this journal, the Helipod quirky, cosy, and strange in all the best ways, and it gave me space to reflect on life since that first cabin in the woods. But of course, endings are also beginnings. I’m already sketching ideas for a second series in 2026 – new places, new quirks, and new stories to tell.

If you’ve enjoyed reading along, you can watch the full series unfold on my YouTube channel, where each stay comes to life in motion. Thank you for following this journey. Here’s to curiosity, resilience, and whatever quirky corners the next year might bring.