Shepherd Hut & Garden Pod Delivery in Somerset, Wiltshire & Dorset: A Practical Guide
You've ordered the hut. Or the pod. Possibly spent months choosing it.
Now someone needs to get it to the end of a farm track, over a stone wall, and into a field, without scratching the paintwork, churning up the lawn, or taking out a fence post.
That someone is usually us.
We're C.P. Duck Haulage, based in Evercreech, Somerset. We've been delivering shepherd huts, glamping pods and garden structures across Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset for over 25 years — working directly with makers including Greendown Shepherd Huts and Hully Pods, as well as private buyers, glamping site owners and developers.
Here's what you need to know before your delivery day.
Shepherd Huts and Garden Pods: Similar Problem, Same Solution
At first glance, a traditional shepherd hut and a modern fibreglass garden pod don't have much in common. One is hand-crafted oak and corrugated tin. The other is marine-grade fibreglass with integrated electrics.
But from a delivery point of view, the challenge is identical: a large, heavy, finished structure that needs to arrive in one piece and be placed in an exact location — often at the end of a long driveway, in a paddock, behind a wall, or through a gap that looks about six inches too narrow.
That's where crane-assisted haulage earns its keep.
Shepherd Hut Delivery in Somerset, Wiltshire & Dorset
Traditional shepherd huts are heavier than most people expect. A well-built hut with an axle, wheels and interior fit-out can weigh well over a tonne — and they're typically long, low, and sensitive to being handled carelessly.
We work regularly with Greendown Shepherd Huts, one of Somerset's finest makers, and have delivered their huts to sites right across the South West. A good shepherd hut deserves a good delivery. The two go together.
Common access challenges we deal with on shepherd hut jobs:
Narrow gated farm entrances that won't take a standard lorry
Soft or uneven ground between road and final position
Final placement in a paddock, orchard, or field away from hard standing
Rural lanes without passing places — requiring early site visits to plan the lorry route
Huts that need to be craned over hedges, walls, or outbuildings to reach their final spot
A site visit before the delivery day isn't optional on jobs like these — it's the difference between a smooth handover and an expensive problem.
Garden Pod and Glamping Pod Delivery — What's Different
Modern garden pods — like those made by Hully Pods — are a different beast to a shepherd hut, but the delivery demands are just as real.
Hully Pods range from 200kg for a compact Dory all the way to 700kg for a large glass-fronted Schooner. They're delivered fully assembled. That means one crane lift from lorry to final position, with no room for error and no disassembly if it doesn't fit first time.
Hully deliver using their own HIAB-equipped vehicles from their Southampton workshop — but when access is tight, ground conditions are uncertain, or the site requires specialist lift planning, that's where our 25 years of South West site experience comes in.
Typical garden pod delivery challenges:
Residential gardens with no side access — pod needs to go over the house or garage
Sites with overhead cables, protected trees, or low outbuildings in the lift path
Soft or sloping gardens requiring ground assessment before the lorry arrives
New-build plots where access tracks aren't finished yet
Glamping sites where multiple pods need placing in sequence, each in a precise location
What Crane-Assisted Delivery Actually Looks Like
Whether we're placing a shepherd hut in a Somerset meadow or lowering a garden office pod over a Wiltshire garden wall, the process is the same:
1. Initial conversation You tell us the structure dimensions, weight, delivery address and access situation. We'll ask about the ground, gate widths, overhead obstacles and how close the lorry can get to the final position.
2. Site visit (for complex jobs) For anything with restricted access, soft ground, overhead hazards or tight placement tolerances — we visit first. This takes 20–30 minutes and prevents the kind of day that ends with a hut stuck sideways in a gateway.
3. Delivery day The lorry positions as close to the site as ground conditions allow. The crane extends. The structure is lifted, swung, and lowered into position with precision. Most single-hut or pod deliveries take 1–3 hours from arrival.
4. Clean handover Structure in position. No ruts. No damage. No mess left behind. We're done when it's right, not just when it's down.
Why the Site Visit Matters — Especially in Somerset and Wiltshire
We're based in the heart of Somerset and we know this landscape well. Rural lanes in Wiltshire that look fine on Google Maps but have a 7-tonne weight limit over the bridge. Somerset fields that are passable in August and impassable in November. Dorset farmyards where the gate is 3.1 metres wide and our lorry is 2.9 — doable, but only just, and only if we know in advance.
City-based logistics companies send a driver and hope for the best. We send someone out to look first.
It's a small step that prevents a very expensive problem.
Working With Shepherd Hut Makers — A Note to Manufacturers
If you're a shepherd hut manufacturer or garden structure maker in Somerset, Wiltshire or Dorset and you're looking for a reliable haulage partner for customer deliveries, we'd like to talk.
We work closely with makers to take the logistics conversation off their plate entirely. We handle:
Pre-delivery site assessment on behalf of you or your customer
Route planning for rural and restricted-access sites
All RAMS documentation, LOLER-certified lifting tackle and full public liability insurance
Direct communication with your customer on the day
Professional, careful placement and clean handover
Your hut or pod is the product of weeks of skilled work. It deserves to arrive properly.
Get in touch to discuss a trade arrangement: 07977 060487 or chris@cpduckhaulage.co.uk
Areas We Cover for Shepherd Hut and Garden Pod Delivery
Based in Evercreech, Somerset, with direct A303 access. Core coverage:
Somerset: Frome, Shepton Mallet, Wells, Glastonbury, Bruton, Castle Cary, Yeovil, Taunton, Bridgwater, Street, Somerton, Wincanton
Wiltshire: Warminster, Westbury, Trowbridge, Salisbury, Amesbury, Devizes, Marlborough, Chippenham, Shaftesbury border areas
Dorset: Sherborne, Dorchester, Blandford Forum, Shaftesbury, Sturminster Newton, Gillingham, Beaminster
We also take jobs beyond these areas for specialist lifts and complex placements. Worth a call wherever you are.
Frequently Asked Questions — Shepherd Hut & Garden Pod Delivery
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We use our crane-mounted lorry to lift the hut from the vehicle and lower it over any obstruction — wall, hedge, fence — into position. For very remote sites with no hard standing nearby, we assess ground conditions in advance to confirm whether the lorry can get close enough, or whether additional access solutions are needed.
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Yes. Provided there's room for the lorry to set up safely and no overhead obstructions directly in the lift path (power lines, tree branches), lifting over a hedge, stone wall or fence is a standard part of what we do.
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Yes. We regularly place garden pods in residential gardens with no side access, lifting over fences, low outbuildings or garden walls to reach the final position. We always assess the site first.
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The lorry needs firm, level ground to extend its outriggers safely. We assess this before the job — if the ground is soft, we discuss options including trackway or matting to protect the site and give the lorry stable footing.
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Yes, for any job with restricted access, soft ground, tight placement requirements, or overhead hazards. It's not a charge we add — it's part of how we work. A 20-minute visit on a Tuesday prevents a disaster on a Friday.
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Absolutely. We work directly with manufacturers and suppliers on a regular basis. We're used to fitting into an existing delivery schedule and keeping all parties informed.
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Yes. Full public liability insurance, LOLER-certified lifting equipment, ALLMI-qualified operators, and RAMS documentation provided as standard on every job.
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Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset as our core area — see the full town list above. We also take jobs beyond that region for specialist placements.
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It depends on distance, access complexity, and whether a site visit is needed. We don't quote blind. Call us with the basics and we'll give you a clear, honest number.
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Yes. We handle multi-unit glamping site installations where precise placement and site sequencing matter. If you're setting up a glamping site in Somerset, Wiltshire or Dorset, give us a call early in the process — we can advise on access and ground preparation before you've committed to a layout.
Got a Shepherd Hut or Pod to Deliver?
Tell us what you've got, where it's going, and what the access looks like. We'll give you a straight answer and a clear quote.
📞 07977 060487
We cover Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset and beyond.
C.P. Duck Haulage Ltd — Crane-Assisted Lifting & Logistics, Evercreech, Somerset. Est. 1999.
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