Devon Archives - Gone Camping Co

August 10, 2020

8 Campsites with Incredible Views

One of the many positive aspects of camping is the view to be savoured. This is particularly poignant right now after months of living with the same four walls, same garden fence and trudging round the same local landmarks. Just putting this list together had us positively drooling over the phenomenal vistas and definitely dreaming of escape! Whether you are looking for that escape right now or hoping to travel next year, delve into our picks for 8 campsites with simply incredible views:

1. Park Foot Holiday Park

Park Foot Campsite with incredible views — Park Foot Ullswater Lake View

Wow! Just wow!

The views from Park Foot Camping and Touring Park are simply breathtaking. Set on the banks of Ullswater, in the heart of the Lake District, this family-friendly site offers three large camping fields with different vistas from each. Whether you have a tent, caravan or motor home, you can enjoy the beautiful Cumbrian site with its superb facilities and tranquil surroundings. With activities available both on the park and in the nearby area, your family are sure to have a holiday to remember.

2. Beech Croft Farm

Set in the rolling hills of the Peak District, Beech Croft Farm is located between the picturesque towns of Buxton and Bakewell in Derbyshire. An ideal base to relax in the peaceful countryside or explore the stunning Peak District National Park. Touring caravans, motorhomes and family tents are all welcomed and excellent facilities are available including a modern toilet and shower block with underfloor heating, children’s play area, a small onsite shop and recently updated reception area. Three different camping areas mean a great choice of where to pitch your tent with fantastic views wherever you choose!

3. Lilliardsedge Holiday Park

When searching for campsites with incredible views, you can’t go far wrong with the family-run Lilliardsedge Holiday Park. Less than 50 miles from Edinburgh and set within 110 acres, this beautiful site encompasses open fields with free choice of where to pitch, two woodland walks, a stunning nine-hole, eighteen tee golf course and well-thought out indoor facilities including an extremely well-maintained amenity building, restaurant, bar and function room. You can choose between camping, touring or a luxurious lodge complete with hot tub and will revel in the spectacular views across the rolling countryside of the Scottish Borders.

4. Brocklands Farm

BBrocklands farm Glamping — Looking out from Lapwing at Brocklands Farm Glamping

Brocklands Farm overlooks Hampshire’s stunning Meon Valley within the heart of the South Downs National Park and provide the perfect spot for a memorable and relaxing glamping holiday. This peaceful, rural area makes it highly possible to glimpse local wildlife such as hares, lapwings or deer. You can experience truly luxurious glamping within two spacious safari tents, each sleeping six with a king bedroom, twin bedroom and double cabin bed. With every need catered for via a fully equipped kitchen, beautiful furnishings, a toasty wood burner and even solar-powered fairy lights, you can relax and enjoy the sunset from your outdoor sofa whilst toasting marshmallows on your fire pit – bliss!

5. Forest Glade Holiday Park

Forest Glade Holiday Park is set in a forest clearing on the Blackdown Hills in Devon, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Whether you are searching for camping, touring, holiday caravans or glamping pods, you will find all options in the spacious fields surrounded by 300 acres of pine forest. This AA 4-pennant family-run park offers excellent modern facilities as well as a covered heated swimming pool, shop with off-licence and take away, children’s play areas, games room and tennis court. So, take the opportunity to relax, unwind, enjoy the many forest walks and drink in those views.

6. Ynyshir Farm

Ynyshir Farm (pronounced ‘un is here’) is for those seeking campsites with stunning outlooks across the North Wales countryside. Previously a working farm, this family-orientated 40-acre campsite has plenty of space for the kids to play and guests have the freedom to pitch up wherever they like. You can expect well-maintained hot showers, a parent and child/baby room, toilets including disabled facilities, washing up areas as well as fire pits to hire to help you enjoy the sunset over the hills in this peaceful, tranquil site.

7. Ruberslaw Wild Woods Camping

Ruberslaw - Campsites with incredible views — The Edwardian Gardens at Ruberslaw Wild Woods Camping

Ruberslaw Wild Woods Camping in the Scottish Borders is set in the heart of the beautiful Teviot Valley’s Special Landscape Area. Within an astonishing 500 acres of unspoilt upland, you have a huge range of choices in accommodation from totally wild camping, to woodland camping and fully-serviced pitches all the way through to glamping in a luxurious, fully furnished safari tent. Your choice of view is also unrivalled whether you prefer rugged hill views, wild woodland, or the more genteel Edwardian walled gardens surrounded by beds full of colourful flowers and shrubs. Some examples include the “Minto View” where you can look over the Teviot Valley across to the Minto Hills which the sun sets quite dramatically behind; The “Castle View” where you can look over the Teviot Valley across to a local gem “Fatlips Castle”; and “Gledswing Lookout” where you can take in the view of quirky hills around ancient Cavers parish. Either way, you are guaranteed to truly get away from it all by taking in the stunning views, peaceful atmosphere and nature all around.

8. Brynawelon Touring and Camping

Brynawelon Touring and Camping Park is a tranquil campsite set along the beautiful Cardigan Bay coast of West Wales. Here you can gaze upon the ocean and sandy beaches whilst the whole family enjoys the freedom and space around them. Whether you prefer caravans, motorhomes, campervans, trailer tents or tents, you can be assured of a variety of super pitches and excellent modern, heated facilities. There are many popular places to visit nearby including New Quay, Cardigan, Penbryn, Tresaith and Llangrannog. You can also indulge in plenty of activities available locally from the beach to cycling, walking, horse riding and exploring the beautiful welsh countryside.

As this is possibly the strangest and most unsettling time that any of us have lived in, it is important to keep looking for the positives. Just dreaming about some of these campsites with simply incredible views gives a little light relief in this time of uncertainty. Do remember to keep supporting these small businesses where possible: booking them for next year could enable them to keep going and make it through these difficult times. ♥

July 3, 2020

Getting Prepared for COVID-19 Secure Camping

We now know that camping officially starts in England from 4^th July – woo hoo! As we went to press, sites in Scotland can open to those with their own self-contained accommodation (i.e. own shower/toilet) from 3^rd July and shared facilities from 15^th July. Sites in Wales may open on 11^th July for those with self-contained accommodation only and are awaiting further guidance about those with shared facilities. Sites in Northern Ireland are already open.

Visit Britain – Covid-19 Secure Camping

You might have seen this badge (“We’re Good To Go”) popping up on various websites, Facebook Pages, etc. This means that according to Visit Britain, the campsite has successfully shown that they have met Government and industry guidelines, are thus Covid-19 secure for camping and can safely accommodate their guests. You can be sure that this means a lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to update sanitation facilities, mark out pitches, train staff, set out new signs and notices, draw up new rules, etc. So we say congratulations to the many sites on Gone Camping Co that have achieved this.

Covid-19 secure camping at Red Shoot Camping Park

So, what will Covid-19 secure camping look like?

1. Booking

All bookings will need to be made in advance this year – there will not be the opportunity of “Oo, this looks nice, let’s try here!” as you drive by, so be organised and book in advance. This is for several reasons: to minimise contact, to allow for electronic payments, to ensure guests are fully aware of rules and conditions before arriving and most importantly for campsites to ensure the number of people on site are limited accordingly. This is actually a good thing as it will mean larger pitches and more space this season. As you might expect, prices may have to increase as sites will have less guests and a shorter season.

Covid-19 Secure camping at Beech Croft Farm — Socially distanced pitches at Beech Croft Farm in the Derbyshire Dales

Now, we are great advocates for camping with other family groups as it really can be great fun. However, this year, campsites will not be able to accept such bookings. Beech Croft Farm in Derbyshire has reiterated the government guidelines in their Covid-19 update in that they “cannot accept bookings for more than 2 units together if you are from different households.” This will be standard across the industry for the time being, so it is a case of more time with your family I’m afraid!

2. Checking in and out

All guests have a responsibility to stay away and isolate as per the government regulations if they develop symptoms of Covid-19 in the run up to their holiday. Disappointing though this would be, we all have a collective responsibility to guard against the spread of the disease as of course, the quicker it can be controlled, the quicker life can return to some sort of normality.

A warm welcome and safe conditions at Cotswolds Camping

Cotswold Camping, Oxfordshire are also keen to make sure everyone is safe and have installed a fever detection system to check temperatures thus ensuring all guests are protected from Covid-19.

Checking in and out will also be contactless and outdoors. Alex advises that at Stanley Villa Farm in Lancashire, whilst guests will be greeted on arrival, social distancing will be maintained, and the keys would be left in the door of the camping pod. Similarly, check out would be contactless and guests would be asked to simply leave their pod key in the door.

Covid-19 secure camping at Stanley Villa Farm — Camping Pods at Stanley Villa Farm

3. Distancing

Most campsites have limited pitches available to ensure they can maintain social distancing and rotate facilities as appropriate. Holden Farm in Hampshire, will ensure that only 10 families/households will be onsite at any one time in their wonderfully spacious camping field. This has the benefit of plenty of space to fly a kite, play a game of cricket or just enjoy the fresh air. They will also provide each pitch with a complimentary firepit – perfect for lazy summer evenings.

For Covid-19 secure camping, expect to see more signs than usual, indicating spaces for possible queues or a one-way system where there is likely to be a bottleneck. Signs will also provide reminders for hand washing, use of hand sanitisers and maintaining distances – you may well feel you’ve seen it all before, but as we all know, we have to continue to “stay alert.”

4. Sanitisation

You can expect cleaning of facilities to be more frequent and thorough this year. You may well be greeted by someone in full PPE as you approach the facilities and you may also need to be patient to allow them to complete the thorough deep cleans required.

Holden Farm have the excellent modern camping facilities on-site that you would expect: clean flushing loos, hot showers and good washing up facilities. The small numbers onsite will work to your advantage, thus avoiding the need for queues. Cleaning and maintenance have been increased further to the Covid-19 secure standard. They have also installed perspex dividers between wash basins so you feel safe when brushing your teeth. You will need to bring all of your own toiletries and expect to be given loo roll on arrival as it won’t be kept in cubicles. Furthermore, there are hand sanitisers dotted around the site so everyone can keep germ-free and safe.

Fallow Fields Camping, Kent are enforcing a 24 hour period between bookings of furnished bell tents, as scientific evidence suggests the virus does not remain on surfaces after 24 hours. They will carry out their customary deep clean between bookings as normal, and use disinfectant on all hard surfaces. Additionally, all furnished bell tents will have an anti-bacterial fogger used – this kills 99.99% of germs and stays active on surfaces for up to 30 days.

5. Sharing Facilities

There are some sites that have invested heavily into their showers and toilets to ensure minimal sharing. For example, Fallow Fields Camping have added additional mobile showers and toilets to the campsite to help with social distancing. They have also employed a local, professional cleaning company to carry out 2 deep cleans per day alongside regular wipe downs of touch-points throughout the day.

Stanley Villa Farm in Lancashire have also added more shower units but will work these on a time slot basis, with cleans between each use.

Some have even gone so far as to allocated specific areas for guests so there would be no sharing. At Longberry Farm in Kent, the reduced capacity on site this season means that guests will have their own allocated kitchen/dining area and washing facilities that will not be shared with other guests. The hot tub option will also be private – how very lovely!

You may well need to pack more items than you normally do. If the site you go to usually has tea towels, crockery, washing up brushes, etc. it is highly likely that they won’t be able to do so this year, so check with them beforehand and as Mr Grylls would say “be prepared!”

6. Activities on site

Some playparks might be open but you will need to supervise children more closely this year rather than let them go “feral” and insist they use the abundant hand sanitisers before and after use.

But generally, you may well have to become more self-sufficient in terms of entertainment this year. Wonderful additions to your stay such as the “Kids’ Retreat Tent” or “Kids’ Cinema” at Fallow Fields Camping, simply cannot be available at this time. So pack the bikes, tennis set, kite, football, hula hoop, Connect 4, Uno, etc and prepare to use your imagination to keep all entertained…sort of like you have done for the whole of lockdown really (sorry!)

A beautiful evening at Fallow Fields Camping

At the risk of sounding like a killjoy, it is extremely important that we adhere to the campsites’ rules and accept the changes to our “normal” holiday. These really are “unprecedented times” (had to say it) and the whole situation does not just affect us personally, but everyone around the country. If we want camping to return to normal, then it is vitally important to support the industry this year so that there are still campsites in business next year.

The alternative does not bear thinking about!

June 3, 2020

Re-opening Campsites – A Possibility in 2020?

There is a buzz going around that July 4^th might be the official start of camping with the long-awaited re-opening of campsites – I know, the excitement is too much! After weeks of lockdown and confinement to our own homes, many of us are champing at the bit to look at a different piece of scenery – somewhere other than the garden fence would be nice! But we are also sensible people and know that we cannot put ourselves or anyone else at risk by being reckless at this still early stage in the pandemic.

So, is camping safe? And how can re-opening campsites ensure safety of their guests?

Well, many camping, glamping and caravan sites have started to gear up for a 4^th July re-opening and have thought long and hard about the measures necessary. Luckily camping, in all its guises, lends itself quite nicely to natural social distancing, but there are some issues such as shared bathroom and washing facilities, close proximity to other campers, etc. that need careful thought.

Many re-opening campsites will require advanced booking as they need to limit numbers and thus help with social distancing and sharing of facilities. There are some camping sites that have plenty of space for ease of distancing between tents such as the spacious fields of Willowbrook Farm. This ethical working farm in beautiful Oxfordshire have also installed extra hand sanitising points and are looking forward to showing off their farm in all its glory once more.

Sheep at Willowbrook Farm — The flock at Willowbrook Farm

There are some glamping sites that offer ease of social distancing by the fact that there are few accommodation options that are very much self-contained such as the 2 huge safari tents at Brocklands Farm in Hampshire. These are 100 metres apart and completely independent with fastidious cleaning taking place in between guests. In addition, they guarantee a refund on any bookings that cannot be taken as a direct results of government restrictions.

Tinkers Bells have an exclusive use family glamping site at Field Head Farm in the heart of the Staffordshire countryside. That means your family can have the whole site to yourselves! Well, that certainly solves any social distancing issues! And family size is not a problem as the three luxurious bell tents can cater for up to 12 people. In addition, you would have your own hot power showers, toilet and powder room; kitchen, bbq and firepit area; a huge hideaway tent for you to snuggle up and relax in and plenty of scenic outdoor space.

Several campsites have closed some or all of their facilities meaning that campers need to bring their own. There are plenty of cost-effective solutions on the market such as these from World of Camping: portable toilet and solar shower.

Whilst some campsites have closed their toilet and washing facilities, Harry’s Field in Hampshire have actually increased theirs to help maintain social distancing.

Tehidy Holiday Park in Cornwall has invested in an activated oxygen fogger for sanitizing their accommodation – this effective and natural product kills 99.99% of pathogens present in under 30 seconds!

Some holiday makers may well want to hold back from booking until there is more certainty as they don’t want to risk losing out financially. It is worth checking out with your preferred campsite what their policy is as the vast majority of sites are keen to look after customers.

Some sites such as Fakenham Fairways in Norfolk are allowing provisional bookings to help with flexibility and peace of mind in case of a change to government guidance following an increase in cases. Similarly, Hook Farm in Dorset is taking bookings arriving from the 4th July but will happily change your booking to another date within 12 months of your arrival date. Chestnut Meadow in East Sussex offer refunds for Covid-related issues and have developed a new tool in their website booking system so you can move your booking if necessary, giving you total flexibility.

2019 at Chestnut Meadow — 2020 camping might look different to last year at Chestnut Meadow!

Other sites such as Holden Farm in Hampshire and Lanyon Holiday Park in Cornwall guarantee that whilst there is uncertainty, you can move your booking to another date in 2020 or 2021. Also, plenty of sites such as Ruberslaw Wild Wood Camping in the Scottish borders, are looking to the future and offering online bookings made for 2021 at 2020 prices – worth taking advantage of and helps to secure the businesses’ futures.

Camping at Ruberslaw

It is really important to support this industry in 2020. Many campsites including Forest Glade in Devon and Petruth Paddocks in Somerset have invested heavily over the winter season to improve facilities but have already missed half of their peak season and thus income will be massively down. Re-opening campsites need to put measures in place to ensure our safety that will inevitably incur more costs. This, along with a reduction on number of guests expected mean that the second half of the season will not put them close to recouping lost income. The vast majority of these lovely sites are family-run small businesses, not huge corporations and if we want to go camping in the years to come, we need to make sure there is an industry to come back to.

If in doubt, postpone, don’t cancel.

May 1, 2018

Why Settle for an Ordinary Camping Holiday? At River Dart Country Park, you don’t have too…

Family-friendly campsites shouldn’t be locations that just offer a pitch in a field with a tired, single children’s play area. Everyone knows that family holidays should be fun. Not just for the children, but for the adults too. It’s an opportunity for the whole gang to spend time together and most importantly, have fun together!

At River Dart Country Park in Ashburton, Devon, this ethos has been the key to families returning, time and time again. Located within Dartmoor National Park, the site boasts over 90 acres of stunning parkland and playgrounds with something for everyone.

The sheer amount of outdoor activities available to visitors is incredible. There’s no chance of anyone getting bored or fed up anytime soon! Kids can make a splash in the Pirate Ship Lake, competitive kids (and big kids) can take on the assault course, slides, there’s also the Play Fort, Agility Trail, Climbing Pods and Pump Track, plus loads of other activities. Surprisingly, all of this is included in the pitch price.

They also have Dare Devil Activities that run during certain times of the year and are available at extra cost. These activities are more adrenaline-fuelled experiences and include a Mega Zip Wire, Water Zorbs, High Ropes Course, Canoeing, Kayaking and Indoor Bouldering.

It goes without saying that after all the fun and excitement, refuelling is essential. A perfect opportunity for the adults in the party to sit and enjoy a cold drink, or some locally sourced food at the onsite café bar. So, there are certainly moments of calm to be had here, if that is more to your taste. And the park’s location is undeniably made for moments like this, with the tree-lined River Dart running through the site it really is beautiful.

The fact of the matter is, there is so much to enjoy and in a stunning location too. The park caters for all family members, toddlers, children, adults, those looking for activities to do, those looking to put their feet up, those wanting to relax and those looking to explore. Camping holidays should be what we want to make of them, give us the options and let us decide how we spend our time. River Dart Country Park gives the visitor those choices and much more, that’s what makes it so uniquely special.

Find out more here: River Dart Country Park