Thistledown

We have three areas for camping at Thistledown. The Elderflower Orchard is located on the upper part of the farm, and is accessible by vehicle. The pitches are mown out amongst small elder trees. The 2nd and 3rd Pastures are the two lower sites. They are more sheltered, have beautiful views across the valley, and are only accessible by foot (do not overpack!). The Elderflower Orchard is 4 minutes’ walk from the Pastures. The 2nd and 3rd Pastures are adjacent to each other, but are separated by trees and banks. Whichever site you choose to camp on, you will have access to all of Thistledown for walks and exploration, although occasionally some areas will be reserved for weddings and other private hire events.

We have no allotted pitches, but the sites are incredibly spacious and we do not overbook them (groups have always been able to camp together with their own fire pit). There are firepits on all sites and we can supply wood at £10 for a heaped barrowful, or you can bring your own. We ask you not to collect it from the woods since we have many hibernacula on the farm for snakes and slow worms, and we leave most of our fallen timber to provide habitat for fungi and insects. We recommend that you bring a grill if you would like to cook over your fire. You are also welcome to bring a barbecue, as long as it is raised off the ground so as not to burn the grass.

All sites have at least one tap for our UV filtered spring water. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, provided that they are cleaned-up after and kept on leads around the site (we have chickens roaming free, as well as lots of wild animals). We do not allow any amplified music, unless a full site is privately hired. Instruments are welcome as long as you are considerate and do not play at night. None of the sites has access to electricity or refrigeration. We ask that campers bring all litter (preferably sorted) to the blue refuse bin near the house. We pay for a mixed recycling service, so that as much as possible is recycled. We ask that you arrive between 11am and 7pm, and we are available for enquiries at the house between 10am and 7:30pm. Lifts in our 4×4 mule, if we aren’t too busy, are available between 11am and 5pm. After 8pm the farm gates are shut, but you can go in and out as you wish if you close the gates after you.