Big Bear Lodge

From £15 For 1 night, 2 adults 9.5 20 reviews
Camping pods (added by manager 09 Sep 2022)
Pod with outdoor deck (added by manager 11 apr 2019)
The pods (added by manager 09 sep 2022)
Eagles nest pod (added by manager 11 apr 2019)

  • Peaceful and secluded site with spectacular views
  • In a wildlife haven: listen for owls at night
  • New amenities block including a shower for disabled guests
Your little bears might not want to leave. Big Bear Lodge is a Shrewsbury site with what the owners reckon just might be among the best views in Shropshire – and it's in a spectacularly secluded countryside location where your young can run around and go spotting badgers, foxes, bats, squirrels and even the resident cuckoo that arrives each May. A flock of feathered visitors also flit around this calmly quiet site, including red kites, woodpeckers, swifts, buzzards and even some tame robins – sit peacefully and you may just spy photo opps. You'll hear the local owls hooting at night, and if it's a cloud-free evening you can settle down under the skies for a spot of peaceful stargazing: no light pollution or traffic noise here. The Big Bear facilities include fresh water adjacent to pitches, and an amenities block a short walk away with three showers (including one for disabled guests), heated towel rails, rainfall shower heads and washing-up facilities with hot and cold water. Dogs are welcome on site but must be kept on leads. Big Bear Lodge is also near where the Vyrnwy and Severn rivers meet, so has a wealth of walks very close by – and Shropshire has over 3500 miles' worth of hikes if you want to take things a bit further. Get set to roar with pleasure…

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 7
Tent pitches 10
Rent a tent 2
Open now

Tourist board rating

Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Wed, 13 Mar to

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

90%

would recommend this site to a friend

90%

would stay here again

  • 85%
    10
  • 0%
    9
  • 5%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 10%
    6
  • 0%
    5
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    4
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    3
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    2
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    1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Large pitches, spotless amenities, friendly site…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Matt R. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: Large pitches, spotless amenities, friendly site

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great clean site that has thought of everything.

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Sean J. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Wolf's Paw camping pod (two person)

Liked: Great facilities, all spotlessly clean. Great communication from the owners. The breakfast is worth adding on (£10 for the full English but can have sandwiches etc) Great honesty shop for fire making, drinks, ice creams/pops and toys for kids. Nice communal field for children to play and fire pits to be used. Small park area on camping field. Royal hill pub (5 minute drive away) does lovely food. Situated on a really quiet road

Disliked: No dislikes to be honest! Having to leave? The closest pub being 2 miles away? Nothing they can do about that.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely campsite, well managed and immaculate. Space & safe play areas for…

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Debi S. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: Lovely campsite, well managed and immaculate. Space & safe play areas for children. Easy access to Welsh boarder & many places of interest.

Disliked: Nothing, it was perfect...

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site, clean and well equipped

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Andrea H. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Little Bear camping pod (four person)

Liked: Well equipped camping pod on small, quiet site. Small honesty shop, and freshly made breakfasts delivered to your door.

Disliked: Nothing. All just right.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great place to stay, will be back.

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Stephen W. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Whistler bell tent (five person)

Liked: Spotlessly clean, great location, peaceful, great toilet/shower facilities, lovey country pub not far away. Delicious and well priced breakfast.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very comfortable, welcoming and clean.…

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Wolf's Paw camping pod (two person)

Liked: Very comfortable, welcoming and clean.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site 10/10. Will be back

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
SAMANTHA T. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: 10/10 this was our best camping experience so far. Really well looked after field. We had the whole place to ourselves. The facilities were spotless, there is an honestly shed that’s very well stocked. Football goal, walks from the field. Excellent views too.

Disliked: Barking dogs from very early morning and very often. Not sure where they were located though.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely review. It’s nice to hear positive comments as we have worked hard to make it the best we can. The site is still quiet as we have relocated the camping to a new field, but we already have returning guests. We do know the dogs you are referring to as they are a neighbours and unfortunately there is nothing we can do about it, I wish there was!!!! Hope you return soon.

Beautiful spot, peaceful , well kept, great views . Every little thing…

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Mammoth camping pod (five person)

Liked: Beautiful spot, peaceful , well kept, great views . Every little thing you might need was in the lodge utensil cutlery wise. Hassle free lovely clean lodge and for the price a fantastic deal! Would definitley stay again!!

Disliked: Tv no signal, DVD player broke tried 3 different dvds.. mattresses okay ..but coming to the end of their life span .. other than that fantastic little place

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for taking the time to review and the positive feedback. If you had of alerted us to the dvd we would have repaired it for you whilst you were there. We hadn’t realised it was broken, but after reading your review we tested it and realised the aerial was ripped out so it was just a quick fix.

Fantastic facilities with everything that you could need on hand.

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 8
Wifi 6
Angela N. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Eagles Nest camping pod (two person)

Liked: Everything!!!! What a lovely place. Staff were lovely and were on hand if needed but left you alone otherwise. Pods fully stocked with everything you could possibly need. (even had Prosecco and Gin glasses) Lovely and quiet location (could be a little rural for some) but we loved the peace and tranquillity. The breakfasts were amazing and massive, served piping hot every morning. Will definitely be back.

Disliked: Nothing!!!!

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely positive review.

Beautiful, well equipped and clean little pod with amazing surrounding…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Little Bear camping pod (four person)

Liked: Beautiful, well equipped and clean little pod with amazing surrounding

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for the 10/10 review


Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house

Cycle hire

Evening entertainment

Fishing

Fitness centre

Games room

Indoor swimming pool

Kids' club

On-site restaurant/cafe

Outdoor swimming pool

Play area

TV room

Take away

Tennis

Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available

Car parking by pitch/unit

Composting toilet

Disabled facilities

Dog park

Drying room

Food shop

Free wifi

Ice pack freezing

Internet access

Launderette

Parent & baby washroom

Pick-up from public transport

Picnic table

Portable toilet

Pub toilets

Public telephone

Shower available

Toilet block

Washing-up area

Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome

Family friendly

Motorcycle friendly

Single-sex groups welcome

Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided

Barbecues allowed

Campfires allowed

Commercial vehicles allowed

Dogs allowed

Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Peaceful

Remote location

Spectacular scenery

Walkers' paradise

Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities

Chemical disposal

Electric car charging point(s)

Gas cylinders available

Recycling available

Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby

Dog walk nearby

Type

Small (11-25 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby

Climbing nearby

Cycling nearby

Fishing nearby

Golf nearby

Horse riding nearby

Indoor pool nearby

Mountain biking nearby

Restaurant nearby

Tennis nearby

Watersports nearby

Location

Big Bear Lodge

Melverley

Shrewsbury

Shropshire

England

SY10 8PH

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

52.7504°N
-3.00004°W

Route directions

Please note that your satnav will take you to Little Hendre not Hendre Villa. From Little Hendre look further down the lane for a large timber-clad building.

Nearest transport

Coach
3.4 mi Breidden Hotel
3.4 mi Breidden Hotel
3.7 mi The Crescent
Rail
8.7 mi Welshpool Rail Station
10 mi Gobowen Rail Station
10.8 mi Shrewsbury Rail Station

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

This part of England running into Powys and Wales has been popular for yonks with outdoor and active sorts, who come to canoe or fish its waters, canter around the countryside by horseback or foot, climb or mountain bike its peaks, or tackle less trodden options like clay shooting or paragliding. Golf is available locally too. If you're more into sightseeing than activity, Powis Castle, Erddig Hall, Chirk Castle and the Hawkstone Follies are all good local options, or you could have a day out in Shrewsbury to stroll through its Shuts (ancient alleyways) and over its nine bridges. And as for those miles and miles of Shropshire – and Powys – walks? Try a wander around Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall just over the Welsh border, among the wildlife and birds of Lake Vyrnwy, up and down the three peaks of the Breidden Hills, and through Nesscliffe Hill Country Park between Oswestry and Shrewsbury – with a pitstop at fifteenth-century pub the Old Three Pigeons Inn.

Must see

Powis Castle & Garden 9.6 mi

Much Wenlock Priory 21.3 mi

Darby Houses (Ironbridge) 22.5 mi

Blists Hill Victorian Town 22.6 mi

Iron Bridge and Toll House 22.8 mi

National Trust

Chirk Castle 13.3 mi

Attingham Park Estate: Cronkhill 14.2 mi

Attingham Park 14.7 mi

Carding Mill Valley and the Shropshire Hills 16 mi

Wilderhope Manor 20.5 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Breidden Hills (Rodney's Pillar) and Belle Eisle Farm 2.5 mi

Breidden Hills (Rodney's Pillar) and Middletown Hill 2.5 mi

Middletown and Moel y Golfa 3.4 mi

PRADOE 4.9 mi

Welshpool - Severn Valley Walk - Powis Castle - Welshpool 8.7 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Want to know more about camping in Shropshire?

  • Does Big Bear Lodge have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Big Bear Lodge dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Big Bear Lodge? This part of England running into Powys and Wales has been popular for yonks with outdoor and active sorts, who come to canoe or fish its waters, canter around the countryside by … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Big Bear Lodge?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  3 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  3 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  10 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Big Bear Lodge? From £15 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.