Discover 80 Small But Perfect Places to Pitch in The New Book By Dixe Wills

Tiny Campsites: 80 Small but Perfect Places to Pitch by Dixe Wills
3rd Edition | 1st April 2017
Buy it here

We love camping and we love little campsites, so as far as bedside reading goes, Tiny Campsites is pretty much perfect. I’m that obsessed with camping that I really do read guidebooks in the same way most people devour the latest Richard and Judy book club recommendation.

Initially I have to admit I was expecting yet another London-centric book, breaking the South into countless regions but dismissing everything beyond Birmingham as ‘The North’, but Tiny Campsites was a nice surprise. Whilst coverage of Southern campsites is a little heavier, there are a good selection of campsites in my neck of the woods covered (North Wales, Peak District & Lake District) in this third edition of the book, released on 1st April 2017.

I also really enjoyed the writing style of the book. Dixe Wills writes in a laid back and entertaining way that puts the reader at ease. It’s clear he knows his stuff and is a real camper, and his writing is littered with amusing observations and importantly, we seem to agree on what constitutes a great campsite!

Some of the picks in the book are pretty off-beat, and I think it’s fair to say that many are truly hidden gems. So if you’re the kind of camper that prefers small sites, I can’t recommend this book enough, and we’ve already put some of the sites on our must-visit list for this year.

 

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Ultra-Quirky Glamping For Couples & Groups at Glamping Thorpe in Oxfordshire

Where did we go?

Glamping Thrope
Located on the Oxfordshire/Northamptonshire border
Tel: 0797329449
Find out more here

What did we think?

This place has so much charm it’s difficult to pick what to talk about first. The accommodation is a glorious mad-cap assortment of tents and random vehicles, sporting an eclectic mix of interior design styles, ranging from junk-shop chic to carefully themed period interiors completed with some beautiful antique pieces.

As you might expect at a glamping site, accommodation options include a choice of two bell tents. Then there’s the red spotty caravan, a tiny but adorable 1960’s caravan painted with an enormous pink flower, and an utterly charming shepherds hut. So far so standard, but that’s where standard glamping ends.

On our visit we stayed in a converted horse lorry, and were astounded to find a comfy kingsize bed and a living space that included a woodburning stove, which made for toasty warm nights. The horse lorry also includes a decked veranda overlooking a field containing sheep and newborn lambs frolicking around. It’s hard to imagine a more idyllic country scene.

Our weekend is spent with friends so we were able to make good use of a communal facilities which includes The Pig Shed. Split into three sections the shed contains a party room, complete with dance floor, flashing lights, hay bale podiums, a banging sound system and even a raised area for decks, just in case you fancy bringing a DJ along with you.

In the centre there’s a chill out area full of comfy sofas and an epic wood-burning stove. In the last section there’s a dining area which includes cooking and washing-up facilities, and importantly, a fridge for keeping the Prosecco chilled.

We find it’s the little things that really make a difference at a glamping site, and Glamping Thorpe does a great job of paying attention to the small details. For example, there’s the log burners, hot water bottles, a row of random jackets and a chest full of blankets, that ensure guests will never be cold. The Pig Shed handily provides a refuge from inclement weather, so even if it’s raining, there’s still a great space available to hang out in with friends.

On site you’ll find a number of eco-friendly toilet facilities (a real experience in themselves, expect rustic), as well as showers hidden inside cleverly converted horse trailers. This place has bags of personality, and quirky is a word that seems to have been invented to describe Glamping Thorpe, which has been successfully welcoming guests for some 5 years.

Owner Paul is extremely friendly and hospitable, exuding a chilled out vibe, he can’t do enough for us, always making sure we are comfortable and happy.

The sunsets here are stunning, you can watch the sky turn bright pink and sun sets over the fields.

There’s no restrictive rules that demand silence after 9pm and whilst Glamping Thrope is very party-friendly and extremely popular with groups, and in particular hen parties, there is another side to it.

Couples at war

Recently introduced, the couples glamping area, is set separately in it’s own field, but it’s still just a stones-throw away from the main facilities of The Pig Shed. There are three quirky army trailers which overlook a field of grazing sheep and the area has it’s own loo too, so you won’t have to wander too far if you need a wee in the middle of the night, though chaps are encouraged to simply make use of the hedges (nature wee, yay!).

The 3 military vehicles that occupy the field (hence the ‘couples at war’ moniker), are among the quirkiest accommodation we’ve ever seen. We are invited to take a look around them all, and the 1940’s Home Guard trailer definitely gets my vote. It’s cheery yellow interior feels like it echoes the Keep Calm and Carry On mentality of the wartime era.

Mr CWS on the other hand prefers the slightly more masculine interior of the camo trailer; a converted Brockhouse British military trailer packed full of personality and a gloriously comfy king-size memory foam bed.

All of the army trailers include wood burners, gas stoves and of course a kettle because glamping without the means to make tea is clearly madness.

For couples looking for something truly different, a weekend spent in one of the military vehicles on site will make for a unique and memorable stay.

They are new, so bookings are still available for 2017, but they’re likely to get booked up quickly just like the rest of the site which is typically fully booked for many months ahead.

Need to know

• Mid-week you can stay 3 nights for the price of 2
• There’s no on-site shop, but there’s a huge M&S about 10 minutes drive away
• Bathroom facilities are rustic; don’t expect to find anywhere to plug in hair straighteners
• The main site is normally used for whole-site bookings
• There’s a bouncy castle on site to hire (take it from us, it’s an absolute must!)
• The site isn’t really geared up for individual families
• Perfect for groups, and couples

Find out more about Glamping Thorpe.

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Win A Varta Family Camping Torch Package

As part of our continued 3rd Birthday celebrations, we’ve teamed up with the lovely people at Varta to give you the chance to win a fantastic family torch package. There are 5 items in the prize package, worth over £65 and it’s perfect for family campers.

The prize includes

• 1 x Varta LED head torch in purple
• 1 x Varta Camping Lantern
• 1 x 3 Watt LED High Optics Torch
• 2 x Minions character kids torches

How to enter

All you need to do to enter is follow us on Twitter and RT this official competition post.

Terms and conditions

• Competition closes at 6pm Thursday 30th March.
• A winner will be randomly selected and notified on Twitter by Friday evening.
• Open to UK residents only – sorry we can only send prizes to UK based winners.
• No cash alternative offered.

See the full range of Varta torches & lanterns.

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NIWA Home 200 X2 Modular Solar System Review

What we tested

NIWA Home 200 X2 Modular Solar System
£149.99 from Portable Power Technology
Buy it here

What’s in the box?

• 2x 100 lumen lamps with dimmer switches
• 1x Modular charge controller with 3000mAh battery and USB outputs
• 1x 5W modular Polycrystalline solar panel
• 1x Modular high power USB hub with 2x USB outputs
• 1x Power Station for DC and solar docking
• 1x 3 meters lamp extension cable
• 5x Mobile phone adapters
• 1 x AC Adapter (UK)

First impressions

The quality of this kit feels good, and although the solar panel is quite small, it feels sturdy. The modular system is really well designed, and the hub has 2 USB sockets and features LED indicators to show you how much power is left. It slots easily on top of the battery, which in turn is slotted onto the base unit.

The light on inside our tent on our second camping trip

Straight out of the box it’s intuitive and easy to use, and before we took it camping for the first time we left it to mains charge overnight. We were keen to make sure it was fully charged before taking it camping with us that weekend as the weather forecast was for heavy rain all weekend, and they were sadly spot on. The weather all weekend is set overcast and wet; far from ideal conditions for a solar panel to charge.

The lights themselves are pretty big, and each time we have camped we’ve chosen to take just one with us, and we’ve found that one gives us more than enough light in our enormous 6m bell tent. The lights have a handy clip attached to the top that makes them easy to hang, and we are pleasantly surprised by the length of the cables, which allow us to run the cable into the centre of the bell tent, which is 3 metres away from the solar panel positioned outside the front of the tent.

The light up and attached to the centre pole of the bell tent

The verdict

The first time we used the kit we were only away for one night, but the second time we camped the weekend after we used it for two nights. The Niwa provided us with reliable power throughout both camping trips despite it receiving no additional help from the sun. We used the lights on three evenings in total, and charged our phones at least twice.

The unit did finally run out of power on the last night, but given there had been literally no sunshine to charge the battery, we really weren’t surprised and were happy with it’s performance.

We used it again last weekend on a third camping trip, and weather conditions were very different. We had sunshine for most of the weekend, and in full sunlight, the battery charged from dead to around 2/3rds full in one day.

The unit in use in the centre of the bell tent on our first camping trip of the year

Pros

• We absolutely love the fact that the system is modular and you can add additional batteries should you want to
• Two USB ports meant we could both charge our phones at the same time
• Apart from the rather large lamps, the unit and solar panel are nice and compact, making it easy to transport
• Brilliant for camping, we love having dependable light that doesn’t rely on the use of disposable batteries
• Easy and intuitive to use, and it feels well made

Cons

• We feel that the design of the lamps isn’t ideal for camping due to the wide plastic shade. Whilst they work effectively and diffusing light I think they could easily get damaged in transit
• A flip out stand to allow you to stand the solar panel up and angle it to the sun would be nice, we ended up lying it flat on the ground or balancing it against the side of the tent

In use during our second camping trip

Summary

We think this is a great little unit at a good price point; ideal if you’ve never used a solar power hub like this before and particularly good if you are short on space and don’t want to have to transport a larger, bulkier solar panel. A carry bag to pack everything into would have been a nice touch for camping, but we have used it on 3 camping trips now, and have found that everything fits easily into a standard Sainsbury’s bag-for-life. It performed well when charged fully from the mains, and having since taken it camping for a weekend in sunny weather, we are pleased to report that the battery charged effectively, showing 2 green lights on the LED indicator panel after a full day in direct sunlight.

Thank you to Portable Power Technology for supplying the featured product for us to test.

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The Mollusc Nano 2 Tent Is The Perfect Tent For Stargazing

We’re loving the look of the new Mollusc Nano 2 tent that has just launched a Kickstarter campaign.

Although at first glance you could be forgiven for thinking it’s nothing more than an ordinary dome tent, look a bit closer and you’ll find an ingenious design which allows you to pitch the tent using 6 different settings.

Instead of peering out at the world through a plastic window or rolled back tent flaps, the entire tent literally flips upwards and opens to let the outside come flooding in. We can just imagine a summer evening of star gazing in one of these.

Need to know

• Fully opens and closes in just 1 second
• Aerodynamic design
• Easy to pitch
• Small pack size
• Integrated solar lighting
• Perfect for star gazing
• Can be pitched without pegs

You can find out more about the Mollusc Nano 2 tent here.

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Could Varta Torches, Lanterns & Powerbanks Be A Campers Best Friend?

As many of you will know, we are part of a group called the Outdoor Bloggers. We’re a community of like-minded people who love the outdoors and write about our experiences, and every few months we get together in real life, to hang out, go walking and do fun activities together. Most recently some of us met up on a camping trip, hosted by Varta, a brand probably best known for their batteries.

We welcome a visitor to our tent, pitched up at Royal Umpire Campsite, Lancashire

Camping in Lancashire in March might not be many people’s idea of a good weekend, but as outdoor bloggers, we’re a pretty hardy bunch and there’s very little that will stand in our way in terms of spending time outdoors. For me the trip came only a few days after an accident that has left me with a torn ligament, hobbling around on crutches, but still, the lure of the outdoors was too much to refuse.

After changing our mind countless times as to which tent would be best to take (we settled on the Vango Solaris AirBeam due to ease of set-up), and gradual packing which lead to a living room over-taken by camping gear, on Thursday night we were ready to pack to car. Although we’d camped locally for 1 night just the weekend before, this felt more like a proper camping trip, and one we’d been looking forward to for months.

Inside our tent, finally cosy and dry

As well as a great chance to sleep under canvas and catch up with fellow bloggers, over the course of the weekend we were looking forward to having the opportunity to demo a host of Varta products. We arrived at Royal Umpire campsite in Lancashire mid afternoon on Friday and pitched the tent in relentless rain leaving us a bit of time to chill out and socialise before our planned meeting for dinner at a pub across the road.

Mr CWS indulged in a spot of pre-dinner Jenga, and once everyone had arrived we introduced ourselves and tucked in to a delicious dinner, before moving outside to a marquee to look at some of the lanterns and torches in the Varta range.

Breakfast time for the Outdoor Bloggers

Breakfast on Saturday morning was cooked for all of us on a George Foreman grill, oh and the veggie sausages were yummy! The above photo has got me wondering though; what’s the collective noun for a group of bloggers?

What caught our eye?

Fast forward to the product demos, and there are quite a few highlights to tell you about. Families with little ones will love both the Minions Bob night light and the Paul The Bear night light and matching head torch. The Paul The Bear night light in particular is fantastic as it casts the shape of stars on the ceiling, making a tent or bedroom feel magical.

Of great interest to me was the new Varta Sports Comfort Lantern 3D, a midge-proof lantern which can be switched from white to amber light, which is much less alluring to wee biting insects. I’ve got my eye on one for my forthcoming solo Scottish camping trip, so I’m hoping to be able to report back on their effectiveness, though the claim that use of the lantern results in 60% fewer insects is not to be sniffed at.

The glowing amber light that proves much less attractive to biting insects

I’m a big fan of Varta head torches, and I already use the LED Sports head Light, which for me is a basic camping must-have. Mr CWS particularly like the rugged Indestructible 3 Watt LED Swivel light. It runs on 4AA batteries and is about as tough as they come. It’s a great all-round torch and features an adjustable head so you can focus the beam wherever you want it, and it’s also magnetic, oh and water resistant…and it has a 3 year guarantee too – pretty cool huh?

Armor All Sheild Brake Dust Repellent looked perfect for protecting the wheels on car. With all of the camping and walking we do, we frequently end up off road, resulting in dirty, muddy wheels. Armor All dust repellent is an award winning protective spray that makes brake dust and muck easier to clean off, and less likely to stick in the first place. We also liked the look of the Armor All Caravan, Canvas and Tent Spot Cleaning Wipes; like magic wet wipes for your tent; perfect for removing bird poo and as we found out on Sunday morning, mud too.

The weekend also included a fascinating look inside the world of Mountain Rescue, with the Bowland and Pennine Mountain Rescue Trust on hand to tell us about the job they do and to show us the kit they use. I genuinely didn’t realise that so much of their funding comes from public donations, and hearing about the dedication of Mountain Rescue team members left me with a new respect for the unsung heroes of the hills; though I learned it’s not just classic mountain rescues they get involved in, as they are increasingly called out to all manner of incidents, from floods to major crashes.

Bloggers Allysse and Sarah giving their first impressions of some of the products we were shown

With the brand presentations over, we were each given fabulous Varta goodie bags, packed full of torches, lanterns, car care products and batteries. After being interviewed on camera and asked to provide our first impressions of some of the products we’d been shown, we later met up back in the pub for a brilliant outdoor themed pub quiz, put together by Zoe at Splodz Blogz, and we all had a blast!

Our fantastic goodie bags

The weather was horrendous all weekend, culminating in the muddiest take-down I’ve ever encountered, and believe me, we’ve camped in some terrible weather over the years! Howling winds and tents flapping around kept almost all of us up at night….in fact the weather was so bad one tent quite literally flew away and we arrived back at the campsite one evening to find it had disappeared (it was later found, fully intact and re-pitched). Thankfully though, despite the wind and rain, it wasn’t cold and we all had a fantastic time.

Massive thanks to Varta, Spectrum Brands and Prova PR for a great event and for such fantastic goodies, some of which will be reviewed individually over the coming weeks, and thanks also to Zoe and Jenni from the Outdoor Bloggers group for making it all possible.

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Weird Fish Chicoa Full Zip Macaroni Hoodie in Hot Pink Review

Chicoa Full Zip Macaroni Hoodie in Hot Pink
Weird Fish, £70.00 Buy it here

Product details

• Full length zip with metal Weird Fish logo pull
• Zip lining, hood lining and cuff lining all featuring a bold floral print
• Two side pockets
• Leather Weird Fish badge on the hem
• Non-iron fabric

What I thought

I was lucky enough to win this hoodie in a recent Facebook competition and I liked it so much I thought I’d review it, because when it comes to camping in the UK you can never have enough warm and cosy layers!

A sucker for bright colours, I chose the hot pink Macaronie hoodie. I’d actually call it more of a coral pink colour, but it’s really nice and bright, and features a contrasting floral pattern in the hood. Made from 80% cotton, the fabric features a unique triple-twist which is exclusive to Weird Fish. As with other Weird Fish clothing I’ve bought in the past, the sizing is on the generous side, so if you are between sizes, you’ll get away with picking the smaller size.

I spent a lot of time in the Chicoa Macaronie hoodie during a recent weekend camping trip, and have worn it to the gym too. It’s comfy and extremely easy to wear and whilst I love the colour, if hot pink isn’t for you, it also comes in 6 other colours.

Over the weekend I found it great for slipping on inside the tent. It’s not too bulky, and whilst it will keep you warm I’ve got some thin technical fleeces that are a bit warmer. For that reason I think it’s best suited for summer evenings, or chillier days when you need an extra layer but nothing too warm.

The post Weird Fish Chicoa Full Zip Macaroni Hoodie in Hot Pink Review appeared first on Camping with Style Camping Blog | Activities • Glamping • Travel • Adventure.

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Outwell Padres XL Bamboo Top Camp Kitchen Review

What we tested

Outwell Padres XL Bamboo Top Camping Kitchen
Towsure £144.95

Product details

• Opens and folds in seconds
• Durable bamboo table top
• Pull-out holder for washing bowl or rubbish bag
• 6 Organiser pockets
• 3 hooks
• Mesh ventilation for air circulation
• Windshield included
• Aluminium frame
• Size: 100 x 49 x 82 cm (WxDxH)
• Pack size: 100 x 49 x 15 cm
• Weight: App. 13.5 kg
• Carry bag for easy storage and portability

Arriving at the campsite and unloading, showing the Outwell Padres XL in my boot

When Towsure offered us the chance to review the Outwell Padres XL kitchen unit we jumped at the chance. Our old Field Commander kitchen unit has been in constant use for the past 8 years and had seen better days, so we already had a kitchen unit on our list of things to replace this year.

What we thought

Already big fans of Outwell’s gorgeous Bamboo topped camp furniture, the Padres XL was the perfect choice for us, and last weekend, on our first camping trip of the year we got chance to properly use it.

Ready to be set up inside the tent

The Padres XL comes in a zipped carry bag, and the first thing I noticed was the extra weight compared to our old similarly sized kitchen unit. That said, whilst it is weighty, I was able to pack in into the car and lift it out and into the tent with no issues.

Family campers who arrive on site with a lot to set up will really appreciate the speed of setting up the Padres XL

The biggest benefit of this unit is unlike many other kitchen units, this is all in one piece. There is no assembly required at all, other than slotting two internal shelves into place which takes seconds. I think family campers who arrive on site with a lot to set up will really appreciate the speed of setting up the Padres XL, I know we certainly do.

Slotting the splash guard into place

The kitchen unit has been extremely well throught out, and I particularly like the metal slide out panel on the right hand side. There are hooks provided that allow you to hang things off it, and we found it a good place to hang a tea towel. The really genius thing though, is that the Outwell Collaps washing up bowl, fits the space perfectly and just slots right into it, providing you with somewhere to store dirty plates and wash up.

Setting up the Outwell Padres

The metal pull-out frame is great for hanging tea-towels from and perfectly fits a the Outwell Collaps washing up bowl

The Outwell Padres XL kitchen all set up

Although it was just the two of us camping, we do all of our camp cooking on site and tend to cook three meals a day whilst camping, so we end up taking a fair amount of kitchen supplies with us. On this trip as you can see we’d packed everything we needed for a couple of nights and there was still heaps of space left.

Close-up details, sturdy zipper pulls

One of the things that tends to set Outwell apart is their attention to detail. The unit feels sturdy, well made and like it will provide us with many years of service. However, what I really like are the well thought out extras, like canvas pockets along the outside of the unit which provides more handy storage. I also really like how well thought-out the doors are; instead of unzipping a door and it just hanging open, you can simply roll it up and secure it open using Velcro tabs.

Canvas side storage pockets

Thanks to the Bamboo worktop and sturdy well thought-out design the Padres XL is a little pricier than some other similarly sized camp kitchens, and like we initially did, you might be wondering if the extra cost is worth it. In my opinion, this Outwell Padres XL offered exceptional quality, makes great use of space and will save you time during set up and take down. For these reasons alone, I’d highly recommend this as a camping investment.

You can buy the Outwell Padres XL Camp Kitchen from Towsure, where it’s currently available for £144.95, you can buy it here.

A huge thank you to Towsure for providing the featured product for us to review.

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The post Outwell Padres XL Bamboo Top Camp Kitchen Review appeared first on Camping with Style Camping Blog | Activities • Glamping • Travel • Adventure.

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