We were booked to go to badminton horse trials but as it was sadly cancelled, i rang round a few places trying to find us a place to go. Luckily we got booked in to Barn Farm at matlock. So off we toddled. It was my mum's first trip and only my third so a pretty big experience!
We arrived thursday about lunch time to an almost empty camp site. Hung about for someone to open up reception for us to pay and all the boring bits! We pitched in field one (through the farmyard and to the left). Got to the field and its was as sloping as hell. The flat bits were all boggy so we ended up pitching at the top of the field as far away from the kids play area as possible. Took us about two hours to get set up so wasnt too bad. Views were gorgeous. Didnt do much that day, just hung about really.
Friday we went to bakewell and pottered round the shops. Came back to the site to find loads of people had arrived. Sadly some berks decided to plonk their two massive outwell tents + canopies + windbreaks about 12 feet in front us thus not only spoiling our veiw BUT also meaning that if we used our side door we looked directly into their tent. Nice! Still, we werent too bothered. We dropped our canopy as it was getting pretty windy. It got to 9.30pm and outwell people were getting louder but hey ho, everyone likes to have fun. 10.30pm they are louder still. Mum asked them to keep the volume down since it was starting to get late. When i say they were loud, i mean singing songs and bizarely chopping wood? So it got to nearly 11pm and i rang the Out of Hours number. Nice lad came straight out and told them to keep it down.
Saturday we headed out to matlock and matlock bath. Walked flipping miles but had a pretty nice day even though it was rather nippy. Headed back to site and found even more people had arrived! Site was looking really full but is so well spaced out that you feel like theres not too many people.
Sunday we went for a walk over the moors and found the nine ladies stone circle. I loved the 'remembrance tree' near by. Had a fairly quiet day but again walked miles. Kept an eye on the weather as it showed alot more wind and rain heading on monday/tuesday.
Monday we checked the weather and decided that as the weather was due to hit that afternoon we would head off that day instead of staying still the next day. So we packed up and came home.
I loved our set up but there are several thing that i am now planning to buy. 1) footprint, 2) tent carpet and 3) windbreaks. Our coolbox wasnt amazing although we froze two water bottles and they still werent totally defrosted when we arrived home. When it comes to packing, we need to seriously trim it down! Less clothes and hopefully less bedding. Which means probably more sleeping bags and possibly camp beds! Tent is currently spread out in our garage drying out the groundsheet. LOVE LOVE LOVE my deltas, they didnt budge the whole time we were there. Will be investing in the long handled peg puller though.
Glad you managed to make the most of your trip in the end after your disappointment.
I would have sat by the side door and used it all the time whilst gawping into their tent and making comments about their stuff to make them realise what idiots they were for plonking their tent in front of you.
PS That would have been nice comments like 'oh we should get one of those and I do like that colour' and stuff like that.
I've tweaked my privacy settings so photos *should* work now. Thanks guys, we did have a slight nosy at their set up but only whilst they were out. They had everything outwell, two outwell xl tents plus matching canopies and two matching outwell windbreaks with all the kitchen stands ect ect. Must of have at least £2500 worth of kit there. Mum wants me to buy the vango windbreak but i'd rather buy the old fashioned wooden pole ones. They just look more stable.
We did have a lovely time but the kit needs some tweaking.
------------- 24th - 28th August Barn House Farm
2/3rd - 9th may 2016 - badminton horse trials
6th - 11th July 2016 silver stone woodlands
Nice pics, looks like overall you had a good trip. I would go for the windbreak with wooden poles also, they are more stable. I think you've got the camping bug, admiring other folks stuff and making new lists of stuff you just must have before every next camping trip.