www.nwcampers.co.uk

Fforest Fields is in a beautiful location. In fact we felt that our holiday had started even during the drive to the campsite, the scenery was so lovely (we drove southwards along the A481). The site is nestled at the foot of hills and there is a delightful perspective, especially from the large field. In the sunshine it is little short of glorious.

There are several walks available in the locality, of varying degrees of difficulty, and the site is far enough away from what is not a busy road to prevent the outside world from intruding on the tranquillity. Should you wish to wander off site there are some small towns and tourist attractions a relatively short drive away.

The other factor that makes this site special is the owners, George and Katie. Their emails to you are warm and personal not perfunctory; no deposit is demanded when you book – you are simply asked to advise them of any change in plans; unlike some sites you are not asked to pay up as soon as you arrive nor are you hassled about it once you are set up (I put my cheque in the honesty box on the morning we were leaving).

There is a fridge and a freezer available for campers to use and photocopied maps of local walks, all free of charge; there are some basic provisions (local eggs, bacon and bread and milk) available which you pay for via the honesty box. There is a washing up room with hot water and there are washing machines and tumble dryers available for a nominal fee, again payable via the honesty box). Out side the washing up area is a large map of the area and weather reports are posted daily. There are also recycling units alongside the waste bins.

Bottled gas canisters can be bought/exchanged and, for a small fee, you can rent television aerials (proceeds to Air Ambulance). Fire Pits are also available to rent on a first-come-first-served basis. Alternatively you can bring your own and there is plenty of wood available on the farm site for you to collect to burn.

All in all, the site has a lovely, friendly atmosphere – a sense that you are visiting friends rather than entering a financial transaction for goods received.

The campsite can be divided into two sections. The first is a carefully though naturalistically landscaped area with ponds, streams and hedges which provides an environment for a healthy variety of wildlife – our children thoroughly enjoyed “tadpole fishing” and also caught a newt. All ponds are shallow thus allowing children to paddle safely and any of the streams that may flow quickly when the rains fall are fenced or hedged off. All this means that parents can feel reassured in allowing their children to go off and play. In this part of the site the pitches are numbered/signed but not individually bordered. Because of the careful landscaping you could be a few yards from another and yet not feel that your space was being intruded upon. The second section of the campsite is a large field that lends itself to ball games, etc. The pitches are not marked out on this field and so there is more opportunity to spread out.

The owners have built/dug/constructed two lakes. The largest lake, Long Lake, will eventually have Brown Trout for those who like to fish. I believe that there are a number of kayaks that can be borrowed for a row across the lake or you use your own inflatable. There is a small jetty and many benches around the lake to sit and enjoy the view. The second lake, Round Lake, and has a number of cascades and has been stocked for Course Fishing.

There is an abundance of flora and fauna. As well as the sheep and lambs there are Red Kites and many other birds, squirrels, rabbits, and so on. In the spring, birds nest in the eaves of the washroom area.

Apparently there is a pub about 10 minutes away but as you need to go over fields or along road with no footpath you will need to take a torch.

It would only be fair to point out one or two negatives.

The toilet/shower block, though clean, functional and free is looking a little tired and, I suspect, insufficient for the size to which the campsite has grown – especially at the busiest times. To be fair, however, George and Katie acknowledge this and have received planning permission for new facilities which, in keeping with their ethos for this site, will further extend the site’s ecological and environmentally-friendly credentials. They are hoping that the new facilities will be ready for the 2010 season.

Also, we experienced an inch or two of standing water in certain areas (in particular the lower areas of the large field). Admittedly, this was after several days and nights of rain when the ground was probably saturated and the water did drain away within a few hours after the rain had stopped. (We all remember how wet last summer was!!)

Finally, at its busiest over the Bank Holiday I felt that some units had to pitch a little too close together for my liking. By Sunday afternoon and especially Monday, however, the distance between units became much more comfortable, especially on the large field which was, frankly, spacious.

Fforest Fields is an excellent site in many ways, thoroughly deserving the praise heaped on it by those who go, and we hope to return in the near future. In pretty much every respect it is everything that I look for in a family campsite: it is in a natural, quiet, tranquil setting with no intrusion from the outside world; there are the basic, necessary facilities of toilets, showers and washing up; there is no club house, playground or the like and yet there is plenty for the kids to do within a safe environment; finally, the owners clearly enjoy and take a pride in what they do.

Strongly recommended. :D

http://www.fforestfields.co.uk/

Thanks for that FC, how far is the distance
to the elsan point / water refill from the farthest point, I only ask a I struggle walking a distance and as I am looking at using the site in the future could ask to be closer.

Great review FS an enjoyable read, i really will have to get down there sometime, it sounds my ideal site 8)

DAISYBEV wrote:Thanks for that FC, how far is the distance
to the elsan point / water refill from the farthest point, I only ask a I struggle walking a distance and as I am looking at using the site in the future could ask to be closer.

Well, first of all, since I am only a pretend camper and the idea of an adventure for me is sleeping under the dining room table (who thought up those?!?!) I had to look up what an elsan point is. If you look it up on Google Earth you will see that the campsite runs roughly in a SW-NE direction. As I recal it is almost at the far NE end of the site but mid-way width-wise. So at worst you could be a 200-250 yards from the elsan point but at best less than 20 (if being that close to an elsan point could be considered "best"). There are several water points.
But the owners are really obliging so if you give them sufficient warning I am sure that they will make sure that you are not too far away.

Fantastic thank you I love google Earth its brings every where to life even the san Andreas fault ...under the sea...


And the pretend camper thing, it was Me BTW I can change it to hotel frequenter if your upset by being called a camper?

The more you post the bigger the tent and more experience youll gain lololol

No, don't call me a hotel-frequenter; that's my DW. She won't camp as she won't enter any building with fewer than four stars over the doorway.

However, we have made a little progress: this summer while we are at Studfold Farm she will stay for some of our camp at a local B&B so that she can join us in some of our activities.

In fact all my family camps are with my children and with one of three friends and their children; their wives also won't camp. One of the wives is from Trinidad and she said, "Where we come from we try to get AWAY from nature not TO it!

lolol great I suppose your camping is quiet and peaceful please dont tell this to the men here or they will be arranging men only meets ...

He would take Tina to set up for him ...lmao

Hi Former scout

Just wanted to say thanks for your great review ,

We have booked a camping holiday here for 2010 , and are on one of the new "all weather " tent pitches .

Cheers

I am very confident that you will enjoy your stay. I was not aware that they had put some all-weather pitches down though not entirely surprised given some problems that they've had over the last couple of seasons with water-logging. I assume that they've put these down in the area that I described as being naturalistically landscaped, rather than on the large field.

I've just looked up what they say about the AWPs on their web-site. They refer to it as Pea-gravel. Do you know what this is? Is it small, smooth stones? If so, whon't this damage the groundsheet?

FS pea gravel is the very small rounded gravel you gt on paths and drives, not sure id fancy that under my tent if I had no SIG... i shouldn't think it would cause any danage tough

Then I don't think I would put my SIG tent on that, even with a footprint. Aren't there, say, rubberised versions of AWPs?

Whilst booking , I was assured it will be fine , and was described as a very fine smooth gravel , ordinary tent pegs and delta's work fine in it .
They say the AWP's have been very well recieved , with no problems at all . They are designed for tents .
I know folk who have camped on AWP's with a sig tent and not had a problem at all .
Rex is pitched on one similar at the moment at Charmouth C & C club site , be interesting to hear what he thought of them .

I presume it was Katie I talked to on the phone , what a lovely lady she comes across as , very helpful and friendly .

The campsite looks like heaven on earth , so so beautiful , our kind of place , cannot wait , very much looking forward to it .

You'll have a lovely holiday Dave and Angela, we have been about 4 times over the years and loved it.