FAQ's
Q – I see that the campsite is on a slope, does this make pitching difficult?
A – There is a slope to the field. The highest point is 94.6m above sea level, and the lowest point is 89.8m above sea level. The 4.8 meter drop happens over a 100m span. The advice for pitching on a slope is to sleep with your head at the highest point. With a 4.8% drop, a 200cm tall persons head would be raised 9.6cm higher than their feet in this arrangement. The slope does have it’s benefits, the gravity aided drainage means that water flows nicely off the field, allowing us to stay open for a longer season, and that pitches are less effected by the rain in season. Most tent manufacturers even recommend pitching on a slight slope to stop rainwater from flowing into a tent’s entrance.
Q – I can see that you are close to the A21, how does this effect the campsite?
A – Unfortunately, the benefits of being near a trunk road for commuting do have the downside of road noise. We have mitigated this the best we can with the installation of high fences and hedgerows along our borders to cut out the majority of traffic noise. We are also campaigning to lower the speed limit and have sound deadening fence panels installed by the local authority. If you are a light sleeper, I recommend bringing ear plugs.
Q – Can I bring my dog?
A – Yes, dogs are welcome. We do encourage you to make sure that camping is suitable for your dog though. There will be other dogs, cars, and people passing by your pitch. If these are things that your dog barks at, it may not be wise to bring your dog. We do not have a dog walking area on the campsite, but there is a public footpath from the campsite to Bewl Water which leads through fields and woodland. Obviously, you will need to pick up after your dog on the footpath and on site.
Dogs need to be kept on the lead when on site. This will allow you to make sure you see your dog fouling and will also protect any campers that are not keen on dogs. This is also for your dog’s safety, as if your dog were to get into the neighbouring farmland, the farmers may take action to protect their livestock. If you want to have your dog secured by a long lead, please make sure this is the correct length to keep them within your pitch.
Q – Why do I need to pay 50p to have a shower?
A – The 50p system serves two purposes. Firstly, there is a direct cost to us of providing the showers in maintenance, servicing, and repair, plus the cost of the water. As these costs are linked to the showers only, there is a charge for using the showers. As not everyone who stays with us will use a shower, we feel it is fairer to charge for the use of the showers than it is to increase everyone’s pitch fee.
Secondly, the timer system involved means that shower times are kept short, in turn reducing the queueing time for other campers.
Even with these measure in place, we normally make a loss on our showers each year as the cost of maintenance and water alone exceeds the money taken.
Q – Five minutes does not seem like enough time in the shower?
A – We find that 5 minutes is the average time taken by all. If you are worried that this is not enough time for you, you can put more than one 50p in the meter before you start showering to increase your time.
Q – Why do you charge £6 per night for electric, I’m not going to use that much power?
A – Same as with the showers, the charge for electric is to cover our expenses in providing the service. There are direct costs with safety checks and maintenance of our electric points, as well as the cost of the electric itself.
Q – Can I charge my electric car?
A – Currently, we do not have a dedicated car charging point. If you wish, you can plug it into one of the camping power supplies (same charge rate as a 13-amp household supply), but there will be a £6 charge. If you are using an electric pitch already, you will need to use a second electric pitch for your car for an additional £6. This is all dependant on availability, if all the electric points are in use, you will not be able to charge your car. Also our electric system only has the capacity to charge one car at a time, so please talk to me before plugging your car in.
Q – Can I cycle to Bewl Water?
A – There is a footpath from the campsite to Bewl. Currently it is not permitted to cycle on footpaths. If you are willing to push and lift your bike through kissing gates and styles you can reach the round Bewl cycle track after 1 mile. This is something my family do often.
If you wish to cycle by road to Bewl, turning left from our driveway will lead you to the entrance of Bewl in around 1 mile downhill. If you intend to also cycle back to the campsite, I recommend using the Bewl cycle path to reach Rosemary Lane which you can follow north to the A21. Turning left onto the A21 will give you a downhill route along the road back to the campsite after about ½ a mile.
Q – Can I park next to my tent or caravan?
A – This is the preferred layout. However, if it rains and the fields start to become wet, we may ask you to park outside of the field to avoid you getting stuck or damaging the field.
Q – Oh no, I forgot to bring my (insert camping related item here), where can I go to get one?
A – Firstly, ask me. We keep spares of a lot of things that you are welcome to borrow, and we have a few things for sale (airbeds for example).
Failing that, there is Caravan Tech quite local to us in Hurst Green (10 minutes South along the A21). They are a massive supplier of camping equipment, so you will probably get anything you need there. If they are closed, Tesco in Hawkhurst tends to carry a few camping supplies in the summer.
Q – Can I use my disposable BBQ on top of your picnic benches?
A – Not directly no. The hot BBQ will burn a very neat hole straight through the tabletop and will cost you around £150 to replace the bench. Please use the supplied bricks to protect the tabletop. If they are all being used, let me know and I will get you some others.
Q – Why can’t I have a campfire by my tent?
A – Many reasons, but the most prevalent is safety. A wood fire needs to be 30 meters from any tents. Each of our fields are 100 by 30 meters, so this just is not possible.
Lots of people do not like the smoke from wood fires drifting into their tents, as this can be harmful for asthma sufferers, and can permeate clothing and tent fabric.
You are welcome to have a fire that is fuelled by charcoal or gas at your pitch.