Our recent stay at Hill Cottage Farm Camping was a bit of a mixed bag - there were definitely some lovely touches, but a few frustrations stopped it from being the peaceful countryside escape we’d hoped for.

One of the biggest positives for us was the self check-in process. After a long drive, being able to arrive and get settled without any fuss was really appreciated. The staff were also incredibly friendly throughout our stay. We had a slight snafu with our electricity hookup when we first arrived, but it was sorted quickly and without any drama, which always makes a good impression.

The PAYG electricity setup was another thing we actually quite liked. It felt fair and meant you were only paying for what you used rather than having it bundled into the pitch fee. We also opted for a late checkout, which made packing away far less stressful and was well worth doing.

Facilities-wise, the toilets and showers were clean throughout our stay, although they are definitely on the more basic side. They did the job perfectly well, but you could really feel the lack of shower space. 

The pitches themselves were generously sized, but despite that, the site still felt a little cramped at times. We don’t have a particularly huge tent, but some neighbouring setups were enormous and it often felt like you were much closer to other campers than expected.

Unfortunately, the biggest downside for us was the atmosphere on the site. This may have been partly down to where our pitch was located, but we were right alongside a fairly busy road. It quietened down overnight, thankfully, but during the day there was a constant hum of traffic which took away from the peaceful countryside vibe the website promises.

The bigger issue, though, was the lack of rule enforcement. While this obviously isn’t entirely the campsite’s fault, it did feel as though some guests were allowed to do pretty much whatever they wanted. Children were frequently treating the toilet and shower blocks like a playground, and because we had a large open area in front of our pitch, a big multi-pitch family group nearby seemed to adopt it as an extension of their own space. There were constant ball games, noisy toys, and at one point repeated honking of a van horn for reasons we still can’t quite understand! It meant the “quiet escape” advertised online didn’t really materialise for us.

I think if anything, this trip taught us that in future we’ll probably stick to adults only campsites when we’re craving a genuinely quiet, slower paced break. We completely understand families wanting to enjoy themselves on holiday, but we’ve realised we personally prefer a calmer camping atmosphere.

Overall, we did enjoy the majority of our stay at Hill Cottage Farm Camping. The friendly staff, easy check-in, clean facilities and flexible checkout options were all genuine highlights. But if you’re specifically looking for a calm, peaceful campsite experience, it may depend heavily on where you’re pitched and who your neighbours happen to be.

Molly