Campingninja Blog

Hidden Valley

Over the Jubilee weekend I headed off on a camping trip with the family to the Hidden Valley campsite in North Devon and just like the Queen and Prince Phillip I was determined not to let the weather rain on my parade!

The weekend started off well with the standard Bank Holiday jams on the M5 but the sun was shining and there was a good feeling on the road. When we arrived to a warm welcome at Hidden Valley the weather was still on our side and we were delighted to find that we were staying in the overflow field with a group of vans heading to the V-dub festival in Croyde. There was a really fun, relaxed atmosphere on site and we couldn't wait to get set up!!

Then it rained, and it really did rain for a good 36 hours BUT the campsite facilities were great, there were always piping hot showers and the Jubilee spirit continued with an indoor BBQ in the campsite restaurant, where there were also games and activities to keep the kids entertained! The next day we decided to embrace the weather so the waterproofs came out and I explored the campsite nature trail, it really is nestled in a beautiful hidden valley with open fields and woodlands at your fingertips. We then decided to head off to Ilfracombe and Woolacombe beaches, they are equidistant from the site and easily accessible by car or cycle ride and despite the rain we braved the cold and hit the waves…with wetsuits on of course and it was great fun! We topped of the day with a delicious roast at a local pub and kept our fingers crossed for good weather… And we got it so the next day we headed straight back to Woolacombe, for those of you who have never visited this part of the world the beaches are spectacular!

Overall we had a fantastic weekend and it was great to see so many families enjoying the Jubilee celebrations. I also discovered how to enjoy wet weather camping A) embrace it and B) pick a campsite you will love in a great location, so don’t let the rain put you off… carry on camping!!

Next week ShelterBox will be running the Big Camp Out so for all you camping enthusiasts there is a fantastic opportunity for you to do something you love whilst raising money for a really worthwhile cause! As part of the Big Camp Out ShelterBox are encouraging campers across the country to do something a little bit different such as camping in an unusual place....perhaps this is an ideal time to sample some REAL camping if you haven't already?! Or see how many tents you can fit into a designated area such as a sports ground or a school playing field...Or even invite friends and family to join you on a camping evening with a twist and ask them to make a donation to take part!

There are loads of great ways that you can get involved in the Big Camp Out and although the official event takes place between the 9th-16th June there is no deadline on donating money to ShelterBox! In order to make taking part a little easier you can find campsites that are still available next week here ...

ShelterBox provide emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies for families around the world who are affected by disasters, at the time when they need it most. They are now firmly established at the forefront of the disaster relief and the Big Camp Out forms part of Shelter Box Week, one of the biggest fundraising events in the calendar where there will be an array of various activities taking place to raise valuable funds.