Way back in May we decided to book a quick camping trip for my birthday. We decided Devon would be a good location so we hopped onto Pitch Up (our fave site to find campsites on) and settled on Bramble Meadows Camping. Find my full review of the campsite below:

Pros

- A real back to basics campsite. Bramble Meadows is what it says it says it is. It is a proper back to basics campsite, surrounded by beautiful wildlife and nature. It has patchy phone signal and no wifi so you really can embrace the camping experience and focus on those you have gone camping with. Such a wonderful way to digitally detox and shut off from the world.

- Friendly knowledgeable owner. Louise was really lovely and gave us some great suggestions on places to go. The Union Inn in Denbury is a lovely little local pub!

- Location & proximity to attractions. We loved that Bramble Meadows was somewhat isolated, we had some stunning views on our way in but it was close enough to Newton Abbott to see some of the sites that Devon has to offer. We loved Stover County Park, Buckfast Abbey and also Canonteign Falls.

- Eco Campsite. I loved that it was an eco campsite and therefore had minimal impact on the environment and is a Greener Camping Club site.

- Hot showers are a must for me, and Bramble Meadows didn't disappoint in this respect! The showers were warm and you didn't feel like you were showering outside.

- Check out was at 12. This gave us plenty of time to get our bits together, pack down and also have a lie in!

                 

Cons

- Eco loo! I loved that the campsite was eco friendly but I couldn't get on board with the eco loo. I didn't mind throwing wood shavings over 'solid deposits' but it was the separator for me. Total overshare, and I don't know if I just have shit aim (pardon the pun) but aiming 'solid deposits' really far back just didn't feel natural to me.

- Price. Don't get me wrong £25 a night isn't bad at all but there is only one loo and one shower and if they were at max capacity (4 pitches) it may lead to people having to wait for a long time. The loo also got very full with just two pitches full over the weekend. We have stayed at cheaper places in similar locations with better facilities which is what makes the price here a con. That being said, £25 a night is a very small price to pay to get back to basics and focus on something other than your phone!

Overall

I loved that we could completely disconnect from the outside world with the no Wifi & patchy phone signal, and the location was fab but I perhaps wouldn't return to camping due to the toilet situation. But, I'd definitely be up for exploring their Shepherd's Huts!

Overall, I award Bramble Meadows Camping, 3 tents out of 5.

When camping in Devon in May, we stumbled past the Dartmoor Halfway Inn on our way to the campsite. We both commented on what a lovely looking pub it was and resolved to go at some point during our stay. After a gorgeous walk through Stover Country Park, we decided to go to the Dartmoor Halfway Inn for lunch.

It was such a beautiful sunny day that we decided to sit outside. I ordered a refreshing ice cold large white wine, Matt just had a coke (the perks of driving) and we both had a glass of water.

I burn like a crisp, and we had some trouble getting the parasol up but our waitress was more than happy to help! They were also happy to give us the Wifi password too!

              

For starters, we shared the warm breads, oil and butter. Sorry but how cute are the dinky loaves of bread?! The butter was locally made and perfectly sized.

For mains, I had the catch of the day which quite honestly was the BEST fish and chips that I have ever had. The cider and dill batter on the fish was beautifully light and crispy, the homemade tartare sauce was to die for, the minted peas were perfectly minted and not too much, complimenting the dish wonderfully and the chips were crispy and fluffy. Can you ask for a better dish??? I honestly don't think my words adequately describe how delicious this meal was. 

Matt had a touch of FOMO that he hadn't ordered the fish and chips but his main was equally as delicious. He had the garlic, cumin and coriander chicken drumstick & breast which was served with salad, fries and homemade coleslaw. The seasoning on the chicken was delicious and herby, the fries were crispy and fluffy, like mine, and the homemade slaw was good too. Also, I definitely forgot the name of the dish that Matt had, as they've now changed to their summer menu (fail on my part), so I DM'd the Dartmoor Halfway Inn on IG and they gave me the name - such fabulous customer service!

Overall, an all round fabulous birthday lunch. I'd definitely recommend a visit if you find yourself in the area.

Molly 

A couple of weekends ago we stayed at Burhope Farm campsite, in Orcop, Herefordshire. We were looking for a quick, low cost and chilled weekend vibe, so we hopped onto Pitch Up and booked. Find my full review of the campsite below:

Pros

- Great, super clean facilities including super hot water. The facilities seemed super new and cleaning products were provided for you to clean up after yourself. 

- Quiet and Peaceful. This was really important to me, a lovely and chilled experience.

- Adults only. As someone who doesn't have children, it was nice to be in an environment without children. I'm not against staying at campsites that allow children at all, I just wanted a chilled camping experience this time round. It did mean that the demographic of our fellow campers was older, but that didn't change our experience at all.

- Friendly Owner. Pip was really lovely and accommodating for any requests we had. We needed Wifi so she explained how to connect and also pointed out the best place for us to set up camp to access the Wifi, we also bought some logs off of her and rented a fire pit. She was also really lovely when I mentioned my dog, Riley, had been put to sleep too. I'd return just for Pip!

- Can park next to pitch. This is a must for me as we have a LOT of camping gear. We don't travel light and lugging all of our stuff from a designated car park is not the one, so it was fantastic 

- Electric security gates. This was a great added extra and I felt really safe leaving our stuff on site.

- Well priced. We spent £16 a night, which is really good. For an electric grass pitch it is £20. In my opinion, taking into account the facilities provided, it is really worth the money.

- Wifi. Available at a small extra cost, the Wifi worked really well and was a godsend for me as I didn't have any signal... and I hate to admit it, but your girl couldn't miss an episode of Love Island and it allowed me to watch!

- Ground is good for tent pitching. We've been to a couple of campsites which have had super hard ground or really stony ground. The ground at Burhope was perfect and the pegs went in easily.

- Great views and overlooking a pond, which means idyllic views wherever you are on site.

          

Cons

- Facilities are are 2 min walk uphill and whilst strictly this is not really a con, it was hard to navigate in the dark! Especially as you have to walk past the electrical hook up pitches and they are a potential trip hazard - just remember a torch and you'll be fine.

- No designated mown pitches - not really an issue but it meant that you could end up camped super close to another camper. Obviously common sense comes in and you try and space yourself out but there were only a couple of trees for shade & one side of the field is better for wifi.

- Not much shade for grassy pitches, as mentioned above, there are only a couple of trees for shade and although it's not really a problem in England with our weather, we happened to go on the heatwave weekend. We got there early and pitched our tent amongst the trees!

- Near a pond, you'll note this is also on the pro's, but it also meant there were a fair few mozzy's about but nothing a citronella candle wouldn't fix!

Overall

I loved our stay at Burhope Farm campsite and would definitely return. I would however go for an electrical hook up pitch next time and remember a torch & a citronella candle!

Overall, I award Burhope Farm campsite, 4 tents out of 5.

Well, it's been a hot minute since I last posted. I kind of lost my blogging mojo and wasn't inspired by what I was posting. However, 7 months on... and things have finally changed.

Life updates include, moving closer to work and into my own space, finding a boyfriend and taking time out to break up everyday life!

Due to covid and all of the flight disruptions, instead of going abroad, Matt and I have taken to a quieter weekend getaway - camping. By taking time out and spending time in different parts of the country we've come to recognise the beauty and sites that this country has to offer.

So, going forward, I'm going to be reviewing the campsites we stay at, review restaurants we eat at and give general camping tips and tricks, alongside my usual food and drink content.

Do you enjoy camping? I'd love to know!

Molly