Verified
Beautiful, quiet place to enjoy Cornwall
Based on previous reviews touting it as lovely and quiet, we booked our first-ever camping trip to Cornwall, to stay here. Now, we are generally fair-weather campers, maxing out at 2-3 nights (often leaving after 1). And weather really was on our side (we had a stunning stretch of sunshine and warmth) - but the site itself also really aided in us staying for nearly two full weeks (something we've never done anywhere).
First, the couple who run this site are just lovely. They are always about, busily making sure everything is 100% spotless, and that campers are 100% happy. The facilities really were stunning tidy. Despite the site being quite busy at times, we never ran low on toilet paper, there are sinks with soap in every toilet cubicle, we never had to wait for a shower or toilet - not once - and the showers were kept immaculate (with cubby to put your stuff in, and hook for hanging). And as people before have mentioned, there is the amazing feeling of being pampered which comes with every cubicle not only having a small heater blowing in warm air at night, but also, having classical music very quietly piped in! It felt a bit like staying in a 5-star hotel, although we were definitely out in the beautiful outdoors!
The site is also set up very well. There are seven fields, if I remember right - four for caravans (many people keep caravans there year-round, and visit each weekend), and three for tents. Depending on where you are, it could be a bit of a walk to a toilet, but there are little low solar-powered lights in place to help guide you, and lovely paths to follow on gravel (so you don't end up tracking grass everywhere, like at some sites).
The centre of each field (the huge HUGE centre, in the camping fields) are kept clear, while tents go around on the outside. This means that all sorts of fun can be had by children, without fear of cars coming along, or disturbing others in tents.
We were there off-peak, but we do hear it gets very busy during holidays. We prefer quieter times, which is why we went when we did, and it was lovely and peaceful.
On a clear night, the stars are AMAZING! Even without my glasses, I could see the Milky Way, about a million individual stars, and even some shooting stars! All in about the span of two minutes!
Most nights, free firewood is brought around, along with kindling, paper, etc. So we were able to have campfires as we wished.
Dogs are welcome, but kept tethered (other than the owners' dog, Lilly, who you occasionally see lolling in the grass).
The regulars (from the caravans) were also very nice. We were greeted by a few when we first got there, and got to know more as time went on. My daughter found a lovely set of friends, and rode her bicycle around every chance she got. Because there are such huge fields, they were able to stay well out of everyone's way, just enjoying the countryside as they rode.
The location of Dinham Farm is also excellent. It's very close to some of our favourite beaches in Cornwall (great for children), and Wadebridge is just around the corner, with loads of shops, and two good places from which to rent bicycles for riding the gorgeous Camel Trail (down along the river to Padstow, with breathtaking views, or up through a cool shaded forest, toward Bodmin). There are National Trust sites dotted about, Bodmin Moor to explore, and of course, Padstow and Rock (though those get WAY too busy for our liking). Within an hour or so, you can also reach a lot of the rest of Cornwall - including the Lost Gardens of Helligan, The Eden Project, many more National Trust sites, Newquay and other larger beach-areas, the south coast, the Lizard, and I think St. Ives is even within an hour. Or, head the other way into Devon for areas of outstanding beauty, Tintagel, etc.
Within Wadebridge are a few cafes that we absolutely love to go to. Including a new vegan cafe (Bear's Pantry) which is so tasty that it's frequented by many people who eat meat (even local farmers), as their food is absolutely delicious. They have smoothies, milkshakes, sausage rolls, burgers, "fish" sandwiches, etc. Delicious. Wood'n'Green is another lovely stop - a bit pricier, but we LOVE their breakfasts and cakes, and they have a funky-fun vibe, and a perfect location for visiting just before or after a bike ride on the trail.
I'm sure I'm missing loads which I should say about this site. Did I mention the little swimming pool - perfect for a hot day? Or the table tennis down by the gorgeous solar farm? Or the walk up to the old windmill? I'm sure I didn't. But it's worth a visit, just to explore it all for yourself. 🙂