As a novice camper, choosing the right camp site to test our the Tentipi Safir 9 was a hard task. With so many to choose from in the UK, we decided to narrow our search down by choosing The Peak District.
Once we knew the area, our choice of campsite was easy, so sit back for our honest Middlehills Farm Campsite review.
Middlehills Farm Campsite What To Expect
An hour and a half journey from Manchester (quicker on a good day!) with stunning scenery that we take for granted. With three children split over two families, we needed to choose somewhere family friendly and was flat-ish in order to pitch the tents.
Middlehills Farm in Grangemill, Matlock, ticked all our boxes and when we arrived, we found it ticked even more than we could have imagined!
Greeted by the farm owner Liz, together with her husband they made the perfect team and were super lovely. If you needed to know where to go, which takeaway to order from or required your phone to be charged, they were on hand to help!
So how did the site tick our boxes…
Keeping the kids entertained at a campsite
A fabulous wooden play park which was quiet on the Thursday but rammed on the weekend! All the kids had fun, with a wood chip flooring, there were no accidents.
All the kids were safe, meaning parents could relax, kick back and enjoy being out in the great outdoors.
How did the land lie?
With three separate fields (1 x electric hook up, 2 x no electric) to choose from, arriving on a Thursday afternoon meant that we had dibs on where to pitch as the site was relatively quiet.
As to be expected, the fields were not entirely flat, however this did not pose a problem at all. We chose a corner section and struggled to decide which way to point the tents as we were surrounded by stunning countryside from all corners!
The camp site did fill out at the weekend and we were able to people watch to our hearts content!
Washing facilities at Middlehills Farm Campsite
With purpose built toilet blocks which were regularly cleaned, it was easy to keep clean yourself. Showers are £1 for 5 minutes and I still do believe that I spent the best £3 of my life on the Friday when I enjoyed a hot, powerful 15 minute shower.
There are washing up areas for cleaning your pots out and lots of drinking water outlets.
What about keeping food and more importantly drink cool?
Easy! There are several fridge and freezers based around the campsite – even one in Reception, which we decided to use to freeze our cocktails. It was the weekend of the first England World Cup match so the fridges were filled with beer.
We found a local fish and chip shop so did not cook as much as expected, though clearly did use the bacon for breakfasts! If you found yourself running low on gas, there was a nearby site that you could refill at.
If you found yourself low on butter (as we did!) the well stocked shop on site offers a wide range of products, including bacon!
How much are camping fees at Middlehills Farm?
Not as much as you would expect, considering the location and all the facilities available! Heather and I had calculated the cost of staying at most sites in the area and found Middlehills Farm to be very reasonable.
Clearly after our stay we found the price to be a bargain for the amazing time we had!
Adult: £7 per person per night
Children (4-16) £4 per child per night
Under 4′s are free
EHU: £4 per night.
Dogs: Dogs are allowed on site free of charge, as long as they are kept on a lead.
Gazeebo: £2 per night
So… would we go back to the Peak District campsite? It is a resounding YES!! Middlehills Farm offered everything we wanted and more and it is the perfect campsite for any novice camper like myself!
What a coincidence, I’m literally looking for recommendations for our first camping trip in the Peak District! I know where to come also for stuff to do 🙂
Awww thank you Carly!! Honestly the site is wonderful! It was the perfect choice for me to dip my toes into camping… without electricity!!
The site is great if you want a base so you can go rambling during the day – it was so peaceful and surrounded by amazing scenery!
Great, have sent them a message, hopefully can get in 🙂
Fingers crossed! I think they are full this weekend but we will definitely be going back in the Autumn so we can try out the Tentipi stove with the Safir 9 too 🙂
Campsites with decent showers are worth their weight in gold – loved the line about your Simba mane!
If we ever get up that way I’ll look up Middlehills Farm!
I could not agree more! The camp site owners certainly took care and looked after everything making sure all was clean! I did not have any hair straighteners so think I did scare a few people on the walk back to the tent 😉
my OH wants us to start camping for a holiday with the boys, so it is interesting to read about other peoples experiences. I would love to visit the Peak District one day as it looks to be such a beautiful part of the country.
very informative post x
I was dubious at first and amazed at how much you need to take with you – but once there it was absolute bliss!! Being stuck in the middle of nowhere, in a field, the kids were happy and so were we when we had drinks in hand! Perfect family holidays!
Wow, what a gorgeous campsite! I’ve never seen one with play equipment that good, and the fields look so well maintained. We camp every year with friends and are always on the lookout for a great new site. I love the Peak District too, so we’ll have to try and convince everyone else to make the drive 🙂
I couldn’t get over how stunning it was – 360 degree stunning scenery. The camp site is in an ideal location and is perfect for families. Definitely get everyone to make the journey!
Sounds like a camping success and so reasonable too. All that fresh air and freedom, do pop over and link up with me on Country Kids too.
It was, we all enjoyed it and my daughter is asking to go back again soon!! The chief has spoken 😉
I really wish I could convince Mr Boo to go camping, maybe I’ll just take the kiddies without him. I loved camping as a youngster and this site looks idyllic especially the play area, I might just need to pitch my tent next to that.
I’m still not sold on the entire camping thing. I’d be happy to do it for a night or so, but boy would I miss my sockets and WiFi…
This looks super
Thanks for this – we have only been camping once and the shower block was included in the price, so it is something I need to consider when choosing a campsite. Sounds like you had a lovely time and it was a great place to stay.
Ahhh a shower was a necessity for me and the money I spent was well worth it – lovely site and well worth a visit! 🙂
Camping has never appealed to me before but with such beautiful countryside on the doorstep (!) I think I should consider it! #CountryKids