Mendip Camp, Shipham near Cheddar Gorge
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Campsite: |
Mendip Camp |
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Location: |
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Suitable for: |
Couples and Small Groups or families for a short stay only |
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Price: |
£12 per night for non-electric grass camping pitch |
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Website: |
None. Phone: 01934 251783 |
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When: |
4 nights in August 2019 |
If the thought of staying on a busy campsite full of families during the summer holiday season fills you with dread then Mendip Camp might be just the campsite you are looking for.
THE CAMPSITE:
This small, one field campsite is located on Longbottom Farm; a five minute drive away from the popular town of Cheddar in the heart of the Mendip Hills area of outstanding natural beauty.
At Piggl we prefer to keep camping basic if we can and we assumed that a campsite with no website and not hot water or showers would be pretty quiet - and we weren’t wrong. On arrival there were only two tents set up in the field and we had the pick of the rest of the field to park up our Transporter campervan with a view over the farm and fields beyond.
FACILITIES:
We were well aware that the bathroom facilities would be basic - and they weren't kidding - a converted brick shed houses male and female toilets with two cubicles on each side and one sink with a cold water tap only. There aren’t even lights so take your head torches and be prepared to share your loo with some cobwebs and moths. Outside you’ll find one dishwashing sink with cold water and a drinking water tap. That’s it. No showers. No hot water.
However, it's just this kind of basic campsite that gives Mendip Camp its charm. The campsite is lovely and quiet and surrounded by fields on all sides with plenty of walking opportunities. Campfires are allowed and you can buy logs from the owner at their farmhouse.
NEARBY:
A five minute drive away is the popular town of Cheddar, home of the famous Cheddar Gorge and caves. Having not been to this part of the world before we were surprised at how popular the town was. Fortunately local pubs have cottoned on to the lack of parking and many of them will let you pay for a day's parking at the bar for £5 - the alternative is to drive through the town onto the parking verges alongside the road beyond.
We were also shocked to find that access to the gorge and caves was charged and you had to pay what we felt was a hefty access charge (£20 per person) to walk up into the gorge and more to access the caves. Being the thrifty campers that we are we were sure that there must be another way and there was. A quick Google search identified a National Trust footpath that began at a gate in the back of the village and looped right around the gorge - in fact we realised that the exit of this walk was actually through the very same entrance gate that you’d pay £20 to access! So, take this hint from us - do this two hour walk for free and you’ll save yourself a heap of cash by simply walking it in reverse!
Feeling very smug with our little inside knowledge we duly treated ourselves to ice cream and fudge in Cheddar before returning to our campsite for a well earnt BBQ.
WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE:
There is no hot water and no showers so be prepared for a back to basics camping experience and for this reason we’d only recommend staying for one or two nights.
WHAT WE LIKED:
A quiet campsite with a great location for walks and attractions in Cheddar. The farm is quiet and the campsite is small enough and with basic facilities so won’t attract families or large groups.
FIND THIS CAMPSITE:
ABOUT US:
We have been travelling in campervans for over 15 years, taking in the best that the UK and Europe has to offer. By sharing our adventures, insights, recommendations and reviews we hope to inspire you to explore more!
Take a look at Piggl CAMPERVAN - a uniquely designed, campervan kitchen, bed and bike storage system for VW T5 and T6 Transporters. An industry leading product, available to anyone wanting to undertake their own van conversion – without compromising on function or style.