We have been extremely lucky to be able to take a small mini break with the kids with Featherdown and do a review for them; a real taste of glamping with the kids. Read on to see what we thought of it all!
Where and what is College Farm?
If you have never glamped before, then you are totally missing out; Featherdown have a number of properties in the UK, and Europe that have “tents” to introduce you to this rather modern practise. Glamorous camping. And that is EXACTLY what it is, particularly at the rather gorgeous College Farm, located a few miles away from the Norfolk town of Beccles.
Facilities
College Farm is located alongside the Featherdown farm, and has a total of eight tents that are extremely well suited to families. Access is down a glorious country lane, and the lodges are well spaced out alongside a field that slopes down to the marshes.
All the lodges are kitted out in a beautiful rustic style, with wooden flooring, candles for lighting, and walls made from packing crates, which really add to the gorgeous vintage feel of the place.
Tents sleep 5/6, and have bunk beds, toilets (some showers, though there are communal showers a short walk from them), sofa’s and majestic wooden tables with medieval candelabras hanging over the top.
A BBQ and a stove are provided inside the tents to keep you warm, and give you the cooking facilities you need. There are also gas stoves to pick up from a wonderful honesty shop located at the top of the farm.
To keep the kids entertained, there are plenty of communal play areas; from a trampoline, a play hay barn, sandpit, climbing frame, and a Wendy house. If you don’t find something that the kids are going to like; then you never will!
The honesty shop has all you need for the basics, plus a few other essentials, such as pasta, pizza bases, and a few little tipples for the adults as well! You can also order fresh bread, and pastries for breakfast with the sausages and bacon in the fridge so you are able to indulge those early morning hunger pangs.
The owners offer a few different activities for the visitors too, including a pizza night, farm walks and horse grooming. There is a board near the shop to help you to see when these are available.
What did we think of College Farm, Featherdown?
We’ve giving you the lowdown on the facilities there, but what did we actually think about it all?
Location
Norfolk is a simply stunning part of the UK, and it is somewhere that doesn’t lack in terms of camping facilities, but glamping here is something else. There is so much for the kids to do – and so much fun to be had here too.
The location is idyllic, and the hosts (Marcus and Lucy), are lovely. They KNOW how important it is for families to feel that their kids are safe roaming, and have lots to entertain them. The facilities are wonderful, and the effort they make to enable independence in the kids, without the worry, is perfect. Families with younger children know that they can roam free in the fields, and there is no fear that they are going to get into trouble.
The animals on the farm; from the lambs to the cows, dogs and peasants, are friendly, and the children are able to interact with them, particularly on the farm walk on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Where else are you going to be able to feed lambs, and hold a pheasant chick?
The farm walk is either short (3/4 mile) or long (1 ¾ mile) depending on whether your kids are up for a trek across the marshes. The hosts were even kind enough to let the kids walk their wonderful dogs.
Walking the dog is one of the ways that the hosts have thought ahead to help stop the whining that some parents might have to put up with 😉. The shorter walk gives another option. This really does illustrate well the thought that Marcus and Lucy have put into hosting your holiday. They really want you to love it so much, you’ll come back.
Glamping tent
The tent is wonderful. Comfortable beds, excellent cooking facilities, and stunning locations. The kids have plenty of fun places to explore even inside such a small tent, with the bunk bed and the cupboard bed a massive hit with any children. Who doesn’t want to sleep inside a cupboard, right?
The barbecue is perfect for cooked breakfasts, and the stove helps to keep your evenings warm. Just don’t forget the spray, or mosquil to stop those pesky insects from ruining your nights in the tent.
The candles offer additional excitement for the older kids, who will delight in lighting them, and blowing them out at the end of the day.
Some tents offer shower facilities, but it can be part of the fun going up to the communal showers anyway, isn’t it?
Overall 10/10
This is a wonderful place for a family holiday; I can’t fault it. Perfect hosts, facilities and even educational with the kids being able to get really hands on at the farm. There is such a lot to do here too; we even managed to get the kids playing Frisbee with us in front of the tents….
If you have never glamped, it’s a great introduction to it. If you are an old hand at it, then you know you are being offered the best of the best.
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Thanks for coming to see us. If you are looking for more awesome ideas for holidays, do check out our travel section. For example, we’ve got a great article with ideas for city farm visits.
Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine! Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time. KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania. Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!