tent, but without the lions) on rural
family-run farms. The farmers agree
to involve guests in the activities of
the farm while earning much-needed
extra income to support their farms.
Each tent has a double bed,
bunk bed and “cupboard room”
(hands down the most coveted spot),
accommodating up to six people. And,
as the name suggests, there are cosy
duvets on each bed to keep campers
toasty at night. There is a wood-
burning stove, dining room table,
running water, a comfy sofa, basic
cooking tools, and an indoor flush
toilet (this alone is enough to convince
even the most wary camper!).
What you will not find: electricity,
WiFi or televisions. We read by
candlelight in the evenings and the
kids were too exhausted to miss their
iPads. Since everything you need is
provided, you won’t need to buy a pile
of expensive camping gear (that you
will not know how to use and later
will have no place to store in Hong
Kong). The most important item to
pack: wellies! It wouldn’t be England
without a bit of rain and mud.
Simple pleasures
The hardest part of planning our
holiday was choosing among all of
the bucolic farms on the website. We
selected Manor Farm because it was
about one hour south of London. (Full
disclosure: we sweetened the deal by
treating the kids to a stay at the nearby
Legoland hotel the night before our
simple life began!)
Ahead of our arrival, the friendly
farm owners contacted us to discuss
our food requests. Would we like
a selection of local meats for the
barbecue? A breakfast hamper? The
ingredients for a beef stew to cook over
a fire? Yes, please, to all. But, if you’re
too tired to cook your own meal when
you arrive, there is also the option of
a ready-made meal from the farmer’s
kitchen.
Inevitably, you will be missing
something you need for dinner and
that is where the “honesty shop” saves
the day. Each farm has a store that
sells everything you forgot (or didn’t
bother) to bring, from marshmallows
to ketchup and, most importantly,
wine and beer. You collect what you
need and jot it down, settling your bill
before your departure. This concept
was entirely foreign to the kids, and
it took a lot of convincing for them to
believe we were not stealing!
The tent was already set up
when we arrived (avoiding the usual
confusion about the tent that looked so
easy to assemble in the store). But, that
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