Review: Farm on the Hill Camping

Please note this is not a sponsored post. We booked and paid for our trip ourselves.

Like many of you, we found ourselves looking for things to do at half term to make up for the lack of days out over the last year. We have been planning so many treats for the kids when lockdown was relaxed, so it was finally time to make good on our promises!

I planned an extravaganza over half term, featuring a camping trip, a day at Alton Towers and a day at Waterworld in Stoke. So we needed a campsite that was near to these attractions and, after a quick bit of research online, I came across Farm on the Hill Camping.

The website pointed to the fact that this site was going to be super relaxed and laid back, with basic facilities, but beyond that I wasn’t sure what to expect.

We haven’t camped in this part of the world before, but it didn’t disappoint

Upon arrival we were shown to our pitch, and were blown away with how much space we had all to ourselves.

I’m not sure this photo does our pitch justice!

There are no pitches with EHU at Farm on the Hill, but we enjoyed a more relaxed approach to this trip. We bought enough food (and plenty of ice!) for each day at the supermarket in Uttoxeter, so didn’t have to worry about keeping things cold. Each pitch does have a firepit though, perfect for toasting marshmallows or for snuggling round at nighttime.

The boys loved heading off and exploring the woods near our tent

One of the things I loved most about Farm on the Hill, was how we were happy to let Finn go off on his own. We were happy for both boys to explore the wooded area around our pitch, plus we let Finn go to the toilet and walk back from the shower on his own. I’ve never felt happy to do that before and, although he is obviously older now than our previous trips, I liked how secluded and quiet it was.

Our nearest neighbours!

I wasn’t sure what the toilet and shower situation would be like, and so had pretty low expectations. However, I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. There are two composting toilets, which I wasn’t so worried about as we have used them on a few trips before and always been impressed. If you haven’t come across them before, please don’t be put off, they don’t smell at all and are actually very pleasant to use.

The shower situation was also better than I was expecting. We are not particularly high maintenance, but I do like a nice warm shower. As it turns out, I needn’t have worried as it was so hot the two days we stayed at Farm on the Hill that a cold shower wouldn’t have been a problem!

The 2 minute walk to the shower was one of the most picturesque I’ve ever experienced

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the actual shower, but it was a lovely little outbuilding in a wooded area. It was lovely having wash in the middle of nature. It felt like I was in an advert or something! It was also a good size, which makes washing the kids a bit easier. One of my pet hates when camping is tiny little shower cubicles, but not a problem here. It was also perfectly warm, which was lovely and made me feel super clean after a hot, sticky day.

We were lucky as the site was quiet when we were there, so we never had to wait to use the facilities, but with 2 toilets and one shower, I imagine it might be a little different at busier times. There is also just one drinking water tap and that is about everything. Just a thing to note, there are no bins at Farm on the Hill, understandably so as it is very expensive to provide waste removal services, but something to be aware of.

Whenever I’m writing a campsite review, I always start by thinking whether I would stay there again, and work back from there.

I can confidently say that I would most definitely stay at Farm on the Hill again. It would be great to spend a bit longer exploring the stunning Churnet Valley. Due to the abundant space, it would be a great place to go with friends and chill out.

I understand that some people want more facilities at their ideal campsite, but if you are looking for a friendly, relaxed and back to basics type of site, Farm on the Hill is perfect. After the stresses of the last year or so, a couple of days camping there was just the perfect tonic.

Does a more basic campsite appeal to you? Or do you prefer all mod cons when you’re camping?

Find more of my campsite reviews here