Carpenters Farm is a small family campsite in St Helens on the beautiful Isle of Wight. This was our second time staying here and I felt it was high time I did a review!
Location
The location of Carpenters Farm is just outside of the village of St Helens, a picturesque village in the northeast of the island. A lovely family beach is just 5 mins away in the car which is perfect for crabbing or swimming and if you come in August you can join the now famous Fort Walk.
The Campsite
The campsite is just over 16 acres of really lovely grassland, split into 3 areas. There is a main middle area that has a small playground right in the middle so you can always keep an eye on the little people, a top field of you want to be a little more secluded, and a small piece of ground near the reception. We chose the centre field so we had easy views of the playground, where we knew Laanii would spend a lot of her time making new friends!
When the campsite is at maximum capacity the place looks half empty which is amazing as there is always so much room to spread out. You are not on top of each other and for us it meant that our little explorer Raif could indulge his love of open spaces to his heart’s content! We were pitched at the top of the field and the views were amazing plus you get to look and see if you can spot the ‘2 dinosaurs’ on the horizon overlooking Whitecliff Bay!
Facilities
Electric Hook Up There are lots of electric hookup pitches if that’s what you want. Last year we did hook up on one of the hard standings. It was great because we got electric but didn’t work so well as our friends in tents were at the top of the hill so we felt a little detached from the main group. Also when it rained our awning got a little flooded as the water ran down the hill into our awning. This time we went off the grid as we are trying more and more to not be on EHU. This is so we can get used to living on 12v both for Ian and I (for overseas travel or wild camping) and also so that the kiddies (especially Laanii) gets used to all the fun things that can be enjoyed when you DON’T have access to electric. There are also EHU hookups on the grass which are to the side of the hill.
Playground There is a small playground in the centre of the big field with a couple of climbing frames, swings and a big sand pit. Laanii and Raif spent ages in the sandpit and Laanii made so many friends in the playground. Being so well located I could get hold of her quickly when I needed her!
Shower Blocks There are 3 showers in of the men’s/ladies plus in peak season there are 2 family bathrooms (these are amazing!) The showers in the main block are ok but the usual stop/start shower which I understand for water wastage but can be a pain when I’m trying to rinse shampoo from my thick wig of hair. The 2 lockable family bathrooms are so good, there is a shower and a toilet and a large space/entrance totally big enough for a buggy so you can easily take everyone down there and get everyone showered. These showers are traditional electric showers so a bit more user-friendly. All the showers/toilets are cleaned regularly.
Laundry There is a decent sized laundry room. Although we didn’t need to use it, it had a large washing machine, tumble dryer and an ironing board.
Outside Sinks There are sinks outside the shower block for hand washing clothes and washing dishes. All a great size and they always seem to be totally clean.
Charging Room A lovely wooden room houses lots of charging points for all your electrical devices, with tables and chairs for you to sit with your laptop. Although I was on holiday this time I did want to join in with an online training on one of the days so I parked up at a table plugged in my phone and got my Bluetooth headphones out and I was good to go! There is also CCTV in the room so you safe that your equipment is being monitored.
There is the usual chemical toilet cleaning point or Elsen Point (definitely a blue job in our family!) and plenty of water points. The reception has a small fridge with milk and butter and other small items. You can also get ice packs for 20p each (plus a £10 deposit). This was an absolute godsend this trip as we had some electric issues so we needed to keep the fridge going as the gas kept faulting because the battery had an issue.
Another absolute godsend that we found by chance was leisure battery charging point! We bought a new leisure battery in June and we started having lots of problems with it on this trip with it not holding power. To be able to pop down and put it on charge every so often was so helpful to us! You can also buy calor has on site! They really have thought of everything!
Dogs are also allowed, although must be let on a lead and there is a dedicated dog walk area on the campsite.
Whilst at the site we got to enjoy kite flying, cricket, croquet, pétanque (a grass version!), scootering and cycling. There are beautiful walks right outside the entrance and some geocaches not too far away too! Plus the annual St Helens Carnival and visiting fair.
We were also treated to daily flyovers by flocks of geese! Just spectacular!
We did have one day of absolutely torrential wind and rain but this time the water ran away from our awning and not into it!
Overall we had the best time at Carpenter Farm! The owners are friendly and welcoming. If you need to book a ferry they can also help you get a great deal! Us Phenix’s will definitely be back next year!
SUMMARY
PROS
The space! So much space for little people to let off steam and for big people to chill
The family bathroom, made bath time much less stressful
The charging room
Central playground
CONS
The hold shower in the block, although maybe not an issue if your hair is not thick like mine!
THIS CAMPSITE IS BEST SUITED TO: Families, couples or solo travellers as there is enough space for you all to enjoy family fun or peace and quiet!
OVERALL
9/10
To find out more info or to book a pitch visit: http://www.carpentersfarm.co.uk/(Please give us a little mention!)
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