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Cuckoo Farm Campsite

99%
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· Rutland, Rutland, England
130 acres hosted by Cuckoo C.
2 glamping pitches · 5 motorhome/tent pitches · 5 motorhome pitches
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Best in Central England: 1st place
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2023.
Family-friendly
Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.
Cuckoo is a Star Host
Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.
Family camping with campfires on an organic farm, set alongside the beautiful River Chater

There’s no better name for this small organic farm, set alongside the River Chater and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The local birdlife, further encouraged by nearby Rutland Water Nature Reserve, sings a terrific morning alarm clock. Kingfishers can sometimes be seen in the lower branches of an ash tree that overhangs the river and cuckoos arrive here to officially welcome spring. It’s as if their call is the signal to open the campsite, which promptly welcomes campers from the middle of April each year. Cuck-ooo, Cuck-ooo, they call. The camping season has arrived.

Set in an open, very slightly sloping meadow, Cuckoo Farm Campsite has space for around 50 camping pitches, with a laid back, pitch-where-you-like attitude (though 20 specific spots are provided with electrical hook-ups). Campfires are permitted in the firepits provided and farm-owners Roland and Rebecca are thoroughly encouraging of campfire cooking, with grills, tripods and metal kettles you can use. The real treat is the on-site farm shop, where you can buy their fresh organic produce. Paired with bread and other goods from the farmers market in Stamford, a 10-minute drive away, it’s as wholesome as you could wish for.

For six months of the year the grassland of the campsite is grazed by the farm’s gorgeous black nosed Valais sheep, who move into the neighbouring meadows come camping season. Before being shorn, they look like a cross between sheep, shaggy Highland cows and giant teddy bears. Campers are welcome to book tours of the farm, which may involve the chance to feed lambs in spring and to collect fresh eggs from the chickens for your breakfast. There are pigs and turkeys too and Rebecca and Roland give some great insight in to organic farming.

For families, the seclusion of the farm is particularly special. It’s over half a mile back to the main road, while the river, which curls its way directly past the campsite, is shallow enough for sploshing, splashing and building dams with sticks and rocks. Rutland Water, meanwhile, is a seven-minute drive away, with a sailing school, fishing lodge and boat hire. You can also rent bikes next to the car park to cycle the family-friendly, 23-mile route around the entire reservoir – great to do with a picnic. When the sun’s out, the place is the very picture of summer.

Activities
Biking
Boating
Fishing
Hiking
Natural features
Forest
River, stream, or creek
Field
Farm
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99%
184 Ratings · 183 reviews
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Fiona A.recommends
August 25, 2023
Grass Pitch
Our grandchildren loved the friendly goat. Great place for paddling and playing in the river. Friendly site with good shop and coffee machine. Loved the communal teepee with table tennis and table football
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Debbie W.recommends
August 21, 2023
Grass Pitch
Scenic, quiet campsite with on site access to a stream for paddling, trees for climbing and some goats and sheep for admiring. Small shop on site, clean and well serviced facilities. It is a quiet campsite and the no noise after 10 is enforced, however be aware it is a working farm - and the machinery is exempt from that rule (one of the nights we stayed had machinery noise going on until the early hours).
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Ben S.recommends
August 20, 2023
Grass Pitch
The perfect escape
We would definitely recommend and will be visiting again! The campsite is so beautiful and spacious, the staff are super friendly, the facilities were perfect, and the farm shop was a great place to get all of our essentials. One of our favourite campsites and couldn’t have asked for anything extra.
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Pete T.recommends
July 30, 2023
Grass Pitch
Great site close to Rutland Water
Great campsite, nice little shop and showers hot and clean. Close to Rutland Aquapark too
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Alice H.recommends
July 20, 2023
Grass Pitch
Rare gem
We had a glorious stay at Cuckoo Farm. Superb family friendly site and owners Becky & Roland were super kind and helpful. Best bits: 1) wash facilities were beautifully clean and spacious with strong showers at a good temperature. 2) loads of space! Plenty of room for everyone with space left over for family games. 3) The tipi! Fabulous big common-area tipi which, when we went, had a ping pong table and a sofa in it. Perfect to chill out in on rainy days of which we had a couple. 4) The stream. Paddling in the stream and going “fishing” with rock-pool nets kept our two young boys happy for HOURS. Simple pleasures! 5) The other campers were super lovely - evidently this place cultivates kind and friendly campers who abide by the site’s rules. 6) The little glade of trees - great for den making and stringing a wash-line between. 7) The animals - fun to watch but never too noisy. Gorgeous fresh produce available from the shop too (the bacon was top notch). 8) The owners and staff, all of whom were unfailingly kind and helpful often going above and beyond to help. I’m torn between telling all my friends about this absolute gem of a site, or keeping silent in order to retain its quiet and relaxed beauty for next time.
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Jack C.recommends
June 16, 2023
Electric Grass Pitch
Awesome camping trip.
Kids loved it! Weather was perfect. Roland and Fiona were great hosts. Massive pitch, great showers, sinks to wash your dishes and a freezer for those ice blocks! Roland was kind enough to let the kids feed some of the animals during his checks and was the highlight of their trip. The stream with the rope swing is a great addition and needed in the recent hot weather. Read some reviews mentioning the railway track; it didn’t affect us at all and is barely noticeable so don’t let this put you off. Absolutely amazing trip, can’t wait to visit again. Bliss!
Location
Rutland, Rutland, England, United KingdomTraditional, ancestral territory of various First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Cuckoo C.Joined in October 2018
From the host
- Family-run grassland site on a working organic farm - Within 10 minutes of Rutland Water Nature Reserve and activity centre - Farm shop selling organic meat; a five-minute drive from pub and shop Roland and Rebecca, proprietors of this little Rutland gem, run an organic farm next door with pigs, turkeys, chickens, a small herd of fallow deer and a flock of Black Nosed Valais sheep (the worlds cutest sheep): visitors are invited to book tours and walks around the farm to greet and meet the animals. The farm’s own produce including organic pork and lamb is on sale in the on-site shop – and with barbecues and campfires fully permitted, there’s no excuse for not having an outdoor feast.
Nearby attractions

It’s 4 miles to Rutland Water Reservoir and Nature Reserve, a great place to enjoy the outdoors, whether it’s cycling the 23-mile circumference of the reservoir – nipping in and out of the woods as you go on tarmacked, car-free trails – or on foot. Cycle hire is available there if you haven’t brought your own. It’s a scenic spot to go for a picnic and you can also get out on the water sailing or in canoes. Bring binoculars to see the birds and, if you’re a real twitcher, pop into the Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre (01572 770651) and Rutland Water Visitors Centre (01780 686800) for more info. It’s 6¾ miles to Burghley House (01780 752451), a Tudor stately home and gardens, including sculpture gardens and the gardens of surprises (take a change of clothes and shoes as the kids will get wet). Guided tours of the house are available, complete with costumed guides to uncover the house's history and the people who have lived there. It’s also 15 miles to Grimsthorpe Castle Park and Gardens (01778 591205), 9 miles to Oakham Castle (01572 757578), 10 miles to Rockingham Castle and 9 miles to Barnsdale Gardens (01572 813200). The local market towns of Oakham, Uppingham and Stamford all vie for your attention with history, independent shops and good eateries in abundance. The latter has an excellent farmers market on Fridays and is also home to the excellent Stamford Arts Centre (01780 763203) – a good option for rainy days.

Food and drink

A range a farm produce is available on site including organic eggs, chicken, lamb, venison, pork, sausages and burgers. As well as firepits, grills and tripods you can hire  For something elsewhere, you can cycle (10 minutes) or walk (20–25 minutes) across public footpaths and quite country roads to the pretty Rutland village of Ketton for a drink at The Railway Inn (01780 721050), which is the last purely wet pub in Rutland. Or try a bite to eat at The Northwick Arms (01780 720238). It's also a short drive to the beautiful Georgian market town of Stamford, which has broad range of place to eat and drink.

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