Birds and campsites – not so different you know (stick with us here). Some campsites crow loudly (the mega-tainment-boasting holiday park), while some show off their dazzling plumage (the über slick luxury glampsite). Fitting then that this pleasantly traditional East Sussex site is named after the humble cuckoo, for, eschewing the bells n' whistles, Cuckoo's Rest Caravan and Camping Park holds more modest charms.
Sat between Polegate and Hailsham just off the B2104, Cuckoo's Rest has that magic formula of relaxed, family-friendly camping. The hospitality and welcoming nature of friendly owner Karina is without question. Neighboured by open paddocks with horses, sheep and cows, the site itself is fairly small, with flat, informal grass pitches ("pitch wherever you like!") that get a good draining whenever the Great British Summertime hasn't read the script.
The ablutions block is more than adequate and there's a great little games room which the kids will soon be staking a claim to as their own exclusive (i.e "no grown-ups allowed!") club house. The small onsite honesty shop is a good barometer for the types of campers who frequent. It's all so refreshingly uncommercial with not a hardstanding or an plug socket in sight.
The glorious Seven Sisters and South Downs (the UK's newest National Park) are but a 10-15 minute drive from the site. The main draw here though is the site's proximity to the Cuckoo Trail. A mixture of traffic-free tarmac and fine gravel, this 14 mile route is ideal for a family bike ride. With nothing more strenuous than a gently sloping 120 metre incline, it's perfect for your littl'un's first tentative pedals. There's wildflowers and wood carvings to admire, Polegate's tower windmill (housing a small museum) and whimsical villages to stop in. Pull up at the Cuckoo Rest – don't worry, you haven't gone back on yourself; this is the Cuckoo (just the one) Rest in Hellingly – a great little pitstop for a cheap and cheerful beer and a bite on the veranda.
So you see, sometimes, all the 'kidz klubz' and wood-fired saunas in the world are no substitute for good, honest camping.
