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Balloch O' Dee

Newton Stewart, Wigtown, Scotland
1 acre hosted by James ?.
Family camping with roaming ponies and quirky loos, set in a stunning location at the foot of Culvennan Fell, edging Galloway Forest Park
Balloch O’ Dee’s farm campsite is located in one of the Lowlands’ most stunning areas – right on the edge of fir-cloaked Galloway Forest Park, with its clear night skies (it’s the only European designated Dark Skies forest). James and Hazel bought the place in 2010 and, just 12 months later, opened its gates to campers in search of a rural retreat. Their hard work has paid off, as the campsite is fast becoming a family favourite.

Back when we first visited in those early days it was the stark rusticity of the place, tucked amid inspiring landscapes and boasting ancient stone farm buildings, that made it really stand out. Years later, with the addition of electricity, toilet and showers, there has certainly been a change, yet the subtlety with which James and Hazel have shaped their campsite means the same unpretentious, rural-camping character still shines through.

There’s plenty of space (15 acres to be exact) and the large camping field offers spectacular views across the surrounding countryside. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal; kids can often be found paddling or trying to catch crayfish in the farm’s tinkling burn before dragonflies appear at dusk. Communal campfires accompanied by evening sing-songs are commonplace, while in the morning campers are woken by the dawn chorus and get to throw open their tent doors to the sight of Culvennan Fell, framed in the morning mist…

The aforementioned stone buildings have now been tastefully converted, with a barn space acting as a surprisingly cosy sanitary block. Large ‘rainfall’ showers provide the perfect way to warm up if bad weather caught you out on a fell walk, while thoughtful touches like free handmade soaps and scented candles show the owners care as much for the site now as they did when they first unlatched the gates years ago. The same thoughtfulness can be seen in their newest additions, a bunk-house Bothy, in the old cowshed, the wooden roundhouse, at the bottom of the field, each with fire-fed range ovens and an unbeatabley snug interior, and the Mongolian Yurt, new for 2015 complete with a log burner.

Adjacent to the campsite is Balloch O’ Dee’s trekking centre, which offers a warm welcome to young riders. Tuition is available with qualified staff for every level, or simply enjoy a free ride around the site and help Hazel with the grooming. By day, little ones will have a great view on horseback across the surrounding countryside and farmland. By night, they can keep their eyes peeled for shooting stars and ponder what sort of fun other campers might be having in another galaxy far, far away.

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Location
Newton Stewart, Wigtown, Scotland, 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
Hosted by James ?.Joined in November 2013
From the host
Balloch O' Dee is a beautiful small farm nestled in stunning countryside on the edge of the Galloway national forest park. Fifteen minutes from the coast and numerous wonderful beaches, (and "some of the best crab fishing in the whole wide world" - so our kids tell us) it is surrounded by forests and mountains and sits at the foot of Cullvenan Fell. As a familly, we moved here in April 2010 after camping in Scotland for many years, this was the start of our great escape from the rat race, and although the last few years have been very hard work, we have loved every minute of it.  The idea was to create a lovely small campsite with plenty of space and a really relaxed atmosphere and we will be continually looking for ways to make a stay at Balloch O' Dee a truly memorable one.we wanted to create a place where you could just come and get away from it all in peace and quiet but also somewhere that you could sit around the campfire with other guests if you felt like it and play your instruments, chat and sing and watch the shooting stars. The campsite is a small site covering about 15 acres with a maximum of ten tourers and about thirty tents. We have no statics and the emphasis is very much on space so you won't be crammed in!We have converted one of the barns into a lovely shower room with piping hot water, toilets, wash basins and sinks where you can wash up. You can also use this room to dry clothes etc. We also have electric hook up for tourers. .....We have built a number of individual Scottish stone BBQs arround the site so if you dont fancy lugging yours along with you then be our guest - charcoal and wood are normally available at the farm. You can also help yourself to free range eggs from our rare breed hens. We are on the edge of the National Park that has been given Dark Sky status and noise pollution is almost zero. The Balloch O Dee burn meanders its way around the farm and is a haven for spectacular dragon flies and all kinds of wild life and rare wild flowers.  We have a purpose built shower room which has lovely hot showers with extra large 'rainfall' shower heads, hand basins, toilets and washing up sinks. There are also sockets to plug in hairdryers etc. There are complimentary hand made soaps and hand creams and a large selection of reading material for you to enjoy.In the evening this room is lit with just candles and there are always scented oils and incense burning away.
Nearby attractions

The pony-trekking centre should provide hours of fun for budding jockeys. Children are welcome to stay at the stables for the day and groom the horses, learn more about their new four-legged friends and join in with the mucking out (bring wellies and waterproofs!). Three Lochs Holiday Park (01671 830304) is a couple of miles down the road. Activities on offer range from archery to mountain biking. You can book fishing at Loch Heron and Loch Ronald at the park’s reception to go after pike as large as 30lbs for supper. In nearby Newton Stewart you’ll find a swimming pool (01671 404301), and a community-owned cinema that regularly screens the latest releases as well as live theatre shows. In summer, the programme is usually family-orientated.

Food and drink

Check out the House o’ Hill Hotel at Glentrool (01671 840243.) It has a fabulous location at the edge of Gallery Forest and a menu to match – crammed full of local produce with something tasty for even the youngest of diners – our firm family favourite were the homemade fishcakes.

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