Run by affable owners Neil and Patricia, with a little help from their trusty wind turbine ‘Tina Turner’, Solway View is a small working farm in the kind of idyllic location that could have ambled its way off the pages of a Famous Five instalment. Overlooking the Dee Estuary, the farm is surrounded by acres of woodland with nature trails to explore and direct access over the fields to the sandy bay below. The sheltered cove makes a top spot for young sea dogs to let their imaginations run riot while becoming better acquainted with the numerous rockpools and their salty inhabitants.
The campsite itself is basic but each pitch is generous, with its own firepit and picnic area. For those looking for some home comforts, there are wooden wigwams, complete with electricity and heating, for hire in the neighbouring field.
When not running amok on the beach, there’s still enough on offer on the site to amuse kids of all ages. Impromptu games of Tag or a kick around with a ball in the middle of the camping field are common, and there’s also an adventure playground. In the summer months, Neil organises tractor rides and tours of the farm for the little ones.
There’s an all-weather cookhouse if mum or dad don’t fancy campfire cooking and the ‘eco’ boxes are ticked in the form of Tina, the solar-powered shower and toilet block (complete with, ahem, ‘Steamy Windows’), recycling units and a clothes-drying tent. A trip to Solway View may not teach junior campers everything they need to know to save the planet, but it’s a good start with guaranteed fun and plenty of sea air to boot, m’hearties.
