Away with the Kids visits: Petruth Paddocks

We had such a lovely welcome! We arrived fairly late on Friday night after a long journey, and the team couldn’t have been better at putting us at ease. There is a chilled vibe that runs through everything at Petruth, nothing was too much trouble.

We stayed in a shepherd’s hut, which was a first for us! We’ve been camping for years, but never glamping, so this was quite a step up. There are three shepherd’s huts at Petruth – two 4 berths and a 2 berth. They are absolutely stunning, like little hobbit houses. I think I waited about two minutes to be polite before taking a picture and sending it to our envious extended family!

I had expected the huts to be absolutely tiny, with just room for beds inside, but there is a little seating area and the bunks were huge. Much bigger than our beds at home. There are plug sockets, a kettle and a little fridge. There were board games too, which we took full advantage of!

It’s actually really big, but doesn’t feel it at all – I'm not sure how they’ve managed it. Maybe it’s the space between pitches? I’ve stayed on smaller campsites that felt so much busier and noisier but this was very calm. The atmosphere was very convivial and everyone was friendly. Our boys (aged 3 and 6) loved making friends and quickly formed a little pack who would congregate by the abandoned Land Rover in the middle of the field. It was so nice to be able to give them that space and freedom.

To be fair, the kids were pretty happy just milling around and playing. And I was happy reading my book by the fire pit! We did go on the farm animal tour on the Saturday morning which the boys really enjoyed. I couldn’t believe how friendly and cute the sheep and goats were – well used to being fed by campers I imagine.

Also, not technically on-site but almost, one of the biggest car boot sales in the area is held on an adjacent field on Sundays. If rifling for treasure is your thing you’ll love it, there were tons of private sellers with quirky stuff. You just slip through one of the hedges and you’re in.

Cheddar is walking distance away, so you’re within easy reach of pubs and supermarkets. We took a trip to the Gorge, which is striking and well worth a visit. I love a limestone cave (nerd here) but the boys weren’t keen and the admission price was quite steep so we stuck with an ice-cream and a drink in the pub. If you fancy a walk you can see the Gorge itself for free, I didn’t fancy coaxing our lot up there on foot, but we did drive through. It is beautiful.

If you are keen walkers, there is so much to experience! Cheddar Gorge itself, and endless walks through the stunning Mendip Hills. We had a lovely stroll along the back lane on our last night, it was so peaceful and nice easy walking for little legs.

It is a campsite, so you do have to look after yourself to an extent. We have always been quite lazy campers and relied on barbecues and convenience food, but we promised ourselves this time would be different so we brought a camp stove with us. But, actually, you wouldn’t need to if you were just staying for the weekend. There was a breakfast van and a coffee stand (with proper coffee!) in the mornings, and a food van in the evenings. I am pretty sure they are there all summer. Of course, Cheddar is within really easy reach and there are plenty of pubs and takeaways there. Some of the pizza places will deliver on-site too! So there are ways around it if the thought of cooking for yourselves feels too much hassle.

What were your best bits?

Without doubt the atmosphere on the campsite. It was one of the most relaxed we’ve been to and the boys were in heaven with all their new friends.

The shepherd’s hut was brilliant too, I seriously hope this hasn’t spoiled me forever! Our summer of camping is suddenly looking a lot less appealing having lolled in those massive bunks and been able to stick a cuppa on in the morning...

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