Birchwood Farm Campsite, Derbyshire

April 2022

We booked a two night stay at Birchwood Farm Campsite as it is located not too far away from our home, and we felt it was perfect for a quick weekend getaway. What drew us to booking this campsite was its location (it is in the countryside but close to Matlock) and it has a play park for the children. It was reasonably priced at £18.50 per night (plus £1.50 to put up an awning), this included electric (please note, we stayed at the start of the season so expect their prices to be higher in peak season). The campsite accepts tourers, motorhomes and tents.

On arrival, we pulled up at reception and instantly the kids could see a little play area which got them excited. We checked in with Carol, who is the owner and very friendly & welcoming, she even offered to print off a map of the local area so we could see places around us to walk to.
We arrived at pitch number 17 which is on the top field (probably the furthest pitch away from the playground). We would have preferred to be closer so we could see our children playing but it did not spoil the break away. Hot tip – if you stay here and want to be close to the play park, request this at the time of booking as these pitches go fast!

The pitches here are very uneven but it does state this on the website, so we knew before we arrived, levelling blocks are required! The views across the countryside and the peacefulness make up for this. Once set up, the sun was shining, and we enjoyed listening to the children play whilst we relaxed.

The following day, we took a walk to the little village of Crompton. It was a beautiful walk from the campsite, with most of the walk being on a non-through road making it safe for the children to run and explore. Next to the campsite is a working farm so we stopped off to see the cows just after they had been fed. The walk down to Crompton took us around 40 minutes (steady walking) and the village has a few quaint shops and two pubs. Towards the end of the walk, into the village, is VERY steep hill. We decided to grab a taxi back up the hill, but keen walkers would probably love the challenge of climbing back up.

When we woke up on our final morning, Carol kindly let us stay on-site a little longer after check-out (as they were not fully booked) and we drove into a town called Matlock. I would highly recommend spending an hour or two looking round the shops and visiting the park here, it has a bustling vibe with an array of gift shops, a butchers and a bakery. The park consisted of a decent sized play area (for big and small children), a splash park, a lake with pedal boats and a miniature train.
I would highly recommend visiting this campsite if you are looking for a family-friendly site that is peaceful, picturesque and has things to do for the children in the great outdoors.

We are certain we will be back for a visit again soon!

Birchwood Farm Campsite, Wirksworth Road, Whatstandwell, Derbyshire, DE4 5HS