Crake Trees Manor

We spent one night in a tent at Crake Trees and would happily come back. It’s a quiet spot, great for looking at the stars, and the site and facilities were spotless. The kitchen has a sink for washing up and fresh water, plus a camping stove and kettle. That was a lovely surprise, and having a cup of tea before unpacking the car was just the thing.

We couldn’t make our booking because my partner, who serves in the Royal Navy on nuclear submarines, was called out for work. I know Crake Trees has terms and conditions for refunds, but I think there should be some flexibility for emergency service call-outs and HM Forces. We would also have been happy to move the booking to another date, but that wasn’t offered. We’d paid £40 for our dog to come for the four nights and another £40 for an extra car. Since those were optional add-ons, I expected at least those costs to be refunded. I called Ruth at Crake Trees Manor and found her rude and dismissive, with no empathy for the situation. I don’t think there was any effort to find a way to resolve this, and I’ve ended up leaving a bad review. I wouldn’t recommend booking here, especially with such a rude host running the site.

The hosts offered to have a BBQ with the other campers, though I walked into town to get food for the evening. I was cycling north and stayed here for one night. It’s a lovely site with lovely hosts. The kitchen has a sink, fridge, kettle, and a socket for charging devices. The bathroom and shower were extremely pleasant.

I’ve never stayed at a nicer campsite. What made it special was the shared social space: there was live music on the night we arrived, and everyone had a real sense of community. Being able to buy cold beer was a nice extra. The pitches sit in a beautiful wildflower meadow beside a pond, with spectacular views. The showers, toilets, and small kitchen are thoughtfully laid out and very clean. It feels like a great mix of countryside and comfort. Long may it last.