Thistledown Farm
Thistledown Farm
4.5
This location was reported permanently closed
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Thistledown Café and Campsite - award-winning camping and wood-fired food set in 70 acres of Cotswold AONB
Duration: More than 3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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4.5
262 reviews
Excellent
203
Very good
37
Average
14
Poor
5
Terrible
3
emilia j
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Family
Tried to charge me nearly £80 to stay for just one night for me and my daughter and a friend … just with 2 little tents .
Even though it’s a beauty spot I find this disgustingly greedy for an ‘ eco ‘ campsite . (Maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise . ) Capitalising on being green ? Surely In these times there could be some flexibility but no .
Why should camping in a natural way cost so much !!!!…..or is it just for the middle classes. ? And where is the humanity ?
Anyway we left .
I’ll find another on a beach .
Even though it’s a beauty spot I find this disgustingly greedy for an ‘ eco ‘ campsite . (Maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise . ) Capitalising on being green ? Surely In these times there could be some flexibility but no .
Why should camping in a natural way cost so much !!!!…..or is it just for the middle classes. ? And where is the humanity ?
Anyway we left .
I’ll find another on a beach .
Written 25 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
samanthalbird
Tring, UK16 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
I’ve visited a lot of camp sites in both the UK and European and have to say this one has blown me away. It’s great for groups as there are little nooks to camp together, the toilets and shower blocks are so clean. It’s not noisy & the kids have a great time exploring.
Some great walks to the pub! Shop is well stocked & the cafe is open with ample seating to enjoy the views
Almost don’t recommend it so that it doesn’t get over run!! Such a gem
Some great walks to the pub! Shop is well stocked & the cafe is open with ample seating to enjoy the views
Almost don’t recommend it so that it doesn’t get over run!! Such a gem
Written 25 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rossana V
1 contribution
Jul 2022
I am a 63 years old woman who has not been camping for ages. I booked 3 days at the Elderflower Orchard just as a trial experince. I ended up staying 6 days as my expectations were superseded. Kate and Richar are incredible nice people who made me feek looked after and vere always available with a smile. Iwas bitten by an insect and had a bad reaction, Richard came every so ofter that day to check how I was and gave me his phone number to call him any time of day or night if needed! This attitude and professionalism is priceless. The site is absolutelly beautiful and very well kept. It did not matter not to have a cafe as camping is about cooking by the fire. The toilets and showers were spotless and in good orfer. Other campers were ver friendly and polite. I am certainly coming back again and my friends, who came for a day visit, were impressed too and will come also.
Written 18 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rob
1 contribution
Jun 2022
I agree with all the points made by Kat in the previous review. We have stayed at Thistledown several times before but unlikely to visit again after our recent stay.
- The shutting of the cafe is a massive loss and was one of the main reasons that made the campsite so special. The cafe has been closed since February this year and the campsite owners have done nothing to reopen it or offer an alternative.
- The staff at the site are very keen on setting out the rules and telling children where they can and cannot play. It makes for an uncomfortable atmosphere whenever they come round the site.
- Prices have increased since last year and some of the items in the shop are vastly overpriced; £4.50 for a bottle of ketchup!! Luckily there is a supermarket in a nearby town if you’ve run out or forgotten something.
- Also be quick if you want a pastry in the morning, the owners don’t seem to order in enough and they sell out fast.
Despite this we made the best of our weekend at the campsite. But again the shutting of the cafe is a huge loss and means there is a less of a reason to visit the campsite.
- The shutting of the cafe is a massive loss and was one of the main reasons that made the campsite so special. The cafe has been closed since February this year and the campsite owners have done nothing to reopen it or offer an alternative.
- The staff at the site are very keen on setting out the rules and telling children where they can and cannot play. It makes for an uncomfortable atmosphere whenever they come round the site.
- Prices have increased since last year and some of the items in the shop are vastly overpriced; £4.50 for a bottle of ketchup!! Luckily there is a supermarket in a nearby town if you’ve run out or forgotten something.
- Also be quick if you want a pastry in the morning, the owners don’t seem to order in enough and they sell out fast.
Despite this we made the best of our weekend at the campsite. But again the shutting of the cafe is a huge loss and means there is a less of a reason to visit the campsite.
Written 20 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kat
2 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
On arrival, the farmer (the owner) and his partner in quite a rude tone of voice first asked if I had checked in and when I said my husband had already arrived and had already checked in, then immediately asked whether we had paid for a second car. I can understand why they had to ask, it could have just been done in a much nicer way- not the best welcome. After that, it felt like we were being regularly monitored and told off for everything we did. Our children were told off fior riding down the hill on skateboards, as it was ruining their grass- although the hill in pasture 2 where we have camped previously was the major draw for our children- could this not just be reseeded at the end of the season? The restaurant, which was amazing, has sadly now closed- the locals telling us that this was due to a disagreement between the owner and his son- again, a massive pity as the food and setting were amazing and a big draw for the campsite. On the Saturday, the owner told us there would be chocolate croissant in the shop the following morning- we arrived when it opened, but we’re immediately told they had all been reserved- something he did not tell us we could do. We won’t be coming back.
Written 13 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard B
1 contribution
Apr 2022 • Friends
The campsite is incredibly beautiful, we were able to choose an area with lots of space where we could have a campfire. The facilities are great and the staff, particularly the management, went above and beyond to make sure we had a great weekend. Will definitely be returning.
Written 18 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
james w
bearsted15 contributions
Aug 2021
Great campsite with plenty of room. Myself and my family stayed for three days in August which we thoroughly enjoyed. We were with three other families and there was plenty of room for the children to run about. The pitches were enormous and well spread out. The staff were a great help with getting our equipment up and down the slopes....we stayed on field three and not easily accessible if you are physically impaired.
The composting toilets were as expected.
Only negative would be the showers however having chatted to the owner they are in the middle of resolving this issue.
We would thoroughly recommend.
The composting toilets were as expected.
Only negative would be the showers however having chatted to the owner they are in the middle of resolving this issue.
We would thoroughly recommend.
Written 21 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
andy w
Cardiff, UK13 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
I went for this site as from the reviews it looked a little more authentic and ‘wild camping like’. I didn’t want to be in a rectangular, flat farmers field surrounded by other tents in close proximity. This site was just perfect. It’s at quite an elevated location within the Cotswolds but occupies quite a diverse area. The reception, shop and cafe are located on the flat entrance to the site, nearer the road as is the orchard camping area. The site then gradually drops down a slope which Is terraced in places and is a mixture of wooded areas with pockets of grass which are nicely mowed with firepits scattered around. The great thing is you can pitch wherever takes your fancy. The only thing that limits you is if you want a fire pit (who wouldn’t when camping!) as you can’t create your own which is fair enough. There are loads scattered around. Other reviewers mention the steep slope and the fact you need to cart your stuff around. This is true to a point. However there are flat areas to pitch in all pastures but the further into the site you go the more it’s slopes off so it’s up to you. You can arrange for your stuff to be delivered to your tent for a fee or use the barrows which we did. The no cars aspect is brilliant. It adds to the wild feel. The sloping part of the site occupies a little private valley with a woodland opposite and access to the National trust Woodchester Park property/ grounds from the corner of the campsite. It’s a lovely little place to explore.
The sparse tent density is the really unique thing about this site. It felt like we had our own little field almost surrounded by woodland! The facilities are fine. Clean and good hot showers, composting toilets (not for everyone!) or portaloos. The shop and restaurant are very pleasant and in a lovely sunny spot. Good to have it a few minutes away from the pitch.
We walked to the local pub Rose & Crown for dinner one night. It’s a nice cosy Cotswolds pub and the food was good. You have to walk there via the lane which is a good mile or more and took us about 25 minutes from our tent. I’d definitely take a torch if doing it at night so cars can see you. The site is also only about five minutes drive from Nailsworth a decent sized Cotswolds town if you need anything.
Hard to find any negatives. If I was to choose one I might say the middle aged lady at reception had a slightly strange sense of humour - a chap walked in when I was checking in and asked if the croissants were for sale ( it wasn’t all that clear as there was no price near them and I guess they could’ve been ordered for a group) and she replied ‘well they’re not there for decoration are they’ or something on those lines. She didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic to be there and also didn’t seem to know that much about the surrounding area when I ask her about nearby places to eat / visit. Maybe she was having one of those days?!
However everyone else on the site were really lovely.
Definitely highly recommend and I’ll certainly be back. Many thanks.
The sparse tent density is the really unique thing about this site. It felt like we had our own little field almost surrounded by woodland! The facilities are fine. Clean and good hot showers, composting toilets (not for everyone!) or portaloos. The shop and restaurant are very pleasant and in a lovely sunny spot. Good to have it a few minutes away from the pitch.
We walked to the local pub Rose & Crown for dinner one night. It’s a nice cosy Cotswolds pub and the food was good. You have to walk there via the lane which is a good mile or more and took us about 25 minutes from our tent. I’d definitely take a torch if doing it at night so cars can see you. The site is also only about five minutes drive from Nailsworth a decent sized Cotswolds town if you need anything.
Hard to find any negatives. If I was to choose one I might say the middle aged lady at reception had a slightly strange sense of humour - a chap walked in when I was checking in and asked if the croissants were for sale ( it wasn’t all that clear as there was no price near them and I guess they could’ve been ordered for a group) and she replied ‘well they’re not there for decoration are they’ or something on those lines. She didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic to be there and also didn’t seem to know that much about the surrounding area when I ask her about nearby places to eat / visit. Maybe she was having one of those days?!
However everyone else on the site were really lovely.
Definitely highly recommend and I’ll certainly be back. Many thanks.
Written 19 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
denjar
18 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
This is a really beautiful eco friendly campsite. We camped in the orchard field as we have a campervan and were not able to camp in either of the other fields as no car access is permitted. The orchard is a really beautiful and quiet spot and you can choose any where to camp amongst the elderflower trees and even in summer holiday felt very secluded and relaxing. Staff are very helpful and friendly. We were looking forward to trying out the cafe but unfortunately it was closed every day we were there due to Covid which was a real shame.
The campsite has a very relaxed feel and you are able to have fire pits which is lovely. Site staff come round with fire wood to purchase every evening
Sadly our main gripe was lack of facilities in orchard field except hired chemical toilets (the type you get at festivals) They are not for the faint hearted! and we all felt these were unpleasant to use, and although cleaned by the site, unfortunately not always left clean by the previous user.
It was a shame there was also nowhere to wash up pots and pans, nor any sinks or showers in this field, so we ended up washing and cleaning our teeth on our pitch. It is suggested that you walk to the nearest proper block (with compostible toilets/ showers/ sinks with cold water and wash up facilities) which were situated in the other 2 fields, but sadly in reality they are much too far away and also down a very steep incline so it is impractical to use them. More Facilities in orchard field would be a real improvement to this campsite
The campsite has a very relaxed feel and you are able to have fire pits which is lovely. Site staff come round with fire wood to purchase every evening
Sadly our main gripe was lack of facilities in orchard field except hired chemical toilets (the type you get at festivals) They are not for the faint hearted! and we all felt these were unpleasant to use, and although cleaned by the site, unfortunately not always left clean by the previous user.
It was a shame there was also nowhere to wash up pots and pans, nor any sinks or showers in this field, so we ended up washing and cleaning our teeth on our pitch. It is suggested that you walk to the nearest proper block (with compostible toilets/ showers/ sinks with cold water and wash up facilities) which were situated in the other 2 fields, but sadly in reality they are much too far away and also down a very steep incline so it is impractical to use them. More Facilities in orchard field would be a real improvement to this campsite
Written 3 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
volcanictonga
Hawarden, UK27 contributions
Jul 2021
A peaceful campsite in beautiful surroundings. Being able to have an open fire was a great experience, especially when paired with some local cider and sausages from Stroud farmer's market. There's a great walk (probably more but we only did the one) through the woods and around the ponds. Kids can roam safely and they very much enjoyed the garlic flatbread on offer up the hill (I only got a small piece and it was very good).
The compost toilets were an interesting novelty (in the 2nd pasture the left trap is the best - there's a step), though the water temperature for washing/washing up was a bit inconsistent (didn't bother me though).
Parking at the top and barrowing your gear down, or using the mule, is absolutely fine, though when the weather's not great it can be a pain not being able to just sling your stuff directly into the car.
The compost toilets were an interesting novelty (in the 2nd pasture the left trap is the best - there's a step), though the water temperature for washing/washing up was a bit inconsistent (didn't bother me though).
Parking at the top and barrowing your gear down, or using the mule, is absolutely fine, though when the weather's not great it can be a pain not being able to just sling your stuff directly into the car.
Written 7 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carol S
San Francisco35 contributions
What is the terrain like for mobility scooters.?
Victoria B
Stuttgart, Germany28 contributions
Hi there - I wouldn't think that this campsite would be at all suitable for mobility scooters. The restaurant might be manageable though and the car park is right next to it.
Carol S
San Francisco35 contributions
What is the terrain like for mobility scooters.?
Manxamelia
Gloucesterrshire60 contributions
Moving about the cafe itself and getting there from the carpark will be fine. there is a relatively extensive flat/accessible area immediately around the cafe buildings. I would go to Thistledown if I were organising a visit for someone with mobility requirements. Hope this helps and that you enjoy your visit.
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