To wonder what sort of person goes to Featherdown Farms?

[MamaVoo]

I received the brochure this morning and if I had to describe it I'd say it was over priced 'camping' for the posh. I'm imgaining that the brouchure is aimed at families who have houses in affluent parts of London and children who spend all of their time sealed into mummy's 4x4 being ferried to a variety of extra-curricular lessons.

Things that made me particularly were the 'slow food packages', whereby you pay £32.50 and they give you the ingredients for a stew which you then have to cook yourself over a fire. Then there is 'private bunny hire'. £15 to look after the farmer's rabbit for a week - not forgetting to clean the hutch out before you leave. Is it just me who can't see the appeal?

I can't see the appeal either. But then we are neighbours to one of the most successful "pat the lamb" farms round here and I get very irritated by the combination of gullibility and exploitation that fills their car park with fuckwits every weekend.

I'd slow cook the rabbit meself.

Yes! I thought exactly the same - £30 for some veg. I was quite interested until I got the smug- as -fuck brochure.

It is very smug smallorange. I could see at once that it wasn't for rif raf like me.

Good idea about cooking the rabbit

Yes, I agree they do look very expensive. I suppose that you're paying for the exclusivity (sp?) of it and that there are only a few tents on the site.

It does look nice though and would be lovely for a treat if the budget could stretch to it (sadly not).

It was very irritating- a coffee grinder provided so you could grind your own beans and have a smug cup of coffee.

It really was a guide to the perfect islingtonian holiday.

And for £15 it is not unreasonable to eat the bunny..

We went to one last summer as we had a 5mo baby and I didn't really feel up to dealing with damp sleeping bags every morning.
I don't remember the slow-food being offered.
It was on v.beautiful farm, had a view of green pastures and sea. Owners lovely. Yes, there were chickens and kids could look for fresh eggs every morning.
It is glamping, but then that was the idea for us at that time.
We're not posh, don't drive 4x4 and I take ds on the underground to get to his judo class.

Yes, the rustic touch is a bit overdone, though.

Hee hee! Haven't seen the brochure but you have to admire the gumption.

Do you think I could offer an authentic countryside DIY day for a reasonable fee? They get to queue up in B&Q for the paint, sand down and paint the walls, do the niggling odd jobs I keep putting off that make it a truly holistic experience and I'll throw in some authentic countryside cheese sarnies for an extra £20 a head

There might be something in all this, you know...

Having had a read of their website I am left ever more convinced of the smug bollockery of it all!

...with a traditional interior reflecting the honest rural life of years gone by...
Presumably you just move the rickety child with diptheria off the kitchen table before placing your slow-cooked cassoulet down.

...A "hunter-gatherer" father (women are not usually bothered by this) who, with a satisfied smile, brings back his ?gathered wood haul? to the tent...
FFS!

There are loads of lovely, unpretentious places where a family can have a camping holiday in Britain. This isn't one of them. Although in their favour, they do a public service in clearing less precious campsites for us riff-raff to enjoy.

Hold on! I live in the country! Why am I not converting the shit house to offer rustic accommodation with water feature alongside?

I don't live in london or drive a 4x4. But my kids do do some extra curriclar activities.

We are thinking of doing featherdown camping. I don't like camping much, but do like countryside, kids like idea of farm and I (obviously strangely) like a few little luxurious fripperies to make me feel like I'm on holiday rather than at boot camp.

So shoot me.

Love the way they have to 'explain' about looking at the stars and talking to each other.

As you say - leaves more room on other sites for normal campers.

They're not related to the Pedlars lot are they?

God, they are so so so so overpriced.
However, the one thing that did appeal was the photo of the bedroom, all white dangly sheets everywhere, a la fairytale. Then I thought, I can just hang a sheet up at home!

I'm sure the reality is lovely but the marketing blurb is totally over the top. And fleecing you for every 'extra' is rather against the professed 'back to nature' ethos. I fink.

shoot me too.... we dont have a 4x4 or are in slightest bit pooosh, we done normal camping and dh needs a bit more comfort like a proper bed - he thiks we should consider it - im not so sure but only on the grounds that ds is perhaps a bit young and we always need a hospital on holiday and the open flames for lighting made me think fire risk - apart from that i think it looks ok - smug bollocks write ups are in all holiday brochures - i tend to read past that and go straight to the small print - no i wouldnt pay £15 to hire a rabbit mind and i would want to know where nearest pub was........

We just refused any extras, although even then it wasn't cheap.
Brochure does sound ridiculous.
Still, had great time.

The nearest pub was 2 miles on the one I looked at. I checked

you can rent a bunny?!

Well good luck to those who like it, I'm sure it's lovely really (as it should be for the price).

Is anyone going to admit to paying £4 to be supplied with a tea towel and dishcloth?

i looked at a long weekend for all 4 in august and was 500 ish which when compared to centerparcs which comes in at 900-1000 it was more comparable - even haven doesnt come far behind wise but after this years experience in one of those i will never darken mr havens properties for the rest of my life even though he has had penty of business of us in the past.

They are owned by the Center Parcs people...
Friends of ours went on a Featherdown holiday last spring - said it was lovely.

The idea is nice, but the 'rent a bunny' scheme makes it all a bit odd....

I stayed in a fabulously well equipped holiday cottage on a farm last August for far less than Featherdown Farms. More money than sense, think I.