Muddy review: Woolton Farm, Canterbury
Want to wake up in a bell tent, kitted out with all your creature comforts, nestled within a fruit orchard in one of the prettiest corners of Kent with award-winning wine, mouth-watering cider, stylish street-food at your very beck and call? Let Muddy lead the way…
THE LOCATION
You will find this absolute hidden gem of a place just outside Canterbury – just minutes away from Howletts zoo, which makes for interesting animal noises when bedding down for the night and adds to the general magic of the place.
The Barn, a remodelled 14th century barn, is at the heart of this small boutique farm and vineyard and can be found along a long dirt track so don’t give up if you think you have taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way.
It’s worth the wait, as you can bed down for the night in one of their eight bell tents, dotted along a row of cobnut trees in the fruit orchard around the barn, or you can pitch your own tent in Ellen’s Meadow which backs onto the strawberry fields and further meadows beyond. Pretty picture perfect!
THE LOWDOWN
Woolton Farm is steeped in family history and fruit growing heritage. As a family as they have been working this land for over 100 years. Ten years ago, they planted a vineyard and bottled their first cider for sale to the public. Now over a decade later, Woolton Wines are winning some of the most prestigious awards in the world and Kentish Pip cider is a leading player in the craft cider market, distributed across the UK and available in Kent and London’s best venues, from Michelin Starred restaurants to indie bottle shops and some high street favourites. Not bad, eh?
Alongside this, the farm too has evolved into a wonderful offering of all the best elements of hospitality – eat, stay and play. As well as the overnight option, there’s a shop and cider garden to stroll around, or sit and drink in the sun. Plus, there’s experiences on offer – with private tours and tastings – and events throughout the year.
THE VIBE
This place has an understated rustic charm – on our Friday evening visit, there were couples who had cycled over for a late-afternoon drink in the sun, families who were up for the camping experience as well as diners who had come purely for the South African bbq (more on that later) as an alternative supper spot.
Our children, aged 6 and 8, darted around the apple orchard with fellow children they had befriended returning to our table for the best fruit juice they have ever had (Kingsdown Orange Sparkle) and a game of Quoits, laid on by Woolton Farm, so happy campers all-round.
As there are limited camping spots, we loved the relaxed feel of the place. You could take over the whole spot with a group of friends and children but equally it was pure heaven just to take time out and soak up the Kentish countryside with refreshing drinks made a stone’s throw from your tent.
PILLOW TALK
I managed to get one decent photo of our very stylish tent without my children and their new-found friends totally disrupting the ambience. We had a double futon bed with crisp white linen (brave choice) for two and there was space for two more with Woolton Farm providing the mattresses and us bringing duvets and sleeping bags from home.
If head torches aren’t your thing, the team have also left 500 lumen rechargeable torches plus there are electric candles so no undignified scrambling around in the dark here. Special shout-out to the showers too which are always my least favourite part of the camping experience – let the photos do the talking…
SCOFF AND QUAFF
Luckily for us, Woolton Farm has recently formed an exciting new collaboration with The Saffra Bru (Afrikaans for ‘South African brother’), home to South African food cooked fresh over a wood fired BBQ. Previously in residence at Mackande, South African chef Keaton Randall is well-known in Kent for his innovative street food.
Appetites were at an all-time high so we opted for the Butcher’s BBQ board – a sharing platter for two which was a feast of lamb chops, boerewors, rump steak kebabs, garlic & thyme chicken skewers alongside a BBQ beetroot and Chickpea salad with mango salsa, sunflower shoots, rocket, greens and Chimmichuri dressing with the kids going for burgers and hot dogs with fries. We also heard good things about the Mussel Pot, cooked using Kentish Pip cider.
Breakfast was also a triumph of exceptionally good bacon rolls and Smoked Salmon bagels served from 9am onwards but coffee available beforehand which was music to many parents’ ears come the morning.
For camping, I firmly believe that a wine or cider flight is an essential part of the camp experience and therefore the Woolton Wine Tasting Flight (£20pp, for five glasses) was a welcome addition to proceedings. I will be seeking out the Rose 2018 for further summertime drinking and the Chardonnay Pet-Nat, a fresh style of sparkling wine, was a new one for me so it helped to broaden my horizons as well as the heady combination of five glasses helped to enable sleep later that evening.
My husband was also pretty smitten by Kentish Pip High Diver and we came home with a box full from the deli so no withdrawal symptoms for the time-being .
ANYTHING ELSE?
Keep an eye out via our What’s On for fun events at Woolton Farm including its forthcoming harvest cider festival from 30th Sept – 2nd October.
If camping is not your thing, there are also three holiday cottages for you to rent with some in the neighbouring village of Littlebourne and one on-site at Woolton Farm which houses six and welcomes dogs too.
THE MUDDY VERDICT
GOOD FOR? A magical experience for families but also worth considering for a spot of romance as there is ample space between tents to keep your distance from other campers. Just blame those animal noises on the hungry lions next door…
NOT FOR? This is still a working farm and with that comes real life (hello tractor at 7.30am on Saturday morning) but in our humble opinion, this all contributes to the authentic rural experience but if you are a sleep-precious princess, this might not be the one for you.
THE DAMAGE
One night in a furnished bell tent costs £140 (up to 4 people) but rates do vary depending on the length of your stay and the time of year.
The Butcher’s Sharing Board was £30 (for 2), Boerewors Burger (£12) and £13 for the Mussels Pot. Breakfast is not included so expect to pay around £6-£8 for your Bacon Roll or Smoked Salmon Bagel in the morning.
Woolton Farm, Bekesbourne, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 5EA, wooltonfarm.co.uk, 01227 250151, hello@wooltonfarm.co.uk