This weekend marked the first camping trip of the year with both kids, an excellent opportunity for a “shakedown” test of our camping gear before more adventures later this summer. Stay tuned for more updates!
Our adventure began with a bus ride to the Robin Hood Inn car park, followed by a picturesque walk along the beautiful track to the Eric Byne Memorial Campsite. For those arriving by car, there’s a National Trust/RSPB car park near the Robin Hood Inn pub (not the pub’s car park).
After a bit of debate about where to pitch our tent, considering the flatness of the ground and our distance from other campers, we finally settled on a spot that kept us all happy and was nicely exposed to keep the midges away.
With the tent up, it was time to enjoy a three-course dinner and share stories. Then it was time to settle down for sleep, making it to the toilet block before the worst of the midges came out as the wind started to die down at sunset.
We awoke to a sound that reminded me of my childhood camping days in North Wales: the daily collection of camping fees. With us all awake, my son made me a cup of tea on the stove, we had breakfast, and then set off to explore the fascinating carved gritstone rock behind Gardom’s Edge. Although the visible rock is a carbon fiber replica, the intricate Bronze Age carvings – with their conjoined ovals, deep cups, and mysterious spirals – captivated us and left us pondering their true meanings.
After packing up our tent, we left the campsite and headed towards the Chatsworth estate. Our plan was to walk to Chatsworth and then catch a bus back home. We crossed the river by the broken bridge and took in the breathtaking views along Dobb Edge. Our journey then led us past the Chatsworth Hunting Lodge and through a pathway surrounded by vibrant rhododendrons, which were stunning in full bloom. On arriving at the infinity pool carved out of the gritstone rock, the view down the hillside to the grand house was simply awe-inspiring.
Our adventure concluded with a walk down to the main Chatsworth House, where we treated ourselves to ice cream before heading back home. This trip gave me a clear idea of which pieces of our kit need some TLC, what needs replacing, and a list of items we forgot but would have been useful, such as a groundsheet to use as a picnic blanket and our deck of Uno cards.
With this successful shakedown behind us, we’re now planning our next trip, fingers crossed for a summer full of outdoor adventures. Stay tuned for more updates and stories from our camping escapades!
