Alde Garden

It's not often you'll pause to admire a gate, but the one that leads to Alde Garden looks like it's somehow been grown rather than made; pushing open the tangled branches, you wonder that if this much love has been put into the gate, what could lie ahead? The answer reveals itself as you wander into a site full of surprises and clever touches. The vibe is of a communal retreat, a central campfire and cooking area encouraging guests to socialise whilst secluded groves offer plenty of space to relax. Owners Marie and Mark have filled Alde Garden with a cornucopia of accommodation including bell tents, yurts, a gypsy caravan, and gloriously a hut tiled with melted vinyl records, and of course you can pitch your own tent. All this is squeezed into a small but wild and winding garden where friendly chickens and Indian runner ducks wander around.

The site is clearly a labour of love and feels thoughtfully put together, with Marie and Mark happy to share the story of how each piece came to be. This thoughtfulness extends beyond the accommodation. Alongside some very nice 'traditional' toilets and showers you're encouraged to give the solar powered jungle shower a try, or climb a ladder to the tree bog to use the compost toilets. Children (and plenty of adults) are especially taken with the tree bog and the tippy taps. For cooking there is a well stocked camp kitchen with all mod cons, but if you've used the jungle shower, why not carry that spirit of adventure into dinner time by firing up the wood fired pizza oven.

Marie and Mark have not only created a little slice of camping heaven but also reopened and refurbished the Sweffling White Horse, whose garden houses the site. It's a traditional village pub offering real ales, pies and ploughman's, and has long featured in the Good Beer Guide. So in all, it's pretty much perfect.