Cockhill Meadow Family Camping

[med]

I was wondering if there's anyone who camped at Cockhill Meadow last year, that can remember roughly when it got full? We arrived Thursday at about 5pm and it was already full then. I'm wondering if we'd get away with coming earlier that day or have to arrive Wednesday night to get a space there?

[Brizzle]

hasnt family camping moved field?

[paulo999]

Cockmill Meadow is still family camping.

It was possible - for a friend of mine at least - to squeeze in as late as Friday morning last year, but realistically yes, Wednesday night would be alot better. There's usually still space higher up/under the wires on Thursday too.

[med]

Cockmill Meadow is still family camping.

It was possible - for a friend of mine at least - to squeeze in as late as Friday morning last year, but realistically yes, Wednesday night would be alot better. There's usually still space higher up/under the wires on Thursday too.

[paulo999]

The wires can be a bit buzzy, mostly when it's wet. I've found the sound oddly soporific, but I suspect I'm in the minority on that.

There's showers a few minutes away, at the bottom of the kidz field. Expect bug queues unless you go at weird o'clock.

[strolling wanderer]

Thanks for that. We have got a big tent so maybe we should arrive Wednesday night. Are the wires quite noisy? Also, are there showers in that field?

[med]

Thanks for all the advice!

[Mmmm Beer]

I have camped in Cockmill every year since 2000. Up till 05 you could easily get as much space as you wanted even up to Thursday afternoon. Last year I arrived about 1pm on Wednesday and it was very full right to the top. We cam in thru gate B at the top of this field and the tents went right to the top of the field. A friend had saved us some space as we were a total of 5 tents but we could not all camp together, not enough space even though we had some saved. There were spaces still left for a small tent but not a large (i.e. 6 man) tent or more than one tent together.

Not sure why, (perhaps because of its location and being quiet at night) but Cockmill has become very popular in the last few years. I would guess if you cannot arrive early then I would suggest one of the other family fields, I would guess the 1 near Gate D at the bottom of Paines would still have space on Thursday and even Friday.

As for the wires I find them no problem at all, they do buzz a bit especially when raining but it is not too excessive, and we have been directly under them on a couple of occasions.

[med]

I have camped in Cockmill every year since 2000. Up till 05 you could easily get as much space as you wanted even up to Thursday afternoon. Last year I arrived about 1pm on Wednesday and it was very full right to the top. We cam in thru gate B at the top of this field and the tents went right to the top of the field. A friend had saved us some space as we were a total of 5 tents but we could not all camp together, not enough space even though we had some saved. There were spaces still left for a small tent but not a large (i.e. 6 man) tent or more than one tent together.

Not sure why, (perhaps because of its location and being quiet at night) but Cockmill has become very popular in the last few years. I would guess if you cannot arrive early then I would suggest one of the other family fields, I would guess the 1 near Gate D at the bottom of Paines would still have space on Thursday and even Friday.

As for the wires I find them no problem at all, they do buzz a bit especially when raining but it is not too excessive, and we have been directly under them on a couple of occasions.

[joshwarrr]

I think Mmmm Beer is exaggerating a bit. It was fuller than it had been in previous years but it was not full. Until thursday lunchtime. There was space the futher away from the path you were and at the very back. This means its a lsightly longerwalk back up the hill. But you should be able to find space on wednesday evening.

[Mmmm Beer]

I think Mmmm Beer is exaggerating a bit. It was fuller than it had been in previous years but it was not full. Until thursday lunchtime. There was space the futher away from the path you were and at the very back. This means its a lsightly longerwalk back up the hill. But you should be able to find space on wednesday evening.

[vinylvictim]

I think it all depends on your definition of full, or busy. Having camped here many more times than Joshwarrrrrrrrrrrr (I know cos I’m his dad) I can confirm it was very full last year at 1300 on Wednesday compared to previous years. Yes there were spaces for a small ish tent but if you have a 'large' tent you may struggle. However, these sort of predictions are only made on personal experience and views form previous years, but it has been getting much busier, earlier for the past few years. So unless this trend reverses, you may find it difficult to pitch a large ten by Wednesday evening.

Good luck anyway.

[Mmmm Beer]

Have to disagree slightly with your timings - we arrived at approx 2pm last year and managed to find plenty space to pitch all 3 of our tents together (under the wires). There was still space around us when we wandered off about 4ish for smaller tents

[joshwarrr]

Perhaps our freind who saved us space chose a very busy patch. I did not check all the field so there may well have been some areas that were not as busy as I found it. I suppose my general point still stands, that it gets busier, earlier every year.

Anyway good luck to all.

[Mmmm Beer]

He did save a bit of a crap spot.

[joshwarrr]

We learn by our mistakes - never let a dwarf save you tent space as their judgment of space is severely impaired by their diminutive stature.

[sunnyshoes]

we're going to head for the gate by Cockmill and try the Cockmill family field first - getting there Weds lunchtime I hope and there'll only be just us in a 4/5 man tent so reckon we can squeeze in somewhere. do they only let families camp there - are there stewards at the gate?

[vinylvictim]

we're going to head for the gate by Cockmill and try the Cockmill family field first - getting there Weds lunchtime I hope and there'll only be just us in a 4/5 man tent so reckon we can squeeze in somewhere. do they only let families camp there - are there stewards at the gate?