We stayed at this site for four nights in August 2012. Firstly, the positive: it is a most picturesque site: the grass is well kept and the hook ups are located amongst quite a few mature trees in the centre of the site. A long hook-up lead will enable a unit to move further away from other units that may congregate around the trees. There is a hard standing: I would say this can only accommodate one unit - two units here could well be not to the liking for most people. The lawned area has quite a slope and could be inaccessible to some vehicles after spells of wet weather.
We have camped all over the country for many years in both tent and camper van. Our recent visit will rate as one of the few awful experiences we have had. On the first night there was only one other unit; for the following three days we were on our own. The first evening was quiet; on the third night we arrived back at the site at 11pm. On the second evening, for a couple of hours, we endured the sounds of a ride-on lawnmower that was cutting the lawns of the farmhouse, 50 yards from our unit. This continued after dark, past 9pm, with the ride-on mower entering the campsite to dispose of cuttings in another field.
There was obviously some heavy work at the farm on the third day: continual sounds of machinery in the farm all day long, with four tractors with metal container-trailers banging over the uneven drive that passed two sides of the site. We went out for part of the afternoon. The noise, which was appalling, akin to the sounds of our council refuse dump, continued until 9.30pm. We timed the comings and goings: a tractor and trailer passed us 19 times in just one hour – a rate of once every three minutes. The four tractors and trailers finally left at 11pm. The same was happening on the following morning when we left.
We do appreciate farmers have to work in the countryside whilst we just go there to get away from it all. We also appreciate that it is difficult time for the rural community and that this year’s bad weather has caused problems. I have no idea if the noise problems we experienced are on-going or that we were just unlucky. However, I am certain that the necessary noise from a working farm and the function of a CL are incompatible. We would have appreciated an apology at the time, if not a warning when we booked that anticipated noisy work could be taking place.
We won't risk returning to The Knole.
