"Wow! What a magical little place! Just returned from our stay in the van at Stay Wild in Carnkie. Run by the warm-hearted and very welcoming Tim & Clare and their two fine young gentlemen, Dennis & Sammy, we were warmly greeted on arrival and given a choice of pitches. We opted for an EHU pitch in one of the lower fields, next to the herd of alpacas, the stream-side campfire pit and not far from the pixies!
Pitches and interconnecting pathways had been freshly mown, with areas in between and field borders left to wild flower. There’s definitely a sustainability and ecological ethic going on at the farm, with nature being left to do its thing wherever possible. Toilet and washing facilities were provided by means of our own shepherd hut with on-demand hot water, flushing toilets and very spacious shower cubicles.
Clare also runs Happy Days Camper Hire from the farm with a fleet of two 1970s Westfalia campers - Olive & Blossom - and Dobby the T5. As such, they are a great resource in the event of any van-related ‘mishaps’ which may spring up during your stay!
The kids were free to roam (as they do best) and thoroughly enjoyed collecting eggs and feeding the alpacas with Clare each morning, den-building with the pixies, or hiding-and-seeking in the meadows.
Carnkie is a sleepy little village, a stones-throw from Stithians Reservoir (1-mile walk along a well-established footpath), which is a haven for walkers, bird-watchers, trout fishing and water sports (windsurfing, paddle boarding, etc).
There’s also a 10km trail from the campsite around the shores of the reservoir and back for the more energetic amongst us. A stroll along Carnkie’s ‘main drag’ provided ample opportunity to pick up more fresh eggs and home-grown veg. Other than the odd countryside stroll to the reservoir/dam, we didn’t feel the need to leave site in the entire 3 days we were there but were well aware that should the need arise we were only 7-miles south of Redruth and a similar distance west of Falmouth and the Fal Estuary.
This place is a real gem and we can’t wait to get back there to escape from it all again
Love you guys and love this place!
Ross, Polly, Reuben (9) & Arlo (6) xxxxx"
My family and I camped for a week at Stay wild during August 2020. We stayed on pitch 2 and were bowled over by the view and how much space we had to ourselves. We had a beautiful bathroom to ourselves with underfloor heating. Hand wash, a hand towel and cleaning products were provided so we could keep it clean and also had a cleaner come in every day to clean the bathroom and sink area. The washing up area had a large bin, pegs, a rotary airier, washing up bowl and laundry basket.
We were able to pitch a kitchen right by the sink area and run the electric hook up to it, plenty of space to feed the 6 of us!.
When we arrived, we were greeted by Tim with a lovely bottle of Prosecco and a helping hand with our tent. Both Tim and Clare were very accommodating and always at the end of the phone to help with any queries.
We had been socially distancing due to Covid19 and the site provided our boys with lots of mini adventures without having to leave. We spent ages with an i-spy book, checking out lots of wild life and plantation. Going through the long grass meadow, looking at the iridescent beetles and into the wooded area looking at the rabbits, butterflies and other insects. At dusk we were given an air show by the bats and headed off into the wooded area again to see where the pixies lived. Followed by an obligatory campfire and marshmallow toasting. As night fell dark the sky filled with bright, amazing stars – easy to see even for even the most amateur star gazer.
We got to meet the residents, comprising of alpacas and chickens – even getting to help collect eggs and pick some yummy blueberries.
Tim and Clare have great visions for their beautiful site and we are really looking forward to coming back next year to see what changes have happened!
Great location (check out the local dam), Great facilities and Great hosts!! A true gem in the Cornish countryside.