Class and school group camping trips
Bedgebury Camping is a super location for school camping trips
Bedgebury Camping is set on a 70 acre farm, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It can host school camping groups of most sizes on weekends throughout the summer. Year group camping, end of term school celebration, or indeed any school related group is welcome here at Bedgebury Camping in Kent.
Since its inception, Bedgebury Camping has welcomed numerous school groups including post-GCSE /A’level celebrations, school leavers' weekends as well as single or two night Duke of Edinburgh camping expeditions.
We have been delighted to welcome back school communities year after year, and have created happy memories for hundreds of school-children and adults from London and all over the South East of England.
Bedgebury Camping experience of school group camping
We have worked with a range of organisers to help make school and educational camping trips become a reality. These organisers have included PTAs, Outdoor Education teachers, Duke of Edinburgh Award camping group leaders, independent school Committees, and nominated teachers / parents. Our aim, however, is to ensure that whoever is organising the school's camping trip, and whatever the size of the group, that the school trip will be a success.
After initial email or telephone contact is made with us, we would highly recommend a site visit with the organiser to discuss any specific requirements and answer any questions. We are available most days of the week during the off-season and can be flexible according to the organiser's availability. The site visit would include a tour of the campsite facilities as well as a visit to the camping fields. We are happy to let organisers look around for as long as they need and are happy to accommodate a second site visit if required. There is absolutely no obligation to book once a site visit has been conducted.
We will then work with the school to provide any essential information required for admin purposes in order to get their camping trip 'off the ground' and in people's diaries.
Booking the best school trip at Bedgebury Camping
At the booking stage, the Bedgebury Camping system allows everyone to have their own booking and take control of their own amendments and payments, but still be part of a large group. Alternatively, Lead Bookers are also able to make one large booking on behalf of the whole group, if preferred. All amendments and payments would need to be done via the lead booker under these circumstances.
School group camping arriving on site
On the day of the group's arrival on site, our team will be ready to welcome the group members individually or together and direct them to the appropriate part of the campsite. We will then be available at Reception to help with any questions or queries. School mini-buses can usually be taken on to the camping field, conditions allowing, in order to unload equipment if required, and parked on the field, if required. We have a few spaces of hard-standing for larger vehicles if that is preferred but these are set away from the main campsite, and this would be by special arrangement only.
We might be able to provide an earlier check-in if this will enable the group to stay on track with their schedule, particularly if the group is participating in a DofE expedition. This will need to be considered on a case by case basis.
Camping with campfire and haybales
Everyone with an online booking can access it at any time to e.g. pre-order their own camping goods (bags of wood, kindling, hay bales) and hire goods (cooking equipment and games) and make amendments to their numbers as and when required. Individual booking holders will also receive emails direct from the campsite with information about their weekend camping trips, making sure they are well-informed and prepared before arriving on-site.
Large group campsite ideal for activities
Bedgebury Camping is perfect for large groups due to its wide, open fields. School groups can camp together in a formation that suits them best. In the past, some groups have chosen to pitch their tents around a central campfire, whilst others have formed smaller sub-groups. Sometimes school groups just camp along the edges of the field leaving the middle space free for organised games and activities. Vehicles can be brought on to the site and parked according to the group's requirements. Campervans can be accommodated in the same field as any tents.
Local camping equipment and tent hire
Bedgebury Camping has been able to recommend and work with tent and camping equipment providers. Some of our contacts supply standard pre-erected tents and others can provide more elaborate bell tents for those who want to glamp it up, all subject to availablity.
Camping with activities nearby
Bedgebury Camping in Kent is in a supberb location for school camping groups looking for outdoor activities. There is an abundance of fun to be had at nearby Go Ape and mountain biking at Bedgebury Forest plus numerous water-based activities at Bewl Water, located 5 minutes and 10 minutes by road respectively from the campsite.
Back to nature camping is good for health
The health benefits of being involved in outdoor activities in nature are now widely recognised. Increased exposure to green spaces is shown to significantly improve physical and mental health. Nature therapy, eco-therapy or green therapy all reflect the increased recognition in the importance of outdoor spaces to humans.
In addition to the above mind and body benefits, camping by its very nature can help with the development of social skills, the building of confidence and an increase in problem solving skills, practical abilities as well as independence.
If you are a parent or a school looking to take a class, year group or other type of school group on a camping trip this summer, please get in touch to discuss your requirements at: customerservice@bedgeburycamping.co.uk