How quickly did the Summer holidays pass by this year? As usual, we packed our Summer holidays with memorable camping trips and fun days out. This year we chose to end our Summer at Kelvedon Hatch Camping and Caravanning Club Site in Essex and what a little gem of a site it was too.
FINDING THE SITE
We were travelling from near Peterborough and even though I had checked the route four or five times before we left I still had it in my mind that the journey would be around three hours. It actually only took us two hours and the roads were all so straightforward that it was possibly the least stressful journey to a campsite that I have ever had. We found the site without any issues, even though it was tucked away down a country lane just outside of Brentwood in Essex. In all honesty, I wouldn’t have fancied coming face to face with a caravan or motorhome but luckily we didn’t throughout our whole week there.
CHECKING IN
We arrived at 1 pm and were seen immediately upon arrival. The gentleman who booked us in was really friendly and polite, processing us quickly without making us feel rushed at all. It’s worth noting there is only one jumbo-sized pitch at Kelvedon Hatch and we were on it. Jumbo wasn’t the word, we felt like we had our own corner of the site although the site felt very spacious anyway. Unluckily for us, it was raining heavily when we arrived and was forecast to last the day so we had no choice but to pitch in the driving rain – it was definitely the fastest I had pitched our Coleman Valdes 6XL Fast-Pitch all Summer. I was so grateful for how quick and easy it was to pitch in the rain because it within 10 minutes, Mum and the children were able to set up the inside of the tent whilst I finished securing the guys.
FACILITIES
Note, if you need access to the family bathroom then you will need to obtain a key from Reception. The family bathroom is unlocked when the main washrooms are being cleaned but only for use of the toilet, not for showers.
Water Points, Refuse Disposal and Fire Points – each camping field had one water and fire point located centrally, which are illuminated after dark.
The refuse point is located at the entrance to the campsite to the right of the car park. The refuse did not require separating into recycling and general waste.
Play Area – the play area is located in a separate field close to the Reception within a fenced area. There is also a large open grassy area for free play. It is worth noting that you cannot see the play area from either camping field.
Information Area – the local information leaflets are displayed in the washing up room.
Night Lights – there were very few nightlights around the site so it felt very dark when walking to the toilets after dark. You definitely needed a strong torch when walking around to avoid tripping up.
Dog Walking Area – the dog walking area is close to the open playing field and camp warden’s caravans. It is a fairly good sized walk amongst the trees with plenty for your dog to explore.
Disabled Facilities/Pot Washing/Chemical Toilet Disposal – as mentioned above all of these are situated in the main amenities block.
GENERAL THOUGHTS
NOISE LEVEL
STAFF/CLEANLINESS
You couldn’t fault the staff on site, they were very friendly and helpful on the occasions that I needed their assistance. On our last morning, they popped by to see if we’d had a nice week and enjoyed our stay. The site itself was always kept clean and tidy.
LOCAL AREA
The site was just a two-minute drive from the small town of Kelvedon Hatch where we found a Spar shop and an M&S Foodhall at the local garage. These proved invaluable in the evenings we had forgotten to buy food for our evening meals.
It was also just a ten-minute drive to the larger town of Brentwood (home of The Only Way is Essex) which had most of your usual high street stores including Sainsburys, M&S, WH Smith and Pizza Express to name just a few. We spotted a number of eateries around, including restaurants and some lovely looking public houses. With our fussy eaters, we decided that we were best sticking to what we knew but the car parks were always busy which would suggest they were popular.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
Set in the leafy surroundings of Essex, Kelvedon Hatch Camping and Caravanning Club Site offers campers the close proximity to London for fun adventures in the capital as well as a slower pace on the Essex coastline.
- Kelvedon Secret Nuclear Bunker
- Mountnessing Windmill
- Adventure Island, Southend-on-Sea
- Shoeburyness Beaches
- Waltham Abbey and Gardens