Barn Owl Camping offers off-grid pitches and stripped-back glamping in the Suffolk countryside. It’s a simple site that spreads campers and glampers across five acres of wildlife-rich meadows. Butterflies, badgers, and deer can all be seen here—as well as the barn owls the place is named for. It’s a peaceful site that’s surrounded by farmers' fields and the right choice for anyone who likes getting back to basics on their camping holidays. You can swing in a hammock shaded by trees, you can walk across fields to the village pub, and you can cook your dinner on the campfire while waiting for the stars to come out.
You certainly won’t experience much light pollution out here (which also means you won’t want to forget your torch). This is a campsite that suits those who know how to look after themselves. Though having said all that, friendly hosts, Laura and Jason, are never too far away if you need them. They welcome you to site, can sort you out with firewood and an off-ground fire pit for your stay and are happy to provide tips on things to do. They can send you off in the right direction for a lovely walk or cycle ride or let you know which towns and villages are best to visit. Lavenham, with its half-timbered medieval buildings and independent shops, is probably top of the list, Bury St Edmunds, with its abbey and gardens is, of course, on there too, and there are plenty more besides.
Back on site, the end of every day tends to be pretty peaceful with wisps of campfire smoke in the air and, if you’re lucky, the sight of a barn owl hunting over the long grass of the wilder meadow. Campers have the choice of pitching there or in the main field which has shorter grass and is closer to the facilities which consist of compost loos, simple washing-up sinks and a hot water shower. Glampers, meanwhile, are comfortably housed in the site’s answer to shepherd’s huts which are modern little, pitched-roof, double-glazed cabins. There are just two of these tiny homes: Badger and Toad. Both are off grid, simply furnished and good value. And, like the rest of the campsite, they are dog friendly as well.
The quiet country lanes and footpaths across fields mean cycling and walking are pleasant ways to explore the near area. Rattlseden village is a mile out of the gate in one direction, Felsham village is just over that in the other. For more than a local pub and a church, you’ll want to explore further afield. Perhaps head for Lavenham (nine miles) to marvel at the number of historic buildings, to Long Melford to explore Kentwell Hall and gardens or into Bury St Edmunds for its abbey. There’s active adventure at Thetford Forest which has mountain bike trails and treetop adventure.
Rattlesden, just a mile up the road or across fields from Barn Owl Camping, has a small shop and two pubs. Choose The Brewers for a seasonal menu of dishes made with sustainable Suffolk produce or The Five Bells for a drink in the beer garden and simple grub from visiting food trucks. Also, just a short distance from the campsite is The Six Bells in Felsham (just under two miles away). If you’re in Lavenham, it’s a good place for lunch or afternoon tea with plenty of tea rooms and cafes. It also has plenty of local produce on offer if you want to cook for yourselves back on the campsite with an independent butchers, grocery shop and deli.
