11th Trip
Prattshayes Farm, Exmouth National Trust 20th – 30th June 2008

Prattshayes Farm is owned and run by the National Trust and is the second private site and second large camp site we'd been to since we started caravanning, having mainly been to 5-van sites. It was easy to find and easy to get to, along some very narrow approach roads which is typical of most of Devon's countryside.

This was the furthest from home I'd towed yet but a lovely drive it was, taking only just over 4 hours to get there via the M40, M42 and M5 including a rest break which we took in a Motorway Service Station caravan car park. We didn't use the services there of course since it's not safe to leave a caravan at a service station and why should we when we have everything we need in the caravan.

On arrival, the first stop was to book in. The warden was friendly and helpful, suggesting where to pitch and after checking the compass for a clear southerly view for a satellite signal, the EHU post and close access to water and elsan point, we pitched up. There seemed to be more tents and motorhomes than caravans and this was the case throughout our 10 night stay. We were booked for 5 nights, the intention being to move to another site we had booked for the remaining 5 nights at a Caravan Club CL some 8 miles further north. We took a drive to this CL and whilst it looked nice, there were several narrow twisty roads to tackle to get there. With Prattshayes being only a mile from the beach and the fact that we'd have to pack everything up as well as negotiate the narrow twisty roads, we decided to extend our stay here instead of moving on so we cancelled our booking at the 2nd site. We paid up until Friday night to start with in case the weather decided to change and the warden somehow charged us for 7 nights to Friday night when it was actually 8 nights. With the weather being brilliant, we paid the extra couple of nights to Monday so all in all, we got one night free!!

It's a lovely site, quiet with no busy roads or noisy traffic but other than that, it was nothing special. No spectacular views or picturesque scenery, just peace and tranquillity. The toilet and shower blocks were clean and spacious, not that we used these except for the disabled one. The disabled toilet and shower was padlocked so I asked the warden for a key which she gave to me to keep for the duration of our stay so my wife and I were able to shower together in our own exclusive shower!

The day after we arrived, a tent was pitched next to our caravan which was shared by three young lads. The played football on the site occasionally which did worry me a bit as the ball came close to our caravan a few times. Other than that, they didn't stay on site very much, probably spending their time on the beach. However, one night, they were really noisy within their tent, f-ing and blinding, laughing and shouting 'till just gone 3am in the morning. Some other campers who had pitched in the opposite far corner of the field could hear them and in fact complained to the warden the next day. The lads spent most of that day sleeping (not surprisingly!) and left the following morning, thankfully!

The only other incident which gave us (and other campers) slight cause for concern was the arrival of 7 (yes Seven) tents on the last Saturday of our stay and pitched up next to each other along the whole of one side of the field next to the hedge. They all arrived and set up by midday and set up a gazebo and Christ knows how many tables and chairs around it. Between them, they had at least 14 kids all under the age of 8, most riding around the site on their little bikes. They were OK and no trouble, but what did concern us what when this massive gas BBQ was set up alongside the gazebo. Not kidding you, it was at least three quarters the size of a pasting table! You should have seen the burning embers flying off it what with the gazebo and all those tents nearby! We also wondered what our last day, Sunday, was going to be like with all them kids running around but we needn't have worried because they were packed up and gone by the time I got up!! I asked the warden what it was all about and she said it was their first time camping and they just wanted to see if the kids took to it. Jeez! That was a hellova lotta stuff to unpack, set up and pack away again just for one night!

Chatted to a fella who owns a small motorhome when I was out taking photos. He wondered if I was some site reporter for something like Armcher Productions. Originally from Coventry, he and his wife now live in Dartmoor somewhere. His name was  Peter and I gave him one of the CCC Biz Cards after telling him all about my site which I was taking the photos for and he said he was very interested in joining.

The site has a few rules, none of which are enforced! It states you're supposed to have a fire bucket full of water outside every unit yet no one did. It states that no BBQ's are allowed except in the BBQ area in one corner of the field, yet a few campers set up their own BBQ's outside their units and the warden never batted an eyelid. It also states you're supposed to vacate your pitch by 10.30am yet we saw people leaving later than that. Rules? What rules?!?

The weather was great and HOT! Well, OK, it wasn't quite beach weather but you know how these tin boxes warm up! Phew! We had the odd shower of rain and one evening of a thunderstorm but hot, dry and mostly sunny days apart from that. The wind was often bracing down on the beach but hardly any wind on the site. Apart from one evening which was the only time I had to put the Caravanstore away, otherwise it was out and pegged down 24/7, even when it rained.

Would we go back? Most certainly if we wanted to visit that area again although we would most likely want to try other sites for a change. We would certainly recommend it.

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