Windmill Farm, IoW - Steampunk in the Summer of Love

Windmill Farm, IoW - Steampunk in the Summer of Love

Sometimes you stumble across something so different you just have to go see. So, when we found a site that offered both touring pitches and the chance to glamp in a Westland Wessex helicopter we just had to go. Yes you did read that right, they have a (grounded) helicopter available to stay in.

But that's not all. Accommodation also includes a submarine! It makes the shepherd's hut, shack, Bollywood campervan, and other such seem positively mundane.

But the real charm of this site isn't just its unique and oddball glamping, it's its unique and oddball approach to camping in total.

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Where else could you find a fully equipped kitchen, complete with the normal stuff like microwave and toaster but also with industrial meat slicer and food mixer housed in a double-decker bus (don't forget to ding-ding or say hello to the clippy . Or baked potato oven, wood-fired pizza oven, huge barbeque pit, and gas barbeque should you not want the effort of firelighting.

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You want entertainment, the silent disco, or the grain silo converted into a cinema with a wide range of DVDs for all tastes and ages perhaps? And kids, of all ages, can satisfy their inner pirate by rendering a good "Aargh, shiver me timbers" whilst captaining the Black Pearl to treasures anew.

You still want entertaining, then the disco shower is the thing for you. Strut your stuff to the music and light show whilst shampooing your golden locks. Oh, you don't like this song, reach out and press the  large Barry Manilow button to see if the next is more conducive to lathering.

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The more staid may want the more conventional showers offered in the loo block, externally it looks as strangely steampunk as the rest of the site but inside there's as tidy and clean a set of toilets and showers as any site. Oh, and if you are caught short and that block is fully occupied there's always the wonderfully named Turdis at the other end of the site.

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But it's not just the bricks and mortar (or to be more accurate wood and rusting iron) that makes this campsite it's the attitude.  Firstly EVERYTHING is provided, wood, charcoal, firelighters, tea, coffee, washing up liquid, cups, glasses, knives and forks, dishwasher (complete with tablets, of course) etc, a reasonably well stocked shop (no alcohol) and a washing machine. And it is all either free and gratis or on an honesty trust system. You go to the shop, you take a couple of eggs and a box of cereal say, you press the Ronnie Barker Open All Hours till (an experience in its own right), put in your money and take your change. The site treats you as someone responsible who will do this, so you do.

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Oh, I mentioned the washing machine. I probably forgot to mention that it is inside a Robin Reliant (Del Boy) 3-wheeler car. Like the shop, it's trust based. The site reckons £1 is a good reimbursement for the electricity it uses so asks you to simply lob a quid coin in the bucket sitting on top.

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This all makes for an interesting and very different camping experience. The plentitude of shared spaces for sitting in the shade, did I mention the top of the bus is also a seating area, with bean bags complimenting the standard bus seats, means that campers mill around and talk to each other. It's that sort of shared experience campsite. Mind you the owners are very pleasant too.

But let's get back to what makes more conventional campsites good ones, Good clean facilities? Windmill tick; tidy mown grass? Windmill tick. Location? Well this is the view from the adjacent lane.

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In fact, anyone who knows Carisbrooke Castle knows that pretty much any approach leaves pedestrians with a pretty steep uphill slog; it really is in a good fortified position. But the approach from the campsite probably has by far the least steep climb, well, two average fitness 70 year olds managed it easily anyway.

Carisbrooke village is about 20 minutes gentle stroll away. I can recommend the Waverley pub for both excellent beer (it's in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide) and a fantastically valued, excellent Sunday roast. Warning, we were glad we didn't take the option for the larger  portion. the village also has a regular bus service into Newport, the island's hub (although it's only a couple of miles walk). There is also the two-hourly number 6 bus at Carisbrooke Piorty which is only 10 minutes from the site. Road access is easiest via that road to the Priory, it is single track, but short with good visibility and plenty of passing places.

So what's not to like.  The site isn't really disabled friendly, and the main shower is a step-in bath type (yes you probably could have a bath) so not easy for the less nimble. But, to be honest, I suspect that is not this site's target audience. The only other thing that might put people off is price. Low season it was probably getting on for £10-15 a night more expensive than the cheapest, larger, more conventional sites. But then again, they don't offer the same unique experience, and will charge for everything, barbeque coals, washing machine, wi-fi (I forgot that is included, and it's good enough to allow me to write this and upload the photos onto my home server), and even sometimes showers and hairdryers (another thing I forget to mention). Take the entire package into account and the value proposition changes dramatically.

Bottom line, don't forget your John Lennon sunglasses, learn the chords to Give Peace a Chance and go chill out at Windmill Farm. Forget the harsh reality and spend a few days where the world is more as it should be, full of friendship and trust. I doubt you'll regret it.