Move over, Grandad — this campsite is not for you! Well, not unless you’ve come with the kids. There’s nothing to say that adult-only campers can’t come to Wroxham Barns — in fact the great views, location on the edge of the Norfolk Broads and handy cafe will suit them quite well — but it’s definitely families who rule the roost. Come here and for the price of your pitch, you get all the joy of camping plus unlimited access to the farm and fun park next door. Anyone with toddlers and kids at primary school, can form an orderly queue.
Wroxham Barns is, first and foremost, a farm complex that’s diversified. It’s home to cafes, an ice cream kiosk and shops (including a sweet shop) as well as its Junior Farm and Fun Park. The combination of a giant bouncy pillow, sand pits, go karts, guinea pigs, goats, ponies and sweet treats will have most kids grinning from ear to ear. Add in the easy family-friendly meals from the cafe and you’ve got the kind of day out that’ll make parents happy too. And on top of all that is the neighbouring campsite — so you can do it all again tomorrow. But first there’s time for a campfire under the stars and, perhaps for the parents, a local tipple from the on-site Norfolk Cider store.
The campsite itself is a short walk from the barns and occupies a flat field with views across countryside under the big skies that Norfolk is famous for. It’s a relatively simple space for tents-only camping with cars parked just outside making it safe for kids to run around in. There are flushing loos and hot showers in a purpose-built block and there’s a handy communal kitchen area too with washing-up sinks, a microwave and fridge. Norfolk is full of family-friendly campsites and plenty have on-site fun but this one feels a little different: more personal and friendly. While it's got the commercial appeal of a well set-up family attraction (for which wristbands are issued to campers), the campsite is actually quite small with a maximum of 30 families staying at any one time and friendly hosts who camp alongside you.
The site is open when schools kick out for the summer and there are set-duration weekday or weekend stays. The two nights are just enough to make the most of the farm and fun park, to have a go at the on-site circus skills workshop and to enjoy an afternoon out. For that there’s quite a bit of choice. You could walk just over a mile into pretty riverside Hoveton and perhaps take a boat trip on The Broads. You could drive ten miles to build sand castles on one of Norfolk’s beaches or you could take the kids to BeWilderwood theme park that’s just three miles down the road. Whatever you choose, expect satisfied smiles at bedtime.
