a few polite dos and don’ts . . .

This list is largely relevant to those camping or glamping with us but we ask that all our guests have a read an understand the ethos and systems in place across the farm before you arrive with us - thank you.

Dogs
We like dogs. However we ask that dog owners who wish to bring their pooch camping or on a visit to our farm please check that their dog is acceptable with Ros or Geoff before doing so. This is because we need to be able to monitor how many dogs are present and what kind of behaviour they are likely to display. It is likely that we will say “Yes, you can bring your dog..” but we do ask the following:

1. Dogs to be kept on a lead or ‘tethered’ at all times. Dogs should not be allowed to wander around the campsite. This would be dangerous - particularly for the dog. Other peoples children can be particularly worrying to a dog - they pull ears, make growling noises.
From a dog’s point of view children are particularly unpredictable and worrying.

Dogs also find the contents of other peoples tents irresistible - Mmmm cheese!

2. Dogs must not be allowed to chase or ‘play with’ farm animals (stock) or wildlife

3. Owners must clear up after their dog (another good reason for tethering the dog - you know where he/she is and what they are doing). compost-able dog poo bags are great and we keep a stash if you run out or failing these, bag the poo in degradable plastic and put it in the landfill bin.
So give us a ring to discuss bringing your dog as we do allow them at our discretion.

Facilities

We have strict cleaning operating procedures. Every effort is being made to ensure that you feel confident whilst you stay here. If there’s something we could improve upon or equally something you really like and would like to see more of then please let us know by text or chat to us during your stay when you see us, feedback helps us enormously!

Please read signs we’ve displayed in all toilets, bathrooms, shower-block etc. and please make good use of any of the disinfectant or cleaning products provided.

The only thing that should be heading down the loo is loo paper. Please DO NOT dispose of sanitary products, baby wipes or any other synthetic material in the toilets- use the disposal bags available in the toilet cubicles and dispose of sanitary products, bandages, nappies, soiled cotton wool etc etc in the bins provided.

Please do not put anything other than loo paper, soap/shower gel/toothpaste and eco-cleaning products and down any of our sinks or toilets – in particular anything containing chemicals, bleach, chlorine or caustic could be particularly damaging. We have a Vortex® Eco Electric Sewage Treatment Plant for Larchwood - this sewage treatment plant is the only adjustable sewage treatment system in the UK, it’s very very clever but it doesn’t like anything other than loo paper, soap and eco products so please be kind to it and in turn it is kind to the environment.  It is approved by the Environment Agency and on the British Water Certified List

Just off Campsite 2; accessed via the wooden gate in the bottom corner of the camp area,  inside Larchwood, there is a very comprehensive shower and toilet block. The toilet-shower block is open to all our guests/visitors. It is open for use most of the time but during exceptionally busy times we may restrict opening times to ensure that the cleaning protocol can be fulfilled and hot water usage managed. The hot water and underfloor heating in the shower-block is wood-powered and all the wood is harvested from the farm by us.

The shower bock has 'shower rooms', with shower, wash basin and toilet, as well as a single shower and several single toilets. There is also a fully accessible shower room with toilet. 

On the Campsite 2 field itself there are cold water taps with sinks, hot water washing up stations, two compost toilets and two camp showers; these are much loved units that Geoff made several years ago. The hot water runs off little gas boilers and so they provide good hot showers. 

Noisy Neighbours:

Please be considerate towards your fellow campsite users at all times. remember that a tent is a thin bit of nylon or canvas and sound travels straight through it! For the sake of maintaining the camp site as a beautiful and peaceful place to be, we ask that visitors here do
not use radio’s or DVD players (or their car radio’s either) to play music.

By all means strum your acoustic guitar or play your fiddle around the camp fire but not after 11.30 at night and not if your music making is going to keep other campers awake.

Because of our close proximity to Hay-on-Wye we also have to consider the well-being of hardworking Hay town residents. The people of Hay work hard also need their beauty sleep and will not wish to be kept awake.

Please do not shout (unless you need help urgently), scream or indulge in selfish behaviour, remember large groups can be unintentionally intimidating to others. We hope that all visitors, be they solo campers or in larger groups or families, will have a happy and peaceful time here. Stop - listen - enjoy the birds, and the wind in the trees.

Cars and Traffic:

Park your car sensibly and safely. Be considerate towards other people at all times. Drive VERY SLOWLY if you are coming in or leaving the camp area. If you are going to make frequent journeys to or from the camp area please park your car near the gate or driveway to
avoid driving through or close to other campers pitches.

Never drive off the track or driveway or across the fields unless invited to do so by Ros or Geoff.

If you are bringing more than 1 car per family/tent please liaise with Ros or Geoff first.

Gates

PLEASE leave gates as you find them. If it is open - leave it open. If you find it shut please close it after using. Always make sure that you shut gates properly and secure them once you have passed through.

Please follow the Countryside Code at all times.
If a gate is shut it is shut for a reason;
Maybe to keep you Out?
Maybe to keep animals In?
If you find a gate shut and you have to go through it then please please SHUT IT AFTERWARDS (properly)
Always abide by notices that may be there to protect you or the wildlife.
Never damage or remove plants or animals, fungi or soil - they are all precious resources.
Never pollute water or take fish from the river.

The fishing rights are private.

Rubbish and re-cycling:

Please re-cycle plastic bottles, packaging that is rigid (yoghurt pots, the clear plastic ‘shells’ or dishes that supermarket food all comes in), and empty tin cans and drinks cans in the big blue wheelie bin marked Tins and Plastic! To do this properly you should peel away the film lids (which can not be re-cycled and can go in the Landfill bin with general waste that can not be re-cycled), rinse the ’shells’ after emptying any left over food into the general waste or the food waste bin before placing your plastic waste in the correct wheelie bin.

Re-cycle card and paper goes in the wheelie bin marked Card and Paper

Bottles and jars in the wheelie bin marked for Glass

Anything else goes in the plastic dustbins marked Landfill.

Try to sort you re-cycling as you go then you will not be tempted to sling everything in one bag and chuck it in the landfill bin - The sound of glass bottles being crushed along with dirty nappies and all those other bits and pieces that get into the Landfill bin liners is not a good sound!

We check the rubbish and re-cycling areas throughout the day but if you see a problem or any bins that need emptying please just call us so that we can keep the site tidy.

Our Youngest Guests

If you are bringing youngsters to Racquety Farm please make sure that they are safe and that you know where they are playing. We appreciate that many children do not get the opportunity to play in an unstructured environment every day and although we really hope to offer young people and children the chance to engage with the natural world positively, there are good reasons to ask that visiting children are not allowed un-supervised access to any of the woodland areas or the river banks. Our main concerns relate to minimising any potential damage to trees, plant life, animal life and rare species that have been identified at Racquety Farm as well as an equal concern for the safety of visitors at all times.

For this reason we politely ask that children have a responsible person accompanying them at all times and that all visitors, of whatever age, stick to the areas designated as accessible.

Access

Where a notice says PRIVATE or NO ENTRY PLEASE or similar it is to protect, conserve and nurture the wildlife and countryside as well as keep visitors safe.

The accessible areas are spacious and there are good public footpaths with access to the River Wye running adjacent to the farm in easy walking distance. Please use them and enjoy them - they are beautiful.

Particular recommendations are for The Warren, a 20 minute walk from the farm along a woodland path accessed from just the other side of Hay Bridge. The Warren is a favourite picnic and play area with a beautiful river beach, ideal most of the year round - ideal for skimming stones, paddling and many use it for swimming in summer.  Alternatively in spring/summer there’s a patch of riverbank at the bottom of the large field where you can spend time, marked with a large carved wooden otter.

‘life is better around the campfire’

campfires and fire pits

We ask that fires are always made in a fire pit, off the ground, attended at all times and used carefully. We have a good selection of fire pits which Geoff has made over the years from re-purposed alloy wheels and oil barrels – you can borrow one of these or you can bring your own.  The fire pits are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

If there has been a long period of drought we ban fires. We will make that decision when you arrive with us.

important! NEVER take wood from the surrounding woodland or the adjacent wood-sheds. To do so is trespass/stealing and most importantly if you rummage around in the woods you can easily harm small wildlife and plants without meaning to!  The woodland here on the farm is home to a number of protected species including bats, bluebells and hazel dormice. We limit your access to certain areas to ensure these species and the biodiversity of the whole farm can continue to thrive. We ask you to please be particularly respectful of this.

• This is the advice that we give those using a fire pit or barbecue:

• never light a fire near to tents.

• do not light fires if the smoke is likely to cause annoyance to your neighbours on the camp site.

• do not tip ashes into hedgerows - ashes can cause fires many hours after the fire has burned through so never tip ashes into undergrowth or onto grass - We ask that you LEAVE ASHES IN THE BOWL of the fire pits that we provide they make an excellent 'bed' for any further fires.

• we provide a metal bin for disposal of ashes if you are using your own fire pit and wish to dispose of them before you pack your fire pit away when leaving.

• never put ashes, even if they seem cool into the waste bins - this is extremely dangerous.

• only use wood that is purchased as seasoned firewood which creates less smoke and does not spit sparks. We sell seasoned firewood and the local garages also sell seasoned firewood.

We sell firewood by the sack on site.