Blackberry Wood treehouse, Sussex - review

A fantasy down in the woods, says Sophie Lam
Craftwork: the family-friendly new treehouse at Blackberry Wood
Diana Jarvis
Sophie Lam18 July 2016

Securing a summer pitch at Blackberry Wood is like setting one’s sights on Glastonbury tickets. Habitués know exactly the moment to book (immediately after their last visit) while the inexperienced are left disappointed when the last-minute trip they’d planned when the weather forecast looked favourable is stymied by those in-the-know.

The 27 woodland pitches at the foot of the South Downs, each set in its own private clearing with a fire pit, are a boon to the city-weary. Less than two hours’ drive from the capital, they offer an enchanting escape from London life, tucked down a country lane in a beguilingly wild but accessible setting.

As you weave along the site’s sylvan pathways you might encounter the fairy-lit Enchanted Garden, jauntily painted sheds housing solar-powered showers, a glade with a swing and zip wire or a wooden bridge over a lake.

Then there’s the field with options for those have an aversion to canvas — a converted Routemaster, gypsy caravan, Sixties search-and-rescue helicopter and wood cabin — where rabbits hop around munching the grass and guests chat around barbecues.

Likely to be even more in demand is the brand new treehouse. We were the very first guests to stay in it, eliciting curiosity and envy from our fellow campers.

And yet it’s hardly camping. The seemingly crooked, Tim Burton-esque lodging is accessed by a grand staircase that twists up to a veranda sprouting the trunk and boughs of an oak tree and is spacious enough to accommodate a table and chairs, chimeney and swinging chair.

Inside, the scent of newly varnished wood signals that nearly everything inside has been meticulously crafted from timber. Old scaffolding planks have been reconditioned, cut at angles and boarded askew to the walls, while planed and sanded branches collected from the woodland have been reassembled to create a mezzanine eyrie just big enough for two to snuggle down in. More have been suspended from the pitched ceiling, which creates a bewitching effect when the flickering log-burner casts shadows above at night. Windows have been set at obtuse angles while a cosy window seat beckons you to pull out a book — perhaps one of Cicely Mary Barker’s 1920s Flower Fairies series — from the double bed’s library feature wall and read it while glancing at the trees.

Home comforts: the Blackberry Wood treehouse is complete with double bed
Diana Jarvis

Whimsical touches include trowels as cupboard handles, an upside-down perforated metal teapot light fitting and pulsating LED mood lighting (though it’s easy to turn off if the disco effect starts to feel hallucinatory).

The most astonishing feature is the Tower Shower. The turreted wet room is clad in hammered copper that was custom-made in Morocco. There’s also a loo, so you don’t have to worry about torch-lit trips into the woods at night.

The following morning you’ve got everything in place to cook a decent breakfast — electric hob, toaster, kettle, fridge… plus wi-fi and USB charging sockets if you need to look up a recipe. I can see why those who go down to Blackberry Wood return home as happy campers — I’ll certainly join them again next year.

Brexit holiday destinations in the UK

1/8

The area

The village of Ditchling is about 10 minutes’ drive and has a couple of good pubs (The Bull, The White Horse), a local produce-peddling delicatessen (The Larder), tea shop, ice cream parlour and café (Mister Magnolia). Closer by, the Half Moon Pub in Plumpton and Jolly Sportsman in East Chiltington are good options if you fancy walking up an appetite for a superior pub lunch or supper.

Walking, or cycling, up to the top of Ditchling Beacon rewards with stirring views of verdant Sussex fields and sparkling sea either side of the Downs.

If the weather isn’t kind, the Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft showcases the artists that populated the village in the 20th century, including Edward Johnston, who created the Johnston typeface for London Underground.

Blackberry Wood, near Ditchling, Sussex BN6 8RS. Bookings via Cool Camping (coolcamping.co.uk). Treehouse from £175 per night (four adults, self-catering).

Comfort 4/5

Service 4/5

Value 4/5

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