Setting the Record Straight

Here are some of the comments I have had relating to our yard space being offered to campervanners and motorhomers to stopover and enjoy the experience of watching the wildlife overnight...

Why pay £15 to park when there are plenty of free places to pull in and stay?

You have no services, why pay money for nothing?

Landowners / site owners are just trying to rip us off, it's daylight robbery.

Money for nothing! I'd rather park for free elsewhere.

Far too expensive for solo travellers.

So, what are you getting for your £15?

First of all, land is expensive, ground works are expensive, drainage and hard standing are expensive, fencing is expensive and so are annual licence fees, annual insurances, monthly service contracts for waste disposal, repairs and maintenance, administrative costs, fire points, our time... Need I go on? 

What you get when staying at Frugaldom is peace of mind that you are on a legally recognised, insured, safe and secure site for the purposes of enjoying nature and, hopefully, photographing the wildlife that can come within meters of your park-up spot.

Some people don't get the opportunity to see the likes of pine martens, badgers, foxes or red squirrels. Some people don't get the opportunity to sit and relax, watching hundreds of wild birds feeding nearby or birds of prey soaring overhead.

Some people have never experienced star-laden skies or witnessed the spectacle of the Milky Way spanning the darkness above us. But for a mere £15, you can come along absolutely any night of the year and could experience all of the above, while also enjoying seeing some unique art in nature created right here for the enjoyment of all.

Ecoart combines recycling and repurposing with environmental artwork, while creating new habitats for wildlife. With over 70 individual sculptures to see here, this alone is like visiting an open air exhibition... Free of charge. Elsewhere, the wildlife feeding stations are kept topped up with bird, squirrel, pine marten and badger food to ensure everything has the best possible chance to thrive on this land.

Until 2024, Frugaldom operated a licensed animal welfare establishment. Although we no longer take in animals, we still have several rescued ponies, goats and the feral / stray cats that have found their way here. We don't mind visitors bringing pets but for very obvious reasons, they need to be well behaved and kept under total control on short leads. Movements are restricted after dark to lessen the chance of ponies being spooked resulting in injuries.

We work on site seven days per week throughout the year, voluntarily, looking after animals, trying out best to raise income to help cover feed costs while also trying to maintain the campervan/motorhome site and the recreational huts.

We may not have modern day luxury services such as electricity, showers, toilets or, indeed, running water, but most campervans and motorhomes are self contained with their own toilets and sinks. Waste from each can be disposed of at the relevant points here, then it is dealt with by a fully licensed waste management company - another of our regular overheads.

On the subject of solo travellers, I have to say that travelling solo does not automatically reduce the footprint of your vehicle. It still takes up a parking space, therefore still costs the same as a vehicle with any other number of occupants. We pay hundreds of pounds each year for insurance in order to be able to offer our premises for stopovers so I consider our pricing structure to be very fair. 

£15 for 1 night

£25 for 2 nights

£10 per night thereafter up to a maximum stay of 28 days. We offer further discounts for anyone looking to stay 28 days and to anyone offering their help while here.

Wildlife Watching 

If you care to check prices elsewhere, you will find that it can cost £100 for access to a wildlife hide for a few hours. Here at Frugaldom, you can see the wildlife from your park-up. We have solar powered cameras that you can log into and see what's at the nearby feeding stations after dark. We have solar lighting that enables you to spot the badgers and the pine martens when they visit. You are welcome to bring your own trail cameras to set up at the feeding stations. For anyone who wants to visit but has no campervan or motorhome, you can park up in your car and have access to a hut at a cost of £50 per night for up to 4 people - hut opportunities will be dealt with in a separate post. We also allow box tents during suitable weather but no ground pegs, generators, BBQs or campfires.

Frugaldom is a rather unique place that offers unique opportunities to experience nature and witness the wonders of wildlife. We are not like a lay-by where you just pull in, cook your meal, sleep and leave. While you are here, you are treated as friends, like part of the project, appreciated for supporting all that we do here and welcome to stay longer, return often and even join our 'Friends of Frugaldom' support group.

I think that answers most of the queries I've been asked and addresses all of the 'why pay for nothing' type comments. If you still feel you aren't getting value for money then Frugaldom is not the place for you. If you genuinely want to visit but honestly cannot afford £15 then email me (Susan) frugaldom@gmail.com and we can discuss how you could swap some of your time helping at Frugaldom in exchange for park-up. Frugal by name, frugal by nature.

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