Church Camping, The Most Unique Toddler-Friendly UK Staycation?

andrew
3 days ago
5 min read

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend the night in church? Well with Church Camping (Champing) you can do exactly this and have the luxury of having a whole church all to yourself (even your pets are allowed!). Since hearing about in 2023 it we had always wanted to do it and so we're delighted when Champing™ invited us to stay.

Tall stone church tower with a clock, framed by green leaves. Clear blue sky and scattered clouds create a serene atmosphere.

This is a truly unique experience and nothing like we've ever done before - having an enormous church all to ourselves for the night in the beautiful British countryside isn't something I ever expected to do! The Champing experience was brought to life by the Churches Conservation Trust, the national charity protecting historic churches at risk and currently there are 29 beautiful churches to choose from nationwide.

Where We Stayed: St Barnabas Church, Somerset

This beautiful church was first mentioned in 1291 then rebuilt in the 14th Century and is a Grade I listed building tucked in the cute village of Queen Camel in Somerset. The church has a 29m high tower which was built in five stages and famous in the bellringing community for having the heaviest set of 6 bells in the world weighing a total of 6.011 tonnes!

The church grounds are beautiful and when we parked up the falling apple tree blossoms added to the dramatic feeling of spending the night in a church. Walking into the churchyard we were greeted by Paul, who very helpfully explained the history of the church and helped us get settled in - as you can imagine it's not like a normal stay where you walk in and everything is immediately obvious! A real bonus at St Barnabas was that the church hosts kids playgroups so Paul very kindly left out some toys for Malva which was a welcome and thoughtful touch.

A child in a yellow dress plays with a red toy car in a church aisle, illuminated by sunlight streaming through an arched window.

Key Information for Your Stay

The facilities at each Champing church differ so make sure you check this in advance and fully read the pre-arrival guide which the Champing team have helpfully created for each church so you have the key details before you stay.

The churches provide camp beds but sleeping bags and sheets are an extra cost as these are stored off site and are cleaned so they are fresh for your stay. However, if you have the space to fit I'd definitely recommend bringing your own sheets and duvet instead of sleeping bags as it makes it extra cosy.

Beds in a stone church with arched windows and wooden furniture. Stacked chairs and folded blankets in a peaceful setting.

It's important to note that showers and heating aren't usually available - this is why Champing is seasonal so the churches stay cool inside whilst it's warm outside. To make sure you don't get caught out, bring warm layers and slippers and if you're really worried about the cold then pack a water bottle to keep you nice and toasty in the night (we forgot slippers and didn't have a water bottle for our early May stay and we were fine).

Some churches have fully equipped kitchens whilst others will have more basic facilities. At St Barnabas we had a microwave, toaster, kettle and hotplate. Perfect for tea (with the homemade flapjacks they kindly left), scrambled eggs and porridge for breakfast!

A Toddler-Friendly Experience

Malva had so much fun here and it was honestly great, she could run around in the open spaces freely, climb the pews and hide in all the nooks and crannies. She would shriek with joy playing hide and seek and as a parent it was heart-warming to see her so free - normally, when visiting a church we would have to hold her hand tightly and whisper when talking but we didn't have these restrictions because we had the whole church all to ourselves (though we were of course mindful this is a place of religious worship so made sure we were respectful at all times).

Child in yellow dress stands on wooden stairs in rustic church, looking up. Floral arrangement nearby. Stone walls and plaques in background.

Exploring the Village of Queen Camel

Queen Camel is a traditional and quaint English village and many of the houses have beautiful thatched roofs. There is a pub near by the church, the Mildmay Arms, and a few local shops where we stocked up on snacks, bread and eggs for breakfast. Right next to the church is a public footpath which takes you along a small stream and out into some wildflower fields and woods. In this serene setting you are treated to views of the rolling English hills and open fields speckled with yellow and purple flowers.

Child in a yellow dress walks through a blooming field of dandelions and wildflowers, with lush green trees and a partly cloudy sky in the background.

Having A Cosy Church Evening

After our walk and having a delicious fish and chips for dinner at the local pub we returned to the church to settle in for a cosy evening. With the sun setting outside we were treated to glorious light inside the church with the stain glassed windows seemingly glowing at times. It was also time to put layers on as the church was considerably cooler inside!

Gothic arched window with intricate stained glass in sunlight, adjacent to a wooden hymn board displaying numbers: 348, 380, 104, 672.

After plenty of "one more time" hide and seek requests it was finally bedtime for Malva. For bedtime a few concerns sprang to mind, firstly, at St Barnabas the bells toll every 15 minutes and secondly that it would be very bright because of all the large windows. However, bedtime was a success and all the running around in the church and in the fields really tired her out!

Person lying in bed reading a book in a stone-walled room with large windows. Stacked chairs and a toy car are in the background.

With Malva successfully asleep we were able to enjoy the cosy night time vibes of the church. It was a great place to disconnect as there was no WiFi and we had lovely evening drinking tea, playing cards and finishing the tasty flapjacks they had left. Before going to bed we took it in turns to go outside and enjoying the dark and starry night sky before retreating into the church for bedtime. It was nice getting into pyjamas and tucking up into the camp beds with our own pillows and sheets. The bells tolling every 15 minutes were a lot quieter inside of the church than outside, and didn't impact our sleep - if anything, it added to the unique experience!

Woman sipping from a polka dot mug at a table with a lit candle and checkered cloth. Gothic arches and dim lighting in background.

Champing - A Truly Magical Experience

To be honest, I didn't really know what to expect from Champing and the experience completely surprised me. It was such a unique stay and so special to have the church all to ourselves. Watching Malva run up and down and hide around the church was really special and for her it was a huge amount of fun. No you might not have WiFi, reception or a shower but these really add to the charm of this experience because we felt much more connected as a family and were able to enjoy the serene surroundings and starry sky. With children and pets allowed its a really accommodating experience and they even offer discounts for group bookings so the more people you bring along the cheaper it will be!

Aerial view of a stone church with a tall tower, surrounded by green fields and houses with red roofs in a rural village setting.

Before you book I'd recommend checking the facilities for the church you have in mind to make sure you're happy with them - they do vary and some even have breakfast included (for an additional fee). Depending on what day you choose to stay on there may be a service so make sure you check this too as this will impact your "check out" time.

With 29 churches signed up to Champing around the UK this has really given us a taste of this unique experience and we hope to join the group of Champers who are making their way around the UK to stay in all the churches!

Start here to book your champing experience: https://champing.co.uk/