Berrends Farm: A Nix Drones Campervan Weekend Preview

This weekend, Vanilla is heading south-west to Berrends Farm Caravan & Camping Site at Redmarley D’Abitot — a peaceful-looking farm campsite tucked beneath the Malvern Hills, close to the point where Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire almost shake hands.

Fiona and Dids are joining me, the bikes are part of the plan, and the drone bag will probably take up more room than several pieces of genuinely sensible camping equipment. Standard Nix Drones organisation, then.

A proper little farm escape

Berrends Farm opened as a campsite in 2019 after years as a working farm, and it still keeps that proper rural character. There are cattle, pigs and stables around the site, with camping pitches set among grass and quiet orchard surroundings. It sounds refreshingly straightforward: countryside, animals, fresh air and enough space to settle in without feeling as though you have parked in a supermarket queue.

The practical side looks well covered too, with toilets, power showers, washing-up facilities, water and optional electric hook-up. Barbecues and campfires are welcomed, which means the weekend can be run in the traditional manner: something sizzling, chairs outside and a firm refusal to admit it is getting chilly.

The Nix setup

Vanilla will be base camp, with the usual mixture of campervan comfort and equipment that seemed essential when it was packed. The loose plan is simple: arrive on Friday, get properly settled, enjoy the farm atmosphere, explore on two wheels and leave enough room in the timetable for doing absolutely nothing.

The EE hotspot is coming along, although a few films will be downloaded beforehand. Rural mobile data can be a loyal servant one minute and a sulking teenager the next, so old-fashioned preparation still wins.

Looking at Berrends from above

The aerial view immediately caught my eye. Curving gravel tracks lead through neatly divided grassy areas, with mature trees, hedges, fences, caravans and small camping pitches creating strong shapes from above. It is the sort of compact rural site that can look especially good in early-morning or late-evening light, when the long shadows give every tree and fence line a bit more drama.

Subject to the owner’s permission, suitable weather and the usual airspace checks, I would love to capture a few respectful drone photographs during the stay. The aim will be to show the setting without disturbing campers, livestock or the peace that makes the place attractive in the first place. Sometimes the best drone photograph is not the highest one; it is the one that shows the land as people actually experience it.

Pub navigation, Nix style

A countryside campsite needs a nearby pub, preferably more than one, and Berrends passes that test comfortably. The farm lists twelve pubs and places to eat within five miles. The three closest are:

• The Duke of York at Berrow — 1.2 miles by road, with the farm estimating about a 30-minute walk.

• The Rose & Crown at Redmarley — 1.6 miles by road, roughly a 40-minute walk.

• The Farmers Arms at Lower Apperley — 1.9 miles by road, around a 50-minute walk.

Those figures are for the outward journey, of course. The return walk after a couple of pints is governed by entirely different laws of physics.

Bikes, hills and no unnecessary heroics

With the Malvern Hills close by and miles of countryside surrounding Redmarley, the bikes should earn their place on the trip. This is not intended to become the Tour de Gloucestershire. A relaxed ride, a look around the lanes and perhaps a pub stop will do nicely. Dids can bring the youthful energy; I shall bring battery assistance and strategic experience.

Why weekends like this matter

Not every adventure has to involve twelve countries, a mountain pass or a ferry booked months in advance. Sometimes two nights on a farm, surrounded by trees and animals, with good company and a campervan parked on the grass, is exactly the right-sized escape.

A simple weekend, properly enjoyed, can feel every bit as big as a grand tour.

The pre-trip Nix verdict

Berrends Farm already looks like a strong Nix Drones destination: a characterful rural site, orchard pitches, farm animals, nearby hills, useful facilities and several pubs within striking distance. Add Vanilla, Fiona, Dids, the bikes and a camera bag, and the ingredients are there for a cracking little weekend.

The next report will be the one that matters — the real photographs, the actual rides, the chosen pub and an honest account of how the weekend unfolded. For now, the van is waiting, the batteries need charging and the countryside is calling.