Play at ABTC
- Amber's Bell Tent Camping
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Let Them Roam:
There’s a reason families keep coming back to ABTC—and it’s not just the beautiful glamping setup. It’s something deeper. Something many parents remember from their own childhoods but struggle to find today. Freedom. The kind of freedom where children disappear for hours - inventing games, climbing trees, getting muddy, and coming back with stories to tell.
A Childhood That Feels Familiar
For many parents, choosing ABTC isn’t just about a holiday—it’s about giving their children a taste of the kind of upbringing they had themselves. Days spent outside. No rigid schedules. No constant supervision. Just space to explore and be in the world. A human BEing, instead of a human doing.
Wild Spaces, Real Connection
At ABTC - nature isn’t a backdrop—it’s the main event. All of our sites have been hand picked for their access to nature. Open fields, meadows, woodlands all invite children to engage with the world around them in a way that feels instinctive. They build dens. They follow trails. They notice things. And in doing so, they reconnect—not just with nature, but with themselves.
Each of our ABTC sites has been curated with a focus on outdoor play opportunies for children at each of our 6 sites. Here's a handy rundown on what is on offer at each:
Mannington Hall - ABTC flagship, hosting families since 2013! This rambling estate has nature conservation at it's very core. Children have space to explore different terrains here - across open lawns, onto woodland paths, along boardwalks over wildflower meadows. They can build dens, spot birds, pond dip for insects, and most importantly disappear into their own worlds—only resurfacing when they’re hungry. There’s just enough to guide them—trails, sensory gardens, little prompts to look closer—but never so much that it gets in the way of imagination. Ahead of their time - The Walpole family started hosting their nature discovery days for children back in the 1990's - my own children used to go - and come home with tales of a hawk moth hatching and cray fish catching. Excitingly, the Mannington Minnows nature clubs are back this year - offering an outdoor holiday club vibe for children who love to explore, discover and engage with nature. Expect seasonal adventures in the fresh air.
Hoveton Estate - There's a dell of woodland accessed from the camp ground, fenced and private which offers children many tree adventures - with platform walkways and forest floor pathways. Climb into the branches of one of the big oaks, swing from the ropes, retreat beneath and make your own den for shelter. Tyre swings hung from the trees in the camp itself. Want more tree top adventures? Follow the footpath and the yelps of joy to the entrance of the award winning enchanting world of beWILDerwood family adventure park. ABTC glampers can book a beWILDerwood unlimited entry pass for the same price as a day ticket. With the camp just a stroll through the trees, it means you can have magical family woodland time and pop back to camp for some much needed r and r.
Bells Farm - Play feels as natural as the landscape itself here. Set within wide open meadow and surrounded by working farmland, children are given the kind of space that invites freedom—running across fields, riding bikes along farm tracks, and disappearing into games of hide and seek among the orchards. There’s a simple joy in being able to pick fruit straight from the fields, explore seasonal farm life, or spend hours “messing about” outdoors. With a dedicated ropes and swings play area near to the cafe full of cakes, this offers the perfect balance for kids play and parents chill time.
Branthill Farm - Set in a long open field on a working farm - there’s a simple den-making area tucked under the trees at one end, with hammocks strung between branches, inviting quieter moments of play and imagination. On the adjacent meadow there is a badminton net and lawn games, and space to run, kick a ball, or create games from nothing at all. With access to nearby trails, Holkham Hall parkland, and beach just beyond the farm, the sense of adventure stretches far beyond the tents.
Little Massingham - Outdoor play here feels a little wilder, a little freer. Set deep within a rewilding landscape, children are surrounded by woodland, open tracks, and acres of space that invite exploration from the moment they arrive. If this isn't enough, there’s a woodland play fort tucked in the back camping woodland set within the tall pines - But it’s the wild landscape here that is the real draw, with miles of footpaths, rewilding animals like the wild piggies and ponies to spot on the heathland, while roaming through a place that feels untamed.
Wiveton Hall - outdoor play has a coastal, slightly wild edge to it. Tucked between pine trees and salt marsh on a working farm with a crumbling english manor and walled gardens, children are drawn into a world of simple, imaginative adventure, climbing into old boats, or setting up camp in the little Wiveton Wendy House, all with the best views of sea and marshes. Beyond the tents, the landscape opens up even more - out onto the coastal trails where creeks, mudflats, and wide skies become part of the play. Mudsliding at Blakeney Point has become a local rite of passage! Mud alert!
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