We or more probably me don’t normally do site reviews. That said we recently came back from a few days away at Donkey Creek Farm in Freckleton, and we liked it that much I had to put pen to paper…. or in more modern parlance lay fingers on keys.

The site is located on Naze Lane East just south of Freckleton and is just the other side of Naze Lane from the eastern end of BAE Warton’s runway. Don’t let this put you off though. At weekends you may get the odd light aircraft doing low approach and go-rounds but in the main it’s quiet. Weekdays, there are a couple of BAE’s scheduled staff planes in the morning and evening and the occasional fast jet. Having spent 7 years working there in the 90’s I don’t notice it.

The site is well laid out and only a few years old so most of the pitches are fully serviced and the facilities first class in every respect. The last time I was impressed this much was when we went to The Old Oaks site at Glastonbury, which at the time I said was the one to beat.

The pitch are level and firm under the gravel, all service roads are tarmac. Our pitch backed onto the small pond which was home to a pair of ducks and twelve ducklings which mother took for a walk umpteen times per day. She seemed to be getting the ducklings used to standing in front of caravan doors as they would all gather outside the door at the slightest sign of activity from within.

We also had a family of coots as frequent visitors who had also made the pond their home….

As I mentioned earlier, you do get the occasional fast jet through the weekday…

They don’t seem to bother the wildlife and they didn’t bother us…. apart from me scrambling to find my camera…. a retired pilot is still a person with jet A1 running through their veins.

OK, here’s a few pics…

If you want to find out more visit the website : Donkey Creek Farm

While we were there…

Cycling is quite easy and on the first day we cycled into Lytham for morning coffee. The route from Donkey Creek Farm is an easy ride and from the farm to the Lytham Windmill is exactly 5 miles…

We found a suitable cafe called “Central Beach” on the corner of Bath Street and the main shopping street Clifton Street. We sat and did a bit of people watching while having a coffee and toasted teacake.

The total round trip only took us 1h and 17m of cycling, a distance of 17.4 km which is a little under 11 miles.

Day two was interrupted by the need to visit a local caravan accessories shop (fell over at the cost of everything!!!) and the odd light shower passing through, but day three was blue skies and worth a bother outing on the bikes…. so we went back into Lytham, a little further this time past Fairhaven Lake to the beach cafe.

An easy ride again totalling 1h 43m of peddling and a distance of 27.16 km (16.8 miles). These are a lot shorter distances than we are used to, but a few months ago Sue was diagnosed with a heart condition…. ironic really considering the job She spent most of her working life doing! So we are building up slowly, on the flat with plenty of options to stop for a rest…

We indulged in a strawberry Cornetto at the beach cafe before heading back to Donkey Creek Farm. The next day we were supposed to be heading home, however the weather was kind, the site superb, the ducklings cute and even Henry was relaxing to the point he didn’t want to get up in the mornings.

So we decided to stay another day, the pitch was available and that gave us the chance to cycle into Lytham one again this time for a lazy lunch at “The One” in Clifton Square. Again sat outside people watching.

Why did we choose Donkey Creek Farm?

We normally kick off our season with a trip to Southport C & M Club site, but when booking for four nights on a serviced pitch had a bit of a shock… £175.20. That seemed a bit steep so I started looking round on Pitchup.com for sites within a 25 mile radius and scrolling through recognised the name Donkey Creek Farm from YouTubers “The Caravan Addies” and “The Caravan Nut“. (Go on tell me I’m name dropping!) Checking the prices for the same 4 nights on a fully serviced pitch was £136.00 a saving of £39.20. Which was a bit of a jaw dropper…. realising just how expensive the C & M Club has become.

I’ve just booked our next trip to Sutton-on-Sea on the east coast…. and this time for 5 nights on a fully serviced pitch I’ve saved £83.50 based on the same dates for a fully serviced pitch on the Sutton C & M Club site. I’ll let you know how we get on soon!

Something that may be happening later this year…

As you may know, since we started caravanning we always try to cycle Blackpool Illuminations. Usually in October and we have done it from 5 different sites. However I was thinking of maybe doing it from Donkey Creek Farm this year.

Set of around lunchtime from Donkey Creek Farm and cycle to Squires Gate or The Pleasure Beach for a coffee. Cycling along the prom past the Tower continueing to Bispham for an afternoon snack somewhere. Around 5 easy cycle along the prom up to Redbank Road ready for the illuminations to come on and start the trip back through Blackpool. We have cycled from Squires Gate to Lytham in the dark and it’s OK as most is on a cycle path… and having cycled Lythan to Donkey Creek Farm several times, cycling that route should not be a problem as it is on a separate cycle path apart form about a mile stretch around the entrance to BAE Warton where it’s a cycle lane on the road but the road is well lit.

We normally do it before the clocks change in the Autumn so it means setting off around 7 from Red Bank Road, I recon it will be about a 2 hour ride back and overall about a 28 mile round trip with 2 or 3 breaks

I’m not going to say it’s an organised ride…. but I’ll work out a bit of detail and a date we are going to do it. It will be mid week and an option of two or three days to allow for weather. Anyone is welcome to join.