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We went Champing! Uhh, what is Champing? It’s camping . . . in a church!
IN WHICH I
We went Champing! Uhh, what is Champing? It’s camping . . . in a church! Sounds amazing (apart from the terrible portmanteau) and it is amazing!

Your room for the night . . . Church of St Mary the Virgin in Fordwich, Kent.

The deal is, you book a church through this website, much like you might book a B&B. It’s £55 per person per night (discounts for larger groups and repeat bookings, currently free for kids to the end of the season). You have the church all to yourself/yourselves. The fee gets you camp beds, water, tea and coffee making facilities, camp chairs with cushions and blankets, electric candles, lanterns and access to a loo. Oh, and one of the more unique bedrooms you’re likely to experience in an average year.

A trial bedroom setup in Albury. Too breezy.

Cosy between the pews in Fordwich.

We found out about Champing when we were in Suffolk with our friends and we decided to give it a go. It seemed like a fun idea for a night away, a bit more interesting than the usual accommodation fare and a bit more appealing to those who aren’t too keen on braving the elements under a tarp or in a tent. Most of the Champing churches are in the South East, but they’re starting to spread. The churches are no longer in use for services and such things.

Snuggling down at Fordwich. We didn't really need all that bedding! (NB: First time reading Swallows and Amazons - I haven't seen the new film, yet.)

Our first Champing adventure was back in June at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Fordwich, near Canterbury in Kent. Fordwich is a pretty little village (actually Britain’s smallest town) on the River Stour. Our venue still had the feel of an old village church in use, with quite a few displays around the place.

Chairs, blankets and cushions all set up around a little coffee table in Fordwich. You can see the water filter in the background.

Aside: After our night in Fordwich, I went for a wild swim in the Stour upstream of Canterbury. It was brisk!

Sitting on an underwater ledge, waiting to acclimatise to the chilly, fast-flowing river. This was a great treat.

We enjoyed our time in Fordwich, and we decided to try another church. We booked a date in September to visit Old St Peter and St Paul’s Church, which sits on a private estate near Albury in Surrey (that’s the church I’m reviewing below). This building had a different feel - emptier, more spacious, lighter, more regal, more austere.

Morning at Old St Peter and St Paul's Church in Albury, Surrey.

One of the lovely things about these churches is that they are open to the public until the evening. When we arrived at both churches, we got to talk to other visitors about what we were doing. As you might expect, reponses ranged from envy and excitement to, “Isn’t it a bit . . . creepy?” and, “Rather you than me!” Generally, though, everyone was intrigued with the idea and agreed it was a good way for the Churches Conservation Trust to bring in a bit more money to help preserve these old buildings. “Oooh, Champing!” was usually the last thing we heard as visitors wandered off across the churchyard.

What a gorgeous sight to come 'home' to!

One of the windows in Albury.

I was impressed with both of our Champing churches, though Albury might just be my favourite of the two. The Champing team sent all the info we needed pre-arrival and everything was set up in the church before we got there. All we had to do get out our pillows and sleeping bags, decide where to put the camp beds, unpack our snacks and drinks, switch on the electric candles, then talk and play board games into the night.

The huge window at St Peter and St Paul's was stunning, as was the whole richly decorated South Chapel.

In the morning, you get breakfast, usually at a nearby pub or cafe. We had a bit of a disaster with the first place, which no longer provides the breakfasts at Fordwich (despite confirming beforehand, they had no idea how to cater for three vegetarians and a vegan) but the hotel in Albury was OK (although they only had dairy milk for drinks, alas). All in all, it's a pretty novel experience and comfort levels are somewhere between camping and glamping. I'd recommend it for families and groups of friends who want to try something a bit different.

The church at Albury was on a private estate. This was our view on the way to the loo. I liked the golden morning sun on the chimneys.

"Oooh! Champing!"

Year of Sleeping Variously: Champing edition

We didn't end up sleeping in this location. But it was the lightest place to get a good photo!

Bed (3/5) - They supply camp beds, we added our Thermarests, sleeping bags and pillows. The camp beds are quite comfy, but not so good for snuggling up to another person (there's a gap!).

Room (5/5) - OK, so there are no wardrobes, chests of drawers or couches. But It is a pretty special bedroom!

View (3/5) - Gorgeous windows (but too high to see out of from inside) and a landscaped estate beyond.

Facilities (3/5) - It's a step up from campsite camping, with water, tea and coffee provided. They have "ChampLavs" - dry separating compost loos - but no showers or running water.

Location (3/5) - Pretty nice, yeah.

People (5/5) - Of course - can't fault the company of good friends!

Food (3/5) - We went shopping for supplies at Waitrose, so our snacks were top notch. Cooked breakfast at The Drummond at Albury was average, though I'm sure if you're a meat eater you'll have more variety.

Value (3/5) - This is a hard one. I'm averaging this out over the two stays - we got a breakfast refund on the first stay due to the food mix-up and a discount on the second stay because we were return Champers. At full price it's £55 per person per night, and I think four people could get better value for £220 per night.

Uniqueness (5/5) - On the other hand, you are unlikely to get a more unique bedroom, no matter how much you fork out!

That indefinable something (3/5) - A few bats came out and flitted around during the night, and I love bats! They added some excitement to the peaceful atmosphere. I enjoyed padding across the stone floor in the night to go to the loo, and waking up with the birds calling outside.

Champing verdict: 72%

Previous Year of Sleeping Variously posts: tarp on a hill; B&B in a town; tent in a garden; holiday cottage on a farm; tent at a campsite; cabin by a canal; budget hotel.