Camp Kernow Summer Camp: Residential Woodland Camp near Truro, Cornwall

Camp Kernow offers six‑day residential summer camps for children aged 8–15, with a maximum of 25 children per session. The approach is hands‑on, immersive, and completely off‑grid: children learn by doing – foraging wild food, learning bushcraft, climbing, canoeing, green woodworking, falconry, blacksmithing, and campfire cooking. There is no formal “grammar” or classroom teaching; the focus is on reconnecting children with nature, teaching sustainable living (solar power, composting toilets, rainwater harvesting), and building confidence through outdoor adventure. The camp is screen‑free and relies on experiential learning in a small, nurturing community.

The base price is £742 per child, secured with a £100 deposit. This includes six days of residential accommodation in canvas structures (yurts, tipis, bell tents, etc.), all meals (home‑cooked food, with children helping to harvest and prepare ingredients), all activities (bushcraft, foraging, climbing, kayaking, archery, blacksmithing, campfire cooking, etc.), and the full off‑grid experience. Escorted train travel from London Paddington is available for an extra cost.

Accommodation is entirely in canvas and timber‑framed structures, including a hand‑built yurt, geo‑dome, Mongolian ger, tipi, traditional bell tent, and even an upturned boat hull. All structures are arranged around a central “home” space, situated on wooden decking, with roll mats provided to guarantee a dry and warm night’s sleep. Teachers have a separate “teachers’ yurt”. There is no Wi‑Fi or modern bathroom facilities; the camp is off‑grid with composting toilets, reed‑beds, solar‑powered water pumping, and biomass‑fuelled showers.

Full board is provided – all meals are included. Children eat delicious home‑cooked food using ingredients harvested from the camp’s own food garden or sourced from local (organic where possible) producers. Children are responsible for getting food “from field to fork”, harvesting fruit and vegetables and helping to prepare meals in the well‑equipped field kitchen under the guidance and supervision of Camp Kernow’s cook.

Activities run from morning to night and include: bushcraft, wild food foraging, tree climbing, kayaking, archery, blacksmithing (e.g. forging a toasting fork for marshmallows), campfire cooking, and a Canadian canoe expedition. The packed programme also features a climbing wall. The goal is to provide exciting, unforgettable summer camp experiences that foster connection with nature, teamwork, and adventure. The camp focuses on immersion in the natural world.

The camp is based on a private 200‑acre woodland estate near Truro, Cornwall, with over two hundred acres of woodland, streams, hedgerows, lakes, and organic farmland. On‑site facilities include a food garden, a well‑equipped field kitchen, composting toilets, reed‑beds, a solar‑powered water pumping and filtration unit, rainwater harvesting, solar thermal panels, and biomass‑fuelled showers. There are no classrooms, sports halls, swimming pools, or Wi‑Fi – the camp is completely off‑grid and screen‑free. Beyond the campsite, children explore the natural environment (woodland, river, lakes).

Camp Kernow was established in 2008 and has been featured on BBC Countryfile. Activities are led by experts in their field, including a Wild Food Forager, Falconer, Blacksmith, and Bushcraft instructor. The camp creates a warm, nurturing community where every child can flourish, with a maximum of 25 children per week ensuring individual attention. The overall atmosphere is one of adventure, sustainability, and deep connection to nature – children leave with new friendships, real confidence, and a firsthand understanding of living off‑grid in balance with the natural world.