Poston Mill lies on the B4348 between Hereford and Hay-on-Wye. The entrance to the site was the most impressive that we have ever seen with beautifully striped lawns bordering neat hedges. The site has its own golf course so we wondered if the greenkeeper also tends to the grounds. Part of the site is taken up with what looked like residential holiday home-type accommodation. Which was also pristine.
After checking in we were led to our pitch by somebody on a bicycle and we were slightly worried as some of the pitches looked close together. However, we were led to another part where the road circled a small cul-de-sac with picnic tables in the center. This was our first time having the awning on a hard standing and the quality of the pea gravel enabled the pegs to go in easily and it was comfortable underfoot. The pitch had EHU, water, and a TV aerial point although the telephone signal was reasonable enough to allow us to use our MiFI to power our phones and the boy’s laptops.
Once set up we all went for a walk through the tent area (we tented for years) that led to the children’s playground. It was really well equipped with swings and slides together with tractors that would be climbed on. There were also outdoor table tennis tables (bats could be borrowed from reception). Beyond the playground was a small football pitch and a nine-hole golf course – again clubs could be borrowed, We were surprised that we never saw anybody using the golf course which looked well kept. If a camper just wanted to quietly practice their golf then this site would be ideal. There were also long dog walks and jogging tracks over the whole perimeter of the site. It really is a golfer and jogger’s paradise. It should be noted that children are not allowed to ride cycles around the park – something that our neighbours were not happy about and they had never come across this on a site before.
This was the first site where we felt comfortable letting the boys go to the play area on their own when it wasn’t in sight. A new freedom that they relished and newfound peace for us.
There was a downside to being located in that part of the site. The facilities block was great with showers, individual washrooms, laundry room and ample toilets for the number of people on-site – there was even a doggie shower!. However, it was quite a walk, especially first thing in the morning. This meant that one of the residents in our cul de sac would start his rather noisy Jeep engine up at 6 AM.
There was a choice of routes; either through one of the roads where the caravans and motorhomes were or along the outside of the hedge alongside the river which was very pleasant but a little creepy in the dark. A small toilet block servicing the far end of the site and the tent area would solve this problem.
A major upside of Poston Mill and a reason for returning is the lovely on-site restaurant and bar together with an outside stone-baked pizza oven offering in-house dining and takeaway. There is also a well-stocked shop on site with limited opening hours.
The restaurant was upstairs in a barn-like building and we noticed that well-behaved dogs were allowed to sit with their owners which must be a huge draw for dog owners. It didn’t bother us in the slightest and the food was good as was the wine list. It should be noted that it would be difficult for somebody with mobility difficulties to access the restaurant but they may have other arrangements in place.
We ordered stone-baked pizzas for our second night which we collected and ate outside our awning. These were baked to perfection with generous fillings and we highly recommend them. We did however over-order and were still eating them through the following day!
The walk around the perimeter of the site is well marked as well as having information about walks into the nearby villages scattered around the site. The boys particularly enjoyed taking part in the written treasure hunt which took them all around the site and had some challenging questions (thank goodness for Google!) The successful completion earned them both a prize!
There are bus stops just outside the camp going to both Hereford and Hay-on-Wye should you not want to drive. Even though we can quite easily detach our awning to use the van, we tend to enjoy bus journeys (the boys love them) and you don’t need to park when you get there. We took the bus into Hereford which was about a half-hour journey passing many interesting villages.
Hereford has plenty to offer including a magnificent Cathedral and plenty of riverside pubs to watch the river life.
We enjoyed our trip to Poston Mill and it would make an ideal location for somebody wanting a peaceful stay with dog walks and a good restaurant.
