RUE DE CHÂTEAU

Bonchester Bridge, Hawick, Scottish Borders

What’s special about it? There’s no château at Rue du Château, so why the name? A battered French road sign has been part of the tree at the farm’s entrance since the current owners moved here. And, for the campsite at least, the name has stuck. There is something a bit French about the camping experience though. For starters, it’s exceptionally laid back. There are mown spaces along the banks of Harwood Burn but, with a further 40 acres of grassland at your disposal, you simply pitch where you please. Things to do The farm is home to an inquisitive gypsy cob and a miniature Shetland pony called

Teesh, and you should spot red squirrels, deer and badgers. When the sun is out, the river makes an inviting place to paddle or swim, imagining you’re on a tiny tributary of the River Dordogne. Take a stroll to the newly renovated Horse & Hounds, just two miles away, an 18th-century coaching inn with a riverside garden.

Do we need to pack a trowel? There are no showers, no electricity and a horse trailer houses the porta-toilet.

In the know The wildest places to pitch are among trees further upstream, or up near the tearshaped pond where resident ducks tend to relax before marching back down to the Burn. rue-du-chateau.weebly.com »