What I learnt glamping on the grounds of Warwick Castle

The horse you wanted to ride into battle, the archer told us, was a destrier, known for its kicking and biting. He paused to send an arrow flying across the River Avon, which thudded into its target. Those children that weren’t listening rolled down the grassy bank, laughing. Behind them stood 11th-century Warwick Castle, built by William the Conqueror, and a blue sky stretched boldly above it. It was April 12, and it was so very good to be out.

We crossed a bridge beside the castle and gazed up at a giant wooden trebuchet (“it’s a bit like a catapult, dear”). There was a running track lined with colourful bunting and my daughter raced round it eight or nine times, cheered on by a princess sporting braids and a face mask cut from pink silk to match her dress.

It was the first day of Warwick Castle’s reopening and, while its interior and dungeons are closed for another month, on a dry day there is much to do outside in the castle grounds, especially for primary school children with big imaginations and vast reserves of energy amassed during lockdown. 

Men in shining armour walked among us. Children had a map and a trail to follow, part of which involved following combat instructions to win a badge. Most children were heavily armed, especially those who – like us – were staying in the knights’ training camp at the Knight’s Village. Just a short walk away, a cluster of wooden glamping lodges are scenically positioned beside the river and in view of the castle. Here, kids spent hours after visiting the castle engaging in elaborate swordplay, bludgeoning each other with spongy maces, or quietly firing rubber-tipped arrows at tree trunks – or at their parents. My daughter, who had cried during lockdown when I had not let her play with friends, was ecstatic to be near so many children all invested in the same game of make-believe.

The lodges, which had vaulted, timbered ceilings, coats of arms on the walls and comfy, if creaky beds, were surprisingly well sound-proofed. We only ever heard the three kids next door when they were outside, which is a vast improvement on your average campsite. We enjoyed a bottle of wine on our porch overlooking the river, while in the trees, children played at fighting with the zeal of those more usually told to cut it out.

Inside, the lodges had a double bed for adults as well as a smaller bedroom that could sleep up to three children, on bunk beds and with a pull-out bed. The mattresses and bedding were good quality and the towels in the bathroom, which had a walk-in shower, were fluffy. 

Set under beautiful mature trees, the village made a relaxing base for a visit to Warwick, despite the howls of children being asked to give their “biggest battle cry” during an evening training session at the far end of the field. The boardwalk between lodges was lit up at night, which added to the magic when we trotted down to find the village storyteller regaling a bedtime fable in a booming voice. When we woke, breakfast was delivered to our private picnic bench and we ate bacon buns with mini-hash browns, while the camp’s young knights returned to good-natured swordplay in the dappled morning light. 

While teenagers might prefer to wait for the castle’s interiors to reopen, when there will be more to see and learn, it was wonderful to see so many children playing happily outdoors. That’s not to say that there weren’t facts for inquisitive minds to ingest up at the castle. A maze, themed around the Horrible Histories programmes, took visitors through different periods of history to a soundtrack of funny voices and squeals about “boils on the bum”. Pre-school children also had an interactive trail based on the Julia Donaldson character Zog to enjoy. But my daughter’s favourite activity was the knight’s evening training session, when two dashing warriors encouraged her to attack helmet-topped posts. If the ferocity displayed by my little five-year-old was a touch alarming, I’m afraid that’s just something else to blame the pandemic for. 

Warwick Castle (01926 406610; warwick-castle.com) is open daily, 10am-5pm. Advance tickets from £12 (adults) and £8 (child). Lodges and glamping tents at The Knight’s Village from £187 midweek, based on two adults and two children sharing, with one-day entry to the castle included. Read Telegraph Travel's hotel review: Warwick Castle

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