Bringing in Autumn with the Bumble Biggie in The New Forest *Ad Gifted

Autumn is one of my favourite seasons. The leaves are turning, there's a chill in the air and it's still a great time to go camping. So when Bumble Campers asked me if I'd like to try out their "Bumble Biggie" I jumped at the chance.

I've worked with Bumble Campers on a gifting basis twice before, using their traditional Bumble Bus 2 sleepers to travel to The Peak District and to The Lake District for a wedding. Both trips were brilliant so I was keen to road test the Bumble Biggie and see how it compared.

It's safe to say this camper is more than comfortable for two people, having a large living area inside equipped with kitchen, area, sink, cupboard storage, shelving and a seating area converting into a full size double bed. You can also stand up fully in this van which is great for moving around and the built in lights are perfect for the darker autumn evenings.

So with the perfect place to call home for the weekend, we set off to The New Forest in search of autumn colours, wild ponies and tasty food.

I got the inspiration to visit The New Forest from travel blogger Jess who had said how beautiful it was and that she'd plan to go back again in autumn sometime. I'm so glad I took her up on her recommendation as the forest did not disappoint when it came to beautiful burnt oranges, red and yellows of the falling leaves and wild mushrooms growing everywhere.

There was also talk of wild ponies being about. Before travelling down I did wonder if we'd be lucky enough to see any roaming about but it turns out there are lots of them and they're dotted around all over. We came across plenty on our walks through the forest as well as driving to our destinations.

You're advised not to feed or go near the ponies but as you can see some of them are rather friendly and inquisitive!

Whilst in the New Forest we visited a lovely village known as Burley. This picturesque village in set in the heart of the new forest with ponies and cattle grazing and roaming freely and its stooped in history also, having a pub dating back to the 16th century which was used by smugglers and highwaymen. It's also where the famous white witch Sybil Leek lived and there's even a gift shop called "Coven of Witches". It's the perfect place to visit around Halloween. Whilst we were there they had lots of Halloween themed stalls, fancy dress competitions and more which definitely helped to get you in the Halloween mood.

We also ventured to another place on Jess' recommendation known as The Pig. This beautiful hotel and restaurant is tucked away in Brokenhurst and is the perfect place to relax, unwind and have impeccable food.

 The dining of The Pig is known as the "Conservatory Restaurant" full of beautiful rustic charm with herbs and plants growing throughout. All of the food is locally sourced, making the menu contemporary and ever changing with whats in season in the area. The Pig has it's own kitchen garden and greenhouse which make up the produce for the days menu and the food is just divine.

They also have a commitment to source their produce from within a 25 mile radius of the restaurant, meaning they support local suppliers and the ingredients are always what is in season at that time.

The food tasted absolutely gorgeous and incredibly fresh and it was well worth a visit.

We had a little wander around the grounds after lunch and I couldn't help but have a little look in the greenhouse! I'd definitely like to visit The Pig again and perhaps even stay. They have spa treatments, accommodation and lovely walks which would make for another lovely weekend away!

So that was our trip to The New Forest! I'm definitely going to hire the Bumble Biggie in future. It's my favourite camper van from Bumble Campers to date and made our camping trip comfortable and cosy for autumn getaway/ The New Forest was also a great place to visit and definitely got us in the autumn mood. I definitely want to return and explore more of the area as it's so lovely and I'd highly recommend it for this time of year!

Have you tried the Bumble Biggie or been to the New Forest?

* I was kindly gifted the use of Bumble Camper's Bumble Biggie for the weekend in exchange for social media coverage. 

Bumbling in The Lake District | Why Van Life is perfect for a festival wedding*

The beginning of September marked an exciting time for Chris and I. Not only were we going to a wedding in one of our favourite place in the UK- The Lake District, we were visiting campervan styley which meant we could really get in tune with the stunning scenery of the lakes.

We rented from the fabulous Bumble Campers who you may remember I did a post with last October on discovering the Peak District (here). Having had such a great experience and making lots of awesome memories travelling in their campers, it seemed only right that we used them again and so off we went in another of their campers, bumbling about in the beautiful hills of Cumbria.

The Lake District is a fair old trek from where we are in Lincolnshire but thankfully the journey was made really easy for us; having comfortable captain style chairs on board and the van itself being an automatic so Chris could just put his foot down and cruise all the way there. The automatic engine was also a god send when it came to the hills meaning we didn’t have to worry about what gear to be in or worse- stalling on a steep incline!

Once we reached our destination we were greeted by the stunning scenery and views over Lake Buttermere- something you just cannot get from a hotel here so we felt very lucky to have a home on wheels to take in the views over the weekend. We could see why our friends have fallen in love with the lakes and this was the perfect location for a festival come village fete wedding and to take some amazing photographs- so much so I may have twisted Chris' arm into doing a little photo shoot with me...

I mean, do I really have to explain why I wanted to take photos here!?

The campervan was totally perfect for this style wedding as being in the middle of nowhere and with non-existent phone signal, we didn’t have the worry of sorting taxis or feeling like we were leaving the party too early. The van was parked behind the marquee meaning we could dance the night away then curl up in the full size double bed in the back- bliss! With posh porta loos, we had access to washing and toilet facilities just like you would on a normal campsite and with the back of the van consisting of a fridge, gas hob and sink with running water, we were good to go an everything we needed to feel fresh as a daisy and ready for the day. The day after the wedding we may not have been fresh little daisies thanks to alcohol but our wilted selves were so thankful to be able to cook up a bacon butty on site when we awoke!

The journey home may have been long with a hangover but I was perfectly happy and entertained thanks to the leisure battery with plug socket and USB plug in space so I could watch a film, edit photos and even start the write up on this blog post! It was a total life saver for both Chris and I being technology addicts knowing that we had fully charged phones and devices on the go.

Yet again we had another fantastic adventure thanks to Bumble Campers. If you’re looking to hire one and seek adventure, I’d highly recommend coming up to the Lake District. The scenery is just phenomenal and unlike anywhere else I’ve been in the UK. I’d also recommend a camper for a festival wedding over a hotel anytime. It’s less stress and you are free to come and go as you please plus both Chris and I agree it’s a lot cheaper than mucking about with accommodation and taxis! Our next venture will most likely be to a festival but whether it’s a bumble rental or one of their vans for sale? Who knows. We are teetering on the edge of getting one eek!

After this trip I feel truly buzzing about Bumble Campers all over again and feel so fortunate to have had experiences on our trip that you'll only get in a van/ camping setting rather than a four walled hotel room. I also think it just makes a trip that bit more exciting and more of an adventure so what are you waiting for?

If you want to see more of what we got up to on our adventures, I also did a vlog!

When are you booking to #bumbleabout ?

Come #bumbleabout in The Peak District | Bumble Campers Review

The van life craze has certainly hit the UK; with more and more people getting inventive with their camper conversions. I recently discovered Bumble Campers- a small budget camper rental company based in Yaxley, Peterborough. I couldn't resist a taste of van life for ourselves and a sense of adventure so I got in touch and booked for a long weekend in The Peak District.

Chris and I have done many a festival and camping trip over the years but as we get a bit older, we're not so up for roughing it and why should we settle for a wet tent when you can pitch up anywhere in a camper!?

Our 2 seat 2 sleep camper coverts from a seating area with table to a full blown double bed. The van comes equipped with attachable black out blinds, ensuring you get the privacy you need to sleep, change etc. They were so effective we'd have no idea what time it was until we checked our phones! And before you ask- yes there are charging points in the van, runnning off a leisure battery so you can rest assure that you can still tweet, post, snap your adventures and not drain the car battery! Sleeping in the van was incredible cosy and warm even in October with cool windy evenings so we felt snug as a bug and really refreshed the following day.

After a good nights rest we were ready for some hot food. The boot of the camper van has been cleverly converted into a kitchen area, with the boot roof acting as an awning in the elements. It comes equipped with a sink area, plates, cutlery, cooking utensils, a gas stove and even a fridge! You literally have everything you need to set yourself up for a day of adventuring and with a full belly each, Chris and I were raring to go.

A huge tick in our box was the fact that Bumble Campers are dog friendly so naturally we brought along Harry the hound who loved the country sights and smells. The van even comes equipped with #bumblebingo which yes is probably aimed at kids but I couldn't help myself and kept me entertained on the journey.

Having the freedom to #bumbleabout as we pleased meant we could explore and discover some countryside gems that we would have otherwise missed by staying in a hotel. The views across The Peak District were breath taking and spectacular. My photos don't do them anywhere near as much as justice as the real thing.

As soon as we were peckish or yearning for a pint, we could zip back to civilisation to quaint English towns such as Bakewell.

And if we didn't want to leave the van- we didn't have to! A cheeky brew on board with a Bakewell tart was the perfect tea break before heading to our next destination.

Before you panic and think we vandalised the van- the bonnet is chalk paint, meaning you can customise your van for the weekend and write whatever you like!

All in all, the three of us were buzzing after an amazing weekend and taste of van life. The only trouble is we've got the bug now and were as sad as Harry looks to part with the camper. Thankfully the rental is really affordable from £19 a day so we will definitely be renting one again for another long weekend or a festival and maybe even purchasing one of our own in the future as Bumble also sell their camper conversions too.

Will you be giving campervan camping a go? I would highly recommend a weekend to #bumbleabout and try it for yourself!

If you wanna see more of  van life, adventures and what we did in the Peak District, watch the video: