Tag Archives: composting toilets

What is a composting toilet?

27 Jun

Does a red flag go up when a composting toilet is mentioned on a campsite’s web page? Is it a deal breaker? Perhaps it is just the unknown that puts you off. Well, I am here to demystify the ‘composting toilet’.

A composting toilet is a toilet that does not use water to take the waste ‘away’.  There is a drop into some kind of container or chamber, where things start to naturally break down.  To be honest I’m not too sure about the technical stuff, I am mostly interested as a user!

On a campsite they are usually built in a little wooden hut of some kind.  Sometimes a hut by itself with a stand pipe nearby, like this one:

Composting toilet

A lovely composting toilet hut in the woods.

or in a ‘block’ with sinks and showers like this one at the very lovely Thistledown Farm:

Thisltedown Farm toilets

Nicely hidden behind some bushes.

Thistledown sinks

Lovely sinks carved out of wood.

They are built either on stilts, or on a bank, or over a deep hole, in order to accommodate the ‘long drop’.

Inside you will find some kind of wooden structure with a proper toilet seat on it.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Composttoilet.jpg

Looks alright doesn’t it!

When you done what you came to do, you can use toilet roll as usual, this can be dropped into the toilet too.  (Of course sanitary items, nappies etc cannot be put down) Then if you’ve just had a wee, that’s it – just leave and find whatever has been provided for hand washing!

If you done a poo – grab a handful of sawdust and chuck it down after. This is to help to eliminate odour and is surprisingly effective.  Because these cabins are usually made basically out of wood and often have a ‘window’ with no glass, letting in lots of fresh air,  there is surprisingly little odour.  Much less offensive than a busy ‘normal’ campsite toilet can become by late in the day!

Now wash your hands!!

So if you see a site with a composting toilet don’t be put off, it’s really quite a pleasant experience.  Bush showers on the other hand – well I’m open to trying new things but I’d have to be pretty desperate before I go that far!

Campsite Review: Eweleaze Farm, nr Weymouth, Dorset

28 May

Where: Eweleaze Farm, Nr Weymouth, Dorset – ONLY OPEN in AUGUST

How much: It’s a bit complicated, you will need to check the website, but one weekend night for two adults and two young children cost us £38, it is cheaper on weekdays.

Campfires: Yes, anywhere you like (in accordance with safety regulations)

Wood: Yes, sold in the farmyard £5 per bag.

Types of Camping: Tents and small campervans only.  Bell tents can also be hired, set up and ready to go from Honeybells.

Facilities: Mostly composting toilets, a few flushable toilets, solar heated showers, very basic outdoor washing up areas, shop, bakery, wood fired pizzas, coffees etc.  Animals to pet, hay bale kids fun, puppies to walk, ponies to ride!

The Review: Campfires, sea views and its own private beach! I could barely contain my excitement as we approached Eweleaze Farm on a sunny August day. As we drove up the track, the Red Arrows, mid display, appeared in the sky above us.  It was an auspicious start to our visit.

The site spans a number of fields, infact it is easily the biggest site I have been to, open as a campsite only in August, the rest of the time pasture land.  Not all of the fields have sea views and little of it is flat.  The fields closest to the beach and with the best views are carless.  Which also made them the emptiest.   With a little determination we did locate a spot with a decent view, my helpful hint is get there early if you are going for the weekend. Though if you aren’t so bothered about the sea view there is loads of space and pretty pastoral views all around.( On our second visit we found a great spot in East Field close to the outward bound holiday camp, plenty of space and sea views.)

The whole atmosphere of the site is of a  family friendly festival; lots of bell tents and flags and kids enjoying the freedom.  In the central area there is a fairly well stocked shop, you can also get stonebaked pizzas and various other snacks and hot drinks.

Great for the kids is also the thoughtful addition of a barn with hay bales to climb and throw themselves off, and a selection of friendly animals who happily nestle among the picnic tables.

This goat is ALWAYS standing on a table!

Pigs LOVE icecream!

Kids can also ‘help’ walk the farms sheep dogs and some of the older puppies – a very popular activity!

The beach is stony and there are a fair number of steps down to it. If you walk along to the right some way you will reach a more sandy section of the beach.  Nothing can beat going to the beach in your pyjamas.

Off to the beach in our pyjamas

The toilets are composting toilets.  They are absolutely fine, just don’t look down.  There are solar powered showers which are apparently pretty good and water taps all over the place. As it is usually a farm it lacks some niceties like a washing up spot, warm water or sinks for washing your hands. There are lots of groups, I didn’t notice any rowdiness but plenty of people sitting up late talking (with various degrees of loudness) round the campfire.(NB in 2012 there were washing up areas and an attempt at warm water for them!)

It is possible to walk along the coast path from the campsite in either direction, towards Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove or Weymouth.  Lots of areas to explore.

In all a bit rough and ready, but the central area gives the place a nice focus and of course you can’t ignore that beach and sea views.  You should try to book in advance.  However, they are very flexible.  If they appear to be full on the Saturday but not on the Friday it is possible to book for Friday night only then extend your visit once you are there. It is also possible to add you and your family, car tent etc to a friends booking even on arrival. They have a nearby sister site called Northdown Farm open in July, no sea views but same formula.

Beach.

If you like camping with a fire you might need one of these:

Portable Fire Pits

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