Hazel Hill is an off-grid woodland retreat centre, so staying here is a little different from staying in a conventional venue.
You don’t need lots of specialist kit, but you do need to come prepared for being outdoors, changing weather and our off-grid buildings.
Here’s what we recommend bringing for an overnight stay.
The essentials
Bedding and towels
We provide a single mattress and duvet for each bed.
Please bring your own:
- Single sheet
- Single duvet cover
- Pillow
- Pillowcase
- Towel
Clothes and footwear
Life at Hazel Hill involves spending plenty of time outdoors, whatever the weather.
Please bring:
- Comfortable, warm clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty
- Long trousers and long-sleeved tops
- Waterproof coat
- Waterproof trousers, if you have them
- Waterproof walking boots or wellies
- Slippers or warm socks for wearing indoors
We don’t wear outdoor shoes inside the buildings.
We have a selection of spare wellies at the wood, but can’t guarantee we’ll have your size.
Torch
Please bring a torch.
Hazel Hill is in the middle of a wood and gets properly dark at night. A head torch is particularly useful as it leaves your hands free.
Water bottle
Bring a refillable water bottle with you. Drinking water is available at the wood.
Toiletries
Please bring your usual toiletries and personal items.
Our grey water is treated through a reedbed system, so we prefer natural and biodegradable soaps, shampoos and other products where possible.
Remember to bring your own towel.
Phones and charging
Hazel Hill is off-grid and there is no mains electricity available for charging phones or other personal devices.
If you need to keep your phone charged during your stay, please bring a battery pack.
Mobile reception at the wood is patchy and varies between networks. You may find this a good opportunity to put your phone away for a while and enjoy being in the woods.
Ticks and insects
Ticks are present at Hazel Hill Wood, as they are in many woodland and grassland environments.
We recommend bringing:
- Insect/tick repellent
- Long trousers and long sleeves
- A tick-removal tool if you have one
Please familiarise yourself with NHS guidance on ticks and Lyme disease, including how to check yourself for ticks and remove them safely.
Useful extras
Depending on what you’re coming to the wood to do, you might also enjoy bringing:
- A notebook or sketchbook
- Binoculars
- Hand lens
- Wildlife identification books or apps
- Bug pots or other wildlife survey kit
- A book
- A musical instrument
- Something to share around the campfire – perhaps a song, poem or short story
If you’re camping
If you’re camping rather than staying in one of our buildings, please bring everything you would normally need for a camping trip, including your tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat.
Remember that Hazel Hill is an off-grid woodland site rather than a conventional campsite.
A final thought
You don’t need to bring everything with you.
One of the pleasures of staying at Hazel Hill is living a little more simply for a few days. Come prepared to be warm, dry and comfortable – and then leave some space for the wood.