Thorpe Farm Centre in County Durham

So we set off in our normal route from Fife down to Caister. We do this trip three times a year and always use over the A1 or go via glasgow down the motorway. This time we asked the satnav and it took us down a new route to avoid traffic, after about three hours driving, we felt a bit peckish and took a chance on a little side road that said hot food my goodness if there’s a jewel in the crown of long journeys Thorpe farm is it, fantastic surroundings amazing food and very tentative staff. And the icing on the cake? a shout out Has to go to the chef !!everything is homemade no store bought corporate re heat here, this is triple cook chips, home-made burgers, a full restaurant menu just an amazing find. It pains me to tell everyone about it because now you’re going to use it lol, like I said we travel down to England three times a year this is our new route and this is a mandatory stop both going down and going back home 10 out of 10

Visiting the area and booked for Sunday dinner at this 'supposedly' dog friendly place. The only area people with dogs are allowed to sit 'on a Sunday' is a freezing draughty outside area surrounded by tatty plastic sheeting. Health and safety was the excuse, but seemingly this only applies on a Sunday??? Went to Raby castle instead, had a delicious lunch in the most fantastic surroundings, in a large airy conservatory, lovely and warm and overlooking Raby's beautiful gardens.

Booked this campsite for a 2 night stay with friends. When booking I contacted the site as we have roof tents so always phone to see what to book as. I explained to the lady on the phone what a roof tent was and we were going to book grass pitches. Now I wish they’d told us on the phone the grass pitches were on a slope and also about 20 metres from a dual carriageway. The pitches were not suitable for a roof tent at all. Had they informed me on the phone I would’ve booked a hard standing pitch instead. Also having only 8 pitches for tents being the furthest from the toilet block seemed ridiculous as these people are going to need this more than the seasonal caravan pitches. Also on arrival we were met straight away by I assume a groundsmen/ warden telling us how we have to have our roof tent and we couldn’t have it facing the pitch next to us despite the fact they were our friends on that pitch. Despite these gripes the toilet block was clean, good showers. Good field for the dogs to run around on at the back and staff in the shop were very friendly. Probably a great site for seasonal pitches and static caravans but not for campers. Unfortunately won’t be returning.

What a wonderful experience we had. Myself, my husband and my 6 year old little boy had the best time staying here. We were greeted upon arrival by a gentleman who was so friendly and helpful. The staff were very polite and outgoing. The gentleman went through everything with us including all the things we can do with our child. Speaking of things to do, 1 night just wasn't enough. My little boy had the best time ever. From meeting the farm animals including goats, cows, pigs and deers all the way to not being able to get him off of the playground! There were many other children there that were so friendly and it didn't take him long to make friends. There were tire swings on every corner. A farm shop with a beautiful selection of everything and the prices were perfect. Nothing was overpriced! The place itself was immaculate. The views were stunning, the walks, the lake, overall everything was stunning. The toilet facilities were so modern, clean and tidy. I don't have anything negative to say apart from Thank you Thorpe Farm Centre for a fabulous stay. We absolutely love it, so much in fact we've only been home 1 day and we are already booking again for next week!

We went for the Italian themed night, the food was exceptional, service and atmosphere top draw. Thanks to Andy, Ewan, Harvey, Nicola and her team for the enjoyable experience, looking forward to the upcoming event.

Excellent Italian themed night, The food, service and atmosphere were amazing. Very much looking forward to the next themed night, which is American. Can definitely recommend the breakfasts, lunches, and home-made cakes.

A fantastic camping location. Booking was really easy online, plenty of information sent via the confirmation email. The site is ideal and has almost everything you could need and more. The onsite shop and restaurant are very well stocked and the staff are very pleasant. The Thorp full English is a must have during your stay. The whole park is covered by cctv and coded access gates which makes you feel safe and secure. There is a 24 hour warden on-call. A brand new shower/cleaning block has been installed and is immaculate. It even has a large lounge communal room with a tv, comfy sofas and tables/chairs with games. Plenty of warm radiators to keep it cozy. 4 roomy shower cubicles in the male area. (Didn't go into the female area so can't comment on them). If you're staying here and fancy a pub meal/drink, The Dickens Bar which is part of the Morritt hotel is a short 10-15 mins walk away. There is a path that takes you from the camp site directly under the A66 and it's more or less a straight walk from the other side. Great menu with 'pub meals' and a nice atmosphere. Parking is available if you want to drive. (5 mins drive). The only less positive feedback I would give: The tent pitches are all on the side of the park that runs right alongside the very busy A66, it is really noisy with traffic, even through the night with trucks. The new shower heads are fixed and can't be adjusted, I used three of the four and all of them aim the water at the shower screen door and not down where your head/body would be. I did notice that the 2 accessible wc/shower rooms had adjustable shower heads, these would be much better in all of them I feel. I would definitely return again

What an absolutely amazing caravan park, friendly welcoming atmosphere, great themed nights, very clean and well kept. Excellent food and great gift shop too. Great drop off for travelling to the lakes too.

Wanted to try this place for a while…..and so glad we did, plenty of parking, all lovely and clean and super friendly staff! And ALL doggy friendly (except the gift shop) the dog friendly area of the cafe is to the left as you enter. Dogs are also welcome in the small farm shop selling some lovely produce… I can recommend the ‘swaledale sausages’ and the malted sourdough bread!! Went into the gift shop, which was lovely with lots of things to buy from candles to clothes, kitchenware etc. then across to the reclamation centre which is also doggy friendly, Susan the owner and her beautiful dog give you a lovely welcome and even treats for your pooch 🥰🐶 again lots of reclaimed items/antiques for you to buy. Thorpe Farm also has a dog walk/trail….and you can even stay here they have camping & caravan facilities and static caravans….you can even buy one of those here too!!

Had a great brunch here several times so decided to support local and booked a set menu Valentines meal. Wow. Atmosphere and decor beautiful. Staff welcoming and attentive. Service great throughout visit. Food perfect and I am fussy. Cooked to perfection. Couldn't fault a thing. Will definitely return.

Went for Sunday lunch with our little one. The food was delicious, the staff were helpful plus it has an area with toys to keep the kids entertained.

firstly it was very overpriced for the amount of food we got. secondly the food was unpleasant and soggy. we spoke to a member of staff to request a refund and we’re told we could only have a partial refund due to some of the sides being part of a bigger dish. the sides we inedible. DO NOT RECOMMEND!!

If you’re driving west delay your stop until you get here and if driving east stop here before you get to the ‘main’ one. This does it much better is smaller friendlier and has all what the ‘main’ one has. I had the Burger and my wife got Tikka chicken flatbread. Pot of tea for two which was topped up for us

This site felt a bit like an American trailer park where we were pitched. The area that had the statics was very nice but the area where the seasonal pitches was not, there were only a small number of pitches that tourers and tents could go and this area was right next to the A66 road which was incredibly noisy, at all times of the day, we left a day early as we had 3 sleepless nights due to the road noise. The rest of that field were seasonal pitches, some were smart but a load had little cheap fences, ornaments, fairy lights and flag poles with there football flags fluttering. On the Sunday night there was even a guy sawing pallets with an electric saw for wood for his fire pit at 8pm!!! I imagine this is what a traveler park is like. The pitch next to us played loud music late into the night! The pitches that weren’t EHU is where the tents pitched and most of these were on a sloping grass pitch! The toilet block was decent, one shower was broken and another the lock was broken, but the cleaner had an uphill battle trying to keep it clean, some people are disgusting! The amount of grass that’s was dragged in off peoples shoes because the grass cuttings aren’t collected, I felt really sorry for her as she did a great job. The shop, restaurant and gift shop were good but the children’s playground was next the the main road and there was no playground in the main field just 2 tyre swings. We didn’t like our 11 year old going to the playground with other kids as we felt it wasn’t safe, anybody could drive in. On the Sunday we went for Sunday lunch, our 11yr old does not like carvery food so could only have a kids lunch which was 1 small sausage, an eggcup full of beans and mash that resembled wall paper paste for £6.00. Definitely won’t be back and if you like peace and quiet this is not the place for you.

Very friendly, helpful and welcoming staff from the off and they were very super busy. We had 2 x Roast Beef from the carvery, the choice of vegetables was vast, the beef was proper good honest meat like what you’d expect from a farm shop and the vegetables were fresh and everything was still hot. We each had a dessert and again no grumbles there. The food at this restaurant is a cut above the other farm shop further down the road without a doubt. It’s also a nicer environment to sit in , less of a motorway stop and more of a actual restaurant feel. I would definitely come back here. And that’s saying something from 2 farmer’s daughters!

Called in for a break from a longer journey. Excellent coffees and lovely coronation cakes. Good range of food and some gifts in the shop.

Prices up standards down black pudding doubled in price now 1 pound 50 for a piece size of a match box small pot of tea for 2 no extra water won't be going back plus 10 pound 95 for breakfast rip off

Restaurant is nice with comfortable chairs staff very friendly and nice the down side was the food we both had fish and chips the fish was over cooked and at least a third of the fish was batter it was also very greasy my wife left at least 2/3rds of hers and 1/2 of mine was left was going to come back for afternoon tea but not now

Called here today and wow We both had the daily special which was the hot turkey bun with chips and a super delicious real meat gravy lovely surroundings friendly staff will definitely recommend 👌👌👌

Visited the cafe and shop. Food was very good and reasonably priced. Service was excellent and staff friendly. Large shop area with lots of Christmas gift ideas. Good food in very nice surroundings. Well worth a visit.

What a shame they have stopped doing table service. Now they make you pay before you eat which feels insulting. Also irritating music playing continuously as well as TV screens on. It used to feel like a restaurant - now it feels like a cafe. I live locally but won't be frequenting.

Great stop for coffee and a snack, we on a long haul from Scotland to Essex and needed a break. It is a little hidden but good coffee and snacks and very comfy chairs Staff were attentive as well.

This is a hidden gem. A lovely varied menu. Friendly staff, a fabulous oat latté and, the absolute icing on the cake, it’s dog friendly. Dogs allowed inside the café and there’s a great place to exercise them too. So much better than stopping at Scotch Corner or Wetherby services on the A1.

Flatwhite and a scone...not sure that it was a double hit, which a flatwhite should be. Cherry scone was OK, little heavy but filled a gap. Comfy enough seating area and clean toilets. Large car park with decent entrance and exit of the very very busy A66.

Came off the a66 on a potholed road ,not good if you have a sports car . Ordered breakfast it was OK fried eggs over cooked and the smallest portion of beans I have ever seen ,my main problem was the flys they where everywhere...

Just been hear with the tent, I booked and paid for 2 nights over the phone, when we arrived and was shown our camping spot we were within 20 metres of the very busy A66 that went on all through the night so we didn't...

My husband and I arrived for lunch and saw that there was a special menu on. £11.95 for a 2-course meal. I had the best fish and chips and mushy peas followed by a fantastic chocolate brownie and ice cream and my husband had a...

We have just returned from a 2 night stay. If your touring you will be 20m away from the very busy and noisy A66 it was relentless, we are all so tired not a relaxing site in the slightest. They should tell you when booking...

Sat 7may thought let’s get breakfast and so ordered the breakfast 9.95 PLUS 0.75p for black pudding and got: 1 over cooked Frye’s egg 2 cheap hash browns 1 ok sausage 1 half a piece bacon tail end missing 8 1/2 mushrooms 1/2 mush tomato...

Just called in to the cafe for a light breakfast. My wife wanted dry toast, so asked if she could have a portion of baked beans, instead of butter and preserves. Toast duly arrived, with a very small pot of beans (no more than 25...

Far exceeds some of the other watering holes on the A66. Called on our way back from Scotland for a pit stop. Having driven along a pot hole ridden drive and a fairly untidy farmstead, came upon the courtyard deli/restaurant. This was a different level...

Called here for a bit of lunch as less busy than the other places on A66 nearby and it's calmer and more relaxed.opted to go with the two course lunch special roast of pork,Yorkie pud,roast tatty with green beans,brocolli,cauli and mashed seemed. Eton mess for...

So delighted I went with a friend a couple of weeks ago by mistake to this wonderful restaurant. It is so clean, the staff are just so helpful and friendly and the food is fantastic and very well priced. Nothing is to much trouble. I...

We called here today right on lunch time on a bank holiday they were short staffed and very busy but couldn’t have been more helpful or apologetic we were told there would be a half hour wait for food before being seated which is exactly...

Arrived at this site and found our pitch after a short drive from Redcar. Set up our caravan and decided to walk around the site to check out the facilities to find that every thing had closed. The touring pitches are within touching distance of...

Our 1st and last time at Thorpe farm camping and caravan site. We looked at the site Facebook and booking pages and thought how lovely it looked, with the nice grounds, small lake and animal sanctuary, unfortunately this is not the case. The signage firstly...

This was our last camping trip of the year, and the most disappointing. The wash and toilet facilities were the most disappointing. Not very clean at all. We stayed for two nights after the first night we decided not to use them as we didn't...

Great place for a bite to eat on the way back from our trip to the Lakes. The food was good quality wholesome, a really good menu. Lovely gift shop and a farm shop.

We stopped for morning coffee. Coffee arrived lukewarm so I asked the waitress if she could pop it in the microwave so she offered me a new one which was also lukewarm. We also ordered a portion of crumpets and after 15 minutes wait they...

We booked here as we hadn't been for 3 years and I knew they had been updating the site, its always been nice and the toilets and showers nice and clean. When I booked I spoke to a lovely gentleman who said alot had changed since our last visit, and he wasn't wrong. The field in which we were pitced was ok but there was alot of rubbish left by people, including balloons or water bombs, not sure which. They littered the field, and the lovely shower block we had previously used was now for season holders only, and we were left with a Portacabin which was filthy. Toilets I could of put up with but the showers were full of muck and things and just not very nice. We did see the cabin being cleaned so thought it would be a good idea to shower straight away after the cleaner was finished, but still the showers were dirty, the noise from the road I expected, people up really late can happen anywhere but to be told we couldn't use the nice clean and warm showers was very off putting, and unfortunately we won't be returning, had we been told at the time of booking the main toilet block was now season holders only and we would have to use a portacabin would of made me rethink our visit anyway.

One of the few cafes on the A66 which is open. A welcome sight, with friendly staff and good food. Not the cheapest, but good quality and the toilets were immaculate.

Well, let me start by saying I rarely leave a review, but who would believe me. The portion sizes were about hit and miss, I had ham, egg and chips (£10.95) which was enough for me, but my wife had the quiche with new potatoes and salad (£9.95) which ended up looking like a child's portion! Very disappointing.

We stopped for lunch here. The menu was pretty limited, the food was average and portion sizes weren’t great. Overall not really value for money as it was quite pricey. Shame because it’s a lovely venue with a great gift shop attached and staff were friendly and professional.

Really good stop off on the A66. Cafe is dog friendly and a nice area through Heritage wood to walk the dog also. Had brunch which was nice. Gift shop good too and a play park area also if needed.

We have visited this site for around 8 years, we don’t expect the world, it is camping! However, on arrival we noticed how packed the field was compared to other years we’ve stayed. Big groups of loud foul mouthed people, playing rave music and kids running wild til well after 12pm. Fighting, arguing and people actually beating their children up in a tent. Police on site on our first night wasn’t exactly the tranquility we’d hoped for. Owners and rangers lovely and obviously trying their best to sort out issues but can’t help thinking if large bookings weren’t allowed in the first place this would avoid a lot of problems. We won’t be returning to camp and will definitely be seeking out sites that openly advertise a strict rule on no noise and no group bookings. Such a shame.

We were impressed by the online pictures and the shop, cafe and animals did live up to expectations. Yet the camping field fell way short Toilets / showers : We stayed a week and never saw anyone clean them, the toilet block for the long let field was not only bigger, but so much cleaner. When I questioned about this - I was told they are cleaned daily but the people in the camping field do not respect them. I did not see evidence of this but in the middle of august 4 showers and 4 toilets in an old portacabin was not enough. Walls were dirty for days - the cleaner must have been in and out very quickly ! The field :Yes as others said it was bumpy - but we found our pitch ok. It was nice to over look the centre patch with the two amazing tree swings and let the children all play together , yet the litter was awful. In the full week we were here we did not see any site staff around keeping the place tidy. Not sure what the mud pit was for - but not the most pleasing addition to the field Noise : You get use to the A66 traffic noise get there were some groups of people who were noisy through the night- some nights were fine other nights the parties went on to 5am ! Most people were quiet after 11pm which you can expect. Lactation : We found the location was great to explore what the area had to offer and managed to get out and about most daysThere was one very friendly lady at the site shop who took the time to tell us about local walks and waterfalls to see. This is more a basic farm site - rather than a maintained campsite we had hoped for.

Just off the A66, within a holiday complex, a lovely farm shop and cafe. Small menu but everything fresh. We stopped for brunchEverything very clean and tidy.Big choice of seating Areas in and outWe will put this on our map the next time we are in the area.

Pitches very uneven, full of holes.A lot of large groups pitched together, noise till after midnight every night.The noise from the A66 is constant and very loud. Lying in bed you hear every bit of traffic ,when the artics go past (which is every couple of mins ) you think they are next to you.Facilities: disgusting, you smell them before you see them. Filthy, was there for 3 days never seen anyone clean them. Showers full of dead flys.Washing up facilities again filthy never cleaned. Def a issue with drainage, drain overflowing next to the waste wash area. Restaurant, very expensive for small portions. Order Sunday lunch, mashed potatoes would not fill a table spoon. 2 small roast potatoes, separate dish of veg to share again small.

Nice food, good coffee and great service. Lovely environment to eat with beautiful views. They also have farm animals and also an animal rescue area.

My wife me and kids bought a new tent so for one night of we went. We stayed here 7 year ago and what a massive change. Really well kept clean and a huge influx of statics and tourers since we had been. All very good. The weather took a down turn (not parks fault), hammered down. Tent held up well. We were in the no electric end right on a66 really noisy..... We finally settled and at 2-30am we were woken by gun shot not a slug pellet. Then bang bang. A lamp shone through tent which scared wife and kids. I suspect someone was hunting but it was a little scarey. We left instantly and I returned the next day to get tent and belongings. Shame really cos the site itself is nice.

I have loved shopping here this past year. The staff is ever so friendly and very helpful, they've got lots of groceries that I need, and they special order items for me. They've always had essential items available even when big stores had run out. It is easy to social distance there during the pandemic and they have other Covid-safety precautions in place. I like it so much that it will continue to be one of my favorite places to shop. Looking forward to when restrictions allow them to open the cafe again, as I've had very excellent meals there.

We stopped at Thorpe farm whilst travelling to North Yorkshire. We sat in the courtyard as it was a beautiful sunny day. We ordered Tea, hot chocolate and a coffee. We looked at the menu and it was very good and reasonable. But we only wanted drinks. Staff were friendly and helpful. We had a look around the shop and bought a few things such as honey and merangues. Well worth a stop if you are passing.

We called in for lunch today. Track and trace measures in place on entry, however the 2 hand sanitiser prior to entering the cafe were empty. During our visit, we went to the toilet, not overly clean. Toilet paper on the floor in cubicles and 2 cubicles with no toilet roll available. Staff were lovely and friendly and took our orders promptly. We ordered a Fanta orange £1:95 and it came as a can, very overpriced. Food was ok, we ordered ‘proper cooked chips’ maybe we were foolish in thinking these would be homemade but they were frozen chips, see pictures. Also ordered a bacon and chicken ciabatta, the bun was lovely warm and toasted but it was a cold sandwich filling inside. Disappointing lunch for the price we paid, we will not be returning.

Visited this site a few times now and this will definitely be our last! Women’s toilets- filthy and never cleaned!Mud all over the doors and cubicles for the full 3 days (hopefully mud)!Rubbish/toilet roll all over the toilet cabin and there for the full 3 days.3 small sinks with loose taps and lucky to have water running as sometimes the water was on sometimes it wasn’t sometimes your were lucky to get hot water sometimes it was cold only.My husband said the men’s had no hot water for the 3 days we were there.No showers on in the tent field porter cabin however showers were on at the touring toilet block at the top of the site. Soon as you approached near the porter cabin toilet block the smell was absolutely disgusting..Got to be a drainage problem!Last time we were there they had major issues with the toilets not flushing we thought it was a one off obviously not.Electric - black out!Paid for electric pitches and the electric cut off every day. Everyones electric in the camping/touring field went off. Complete darkness even the toilet porter cabin had no lights! Mega health and safety issue!! The third time it happened we tried to contact the site number well in fact the two site numbers and every time the phone would be hung up. One time someone answered then hung up on us whilst we were talking. We then went to the reception to make a complaint and see what was going on and ended up getting a filthy earful from who we presume to be the owner-disgusting!3metres apart!3 families and 3 tents together...our tents were roughly 2.5m apart...we had pitched up and about 6 hours into the stay a guy came round and said we had to move the tent as it was to close....one rule for one and one for another here ...there was a group opposite that was about 1m together!! But big thanks to the group opposite that got away with it though as they helped unpeg, lift and move our tent.Pitches Total mess, muddy as hell, grass desperately needed cutting and rubbish all over. In the past we seen lads going round picking up rubbish and tractors out cutting the grass but nope complete opposite this time!Such a shame as this site is only up the road. we thought as it was fairly new each year we go it would of been improved. Hmm wrong..the porter loo toilet cabin thing is clearly there to stay. I’m surprised the site is even open after the state of the toilets during the current Covid-19 situation!

We were very excited to visit this site as our friend had recommended from staying here 3 or 4 years ago. I was fairly confident at the standard as we had to jump through hoops to arrange a group booking, confirming that we would adhere to noise regulations etc. This filled me with confidence. We arrived on site with our touring caravan to find no signage for reception, not great if you need to do a u-turn with a 7m caravan on the back. I rang through and we were told to come to the shop. We got checked in fine, very lovely reception staff. The kids absolutely loved the site due to the amount of mud! Now for us as adults needing to out up an awning we thought the pitches could have been better kept. The grass could have been mowed and pikes of mud near the pond cohkd easily have been shifted. Now normally I wouldn't comment on this but having paid a premium to stay here I thought it was poor. All signs were handwritten, it's the little touches that make sites revisitable and this just felt like the touring of field was an afterthought.Now hold onto your hats, we are in the middle of a pandemic so to me cleanliness is critical. I had phoned the site a couple of days before our arrival to check what washing facilities were available and I was told showers were out of use. I thought it was a bit unthoughtful to not ring us beforehand to warn us there would be no showers, other sites have actually discounted us for the inconvenience. However we thought 3 nights, we can use our trusty baby wipes. We did however still need to use the toilets as we had 2 lots of tents on our group. So the toilet block is actually a portacabin. There was the tiniest of signs saying only 2 people allowed in at 1 time. This was not adhered to. The first toilet had the seat missing, the rest of the toilets I can only describe as really, really dirty. The fittings were loose, there was mud (I hope) on the doors, if a really obvious stain had not been cleaned off then how can we have any faith that corona virus had been successfully removed. The sinks were really close together and none were shut off to allow for social distancing. We were lucky in that we could use the facility in our caravan, but good clean toilets are a must for us on out trip. I mentioned the state of the toilets to reception after the 2nd day and I was assured they would be cleaned. This was at 1pm. When I went in the following morning the same bits of rubbish were on the floor. The same dirty marks were on the toilet stalls, 4he floor was really dirty. I rang reception and queried what was going on and expressed our disappointment. I was assured the toilets were cleaned regularly, which I disputed. I had seen one lady turn up in a little car, no mask and gloves, and she restocked the soap dispensers. That was it. My husband said the men's toilets were also awful. Taps were loose and they were also dirty. He went in when the elusive cleaners were there and she said don't worry ill only be 5 minutes. 5 minutes to clean a toilet block in the middle of a pandemic. Simply not good enough. After my complaint 2 cleaners turned up with gloves and masks. I went to the toilets after and they smelled strongly of bleach. The rubbish had been moved away however no handles or stalls had been cleaned. The same dirty stains remained. It is such a shame that the site have let the toilets be left in such a filthy state as the site is lovely. The kids loved the tarzy, the park, the takeaway was delicious. What a shame that the touring field was just left. We will lot be visiting this site again and I would recommend anyone due to visit to phone ahead and check the cleaning regime as if anyone has covid and touches a door handle there is no guarantee that it will be cleaned anytime soon.

We booked here for 3 nights with the grandchildren. The photos made it look like a lovely well-cared for site - however this was certainly not the case for the camping field. When booking it clearly stated that the showers weren’t available but toilets were so we knew not to expect to be able to shower. On arrival, after finding the badly signposted reception we were told to go to pitch one. This had to be the worst pitch in the field it was on a slope with huge holes the full length of the pitch, the only semi flat bit was so wet there was no way we could pitch. When we eventually ventured to the toilet in the portacabin it had to be the worst toilet block we had seen - the floor was filthy, marks all over the doors, rubbish all over the floor regardless of what time of the day you used it. There were 3 tiny washbasins and like other comments it only appeared to get a quick tidy up once a day despite a notice saying it was cleaned regularly throughout the day. At one point I counted about 10 people descending on the toilet and not one of them used the hand sanitizer before going in. We were aware that the site was close to the A66 and the site info stated that the non-electric pitches would be slightly noiser due to the road noise - the noise was so bad we didn’t sleep for 2 nights. That coupled with the unseasonably cold weather made us pack up a day early and head home. We certainly won’t be back

I have tried very hard to find the positives. The shop was good and the staff friendly but that’s all I can find. Caravan and camping field was awful. There was a mud pit in front of our caravan. Caravan was water bombed after dark. Very noisy large groups. I can’t comment on the facilities. It was supposed to be one in one out due to Covid restrictions. But apparently this didn’t count for the groups of 6 or 7 that I saw frequently going in together. So I didn’t use them.When we arrived there was no signage to point us to reception, just had to get out and walk about till I found it.All in all not a great site. For the price it was very poor

Having visited several time’s before - great for cakes & play park for kids this place is fab. This time we sampled the breakfast - eggs benedict - both of us ordered this and both were disappointed. The muffins were barely toasted - the eggs were not runny & way too much sauce. For nearly £10 - it’s not a difficult dish to get right. We did mention it to the staff who offered to have it re- cooked it but with children time was of the essence so we opted for complimentary coffee. It’s a shame really - the whole establishment is of a high standard and quality - it’s a shame at times the food element doesn’t meet the same level.

We camped here this week , but left early . Staff in the shop/cafe/ reception were helpful and friendly . Campsite it's self was clean and tidy , large pitches which easily accommodated our 8 person tent with plenty of room . Nice little park for the children - but it's a bit of a walk from the campsite . Showers were out of use due to Covid - the toilets were a little dire , fair enough mud on the floor as it's a campsite , but they weren't the cleanest and we have camped in places far better with cleaner facilities . The site wasn't gated - so anyone could just drive on anytime . The noise from the road was fine - you could hear quite a bit , but we live under the flight path for Manchester airport so it didn't bother us . Left a night early as we had enough , probably wouldn't return .

After bringing a car load of camping gear, down for our daughter & family, who are staying here, we called in to the Cafe, for a late lunch. Staff were very helpful and polite, and were only following instructions. Sorry, we have stopped serving food, but you can have a piece of cake. My wife and I, do not have a sweet tooth, so refused some really sickly sweet cakes. The coffees were nice though. Next day, a table was booked for lunch, earliest space was 2pm. Ordered, and was told the food would take an hour to cook!!. (Must be holding food over a candle) Child's fish & chips, were lovely, Caesar salad dripping in oil, which overpowered the salad, but they did add more salad, to make it eatable. All day breakfast, one sausage, one overcooked bit of bacon, stale baked beans, half a tomato, and your portion of mushrooms is a single mushroom. Wake up and provide a poor catering service please, it would be an improvement on abysmal.!!!!

The modern website makes the place look beautiful, and to be fair the farm shop and the restaurant looked pretty nice from what we saw. However the camping area is dire. The toilet block is a disgrace, wholly inadequate for the number of pitches and poorly kept, catching Covid there was the least of my worries! The site seems to have a lot of ‘Permanent residents’ whose children have the run of the place. Our children felt intimidated by them as did we! We were booked in for two nights but only stayed for one.The noise from the A66 wasn’t a problem, and the site was quiet at a reasonable time but other than that we couldn’t wait to leave! I would definitely not recommend this site.

Stopped off here on way home from our trip to Scotland. Just off the A66, nearer the Scotch Corner end eastbound. Had a very good lunch- my husband had brie and mushroom wellington, I had the tasty vegan burger. Had to wait some time but everything was obviously freshly cooked. Not cheap, but worth it. The farm shop and gift shop were well worth a visit, lots of gorgeous, quality items. I visit Scotland regularly, this will definitely be on my stop-off list now.

Staying nearby to barnard castle I googled places to eat and this came up, I messaged via messenger to enquire the cafe was dog friendly and received a prompt reply advising limited tables and a specified dog area...with visiting on a Monday we didn't call to reserve one,The booths where you can sit with dogs are fab, spacious and not crowded,The place is clean, tidy and the lady & gent who served us at the counter were very friendly We had 2 cooked breakfasts with poached & fried eggs , 2 vegan Burgers &skinny fries,2 soft drinks and 2 hot drinks and it was £47 ,had about a 15 minute wait which was fine, all of us served within minutes of each other ,the food was well cooked and very tasty ...the Bangkok bad body vegan burger was so goodThe young gent chatted to us about where we were staying & local area and was genuinely a very nice guy!We then called into the shop and bought some cakes and something from the gift shop , the lady's in there again very friendlyOnly thing we were dissapointed with was the reclamation barn, cold,wet,furniture covered in bird muck..not worth visiting the barn but the rest I look forward to going again!

Very good maim cause service was very good but a bit disappointed no Deserts just cakes as nice as they looked still not my ldea of a Desert!

Two seniors for £9 95p !!! Can't beat that and the food is delicious . Only on a Wednesday between 12 and 2pm

Called in on the way back from Stirling, friendly staff and good coffee were a good start but the breakfast was the icing on the cake Not over facing and really tasty and well prepared

We stopped here for some lunch on our way south. Tasty soup, excellent mince and patties. Very nice surrounding.Great place to stop if you are travelling with a dog, plenty of room away from the road to give a run.I am sure we will stop here again.

Travelling the A66 we found the Thorpe Farm Cafe. Very impressed by the design and layout, we had coffee and a quick snack which was excellent. The small farm shop was interesting and the new gift shop had some lovely stock. It would be helpful if the signage for the cafe could be improved particularly from the north. Not the sort of road to make a sudden stop. We will definitely call here again on our next journey along the A66.

Other than the baked beans I had a full English breakfast in a brown bap. Screw the calories I had just been in the saddle for two hours.It was excellent, lots of bacon, two eggs and spot on black pudding in a bun. Piping hot freshly made black americano topped it off.Very friendly people, good surroundings.Will be back

Fantastic Carvery and brilliant value £9.95 in a beautiful setting and the food was fresh , hot and delicious

Called in on the way back from Scotland wanting just a quick hot bite and a coffee. The new eating area called the Courtyard was very nicely fitted out but thats where the good impression stopped. There were no options for a quick hot bite . We ended up just having a muffin and there were only 3 of those on offer and it was hard luck if you didnt like chocolate ones. They were obviously catering for the carvery side and many tables were reserved but they fall short of catering for the passing tourist.

Nice place and a bit quieter than the crowds queuing at other nearby centres. Tried it out today and pleasantly surprised. Looks fairly new and is well appointed with nice seating including sofas and comfortable chairs. Carvery looked very good and good value at just under £10. We just had coffee and a gammon panini which had gammon from the carvery and gravy on it. Chips with it were excellent and tasted like they may be real chips, not the bland frozen ones you normally encounter. Staff pleasant and well turned out in black uniforms. I've had better coffee but still ok. Small farm shop. Will definitely make this my pit stop when traversing the 66.

Left my handbag in the cafe on Friday. I want to thank the honest customers and staff who handed it in and kept it safe over the weekend until I could collect it on my way hone. I am very grateful

Being vegetarian it is really difficult to find nice places to eat but this lovely restaurant has so much on offer.

Popped in on the way back from Barnard Castle for a cuppa and a slice of cake and was very impressed. Smart cafe, friendly staff and the drinks/cake were very good.

Some years ago we stopped for lunch at Thorpe Farm when it was a little "chintzy"tearoom. What a pleasant surprise when we visited on the 17th August en route to Yorkshire. There is a super new restaurant with lovely food and very fair prices. Clearly Thorpe Farm has diversified in the intervening years with caravans and chalets as well. We will certainly return when we are next on the A66 in September. Well Done !

This is a well located, easily accessed place on the A66. The premises, lay out and decor are excellent. The quality of foodstuffs is good and the quantity appears to be more than adequate. The prices are very much on the high side for somewhere that is essentially counter service. While the Staff in the Restaurant at least pay lip service to the customers, the sole Staff member in the shop totally ignored us and focussed attention on a computer. These premises are ideally suited to attract passing motorists but it is felt that unless there is a change in marketing strategy, this could be somewhat short lived. We certainly hope not as on the whole we enjoyed our little visit.

The last time we visited Thorpe Farm for lunch, it was in the original building. We were amazed at the improvement by opening up in a separate (fabulous) building. We expected to find that the menu had either changed a lot or increased in price, but it was the same as it had always been but with additional dishes added. We always call in here when travelling to Scotland or the Lake District. There is always plenty of parking space and the staff are very friendly. I definitely recommend it.

We were looking for a snack and a break on the A66. As we were travelling towards Scotch Corner, we wanted to avoid the dangerous right turn from that other very busy farm shop down the road!! Took a chance and it turned out great. A lovely play area for the grandchildren and an excellent cafe too. A new building with indoor tables and outdoor area too. It was clean and tidy and even had a selection of foods in the adjacent shop. The staff were cheerful and the cafe was calm and comparatively quiet. I have a hearing problem and struggle in some places. Excellent toilets too! Only had coffees, teas, soft drinks and cakes but they were tasty and interesting. Menu had meals, including a curry and a roast, other light lunches and breakfast type items too. Didn't taste them but some good smells coming from the kitchen. We will definitely visit here again and heartily recommend it if you are on the Penrith to Scotch Corner road. A calming oasis on a busy route.

Stayed with my family.A lot of noise from the A66 which runs alongside the site. 3 entrances into the site not 1 gated anyone could enter site anytime of day or night. Shower block abit run down no where to hang anything whilst taking a shower. The play park is no where near the camping field.Site advertises a fishing lake no one using it and we never caught a single thing. Camping area needs updating now that the restaurant and shop has been revamped.

Apart from the rain great site second time we have been, toilets regularly cleaned, good pitch and surroundings

We've stopped at Thorpe Farm a few times in the past as it's our halfway point on the way to the East, and the food has always been good. This visit was our first since all the refurbishments, and I must say that visually they've done a really good job. Large restaurant with plenty of seating, plus a covered balcony for eating outdoors. The farm shop is much bigger too. While the lunch we had in the restaurant was very tasty and didn't take too long to come, it was clear that they have gone a lot more upmarket. Maybe not too bad if there's only one or two people, but for five of us it proved rather pricey. You get what you pay for though - large portions of delicious homemade food.

Stopped here many times over the years. I am sitting in the new restaurant, which is not busy by any means. They said half hour wait for food and it took 40 mins!!they need to speed things up a bit.

Paul was easy to deal with when I wanted to book a 2 course meal for 23 people. Great communication. On the day we were welcomed, looked after extremely well, prompt service, food was great and there was so much of it. Definitely recommend and definitely go back.

Just called in for a quick bite of lunch on our way home across the A66. Ended up having the carvery which was fantastic. Totally delicious and more than sufficient. Many thanks

Give this site a chance despite negative reviews ... and unfortunately it is worse than the reviews.

Campsite was a reasonable price per night. Washroom was basic but clean. Good children’s play area, nice farm shop with a good range of produce. Excellent restaurant with delicious food and friendly staff.

This site was good. We camped from Friday to Sunday and found the facilities clean and tidy. The pitches were very uneven on the large field and although this didn’t effect us directly, it did our friends who had to ask to be moved. This wasn’t a problem and they were offered another pitch immediately. The centre itself is lovely and the park is brilliant, although as we have small children we had to take them each time they went as it was too far away from the main camping area. All in all it was ok. Our kids loved it and although it is close to the A66, we didn’t find this a problem and all slept very well.

Had a fabulous carvery meal last Wednesday at the reduced rate for pensioners. Although the meat portion was a little small, there was sufficient for me and the vegetable choice certainly compensated. It was certainly good value for money. The meals going out to customers having the normal menu also looked delicious. There is a sign that says in busy times your meal may take 45 minutes to be served, but that to me proves it is made to order and definitely worth the wait. However if you are in a rush the carvery is ready and waiting!

Just back from our first camping visit from Thorpe Farm. Great central base. I was slightly anxious after seeing all the reports of noise, but personally I didn’t think the noise from the road was bad at all

The camp site is in a lovely setting although very close to the A66. We knew that was the case before we arrived so expected some road noise.

We stopped for a quick bite to eat,it actually turned into a 55 minute wait for average food. We ordered 2 children’s meal and 2 ciabattas so it wasn’t anything which would take a long time. The food was ok but definitely not amazing! Not once did anyone apologise for the fact we had waited 55 minutes. We will not be calling for lunch again but maybe a coffee and one of the cakes which looked lovely. There was a sign on the counter saying food could take up to 45 minutes during busy periods but it certainly didn’t appear to be overly busy. I wouldn’t recommend it!

This was an unexpected find, lovely food, excellent staff and service.

Have driven past here a few times as unsure if it is open or not. My friend had been before and said it was nice. Lovely place clean modern welcoming staff. We only has a coffee and scone. The scones were delicious. Other meals looked well presented and nicely cooked. There is also a shop here as well as cafe.

We stopped at Thorpe Farm for a pit stop en-route across the A66. We found comfortable seats in the spacious and brightly light restaurant area. Orders were slow to be taken at the counter but this gave plenty of time to view the excellent cake selection. We settle on fruit scones with jam and cream and were delighted by our choice. Our coffees were also good and all reasonably priced. The multiple toilets were luxuriously fitted and super clean.

It's a lovely site. Very friendly staff and very welcoming. The site very clean and tidy. The food is good and a shop.

Brilliant Sunday dinner here. £9.95 for one course. We really couldn’t fault it and obviously neither could anyone else, the place was packed and we didn’t eat until 2.30. Choice of meat (pork, beef, turkey and ham) and help yourself to veg, which on this Sunday were mash potatoes, roast potatoes, mashed swede, roast parsnips, carrots, leeks in mustard sauce, cauliflower cheese, green beans, stuffing and yorkies. All ver hot and help yourself to plenty of gravy. Excellent Sunday dinner and would definitely advise booking.

Went today with friends had a lovely carvery two for one senior citizens offer every Wednesday or you could have mince and dumplings as my husband had help yourself to veg good quality food beautiful surroundings and very friendly staff will we go again you bet we will .

Four of us had a birthday celebration lunch, booked in advance. The event was very enjoyable and could not be faulted.

Our party had very mixed experiences. After checking very carefully with the girl taking our order that my daughter's meal would be dairy free, she was served a burger in a brioche bun. When we queried this with the waitress she said we should have made our requirements clear when ordering (we had!) and suggested she ate the burger without the bun and avoided the coleslaw to be on the safe side. There was no alternative offered and, subsequently, my daughter only ate a small portion of the meal. This was a shame as the layout is lovely and spotlessly clean. Meal sizes were very generous and most of the meals were tasty.