Tipi Adventure, Herefordshire
Tipi Base, c/o Whitehall Farm,Hampton Bishop,Herefordshire Orchard Farmhouse
When I was little I was envious of the Famous Five always off on an exciting adventure, being daring and having fun. So when Tipi Adventures came to us with their fantastic activity breaks I thought yes - perfect for my family and hopefully it will capture your imagination too. Your Tipi Adventure starts with a canoe expedition down the serenely beautiful River Wye in a traditional Canadian canoe with a spot of map reading to navigate your way to your own riverside tipi in a most tranquil and peaceful spot.
Plan Your Adventure
Tailor your adventure to suit your family and their abilities - choose either a one or two night stay, and decide how much canoeing you wish to do in a day; from a minimum 2 hours up to 7 hours for the more energetic of you. All options cater for families that want to "enjoy the river" rather than "endure the river" and you will always be paddling downstream. If you are staying more than one night, the Tipis will be located in different sites down the river.
Vicky and Paul McNally took their son Beck along for the ride ...
Bring your tribe to the tranquil and beautifully scenic River Wye on the doorstep of Hereford for a "Tipi Adventure" they'll never forget. We arrived Saturday afternoon, mid October for the last weekend of the season (adventures available Apr-Oct).
Richard, one of the friendly staff who doubles as canoe coach, was very obliging and made sure our tipi was decked out with Futons, thick sheepskin rugs, warm blankets, sleeping bags and liners, a light, cool box and all the cooking utensils you could possibly need.
Outside you'll find your BBQ, BBQ coals and lighting equipment, a fire pit, drinking water, table and your shared loo (typically with 3 other tipis). "We had a group of fifty last week, they thought their company was paying for a night in a hotel!".
Large groups can be catered for but typically there are 2-3 tipis per site, each one can sleep up to 7 people and is 21ft in diameter. Plenty of wood and kindling is supplied and we soon had a fire started with the kettle boiling on top, all you need to bring is your food.
The evening was very relaxed, like a step back in time, the focal point of the fire inside the tipi, a glass or two of vino, lots of laughter and conversation made for a memorable night.
6:00 a.m. a fresh morning and I'm lighting the fire and starting breakfast, we're all toasty again and chill until our canoe trip at 10:00, by which time we already feel like we've had a full day out. After a safety talk we're off down the Wye in our Canadian "Old Town" canoe. There's plenty of wild life on the river, lots of swans and a fair few waving fishermen. We spend over 3 hours on a very pleasant Sunday afternoon heading downstream. We pass the other tipi sites, if you're staying for a few nights, the idea is to paddle to the next site (the staff will take care of all of your belongings).
We meet Richard at the pick up point shown on the map and all goes smoothly to plan.
We loved "tipi adventure", great staff, lovely setting something truly unique and we look forward to bringing some friends along next time.
Your Tipi Adventure
You will be provided with all the canoeing equipment you need for your adventure and you will be given a detailed map of the river showing the location of your tipi. Everyone receives fitted buoyancy aids together with a safety brief.
Your luggage and food will be waiting for you at your tipi and transported on as required.
The Tipis
All tipi lodges can sleep 7 and are set in remote and exclusive riverside settings with only 2 or 3 tipis per site. Each cluster has its own loo(s), water supply, drinking supply, store of firewood, first aid and fire safety equipment.
The Canoes
Traditional Canadian canoes are approximately 17' long and are designed to accommodate two people, although with an extra seat placed in the middle they can take up to a maximum of three adults fairly comfortably or two adults and two small children.
Generally children must be aged 4 or more to canoe, but there is the option of a transfer service available so that people not able to canoe can still participate in a Tipi Adventure.
Safety
River levels are checked on a daily basis to ensure the river remains at a safe level for families and groups. If conditions are too challenging for customers Adventure Tipi will refrain from putting people on the river. The canoe hire will then be refunded with the option of either walking or being driven to your tipi.
Beginners are most welcome. You will be provided with detailed instructions and everything you will need for your stay. Just pack your own food, drink, clothes and wash kit.
How do we get home again? Give Tipi Adventure a quick call from your fully charged up mobile phone and you'll be collected and taken back to your car.