Two films about Burnbake Campsite in Dorset. Made in 2005, they look at the development and philosophy of business partners Tim Bircham and Philippa Ryder, and their ‘unorganised’ approach to running a campsite, with as few rules as possible.
Burnbake campsite was formed in 1975 on the Ryder Estate in Purbeck. The campsite is set a mile away from the main road in a woodland setting, going down to a stream. It is run by Philippa & Ben Ryder, James Ryder and Tim Bircham.
Their plan for the campsite has always been to keep it as simple as possible, so there are very few rules, no marked out pitches and no bookings. “We’ve always wanted to keep it unorganized, cos we get so many bliming regulations”, says Philippa. There is no reception or gate when entering the site, no rules about when you may come and go, no rules about where you should pitch, and no rules about noise, although you may be chucked off if you upset too many campers. The rules are, no fires on the ground, no dogs off leads, no caravans and the camping law of pitches being 20ft apart. When the site started there were no toilets, but it is now a large and successful campsite with two toilet blocks and a shop. On bank holidays they operate a checkpoint in an old caravan on the approach road to stop excessive overcrowding, started after a year when the toilets just could not cope.
For the first few years it was run by Philippa, who established the ‘laissez faire’ ethos of the site. The ground was originally a patch of burnt out heath land, known for centuries as Burnbake. To make it more intimate and friendly for the campers they planted trees, mostly silver birch, to break up the space and give more shade. In the early 80’s Tim took over the management of the site, and he now has to constantly lop and thin these trees, taking out about 500 a year.
The lack of a reception means new arrivals look lost trying to work out what they are meant to do, or where they can go. So it is left to fellow campers to say “Anywhere you like, as long as you leave 20 ft between you and the next tent“. This helps with the sense of a ‘mucking in’ spirit. The rent collectors come round in the evening and morning with a bucket of ribbons, one for each day of the week. These are just tied to a guy rope, with two or more if you are staying over a week. They keep no records of you or your vehicle, so management can never say who has been on the campsite. This raises a few eyebrows when the authorities call round, but so far they have resisted modern bureaucracy. Although the support staff live on the site by the entrance, in case of emergencies, they interfere very rarely.
Despite there being few facilities, it is a family site. They are two rope swings they’ve had for years, supplemented by many put up by fellow campers. Until recently they’d been forced to regularly take these down, but a new outlook from the council has finally encouraged participation by fellow campers. A small fibre-glass boat survives outside the camp shop in which children regularly gather and play. Two years ago they started building a wooden framework from telegraph poles to make a children’s play area, but in their inimitable fashion it is rather unorganised. And then there are the woods all around to walk and play in. Families see the campsite as a place where children can ‘play as they should do, like they used to’.
For adults the permission to have fires off the ground ('BBQ's on legs are allowed and also small fires which must be in a metal container on legs; management take a dim view of any burn marks on the ground and tip a bucket of water on offending fires.' - Tim), has allowed the possibility of large social gatherings of an evening. When tolerated by adjacent campers, the chatter and laughter from these groups can continue long into the night, often accompanied by songs and guitars. Tim would have allowed fires on the ground but the subsoil of peat catches fire, burns underground, and has been known to come up under tents, not to the occupant’s amusement. Some nights when the wind is low, the site can be awash with candles and fires, giving a glowing warmth and friendliness, a very memorable sight.
Campsites notoriously create huge loyalty in their communities, and Burnbake is no exception. Campers come back for years on end, some from back when it was first founded. The children who came in 1975 now bring their children. Their fondness for the site has led to some asking, and getting permission, to have their ashes spread around the site. One young camper even came there to commit suicide, as she wanted a place where she felt at peace.
The outer field was first used as an overflow for Bank holidays. The number of people visiting Purbeck on Bank holidays is so huge it has always been the policy of the council to allow overcrowding of sites rather than have people camping by the side of the road or on the heaths. Now the outer field is also used for large groups who can book in advance, like the Witches of Wessex, Home Educators, rope-climbing groups, men’s groups, women’s groups, and sometimes as a post party venue for some of the big festivals in the South of England.
The films show campers and staff dealing with the problems of living as a camper, the rain, neighbours, chopping wood, the shop and toilets. And at the same time they have the fun of living a life in the open.
“It is fantastic!” “a vivid portrait” “a superb picture” “a lovely record of Burnbake and all its idiosyncrasies”
“a very special film, found ourselves laughing a lot” “captures the spirit and atmosphere of the site perfectly”
“felt I was back there” “a warmth that is missing in most films”
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