18 vans, 1 river, loads of laughs: Here’s what happened at our 2025 Orange Campers Campout

After last year’s rain dodging, we could hardly believe our luck – blue skies and blazing sunshine greeted us as we rolled into Bank House Farm in the Peak District for our 2025 Orange Campers Campout.

From Friday 27th to Sunday 29th June, 18 campervans (and a good number of dogs, kids, and campers) gathered for a weekend of relaxed chats, shared meals, riverside walks, and plenty of admiring each other’s setups. This was our biggest turnout yet, and it was brilliant to see so many familiar faces return, alongside plenty of new ones.

A warm welcome and a high-top buzz

We arrived in a just-finished medium wheelbase pop top – hot off the press from the workshop that very day – and parked up beside some familiar campout faces!

Chris and Michelle were right opposite us, having just booked their build slot to upgrade from their short wheelbase pop top to a medium wheelbase high top.

Since they’d only just sold their old van, we loaned them our demo high top so they could enjoy the weekend in style and show it off at the same time.

Next door was Wendy and her family, proud new owners of that very same pop top ex-demo van – so we had a lovely little corner of Orange campers showing off the full range of our builds.

It was quite the sight watching more and more Trouvailles arrive from across the UK!

We had first-time attendees like the Beasant family and Claire in her Actif (picked up in January), and loyal campers who’ve joined us every year.

It was lovely to have Anne Park join us – our very first medium wheelbase high top client – still going strong and happy to open up her van for curious visitors.

And we were especially touched to welcome Kenny and Jenny, who had driven all the way from Galashiels in the Scottish Borders just to be part of it, along with Anne Brockman, too, from Aberdeen – thank you!

Friday night: Food, friends and furry companions

Friday night saw us all head to the on-site restaurant for a meal together and a proper catch-up with campers new and old.

The team were wonderfully accommodating, even letting Jack the pup and a few other dogs join us inside. Jack, in his first-ever campout, was in his absolute element!

He gradually built up his confidence over the weekend and made plenty of new doggy mates, including Anne’s two, Claude and Rosa, and Mabel the very glamorous camper-dog.

Our boys quickly found football partners in Phil and Holly’s kids (one of our very first short wheelbase Trouvaille Classique families) and were off playing in the sunshine in no time.

The restaurant meal gave us a lovely opportunity to reflect on just how far people had travelled to join us – from Aberdeen, the Borders, and all over the country. We don’t take that for granted. It’s a real privilege to see our Orange family making these journeys and enjoying van life together. 🧡

Our first campout with a puppy

As we mentioned, this was our first time camping as a family with Jack the pup, and let’s just say… we learnt a lot.

He wasn’t keen on the crate, preferring to wedge himself under the bed (the under-bed space in the MWB is basically made for dogs!).

The kids had planned to sleep outside in a pop-up tent in the awning with him, but that lasted about 20 minutes before they were knocking to get back in!

We ended up with Charlie and me (Sonya) up in the roof bed (complete with new Froli springs – so comfy), while Richard bunked in with Billy. Jack made it until about 5am before needing a wee, which (for a puppy) felt like a win.

Saturday: Tissington Trail, dogs in rivers and demo van tours

Saturday morning started slow, with tea towels and t-shirts handed out and the sun quickly turning up the heat.

By midday, it was roasting. Some campers headed out to Hartington, others took to the Tissington Trail (which conveniently runs right by the site), and quite a few attempted the nearby hill walk.

We strolled along the trail with the kids and Jack, who got so hot he flopped straight into the river. First time ever in water – and he loved it!

Back at the site, there was a bit of a buzz around the medium wheelbase high top. It was the first time it had made an appearance at a campout, and Michelle and Chris kindly showed people around their demo van.

Anne was also happy to open up her well-travelled high top, and the comparisons and questions were flying.

See what our campers really think

 Want to hear it straight from the Orange family? Watch Anne and Wendy chat about their vans, their experience with Orange Campers, and why they made the switch...

Barbecue, border gin and marshmallow fires

By mid-afternoon, everyone was back at base and in full holiday mode – chairs out, drinks in hand, kids running wild and dogs flopped in the shade.

Around 5.30pm, the barbecues were fired up, and while everyone did their own cooking, Orange Campers laid on a spread of sides and puddings (with thanks to those who brought cakes – including a cracking lemon drizzle from the Beasants).

Kenny and Jenny brought gin from the Borders, which we happily sampled, and possibly kept a bottle or two for safekeeping…

We found a sheltered dell in the events field where the wind dropped and the sun beat down – the perfect spot to eat, drink and chat. Later on, a proper fire was lit, marshmallows came out (adults included – no one ever really grows out of them!), and the kids played hide and seek with the dogs bounding after them.

We ended the night listening to Paul and Kathy share some hilarious tales from their travels – an impromptu storytelling session that had us all in stitches. A perfect end to a perfect day!

Sunday: River dips and campervan sarnies

As always, Sunday came round too quickly. Some campers stayed a little longer, and we wandered back down to the river with a few of those left. The dogs were back in the water, kids were cooling off, and it was properly hot again.

Just before we set off, the kids declared themselves starving (as they do!) so we unpacked the dog crate, dug out the bread, and whipped up some campervan sarnies. That’s the joy of van life – hungry mouths, no problem.

Before heading home, we made a quick stop in Hartington (where we got married) to round off the weekend.

Looking ahead to 2026

We’ve already booked the site again for next year – same place, Bank House Farm, on the 26th–28th June 2026.

We’ve taken your feedback on board and booked it with an electric hookup too, for those who like that extra peace of mind after a long journey or when staying a little longer.

Want to come next time? If you’re part of the Orange family (i.e. you own an Orange Camper) and want to be the first to hear about our 2026 Summer Campout plans, sign up to our newsletter.

Not part of the Orange family yet?

If you’d like to come along to one of our campouts, join the Orange family!

Come and see us at a show in 2025 – we’d love to meet you in person and show you around the vans. Find out where we'll be next on our Shows page.

Can't make a show? You can also book in for a test drive or workshop visit and get a proper feel for the different models.

And here’s a little treat: Any medium wheelbase purchase between now and 30th September 2025 includes a FREE £1,000 awning – perfect for a bit of extra space on your adventures.

Ready to get started?Join the wait list here or get in touch for a chat.