Please read the relevant menu below before emailing us – 70% of the emailed questions have answers on here!
* Unfortunately, we cannot allow members of the general public to use the campsite. No dogs are allowed.*
COVID-19 Update
Face to Face Scouting has started!
The current Readiness Level can be found here.
So why not start planning for a visit for a weekend with your Scouting proteges? Make your plans with only a 10% deposit to secure the accommodation for your weekend and we will hold your dates for 30 days for you to sort things out. And as we don’t yet know until it all happens this deposit is fully transferable to another weekend, be held for you against a future booking or will be refunded in full.
Bookings are on a first come first served basis subject to availability. Instructor led activity bookings subject to instructor being available.
Please be prepared to be flexible as we are all trying our best!
We look forward to seeing you soon
Keep safe and keep Scouting.
General Information
Address for Ambulance: Willesley Scout Camp Site: Willesley Woodside, Ashby de la Zouch; Leicestershire; LE65 2UN. What3words: use ///stumpy.tent.manicured for the entrance to the track. In an Emergency, if you have spare people, send someone to the cross roads at the main road to meet the Ambulance and direct them in.
There is a defibrillator on site, mounted on the Gatehouse wall in the Courtyard. Call 999 and give the post code LE65 2UN for the door access code.
Nearest A&E: Belvedere Rd, Burton-on-Trent DE13 0RB,
Approx 30 minutes drive in normal traffic conditions from the site.
Nearest Walk-in centres:
Civic Way, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 0AE. 4.7 miles away. Opening times Monday to Friday 18:30 – 22:30 Saturday & Sun 09:00 – 22:30
Next Nearest: Loughborough, Hospital Way , Leicestershire, LE11 5JY Open 24 hours.
Alternative: Derby Royal Infirmary Entrance C, London Road Community Hospital, Osmaston Road, Derby, Derbyshire, DE1 2GD Tel: 01332 224700
First Aid: You are responsible for providing first aid cover and equipment.
Pre-booking Information
Please browse the menus to see more detail and photographs of the facilities – campsites, buildings and activities
Willesley activities run in 3 two hour sessions per day, 10-12, 1-3 and 3-5.
Some activities are leader led, requiring a leader from your group to take responsibility for supervising the activity according to the site rules. The rules for each activity and other details are available on the website. The District must have written or electronic record of your acceptance of responsibility to comply with the rules before you commence the activity. The Wardens will prepare the activities for you and issue any keys necessary. The Wardens, or any other representative of The District, may audit behavioural compliance during your sessions and reserve the right to stop the activity if procedures are not being followed. This is for participants and equipment safety and we request that you support their judgement. Please return the activity equipment to the state handed over when finished and the key back directly to the Warden.
The Tower, High Zip Wire, Archery and Shooting require a permitted instructor who are all volunteers. The activity instructor coordinator will confirm if an instructor is available for your requested booking. If you have your own instructor (even own equipment) please talk to us on booking regarding pricing and permission.
Orienteering can be run anytime – maps can be downloaded from the website or may be available from the warden. Bring pens/pencils.
The Warden will clean and replenish the toilets when possible, but please help out if you can. Let the Warden know if you find any issues. We have two toilet blocks, Courtyard and Field, opened as necessary by the Warden and a separate wheelchair accessible toilet which is open all of the time. The toilet blocks are fitted with cubicles, sinks and showers per male/female side. One shower each side of the Courtyard Toilet Block is wheelchair accessible. The showers are free.
f you would like to come and have a look around the site to familiarise yourselves, we do site walkrounds at 1400 on a Saturday. Please email willesleywarden@gmail.com with names and mobile numbers to let us know you are coming
Please email willesleywarden@gmail.com to check availability. We will try and get back to you in 72hrs with the info.
Please see the prices for all groups in the Documents Sub-menu
Booking and Paying
Fill in a Booking Form and and an Activity Booking Form if required and email to willesleywarden@gmail.com. Both can be found under the Documents page as well as Pricing, Activity Rules and Risk Assessments.
Please can you ensure you fill out all the relevant info on the Booking Form and specify a pitch if preferred (see Map at bottom of this page). If you require Tuck Shop or use of the Campfire Circle please indicate this on the Activity Booking Form.
Remember the site is often shared and staffed by volunteers – we will try to accommodate your request!
BACS: Our preferred method of payment is by direct transfer. Sort code 40-52-40 Account number 00028309 and please quote your booking reference number.
Cheques: Please make cheques payable to “Ashby & Coalville Scout Council Willesley Campsite” and send to 29 Water Meadow Way, Ibstock, Leicestershire, LE67 6GY
Important things you need to know
The Wardens are all volunteers, giving their time for free when they can to help your camp go smoothly, please treat them with the respect they deserve and support them wherever possible. They are not on site all of the time. They will usually give their mobile number in case of issues or emergencies. Some will post it on the whiteboard outside reception.
The Duty Warden usually will try to get to site by 1800 on a Friday. We will email you instructions if you have requested an earlier arrival time on your booking form.
We have a shared single track access which can get blocked if people are inconsiderate. Please ask participants to carshare and arrive as close as possible to any allocated arrival slots – this makes a huge difference.
If you have more than 200 attendees, please email willesleywarden@gmail.com for detailed advice on how to organise track discipline and car parking.
Parking space is limited, please park neatly, tightly and considerately. Do not block access to the track barrier, the back of the gatehouse, the container or the path to the courtyard arch.
No vehicles are allowed on the grass when wet to avoid churning it up. Keep to the edges of the camping areas if the Warden lets you drive on the site.
Drive at a maximum of 5mph around the site with hazard lights on when there are young people around.
Please contact the Warden as soon as possible after arriving on site so that you can be briefed and share any last minute changes or issues, confirm your latest program plan, tuckshop, campfire, numbers on camp, deposit and payment arrangements, site inspection and planned leave times. If you have booked a building, on arrival, the warden will handover the building to you, explain the operation of the key items, and carry out an inspection of the condition with you.
There is a Tree Preservation order on most of the trees on the main site, but not the pine wood. You must not damage the trees – it is a criminal offence and carries a large fine. Please brief your participants.
There are standpipes on the border between Churchside and Bottom field, camper toilet block, flagfield hydrant and the rear of the courtyard toilet block.
We have a number of altar fires kept by the woodpile. They can be moved by the red trolley (please return for others when used). Please do not light them over a grassed area. There are concrete slabs on most sites for the fires. Please keep the fire under the top grill. Please clear the altar fire before returning to woodpile site. Do not light fires on the ground, except in the campfire circle.
There is a limited supply of wood from fallen branches and felled trunks around the site in the pine wood. The site wood pile (next to Churchside) is amply stocked. Please put all fires out and wood back on the wood pile after use.
Please arrange your programme and brief all to observe quiet time between 2300 and 0700. You will need to incentivise young people to observe this. (like the Warden may be too tired to open Tuckshop if you keep them awake after 11!) Ask the leaders of any groups not observing quiet time to comply.
The weather may affect a variety of aspects of life at Willesley, so please be tolerant and work with the Wardens to manage it. The access route may be restricted by falling trees or branches after heavy winds (the trees either side of the access route are not our responsibility). Climbing, Abseiling, Zip Wires and Archery may not run in inclement conditions as decided by the Activity instructor, and the Pothole may fill up with water after prolonged periods of heavy rain (though we’ll try to pump it out if we can).
We have a public footpath which goes through the site, marked by yellow topped posts, so we cannot exclude members of the public passing through. A diversion has been approved and we will be altering the route ASAP.
Leaving
We have a number of industrial rubbish bins near the tuckshop that usually cope with an average week’s waste and recycling.
Please crush all rubbish before putting it in the bins.
During busy times, if the segregated bins are full, please fill the general bins. Do not leave any rubbish outside the bins as the animals will spread it all over the campsite!
If you have a large camp, please expect to take some recycling or rubbish away with you.
Please arrange a linear litter pick around your site and any activity areas you have used before you leave, clear the fire and return all wood and the altar fire to the site wood pile area (there is a red trolley to help).
Please ensure that you plan to collect in anything you put out around the site as part of your program including direction signs and activity equipment.
We have reusable recycling boxes for you to borrow if you would like.
Please ensure that you program time to clean the building to a state ready for the next visitor and agree a handback inspection time with the Warden.
Colour coded cleaning equipment is provided in buildings (kitchen, hall/accommodation, toilets) and remember to pay particular attention to under bunks, inside fridges, freezers, and ovens. Remember – the guiding principle is to leave it better than you found in!
In the case of The Cabin please put all mattresses up on the walls to air and to locate those secret tuck wrappers for the bin!
Please notify the Warden of any defects and allow time to rectify any issues the Warden may find with you.
Do not leave the site until instructed to by the Warden on site.
Help at site. We welcome any help you can give to run the campsite, before, during, or after your stay. Please email willesleywarden@gmail.com or volunteer to the Warden.