Just had a look at the site:
http://www.tything-barn.co.uk/
and the location looks great, the web site definitely lacks information.
As others have stated there seems to be confusion over who is running the site - on 'About us' its Joe and June, on the Home page top is also Jo and June but home page bottom its Dan and Fran.
Whoever is running the place could I also suggest allowing day visitors for a charge, I'm sure many people living locally would love to spend a clothes free day there and also for people on holiday locally but not wanting to stay at the site would as well - I'm a nudist, my wife isn't so she will not stay at a nudist site but often we take holidays with her mum (also not a nudist), my wife takes her off to places not of interest to me, so I go hill walking etc - but I would love to spend the day enjoying the 23 acres. (I have posted this on their web site).
We are going to Tything Barn in the 2nd week of May having been there the first time nearly 40 yrs ago Joe and Joan Folder were running a fledgling oyster farm in the estuary and the site was basic but we loved it and our two boys had a great time.
The new wardens seem to be very keen to continue the good work and my wife spoke to them when we had trouble making contact they are in the process of building the website and they sounded very nice and were looking forward to their new roll .
Joe and Joan are both in their 80s so good for them to want to keep it going.
johnros
Can someone clarify who is running Tything Barn now?
I have been trying to book and received an email from Dan & Fran Batchelor, using the tything-barn web address. But, when I tried to phone to clarify the cost, the elderly sounding lady I spoke to insisted they did not use email. She also asked for a cheque to be sent for booking, payable to Folder.
Replies to my emails to the web address go unanswered.
Terrible service really, and they wouldn't last very long at all if they were running a non- naturist site.
So that everyone is in the loop, Dan and Fran, the appointed managers who arrived at the turn of the year to take over from Mike and Jo, have suddenly left Tything Barn as of the weekend of the 23/24 April. There is no word on why. As it stands then, only the owners are currently present and hence communications will be difficult and 'old-style'...phone...cheques...etc because Dan and Fran had been managing new world comms. I have no further info. I do think it's fair to report this though for those with bookings or who are intending to book 🙁
www.twitter.com/nudeweatherman
Mike and Jo have purchased, got planning permission for and are currently getting ready for this season at Dolcoed (further North than Tything)
Simon T, thanks for that update, it explains the muddled communications I had with them. Though why they couldn't just have said that on the phone beats me.
Just received a Facebook message that Jerry and Sarah are leaving Tything Barn.
We enjoyed meeting them and wish them all the best for the future.
Oh dear - replying on the old thread because it gives more than a hint of a sad saga, and I'm wondering what's happened in the last 2 years plus.
We stayed at Tything in 2011 and loved it. Quaint but perfectly useable facilities including a massive communal bathroom with tubs, showers all in one room. Joe & June Folder were already "getting on a bit" but very friendly, with a couple of part-time helpers.
It seems they've had, and lost, two or three younger couples in a few years: Mike & Jo, Dan & Fran, and possibly another couple too. I've worked in a number of "good causes" founded by strong-minded individuals who became harder to work with as time went by, even (especially) when they wanted to retire, but couldn't let go and see younger people make necessary changes. Two sides of the same coin - it takes drive, determination and vision to get something good going, but those same qualities can get in the way of long-term survival and development. It even has a name - "Founder Syndrome". It looks sadly like the Folders are an example of this. After them, what happens to the site?
Has anyone any news since spring 2017? I'd like to go again but it's a long way and the diary never seems to allow enough time in summer.
We're going to W Wales in our camper van this week and as we only have a few days are torn between Tything and Dolcoed but info on both is a bit scant.
Tything seems to have a bit more going for it as it's been established longer and has a good location, plus it seems to push the naturist credentials a little more (Dolcoed emphasises clothing-optional). But we have picked up that the people running Tything have perhaps got a bit tired, and the ones who were making Tything work are now running Dolcoed so this might be the better option.
The other consideration for us is that like to socialise so wonder which might have more people staying - we're not the sort of campers that like the solitude of being the only ones sat in a field on their own (which some people much prefer).
It is a shame that both their websites are not very informative.
Newforestcple