Camping Thread 2016

Gents.

After years of the main holidays abroad and last two years of far eastern adventures Mrs P has decided 2016 will be a year of rekindling the camping bug. The new Vango Airbeam is on order shortly followed by the Q7 and away we go.

So, any others out there who have, are, thinking of the same and have experienced or can recommend some nice sites/areas to visit?? Our eldest son has set up home and family in York so anywhere round and abouts would be of great interest. In my 20's and 30's I spent a great deal of time walking climbing and wild camping but in my 50's I am wanting comfort, lovely facilities, glamping.......oh and a 13 year old son in tow also.

Many thanks

Paul

Absolutely look at the North Yorks Moors.
Beautiful.
Accessible.
Wet weather attractions an easy drive. If the weather is fine you won't want to go anywhere anyway.

I can't help re. sites as I am a round-the-back-of-a-pub sort of camper. There's a corker next to the Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton-le-Hole. The only facility I look for is a pub selling cask-conditioned ale, but I appreciate some have higher aspirations.

We love camping. 2006 was a great year. It rained in 2007 :( In 2008 it rained and a storm knocked the old tent over. Petal and I had to spend the next two nights in the car until we gave up. (The five kids - not all ours I hasten to add - all had their own tents of various shapes and sizes.) In 2009 we had one last try. After 5 days of rain we gave up. They were towing cars out of the field of mud with a tractor. As the tractor driver unhooked my car and trailer I asked him "have you been doing this all week?" to which he replied, "no, I've been doing it all summer." We now go to Greece/Spain ANYWHERE but camping.

I wish you luck my friend, I really do.

Seabarn Farm on the cliff tops next to Weymouth, never miss a year for the Great Dorset Steam Fair.

Also love Whitehall Farm at Burnham Market.

Back to Dumfries and Galloway for us this year. Think this will be our 4th year up there. Absolutely love the place. Not much help for your near York requirement I'm afraid!

Upgraded to a nice big Outwell tent last year. Need to get myself a trailer to shift all the kit this year.

David

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by unclealec

Absolutely look at the North Yorks Moors.
Beautiful.
Accessible.
Wet weather attractions an easy drive. If the weather is fine you won't want to go anywhere anyway.

I can't help re. sites as I am a round-the-back-of-a-pub sort of camper. There's a corker next to the Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton-le-Hole. The only facility I look for is a pub selling cask-conditioned ale, but I appreciate some have higher aspirations.

---

We've just returned from the N.Y.Moors. It's a beautiful part of the world, albeit the wrong side of the Pennines. It was a great mini holiday.

Don't bother with the caravan though, they are rubbish. Just rent a cottage from owners direct, or similar. Proper house = job done!

Stiffkey in north Norfolk. Basic but clean and beautiful site with amazing coast in your doorstep.

In the lake district I love the great langdale national trust site for the walking, pubs, scenery, facilities and campsite bunnys.

Keswick C&C club site brilliant also. Right on the lake, go in spring and the ducklings come and visit you at breakfast time each day. View down the lake to catbells is lovely.

Oh yes, and Rydal hall just outside ambleside, last year i pitched only 15m from a watherfall with a stunning view down across the valley!
Rydal hall is a God-bothering retreat but don't let that put you off, the grounds and campsite are gorgeous.

This year I am going to sandford just outside Poole which is a total departure from the norm for me. Usually I like basic clean and scenic but sandford is a resort type site with pools and a Costa coffee. We are only going there as some friends with kids want the keepbthe urchins entertained and they love the pools.
Any tips on what to do or see in the Dorset/Poole area will be much appreciated.

Quote:

---

Oh yes, and Rydal hall just outside ambleside, last year i pitched only 15m from a watherfall with a stunning view down across the valley!
Rydal hall is a God-bothering retreat but don't let that put you off, the grounds and campsite are gorgeous.

---

We go there every couple of months for a weekend, Great showers and toilets for a camp site and never any bother, there's a private road most of the way to Ambleside so no need to worry about traffic on the stagger back and there's a pub about 100 yards down the road if no one feels like walking. Even though it's known as a retreat they let everyone in. The Echo pods are £40 a night and are good in the winter.

We did the same last year.

We got the Vango Airbeam Evoque as we have 2 kids. Best thing ever. Up in 30mins and down and packed away in about the same! We have some rain and wind last year on some days and the tent was fine. It is so easy to put up that we even have used for weekends where I know that I wouldn't of bother with a traditional pole tent due to the faff!

We tend to go South West, Dorset, Cornwall etc. Usually great weather and great beaches.

Haven't been brave enough to head up North...yet!

We've been regular campers for 25 years but my back has sadly put an end to that. The majority of that time we've ended up in either Devon or Cornwall as the wife loves that corner of the country, cream teas and scrumpy playing a big part of that. In all of that time by an absolute country mile the best sites we have stayed on have been in Cornwall. Take a look at Polmanter just outside St Ives and Gwithian Farm which is about a mile from Hayle. Both sites have great facilities including onsite shops for milk bread etc which isn't extortionate, the shower blocks and toilets are kept immaculate, there are family shower rooms which is great if you have younger children and are both only short walks to the beach and Towns. Your also central to all the other great areas in Cornwall.
Gwithian Farm has a really good pub across the road which is where we genrerally end up most days but they allow food vans on site, one night it's Indian, next chips, pizza and so on and they are to be fair pretty good.

Happy camping.....assuming the rain stays away!!

http://polmanter.co.uk

http://gwithianfarm.co.uk

We’ve camped in several Caravan & Camping Club sites and I’d say the standard of facilities are pretty good. If you join you should get a directory of sites listing local amenities. The same applies for Caravan Club sites that also have camping facilities.

R

Holy thread revival.

Decided at 4pm Saturday that the weather was far too nice to sit at home, so by 5.30pm we where out of the door with camping gear for a couple of days given the Bank Holiday Monday. Difficult to find a space as everywhere was full, but managed something last minute.

A quick 1 hour, and a 40 mile jaunt to the South Downs from London and it was worth it.

Kids are grown up so just me the missus and a couple of bottles of nice red.

Changed our tent this year and gave away our 6 man tent which took 2 hours to put up and was only worth in for a week long stay when the kids where young.

Now have a large 3 man air tent with awning (not shown) which we can put up in 10 mins. Loving our Dometic Boracay FTC 301. A real premium tent.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...97ea093804.jpg

Looks like we have hit the weather correctly.

South lakes here we come.

Will be sleeping in this for a few nightshttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...cbf7547799.jpg

A suggestion for a quick getaway from SW London, 30 miles south of Kingston.

https://www.riversidefarm-camping.uk

Stayed last year, field pitches right on the Arun River, fire pits, fairly basic facilities if you are used to full facility sites with blocks etc. Also right by the Downs Link so great for cycling. Had a good time. Saw deer, Kingfishers, not an angler, but the anglers were having great success.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This is some thread revival, but I do love camping. My favourites have been the Orchards Campsite in Suffolk as it’s on a river for a dip and they permit you to have a proper camp fire; and I do love embracing a fire for some proper cooking over the flame. Also love a short Channel Tunnel crossing and a 25 minute drive down the coast in France to Condette to a quaint and quiet little camp site with a proper taste of France two hours from home. Or Finally, hopping on the Eurostar and taking their Summer service to Marseille and camping on the Côte Bleue on the Mediterranean.

We can hear the rumble on the stiff easterly wind of a big festival playing music in the distance. Just did a Google to find out it is the Big Church Festival.

Who’d have thunk it such an event existed, with 35,000 Christians camping and not a cum-by-ar-me-lord in sound.

But disappointed as I do love a happy clappy session.

I used to enjoy camping here was our set up

https://photos.smugmug.com/Festivals...MG_3044-XL.jpg

If anyone can make it up to the Isle of Mull, this pitch is the best we’ve ever stayed at. Haven’t been in a few years now - life gets in the way
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...783d64cc6c.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by noTAGlove

We can hear the rumble on the stiff easterly wind of a big festival playing music in the distance. Just did a Google to find out it is the Big Church Festival.

Who’d have thunk it such an event existed, with 35,000 Christians camping and not a cum-by-ar-me-lord in sound.

But disappointed as I do love a happy clappy session.

---

It's a Pentecost thing. Very big here in the Netherlands as well and growing I think. And since we have a lot of christian fundamentalists overhere, you can imagine that it's the highlight of the year for a certain part of the population.

If one needs info on Dutch camping sites, just let me know.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Halitosis

If anyone can make it up to the Isle of Mull, this pitch is the best we’ve ever stayed at. Haven’t been in a few years now - life gets in the way
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...783d64cc6c.jpg

---

Wow, that's got to be the perfect pitch (I don't camp myself, but have become slightly addicted to camping videos - especially wild camping - on YouTube).

Always been tempted to get some camping stuff but by the time you buy the Air tent, seats, table, awning, mats, bedding etc etc you need a bloody van to transport it all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Halitosis

If anyone can make it up to the Isle of Mull, this pitch is the best we’ve ever stayed at. Haven’t been in a few years now - life gets in the way

---

That looks familiar - is it Calgary?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by learningtofly

Wow, that's got to be the perfect pitch (I don't camp myself, but have become slightly addicted to camping videos - especially wild camping - on YouTube).

---

You are really missing out. No better way to spend a warm sunny week. I never go camping otherwise.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Martylaa

Always been tempted to get some camping stuff but by the time you buy the Air tent, seats, table, awning, mats, bedding etc etc you need a bloody van to transport it all.

---

Estate car and a roof box if you have kids. If it is just you and the missus just fold the back seats of the car down.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Martylaa

Always been tempted to get some camping stuff but by the time you buy the Air tent, seats, table, awning, mats, bedding etc etc you need a bloody van to transport it all.

---

Tent, sleeping bags, cooker, food and clothes for 3 weeks along with a partner and a GS is all you need for a 3 week camping tour of Europe. Only plan the start date and end date and your travel across the channel then decide on where the mood takes you, for me as long as I get a week camping around Pfunds in Austria along the was so I can play in the alps I’m happy.


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

Isle of Mull looks picturesque, I'll try to visit it next time I'm up that way!

Did a camping and hiking trip alongside the NC500 with a few mates as soon as lockdown rules allowed back in 2021, amazing time.

https://i.imgur.com/hIr9bbu.jpeg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by unclealec

That looks familiar - is it Calgary?

---

Shieling campsite at Craignure - pitch number 1 IIRC. Has an electric hook up too.
Calgary bay is our favourite beach on the island though.
All of the campsites around Arisaig in the highlands are also fantastic destinations.
*weather permitting

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...5677bd7ef8.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f39eb1f03e.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...c93d504303.jpg

Annual camping in the Lakes with some mares from another forum.

Assuming you meant mates?

Although I’m just imagining you camping with horses or some late middle age women! [emoji23][emoji23]

Ooops [emoji15][emoji1]

Been an Anglesey all weekend. Great wether.