Teenage camping

[Bradley6]

don't know if anyone can suggest anything to help, but my Son and his friends (all 16) will have finished their GCSEs this year and are looking to go camping (about 20 of them) as an end of year treat, in early July, but Im finding it really hard to get any campsite to accept them without adults. in this day and age when everyone complaining about technology taking over, a group of young adults want to go and do something that I think is a great idea, and back to basics, and its proving really hard to organise. Anyone have any ideasa (we live in Dorset, so in this are preferably)

[Shutthatdoor]

I think the number involved will be a problem to find somewhere that says yes tbh.

[whois]

Yeah most campsites aren't keen on any big groups like that due to noise issues.

Look for campsites that have 'rally fields' or explicitly say they accept groups.

Or look for small campsites that do 'exclusive hire'
www.coolcamping.co.uk/search?q=exclusive+hire

Or try this link maybe?
www.pitchup.com/campsites/-/student-groups-welcome/

Or get the kids themselves sitting down with a list of all campsites in the area (try cool camping and UKcampsite.co.uk) and phone them all!

[whois]

n this day and age when everyone complaining about technology taking over, a group of young adults want to go and do something that I think is a great idea

ah yes, a group of friends wanting to hang out away from parental supervision and drink - so wholesome :-)

[Roseformeplease]

Why do they need to book as a group? Surely, if they broke down into smaller groups (per tent) and booked, they would be made more welcome.

[Shutthatdoor]

Why do they need to book as a group? Surely, if they broke down into smaller groups (per tent) and booked, they would be made more welcome.

Problem is wardens will discover that they are together when they arrive etc and they then run the risk of being turned away or told to leave.

We actually saw this happen on one site this year.

[AndNowItsSeven]

I would never stay at a campsite that allowed a group of 20 15 and 16 year olds.
Also I would not have allowed my dd to go either are you sure the other parents will agree?

[whois]

Why do they need to book as a group? Surely, if they broke down into smaller groups (per tent) and booked, they would be made more welcome.

Um, because a group of 20 people (teenagers or adults) is WAY more noisy and disruptive than 10x couples!

[BackforGood]

Agree with everyone else - you are never going to get a sane campsite owner to allow 20 x 16 yr olds to camp as a group

When I was that age many moons ago no-one would let 6 of you book a caravan or anything. Quite right - the potential for them wrecking the place is high, the potential for noise and disrupting everyone else on the site is probably about 99% likely.

If it's the camping and the fresh air they are really after - after all, it couldn't possibly be the freedom from adult supervision / following rules / and not being allowed to drink, could it ?? - then they can go climbing or walking or volunteer on any number of camps to do that.

[Funinthesun15]

I can't see how anywhere will let 20 15-16 year olds in imo.

[NotMeNotYouNotAnyone]

Unhelpful I know, but I'm not surprised. The only time I would consider that size group of teenagers is guiding and scouting and generally they have adults with them.

Even if they are wholesome and alcohol free (sceptical about that tbh. No offence but come on!) 20 lads are gonna be off putting for other campers.

Is there a small site that they can hire completely? They may have to pay an extra deposit in case of damage

[AgentProvocateur]

Can you wild camp in England? When DS was this age, the post exam rite of passage was going camping in the hills, but I think the right-to-roam law is different here (Scotland).

[ThornyBird]

Might be worth contacting scout/guide campsites, especially if they are going mid week in term time?

[BackforGood]

None of the Scout campsites I now would have them, if they weren't going as Scouts, and therefor following more rules than you'd need to on a public site.
A lot of them let out their campsites to school residentials at that time anyway.

[Bradley6]

To be honest, I feel really sorry for teenagers nowadays. they get labelled and branded whatever they do. Everyone goes on about them sitting on technology all day, and being anti-social, and yet when they want to do something outdoors and have a laugh, they get branded as destructive and noisy. Were none of us ever teenagers before? what are they supposed to do? I really didnt think this would be a huge problem and I think a very sad reflection on society that it has become so!

[BackforGood]

As I said up above, I was a teenage back in the 70s, and this wasn't allowed then. You're kidding yourself.
There are LOADS of things they can do to get out in the fresh air, and to not be on technology all day, without being part of a marauding gang of youths!
My teen ds, for example, is outside all day this week, volunteering to set up a massive camp for 2,800 teens this coming weekend.
However, he is doing it as part of an adult team - they will all be having a ball, but, within sensible limits. We all know a gang of 20 x 16 yr olds are not going to remain within sensible limits.

[Roseformeplease]

Sorry, I teach teenagers and the assumption that they are all drunken campsite wreckers who will make loads of noise is ridiculous. I have just spent NY with about 20 of them (plus parents) and the 50+ adults were far rowdier. Most of the teens do not drink much and those that do are usually fairly sensible. It was the Mums who had Prosecco hangovers and the Dads who were not fit to drive the next day.

No idea of the solution but wild camping in Scotland is a good idea. We live up there so happy to recommend spots.

[whois]

Yeah festivals. It a bad shout actually.

[headexplodesbodyfreezes]

Good idea, festivals are the way to go.

[bigTillyMint]

Reading (festival!)?

Or could they try booking a Scout campground? They do allow large groups (well our local one does) but I'm not sure if there has to be adults around too.

[Peebles1]

My two DSs went wild camping in the Lakes in August. However they are 20 and there were only 4 of them. They did a serious walk, carrying the tent etc, and camped up the hillside (then got drunk of course). So maybe they could wild camp? But it could be totally against the law I've no idea!
A big group of friends with kids were turned away from a main campsite recently as looked like they would be rowdy (which they were), but the owner placed them in his nearby field which they had to themselves, with very little facilities (don't think 16 yr olds would care about that!). So maybe a place with no facilities and far away from others would also be a possibility. Don't let them in your back garden though, I dread to think!! Good luck!!

[elephantoverthehill]

If you live in Dorset does one of their parents own a bit of land? It might involve the necessity of chemi loos or something similar. We live a bit further south than Dorset but when my DS and his mates wanted to do this they stayed in a horse's field owned by one parent or did probably quite illegal 'wild camping'. However the good thing about that one was they had a very long walk so could not carry that much booze. All are fine and at Uni now.

[Nottodaythankyouorever]

To be honest, I feel really sorry for teenagers nowadays.

Nothing to do with nowadays. It has always been the case!

[Bradley6]

thanks for all your ideas, some of them very positive but I do take real issue with the gentleman (or woman) who said they wouldn't want to be faced with 20 maurauding teenagers!!!! (talk about labelling, and you don't even know them!). All they want to do is get together, sit about in a field and put the world to rights, not causing anyone any harm or anything, maybe go wild and have a couple of beers and a log fire at night - is that really so bad, honestly, the world's gone mad!! there are far, far worse things they could be doing, and i for one applaud the simplicity of their idea!

[SoWhite]

Anyone you know own a big field?