AIBU to want a lovely holiday on a shoe string.

[skybluepearl]

Sooo frustrating. Been on line all evening - need to find a cheap UK holiday but nothing inspires me. Nothing at all. I'm blinded by the choices available and have no idea whats really nice. Sure enough all these places claim to be great but will we be disappointed when we arrive? Who knows. We have a tent or enough ££ to pay for very cheap accomodation. Love rock pools, sandy beaches, mountains/hills, some indoor and outdoor activities, not too crowded. Anywhere in England/Wales but Scotland is too far to travel for such a short break. Any ideas?

Eweleaze farm in Weymouth is lovely camping. However a bit late for this year and I think because of Olympics it wont be so good next year. The isle of Wight is nice. ?

Sofa is right, just got back from Weymouth, it is fab- also Swanage and Poole. If you want the best beach in Britain Sandbanks is amazing- they have beach wardens forgoodness sake. The public loo is spotless, the parking is reasonable and they have a boat ice cream van.
The sand is also great for castles.

/Sandsend/Robin Hoods Bay/Staithes/Runswick Bay

all near whitby and gorgeous

Snowdonia National Park is beautiful and there are lots of places to stay eg www.holidaysaberdovey.co.uk - the prices don't seem extortionate and there are some last minute reductions.

Perhaps a couple of nights in a chalet and then move on to maybe a more tradtional bucket and spade seaside spot where you can pitch a tent in West Wales?

Pembrokeshire is gorgeous - just returned from there. There's a fab camp site by Newgale beach.

I'm liking your ideas ....

Is this the one Queen? www.newgalecampingsite.co.uk

If so, it looks wonderful and I love the idea of going on local boat trips.

some real bargains hiring static caravans direct from the owners, rather than through haven etc, especially if there is last minute availability. lots of websites offer this, but can't for the life of me remember them..google private static caravan hire and you'll get a decent list to plough through.

My folks live in Pembrokeshire and it is lovely (if you get the weather)

Youth hostels often good value, or some lovely forestry comission campsites in New Forest (which prob has better weather than Pembrokeshire at the moment!)

just looking them up on line ...

Tom's Field in Purbeck is great for camping near Studland, Sandbanks, Corfe Castle, Wareham, lovely pubs, Lulworth Cove, walks, NT places...tons to do, lots of it free.

Shell island or barmouth in wales they are beautiful locations. I have a friend who has just stayed at what she claims to be a wonderful camp site in barmouth so ill find out what that is called. Anywhere on the west coast of wales is beautiful :)

I agree with those who suggested Camping in Dorset, we went last week to Weymouth and camped for a week, cost about £200 for the pitch and the site was nice, Bagwell farm.

Pembrokeshire is wonderful, but (at least in North Pembs where I live), there isn't a whole lot to do if the weather is crap - its basically beaches, mountains, walking etc.

Having said that we get as much good weather as anywhere in the UK I think (ie much sunnier than north Wales for example).

Gower is pretty awesome for all the stuff you mentioned, especially if you can get there before the bank holiday (v busy then) Lots of campsites available. Miles and miles of beaches, rock pools, hills, there's also soft play, swimming pool, archery, and a heritage centre as well as castle ruins etc. HTH

Here is beautiful and cheap if you don't mind pretty basic facilities.

Takver Don't forget if the weather isn't 'beach weather' but not puring down there is Oakwood, Folly Farm, Heatherton etc. Also saw a place on way down to Folly farm that advertised rooms from £39, families welcome. Must remember name of place!!

Northumberland. Beautiful, vast beaches, castles everywhere, pretty market towns with lots of interesting museums and gardens. And hardly any tourists. It's very, very cheap too. Love it.

Have to agree with most of the above, Toms Field nr Swanage. Sea Barn Farm, Fleet, Weymouth has the most gorgeous views across chesil. Bagwell farm Chickerell.
I Love Dorset!

We went to North Wales and stayed near Llandudno and Portmadog for four days. My kids said it was more fun than going to Spain for a week!

You could always see if you can camp on Shell Island (North Wales). Beautiful sandy beaches, great rockpools. Cafe leaves a lot to be desired but the local area has some fab places to eat.

Trevayne campsite in New Hedges, Pembrokeshire is our fav campsite.

www.camping-pembrokeshire.co.uk/gallery/

This one here for a real back-to-nature trip. Real fires, you're in a 20-odd acre wood, no radios or tvs, compost loos (which are fine) and on the edge of Dartmoor so access to the moor and not far from lots of beaches. It's cheap and so worth doing, even only for a couple of nights (I can see that children might want play areas and pools after a bit).

Dare I say that the uk isn't the place for "shoestring" holidays especially if you are tied to school holidays - unless camping. If not school holiday tied then go for sun holiday.

Go a little further into France/ Belgium/ holland - all just a few hours from the tunnel (cheap but we use tesco tokens ) and you can get real bargain houses to rent. I rarely go beyond £500/week ( and often 350-400) for 5 of us. In comparison it cost £270 to camp on the caravan club site in Durham for a week - and impossible to find a house to rent sub £500 local to Durham for the same week.

Going to show DH some of these later tonight thanks.