to ask you to give me your best camping locations

[PlinketyPlinketyPlonk]

Sorry, shameful aibu post for traffic. But just got home from yet another horrendous camping weekend.

Our last 3 camping trips have been ruined by god awful campsites and locations.

I'm very close to giving up on this whole camping malarkey, but DH and DS would hate me. And we can't afford 'proper' holidays anyway so it would just mean no holidays if I refused to do it anymore.

Are there any campers on MN who can share with me their favourite UK campsites, and what they like about it?

Also agree with PP - eurocamps in France are amazing if you can get cheap ish ferry tickets 😊

It very much depends on what you want. For us with a 4 year old I always look for a site with some sort of play area to keep him occupied.

How far are you from Wales? You can't go wrong with Gower and Pembrokeshire.

www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/travel/17-campsites-wales-camping-brilliant-10950272?fbclid=IwAR3hN3r73lSzP11DiQTfMBv2B3gw6M-MG1FXhot984WmE72ybJhTrUAzl68

Park Foot In Pooley Bridge- the lakes. Right on Lake Ullswater. Lovely site with a clubhouse and gorgeous food. 10 min walk into Pooley Bridge itself

River dart country park is awesome!

Just come back from camping at waterside house campsite this weekend. Is lovely there.

Yes I think if you explain what you don't like then we may be able to help more.

Erm branscombe airfield was my children's favourite. Then we started camping in France and we fell in love. Not sure I can face camping in the UK again now

I like campsites with nothing in them except toilets and showers so if that's not your thing these won't suit you at all! But I've had some really magical holidays in the following:

Great Langdale National Trust campsite in the Lake District
Burns Farm, also the Lake District
Foxholes, just outside Bishop's Castle in Shropshire

Appletreewick Yorkshire Dales. Lovely

@Celebelly - it’s perfect at the moment. Loch Lomond on the other had last weeend was horrible....!!! Pic is a week on...!!

Ouch! That's one thing I don't miss now I live on the east coast!

I didn’t like shell island with little ones. I didn’t like feeling I was cut off at night and it is the windiest place I’ve ever put up a tent. Although realise it’s not the most exciting of locations I loved Townsend in Pembridge, Herefordshire when my ds was 1. Quiet but with a small play area, good showers and toilets and a nice local pub.

converseandjeans I'd also like to know the campsite near Calais please. Did it feel safe?

Another vote for Wellington country park from me! Always have a great time. And the chippy in hartney Witney has an app no so no more waiting in long queues

Mother iveys bay in Cornwall. No onsite entertainment, gorgeous private beach.

dreichhighlands What kind of campsite and locations are you looking for OP?

Any that have fully functioning clean facilities, and plenty to do/explore in the area or on site. Family-friendly sites, ideally with activities designed to entertain kids. We like beautiful views, lovely beaches and seaside attractions, countryside and forests, theme parks, cycling & walking trails, lakes and rivers. We're not fussy, we just don't like being bored or living in filth.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat Where have you been? What don’t you like about them?

Just been to a coastal site in Essex. Absolutely disgusting and barely functioning showers/loo's. The site had very little to do and neither did the area. Can only describe the area as grim & depressing. Full of a certain type of people - loud, sweary and always arguing. Music blasting out all night. Security being called out constantly to something. Bringing along big dogs and letting them run around in and out of peoples tents. Everything a rip off. Just very unpleasant all round.

Previous to that went to a lakeside site in Kent. Beautiful lake but poor dirty facilities as had to share one small block with watersports members who also got pissed off with us campers which caused arguments and tension. Nothing much to do as advertised activities were cancelled as "they are subject to change without prior notice!" we were informed once we'd arrived. All campsite land was hilly so had to pitch our tent on an incline which made for some uncomfortable sleeping.

Previous to that was just a site in the middle of a field in Stoke. As above - dirty facilities, not much to do, all campsite land was rugged and hilly so had to set up on an incline. Unfriendly staff.

The website ukcampsite.co.uk has great campsite listings with detailed user reviews. There are also forums where you can ask for recommendations.

In my tent camping days I would research sites before booking and found it really helpful.

Recommendations are difficult without knowing what you want, but I have never been disappointed by any of the sites run by the Camping and Caravan club. They always have very good shower/toilet facilities, are kept quiet at night and everything is always really well maintained. They have sites all over the country, they're not cheap, but if you join you get a discount.

Their site at Graffham, West Sussex is one of my favourites. It's a woodland site, with pitches in clearings,My hair and some of them are really private. It's incredibly safe for kids, close to some great places to visit (the open air museum at Singleton is a great day out and there are nice beaches not far away at West Wittering).

Lol, my hair isn't really private, some words appear to have escaped from something else I was writing!

Actually, I was very anal about campsites. I'd look at the area on google maps, read all sorts of reviews, check that there was a decent, dog friendly, pub within walking distance, and look on an OS map to make sure we wouldn't have to stagger back up a 1 in 4 hill after a skinfull.

My suggestions:
Pitchperfect camping near Longleat
Rozel Camping in Jersey (Our favourite site ever!)
Grange Farm on the Isle of Wight
Riverside Camping near Caernarfon
Woodlands Grove in Devon

We are trying Clippersby Hall this year on quite a few recommendations.

You can't go wrong with Gower and Pembrokeshire.

The campsite at Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower has the most fantastic views, overloooks the most beautiful beach and has spotless facilities.

www.nantcolwaterfalls.co.uk/

also like Bosworth water park and lower lacon = both have swimming!

I’ve discovered this week that there are campsites where on your pitch you get your own little shower/toilet/kitchenette (fridge and sink)!!!
Now for me the worst things about camping are traipsing half a mile to the toilet (or managing to get pitch near a toilet but then having everyone else traipsing past you) and having to walk back and forth every time you want to wash you hands or a pan or get water.
Having all that right next to your tent and those facilities always being available and as dirty as you make it seems amazing!!

Manor Farm East Runton. Large fields divided by trees/hedges, great play are for children, lovely shower/loo facilities. Views of the sea from parts. Separate football/kite-flying field. Cromer is within walking distance (20 mins), supermarkets are closer.

How old is your DS? Are you looking for weekends away or longer? Do you fancy trying sites abroad?

The campsite at Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower has the most fantastic views, overloooks the most beautiful beach and has spotless facilities

We went to Green acres which is fairly close by (its got a small play area) but I think three cliffs have sucked me in with the firepit hire!

One of my favourite places is Cwmcoedog Farm - they have wooden pods, play area, lake and a shared hot tub. Tiny place and our boy loved it!

BrieAndChilli where?

And a huuuuge trampoline!