I really want to start camping, but DH is quite specific about what sort of site

[MamaG]

He really wants something very rural, stream, woods type of place with no club house/on site shop etc. A real back to basics place where you won't be 5 feet from the next tent.

Is he living in cloud cuckoo land?

Any advice much appreciated

this is a great thread. Will earmark it for future.
Is the Cool Camping book mentioned the England one by Jonathan something?

Wasdale head in the lakes.

Patterdale (?) campsite at Glenridding in the lakes is right by the lake. with little beaches.

Red Squirrel in Glencoe. in fact many many in scotland.

One on St Agnes in the Scillies. nothing but a beach and a stone circle.

the best low key ones don't have websites so it's hard to find them.

Spot on about some of the best ones not having websites, Fennel - DH first found our favourite one on an old OS map (not marked on recent ones) and phoned the farm to ask if it still existed....
We suspect they may fall foul of some health and safety regs about having enough toilets or something and not want to attract attention because of that.

OS maps seem to be a good way of finding the little campsites near rivers and water.

we stayed at a lovely one called Sandy Haven in Pembrokeshire, near Broad Haven. by the river and beach. they don't advertise, or even sign it. but it's on the OS map. They like to keep it quiet.

Well I've certainly got a lot to go on here - thank you so much.

so glad to have stumbled onto this thread - we are similar in our demands - and don't have criteria filled very often - want to have title of cool camping book too, please

Sorry for delayed reply Mamag, I don't think you can have a fire on the ground, but they definitely wouldn't object to a fire in a bbq if that's any help?

There is a basic toilet block on the site, which is on the site that is down in a small valley, with trees and a river running through it. There is a small kids play area with a couple of swings, a slide and a sandpit.

There are two showers, up the track near the farmhouse (again they are basic).

It's absolutely fabulous there, lots of wildlife (salmon and trout in the river, buzzards, rabbits, a cormorant etc) and there are sheep and cattle up the track on the farm.

There is a house at one end of the campsite where the owners live now (I used to live there when I went to Uni in Bangor - I miss it!) HTH

AHA Blackberry woods is much more my idea of camping, must hunt down soething nearer her. I like the fact there are no caravaners, all those sandals and socks and polishing of vans alang with table lamps in the awnings and discussions about the best mlamine plates is too much for me .

I would rather camp on a deserted loch side, only problem is no proper loos or showers and the midges .

Any suggestions for South Scotland.

glad we arent going on the bank holiday then beckybrastraps Havign said that I do reenactment and once you have coped with the 'facilities' english hertiage provide for us (or NOT in general) you can live with most things.

Am keeping a note of these campsites. Yhey sound fab. Once we get a car (and learn to drive) we might actually be able to get to some of them.

MamaG - are you Northern? (noticed Leeds reference on another thread..) I know a couple o0f places in Yorkshire or is that not far flung enough for you?

From Leeds originally but now live in Cumbria - Yorkshire's fine!

Revived this thread to see if anyone knows any campsites (except Blackberry wood which is now heaving thanks to Cool Camping) in Sussex or kent?

bump bump

Bumping this again - any campers around?

There is one near Bodium Castle Cant remember what its called tho. I'll go find out

here you go. I've not been myself but have heard good reports.

Thanks Alligator - I'm not convinced about it having read the reviews on the website though....