advice needed - where to camp for mum and three kids in the UK.

[JimBobplusasprog]

We planned not to go on holiday this summer but it's a bit depressing so if we can afford it then I'd like to give it a go.

I've camped before as a teenager doing duke of Edinburgh but none of the kids (3, 7 and 8) have camped. I've got two sleeping bags and air mats already as well as a stove and some cooking pans. We've got a car and we're in the Midlands so can drive to most of the UK.

Argos do 4-berth tents for fifty quid and we'd need to get another couple of sleeping bags and mats. Then pay for the campsite. I think it looks possible.

Can I have some campsite recommendations for an adult with three young kids near to either a nice beach or good walking country (or other free-ish sort of outdoors entertainment). Any tips on good camping kit or other advice for first timers also welcome.

Croyde Bay in north Devon is fab and was popular with midlanders when we went years ago. the beach is lovely sand which used to be hovered every night and was life guarded.it had rock pool at the edges. There was a way to walk over into the next bay that went to Paulton sands and the area was chocolate box type - quiet and not commercialised. book quick though because there are only a hand full of sites. The biggest is now a Haven site but their pool could be accessed by paying public too. it was idyllic and I'd love to go back. the sites are all around the edge of the bay and the bay is a surfers paradise. The beach at Paultons has natural huge standing stones on the sand which create sand filled pools to paddle in which our kids loved to do for hours.
equipment - a bucket for night time wees! crocs to slip on quickly def not laced shoes. decent mattresses though blow up ones are a pain and take ages to actually blow up. If you are on a budget don't buy sleeping bags; take the duvets off your beds and sleep half under half over you easy to do with little kids. use a 5lt squash bottle as a water carrier (kids love that job) and take refreezable ice blocks as some camp sites will do a freeze and swop them service- its just enough to keep milk fresh for a day. Washing up bowel, plate scrub and fairy liquid -we were always forgetting these! Torches are a must, a hand brush to sweep out grass, kagoules and wellies, a golf brolley (£5 from sports soccer), a football and badminton set to help them make friends, clothing that easy to pack and organise like leggings and fleeces as these also dry quickly. A peg carousel can clip to trees or even the car to dry off undies or costumes. the list can go on but you will know the obvious already. just plan it for ease and all weathers. Also we hid stuff away in case of rain like glue sticks, scissors and sticky paper craft kits which are even more fun when sea shells and sand are added! Enjoy -I'm jealous!

ps -The Lakes are also fun to go to with picnics and a zoo, boat hires and pretend expeditions up "mountains". tons of campsites.

We just stayed at a really nice campsite near Sedbergh in the south Lakes. River with shallow banks so you can paddle, farm animals to go look at, small playbarn for rainy times. Was a very easy place to go stay with small children.

www.coolcamping.co.uk/campsites/uk/england/lake-district/cumbria/85-fisherground
www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g494963-d606287-Reviews-Mitchum_s_Campsites-Croyde_Devon_England.html

these might suit. The Lakes one is where my sisiter took her 2 rather boisterous boys and she hardly saw them as they just played in the "Lake " all day!

Um I just read the reviews of the mitchums place... While they were entertaining I'm not sure I would want to stay there and the no kids rule would make it impossible anyway.

I'll check out the lakes - thanks

Check out Cool Camping website for best sites. The beauty of camping is you can spend as little as you want or go nuts and sink a fortune into it. Takes duvets rather than buy new sleeping bags although I bought a cheapy from Tesco for £15 for my daughter to take to school camp as I expected it to get trashed and she has a good one that we use when we all go away (which is a lot...camping is our business!!)
Don't take jeans for the kids or you...they take an age to dry and wet hems dangling around your ankles isn't fun!!
Loads of £1 shop fluffy socks and cosy blankets from home.
Baby wipes for quick hand cleaning and I take anti bac ones too for wiping knives and chopping boards between use. Get a large lidded box from poundstretcher or primark and keep your cooking stuff in it. Stops mice playing in your pans while you're sleeping!! Having the lid also gives you another surface to use.
Enjoy!!

Do you think you are more interested in a big site with "entertainment" laid on (e.g. part of holiday resort with central bar/club thing and possibly organised kids' activities) or more a smaller site (possibly but not necessarily with a few bits of play equipment) where the kids can go a bit feral and make their own entertainment?

I'm looking for something smaller and quieter without organised entertainment as I prefer to let the kids play outside and do their own thing. I've been looking at campsites at youth hostels as these seem nice and small and not too costly.

Choose somewhere that you only pay a deposit, then if the forcast is rubbish you havent wasted all your money. Look in Mid wales round Barmouth/Dollgellau for easy access from the Mids with lovely campsites where you can have campfires and the kids can play. Also close to the beach if the weather is good.

We take a few Ikea bags with us for storing shoes, etc and for putting clothes in while you have a shower.

Good luck and enjoy

If they have space, I'd suggest WoWo -- it's not small exactly, but it's got that kind of feel and there are woods, stepping stones, rope swings over streams, that kind of thing. And it allows campfires if that's your sort of thing.

Or Blackberry Wood is similar -- I've not been myself but have friends who have and it's on my "to visit" list.

I have a soft spot for Manor Court Farm on the Kent/Sussex borders -- that one is very small but the washing/showering facilities are good.

As a general tip, I'd be inclined to search on ukcampsite under "campfires allowed" (whether you actually want a campfire or not, that tends to filter it down to the sort of sites with the mindset you're looking for) then pick a county and filter further to sites with showers (to cut out the really tiny ones with virtually no facilities at all) and then read the reviews carefully. We've had good success rates with that approach in the past.

Sandyballs Great place to camp. Been 4 Times. Kids loved it.