So where's actually nice to camp in school summer hols? (ie quiet?!)

[Morehastelessspeed]

Just back from an idyllic camping trip in South West with young DC but this year DC1 starts school. I am DREADING having to camp in school holidays.

Is anywhere nice to go? Owner of the campsite we stayed on said it's 'hell' in school hols. I imagine Devon and Cornwall are overrun. Is Pembrokeshire any quieter? We're very happy with basic sites but prefer coastal. Any tips gratefully received!

If it's hell then it sounds like they're packing in more than they can cope with. If you stick to smaller sites you should be okay. And look at reviews on UKcampsite from people who went during school holidays.

My top tip is to have your shower in the late afternoon once you're back from whatever you've been up to that day. Much less stressful than joining the morning rush.

We joined the camping and caravanning club when we first started camping, and used their certificated sites. The sites we have stayed on have never been packed, a couple have only had another family staying and we only camp in school holidays. Some sites have been full, but all units were round the edge of large fields with a big empty space in the middle. We camped at a motorsport event one year, units pitched almost on top of each other, and I swore never again the motorsport was boring too. We haven't decided what to do this year, so haven't renewed our membership yet.

Doone Valley Camp site near Lynmouth/Lymington. We have been twice now during school holidays and it has never been busy. Is near the much written about Cloud Farm site but you can book this one in advance. Is a basic site with no play park but it is right on the river. We love it.

Suffolk and Norfolk coast never seem over run, some lovely sites.

Thanks all for the suggestions so far. We've not done Norfolk and Suffolk and always fancied them so will look for nice sites there. The doone valley one looks lovely too.

Unfortunately, I really hate business/crowds and am not only used to having campsites almost to ourselves but also roads local pubs, cafés etc! So worried it will all just feel very busy in holidays.

We always stay at manor farm on Norfolk.
There is a great beach about 10 mins away called mundesley.
It has great facilities and isn't on the very busy road towards the touristy beaches like wells.

Ninham Isle of Wight. It will be full but its perimeter camping iin most parts and the pitches are large.
I doubt you'll find anywhere quiet unless you head to Scotland for the last week in August when all their kids are back at school.

I just booked for a weekend at a new site in Kessingland in Suffolk. It had really good reviews on pitch up.co.uk and because it only opened this season it is relatively undiscovered.

It is called the Hollies and is right next to the beach. Am hoping it will be lovely and not too busy!

The campsite at Southwold harbour is great but they seem pretty busy and couldn't get a weekend there.

Weymouth.. You should deffinitly go to Weymouth it is sooo good Weymouth has so much stuff for little children.. There is the sandy beach which is always fun but if you want less fuss then just a walk along a little bit and there is the pebble one.. The beach can get a little buisy in the holiday but it's guenuinly worth it.. Weymouth also has 'the Weymouth tower' which is like a big tower and you go in it and it takes you up and you can see the whole of Weymouth.. There are also good things to see such as lullworth cove and durdle door which are specevtacular.. There is Portland bill which you can visit and you can go up the light house.. There is the sealife park which can be fun for little childeren, it's basicly a small aquarium which is quite pricey but you can go there for a whole day and there are lots of activitys to do, I would say though if you are going to enter the sealife park take a picnic because everything they sell is massively overpriced.. In Weymouth there are also lots of lovely calm sheltered costal paths to walk along and I'm sure the owner of whatever campsite you stay in will help you pick one.. There is the nothe fort which isn't that good in my opinion but if your into historical trype things then you could go to it.. But even so the nothe gardens are great And free! It's just like a lovely park that overlooks the sea..if you walk down the hill at the nothe slightly there are lots of rocks and stuff where you can go rock pooling and/or crabbing... If you are into crabbing the harbour is great.. You won't have to have been here before to know the best place because there will be other families so just ask where you should put your lines.. There are two piers that you could walk along and sit at one of them by the pavilion I wouldn't recommend because younge people go there(they mean no harm but just generaly language may not be great I front of your childeren..) but the other pier has a big sort of round thing you can walk up and look out of.. All of this is free btw.. And Weymouth town can be fun too.. You wouldn't travel miles to go there but it has a lot of cute little shops and cafés and is worth looking around.. I've not been to any campsites in the area yet (but I love the local area) but when are you going because I'm going to ewelease campsite on the 13-14-15 of august and can tell you if it's any good when I get back I've heard it's okay though ........ www.mumsnet.com/Talk/camping/2118935-Camping-at-eweleaze-campsite .......
I hope this helps (sorry for the long message)

At night they display these last light things that bounce across the water which look quite good.. And depending on what date you come there is the carnival (this is great but it makes Weymouth a lot buissyer so idk if you want to come then or not?!)
Omg also the land train is so muh fun.. I don't know the times of day that it is but it just goes up and down the prom so you might see it
And I forgot to say to get to the nothe you can walk around the harbour and over the bridge wich is good too.. But if you can spare a couple of £ then you can row over.. There are these cute little boats and I'm not sure it's probubaly about 3£ but a man can row you over which is so much fun especially for your childeren

Tir Bach farm in Pembrokeshire looks lovely.

We got to Eweleaze during August most years recently and though it is busy at the weekends, it is a lot less on the weeknights. If you want quiet and peaceful though it is not for you.

You might have to accept a bit more noise and a lot more tents than you are used to but no site I have been to in the summer could be described as hell. Far from it.

We always look for sites which dont have a clubhouse and have marked pitches for the summer hols. We have camped in cornwall and pembrokshire in August and had some amazing holidays and never been over crowded.

Avoid sites that open up a summer holiday field, as they will cram hundreds of tents on it back to back and not add addtional toilets/showers etc!

Happy Camping :-)

Pembrokeshire isn't hell in summer - it's a little more busy than the rest of the year, but really perfectly fine except August bank holiday weekend. Personally I'd go for north Pembs not south as it's always much quieter.

PM me if you'd like a couple of very quiet very basic campsite recommendations. Don't want to post them searchably!

Thank you, you've all made me feel much better and some great recommendations too. We don't actually hit this problem until next summer, can't believe I'm thinking about it already!

We are in the same boat Morehaste and I am worried too though more about cost next year than crowds, and less about camping here than in France as our summer weekend camps have alays been fine. But then, we avoid big commercial sites here anyway and go for ones with maybe just a ropeswing and the option to have a fire. That usually does the trick.

In France the last fortnight on our last non school holiday holiday, we saw a dramatic change in the site between the first week, end of June, and the second when the season started properly, so I do think a rethink in the places we camp in France at least is going to be necessary. Again though, that was a big site with waterslides and entertainment, so it does make a difference.

Hi Frozen, yes we've only done France once in June and it was lovely, but don't all French take holidays in July and August regardless of the age of their kids? I think some employers won't let them take two weeks in June so the problem must be worse in France. So glad to hear that weekends in uk have been ok for you though. We also avoid big commercial sites so fingers crossed all will be fine!

this place is lovely. You can see dolphins from your tent! We went in August 2 years ago and there was tons of room. Lovely owners too.

I came on to say Manor Farm in Norfolk too. We've been in high summer and it's never felt crowded. Fabulous beaches within easy reach.

Rosewall campsite at Osmington nr Weymouth is great. It's a gentle slope with view to the sea. Two shower blocks, shop and great staff.

Just down a little towards the sea is the Smugglers Inn.

Walks over to Ringstead bay and the freshest of milk at Craigs Farm Dairy.

Rosewall isn't one of these 6 week Pop-up campsites with very little in the way of facilities. The site is clean, well maintained and open for much of the year.

I've camped there as a child in the 80's, an adult in the 90's and as a parent after that.

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