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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

How do you find a cheap campsite?

26 replies

ChristmasZombie · 09/08/2016 09:11

I've finally convinced DH to give camping a try but I'm struggling to find a campsite that backs up my claim that camping is a cheap holiday! We're looking to go either April or May next year, after a site with some things to help entertain the children (playground ideally, and a pool would be a bonus but certainly not essential), and don't need EHU. The cheapest I've found is £28 per person, per night! Is this the norm? I'm sure I've seen people on MN mention sites charging £15 per pitch per night, or even less. Am I fighting a losing battle here?

OP posts:
happy2bhomely · 09/08/2016 09:23

Where are you looking? I've never seen a campsite quote anywhere near £28pppn!

Most of the ones I've seen/been to have been around £10 per adult and 5 per child per night. The most recent one I've looked at was £40 per night for a 6 man tent.

Oblomov16 · 09/08/2016 09:38

Presumably it is France you are looking at?

We pay £30 per night for a family of 4, in the UK.

CatherineDeB · 09/08/2016 09:39

To get sites that are £15-20 a night you will be camping in a farmers field type site.

Loo and shower/washing up sink and a pitch generally.

If you are looking at swish playgrounds and swimming pools then yes, you will be looking at £20 upwards per person.

C&CC Certificated sites are fairly good value.

EskSmith · 09/08/2016 09:41

Are you sure it's not £28 per night? That's about normal for a site with good facilities. If you are not bothered about facilities camping and caravanning sites can be good, we've paid £11 per night for a family of 4.

roseteapot101 · 09/08/2016 09:43

its generally that price in half term or peak times but even worst for a hotel or holiday rental.I think i paid £250 for a week camping in cornwall with pool/on site beach

Unfortunately its cheaper than a caravan,holiday home or hotel so if we want to go away its all we can afford

PinkyPlumet · 09/08/2016 09:43

What?! We usually pay around £20 per up night!

Original poster
ChristmasZombie · 09/08/2016 11:19

Not France, although that's the plan eventually. Warwickshire and Gloucestershire sites. We're in Birmingham and don't want to have to drive too far.
Can anyone recommend a decent but cheap site within a three hour drive of Birmingham, please? Thanks!

OP posts:
KingsHeathen · 09/08/2016 11:28

Was it Kingsbury water park you were looking at? Within 3 hours, there's a lovely little campsite in Romsley (Clent) run by the caravan club, but there aren't many facilities.
We go down to Forest of Dean, which is a fantastic site. Travel is usually okay. Also mid Wales has lots of nice sites.

Wolfiefan · 09/08/2016 11:37

Tudor Caravan Park in Slimbridge? Short walk from WWT. Cattle country very close. £20 max without ehu (depends on time of year.)

Thumbcat · 09/08/2016 12:18

If you go to the ukcampsite website you can do a campsite search around a specific area. I doubt you'll find anything else as expensive as that!

redhat · 09/08/2016 12:19

You're reading it wrong. Its 28 per night not pp per night

JumpingGerbils · 09/08/2016 12:29

Not sure if it's too far away, but the opposite direction to Glocs, we camped at Grange Leisure Park in Mablethorpe a few years ago. It's a large site, with private statics and a couple of tourer fields. There isn't a pool but there is a play area, a sports court and a bar. We paid £17 per night for our tent (with EHU) and 4 of us, although it was 3 years ago. I have family who go every year and love it.

As pps have suggested, we also have used C&CC CSs, and only paid £10 - £15 pn.

Original poster
ChristmasZombie · 09/08/2016 13:13

Redhat, definitely not reading it wrong; I phoned up to check! It was Whitemead Forest Park. £28pp pn, £14 for children, under 2s free. And that was using my dad's discount as a member of the professional organisation who own the park! £70 per night for the four of us!

Will have a look at some of the suggested sites. Thank you.

Have also found Riddings Wood Caravan and Camping site, which looks pretty good and is £36 for all four of us for two nights in June, at the end of half term. It's only about 80 minutes drive, too. Anyone been here?

OP posts:
Original poster
ChristmasZombie · 09/08/2016 13:16

I've just reread my OP and realised I said that the £28 one was the cheapest! Obviously it wasn't, it was actually the most expensive, but the others I looked at were all similarly priced. Apologies for my misleading post!

OP posts:
CatherineDeB · 09/08/2016 13:30

How long would it take you to get to the Peaks?

Upper booth is nice, so is Field Head.

No play park but a stream and plenty of room to play. Neither expensive.

We are going in a minute and are paying £17.50 per night for three plus a dog, walking distance to Robin Hoods bay.

Berthatydfil · 09/08/2016 13:46

Whitemead isn't cheap but you have more facilities on site than your bog standard site so it's not much of a comparator

redhat · 09/08/2016 14:02

I think its because that one is more of a holiday park.

Ive booked two in wales today, on the beach for £30 per night (for four of us) and one in the midlands for £28 for a night (for four of us) so the prices you are looking at are not representative.

JustHappy3 · 09/08/2016 22:02

Umberslade Farm have camping - with access to the farm park (animals, playground etc).

AnnPerkins · 10/08/2016 09:27

If you want cheap and good location there's Stratford racecourse. £14 per night. Facilities are clean and handy for the stables and grandstand Wink

There's no playground but loads of space for kids to ride bikes, DS loved it. And it's linked by greenway to the town - about 10 minutes by bike.

Also only 10 miles from Warwick Castle. You can spend what you save on entry to that.

Berthatydfil · 11/08/2016 10:30

Go on uk campsite's talk forum also you could join one if the camping/caravaning clubs I think you get a directory of sites and member preferential booking rates.

Elefant1 · 11/08/2016 13:44

Whitemead is expensive, have you looked at Braceland campsite also in the forest of dean, it used to be good but not been there for years. This is a lovely site also in the forest though the facilities are a bit basic at the moment very friendly and relaxed www.greenacrescampsite.co.uk/index.php

TiggyOBE · 11/08/2016 21:20

Just found one that charges £5 per night.

They have a tap.

Milliways · 11/08/2016 22:39

If you are avoiding main school holidays join ACSI. You can then stay at somewhere lovely for a great deal. Eg Cotswold View here is €19/ night for 2 adults including electric and it has so much for kids to do onsite. With the exchange rate when we went cost us just over £16.
ACSI don't have many UK sites, but we joined for the cheap French sites and these were the bonus for weekends away.

beancounting · 12/08/2016 22:26

Our first foray into family camping earlier this year was to Rowlestone Court, just off the Hereford to Abergavenny road and about 1.5 hours drive from South Birmingham. It's on a dairy farm which makes its own ice cream (there is an ice cream parlour on site!) and the toilets and shower facilities were spotless although the site itself is just a field (not that level but pretty views). There is a great play area in the corner of the camping field (so you can supervise the children from the comfort of your camping chair) and also a woodland play area with zip wire etc. it cost £16 per night for our family of four.

MrsMulder · 12/08/2016 22:31

I have just booked a nights camping for £25 for 2 adults and 3 children (all over 3) I have never paid £28 per person! We stayed at Hendra holiday park in Newquay with a pool, play area, restaurants on site and paid £200 for all of us for 7 nights.