How do you choose quieter family campsites after a difficult first trip?

[PaperLanterns]

We’ve just been on our first camping trip as a family of four - I’ve got 2 DS (7 and 5) and it was a nightmare. We’ve hired motorhomes around Scotland and Norfolk and glamped in a couple of places and really enjoyed the vibe so I bought a tent off eBay (Berghaus 4XL) and kitted up.

The problem wasn’t the kit.

It was the other campers. People were staggering about drunk around the play area, smoking, the amount of shouting and swearing that was going on (from the adults and even more alarmingly, the young kids) made me cringe - my kids aren’t used to this. People just camped where they liked, ignored the rules about gas and bbqs due to the drought and a dog in the field behind barked all day and all night. We paid for four nights and we stuck with it - going for big days out on day 2 and 3 but it’s made me really concerned about going again.

I know this makes me sound snobby but I’m a DDSL in a school and spent the whole time wondering if I should be reporting people.

I guess what I’m asking is - is there a hack to choosing campsites? We went for this one because it had a play area, electric (first time campers making it easier) and walking distance of a National Trust and heritage railway. There was also a 10pm noise shutdown (didn’t happen) and wardens were meant to patrol.

It was just disappointing as it took loads to convince DH to come along with this and then was a disaster!

Ones with more facilities are more likely to be like this in my experience. Especially if there is an on site bar or restaurant.

Go somewhere v off grid. I went alone to a Suffolk yurt. It was silent and so incredible. Lookup Walberswick.
Ps I'm a teacher too and that would have had me on edge!!!

Teacher here! Avoid places with play areas! Keep it simple - that way you’ll have a better experience. Have been camping for years and only once have had to deal with anti social behaviour 😬

We go to out of the way places with very few facilities and those sites don't tend to attract those sort of families (loud with kids).

Scotland is good for these!

Make sure there is no entertainment- bar / live music etc. Smaller are better. Read reviews. Caravan club / camping club are a bit more dignified

We prefer a quieter site also and I find reading reviews or websites carefully. I.e. if the reviews say ‘very quiet with not much for kids to do’ then it’s for me! If it has an onsite bar then it’s likely to be livelier. Smaller family run places generally are better for rule following. Ones that don’t allow groups or stags/hens.

Smaller, more basic sites. I write this from a large site with play area and bar! Not our usual kind of place. Google Earth can give you a good idea too.

If you can fork out for travel I’m in a campsite in France at the moment - -Yelloh village- and it’s nothing like you describe. All very civilised and well behaved. Mix of British and French. Yes it costs more than a UK camping trip but tho.

Yes, we used to cross off anywhere with big play areas or with too many facilities on site. Look carefully at site maps (most places have one if you google) to see how many pitches there are and how close together they are. Read webpages carefully and don't be afraid to call and ask whether they are genuinely quiet and peaceful sites.

The more rustic and rural the better but it's still not a guarantee that you won't be unlucky with who's next to you - it's more about how the campsite deals with noise and disrupting others.

I love camping but don’t like other campers. We’ve never had any issues at caravan and camping club sites. I think because the wardens live on site and because people tend to be members so it’s not like you can trash the site then disappear with no comeback.

Yes, it had a bar in it that shut at 10pm. I was looking at quieter ones but my boys can be a bit loud and we went to a camping and caravanning site in Scotland when they were little and I was really worried about disturbing other campers.

I want them to be able to play without shushing them every five mins but also, not hear the family opposite, sharing their views on refugees with their family at the top
of their lungs or kids screaming next to my tent at 10:30pm

Never with a bar. Never. You do get a feel after a while - I like back to nature sites with space to play. Loads around. Avoid too many play areas, big shops and bars. They are the noisy ones

You come on mumsnet, tell us where you want to go and we give you recommendations!

(I’ve found some lovely campsites this way!)

How about Youth Hostel camping? Most only have about a dozen spaces/pitches, if that. There is the added attraction that you should have some inside space if the weather turns.

Okay, I think I’m getting this now! Bars are strictly off the list.

Avoiding weekends as much as possible too. And the less facilities (and more expensive) the better, tent only if possible. We stayed in a lovely off grid site which allowed campfires and there was a gituar man. He played well, but at 2am I wanted to beat him with the gituar.

Oh which one!? We did a yelloh in Brittany and adored it!

We stayed once on a big site with an entertainment complex and it was awful, never again.

Best places for camping are on farms. Very peaceful but some need you to be totally self contained, have stayed at a few of them or they have very basic facilities.

Avoid anywhere within walking distance of a pub. Avoid electric hookup people use it for amplified music or TVs. Look for places that don't allow big same sex groups (or big groups at all).

large / multiple play areas, entertainment and bars onsite seems to be the things to avoid that we have found over the last few years. Smaller campsites are better too.

Sometimes its trial and error and sometimes its down to who is staying. Sometimes its hard as we actually want some of the things above (esp if camping just us and the kids) so its a fine line between nicely lively and overly rowdy.

We have a great little campsite halfway between me and my parents. Its smallish, no bar onsite but a small playground. 90% of the time it is fine. The last time we visited they had a rowdy group who despite being told what felt like a hundred times, didn't shut up talking very loudly until midnight. It was their last night so seemly didn't care anymore. I owners apologised the next day on their walk around.

More basic the better. No clubhouse, bar, entertainment, preferably quite basic shower facilities and no or limited hook ups will generally improve your chances.

Are these all UK experiences? We camped for years in France mainly all up and down the western coast and never had an issue at all. These were usually 4-5* sites and we always had electric (how do you keep stuff cold otherwise?!)

National Trust campsites can be very very quiet but they almost never have electric hookups.

We prefer quiet, more natural campsites.

Any mention of playgrounds, entertainment, clubhouse, bar, organised activities and we will not be staying there!

Look at Tripadvisor reviews - choose one that shouty, thick-sounding people say is rubbish.