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!

We went to this one in May (see link below) and had a great experience. Probably not too far for you from Surrey/London.

It’s a big site and the pitches are very generous. Loos and showers very good and small shop on site. No bar or restaurant but food trucks some evenings and a couple of lovely pubs in walking distance with good food offerings. We were there on the May bank holiday weekend so there were loads of families. We didn’t have children with us but were able to have a relaxing and peaceful stay with our friends without it being spoilt by others. There was some noise from children in the daytime of course (and they have a playpark there), but all were well-behaved with parents who were properly parenting! No signs of drunkenness or rowdiness from anyone in the evenings, everyone was quiet by 10/11pm.

Just to comment on the posts re French campsites… we’ve been to dozens over the years (including Yeloh sites mentioned upthread) and almost always find them well-equipped and well-run. However, this summer in Brittany we had the worst experience we’ve ever had at any campsite ever, and it was French campers causing the problem! We were on a tiny, quiet site populated mostly by retired motorhomers. One night, a large French group had a party which went on late into the night and involved drunkenness, shouting, physical fights, boy-racer driving around the tiny campsite lanes and damaging/spitting on people’s vans. No warden on site and no one could get hold of campsite management or owners. It all eventually quietened down at 4am but it was fucking awful. The warden appeared the next morning to complaints from pretty much every camper on the site. He apologised profusely and promptly evicted the shouty Frenchies. In retrospect, we should have probably phoned the Gendarmerie when it all kicked off (although to be fair, despite them having kept us awake, we weren’t aware of the full extent of their behaviour until we chatted to fellow campers the next morning). So yes, while French campsites are mostly great, it just goes to show you can be subject to bad luck anywhere!

https://blacklandsfarm.co.uk/

Agree with PPs- pick as basic sites as you're prepared to work with. A few electric pitches and half decent showers is still usually a safe bet though. Read the reviews carefully, even if you aren't going to book via Pitch up you can still glean a lot. We stayed at a lovely site during the holidays and made a real point of saying in the review that owners were on site, involved, quiet times and other rules were respected by fellow campers, etc. As well as attracting like-minded people that can put people who won't follow the rules off so it's a double win!

If you want to PM me I can give you a few sites that we've found are nice to stay at (decent basic facilities) and not empty, but pleasant with it.

This one in East Sussex is also lovely. No set pitches so you just put your tent where you fancy. It’s pretty rustic though- no electric hook-up and the loos and showers are fairly basic. We’ve had a couple of lovely stays there in good weather. http://www.boathousefarm.co.uk/

NRTFT, so I don’t know if anyone has suggested joining the Camping and Caravan Club. They have larger club sites but also small sites for five caravans and ten tents. The smaller one are quieter.

Just to add we camp with our kids so we go to family friendly sites, if you get lucky/choose well then you get other families with kids that understand camping etiquette too and they play well together.

I’ve stayed on loads of sites with bars and they’ve been fine.

My favourite was in Charmouth. newlands holiday park.

Nice walk to the beach with fossil hunting, small camping field with electric hook up, small pool with slide, small bar with food.

Lots of places to visit nearby - Seaton tramway was a hit!

I never go in school holidays, won’t help you but I’ve found that most places are noisy in summer hols

We've never camped but I was just interested because we have often stayed in static caravans on sites that are quite big with amenities like pool, playground, restaurant and bar and evening entertainment until late. Yet we've never had any problems with noise. I've actually been more concerned about my own little ones disturbing others early in the morning / crying in the night tbh. Lots of families where we stay and haven't had any issues.

We don't use EHU, take a cold box with icepacks, campsites without EHU always have a freezer you can re-freeze them in or borrow them from and exchange when thawed. Coolbox kept in the shade with a wet towel over it, job done.

Our worst experience was in France too, it was a Camping Municipale for a stopover it was awful, toilets literally piled with shit, kids racing around on trail bikes, lots of people smoking weed. This was pre-internet and we'd thought we'd find it easy enough to find somewhere for a stopover but this was the only one in the area.

Les Castels were always fabulous though.

No, but people with children who want a bar, a play area, a pool etc, want a different experience to those with children who don't- it's a different demographic. Some families prefer the natural environment.

We like small sites. We've stayed at the following and loved them:

Blackberry woods - quirky accommodation but also small pitches for tents:
https://www.blackberrywood.com/

Henry's in Cornwall. Great use of landscaping to give secluded feel.
Henry's Camp Site https://share.google/LmioYaAisSnldcHET

Meidrim Meadows in South Wales. Not a campsite but a little shepherds hut with a meadow all to yourself. Great luxury price given the cost.

https://meidrimmeadows.co.uk/

Hope these help.

We went to a big place with a clubhouse, pool etc and were disturbed at around midnight by the sound of boots and torch beams outside the tent. It was the police who had been called to a disturbance outside the clubhouse. The bloke camping a few pitches down from us had assaulted his partner after drinking way too much and then run off. They were looking all over the site for him. So yes, if you want quiet avoid places with laid on entertainment. Our favourite campsite has been ruined by them expanding into onsite entertainment. Presumably they've had feedback requesting it but a karaoke night within a few metres of my tent is not great. The price has nearly doubled in the past few years too. Electric hook up is ace though - lamp, phone charging (I like to keep mine operational while away as a lone parent), electric airbed pump and mini fridge!

thanks everyone - taking notes of all the advice - really appreciate it!

I don’t really agree with avoiding campsites with playgrounds, some of the most lively and quiet ones we’ve been to have small playgrounds but I do agree with avoiding sites with bars or entertainment.

And definitely read the reviews carefully. I read one where the reviewer had given a site 10 out of 10 because the wardens didn’t enforce the rules and they could party all night.

Oh God this reminds me of the one camping trip my family took when I was about 7 and I still vividly remember it. One of the drunk adults had a terrifying crow like laugh that echoed through the campsite until about 2am. We were all miserable and went home early. I had nightmares about his laugh and him stumbling drunkenly past my side of the tent. Someone vomited too.

OP I dont think people generally mind small children being a bit loud and excited.

Either really basic or a caravan and camping club site. Definitely not one with a bar.

We joined the Camping and Caravan Club and went to the members-only sites - a much better, quieter experience.

We joined the Camping and Caravan Club and went to the members-only sites - a much better, quieter experience.

This made me smile as we were big UK campers, but once we’d camped in Europe, we could never camp in the UK again. OP, if you do go to a quieter site, no one minds a couple of kids getting loud and excited in the day. What is not good is huge groups with noisy kids and adults both at midnight and 4am

As others have said - no bar is key. Small play area can be ok. Look at overall pitch numbers - lower the better! Sites that don’t accept groups are a good indicator.
We always liked to be sure there were showers and loos and ideally washing up. We did go for electric hookup- and usually this was fine. Definitely read the reviews as this will give you a feel for the general vibe!
Don’t give up - our children loved our camping trips!

We’ve never had a bad experience at a Camping and Caravanning Club site, and have been to quite a few over the years. It’s also worth getting recommendations from friends (or from local Facebook groups/on here). I second the recommendation for Newlands in Charmouth - it’s our favourite and we’ve stayed there several times now.
Quiet/few facilities isn’t always best - we had a nightmare trip to a quiet rural campsite a couple of years ago, where it turned out most of the other ‘campers’ were travellers (in caravans) and there were generators running all night, shouting, fighting, cars screeching round the field. Some of them were puppy breeders and we couldn’t get into the single shower as it was taken up with a cage of neglected-looking puppies. The site manager did nothing as they were I believe connected in some way - but did at least give us a refund for the nights we decided not to stay. First time I’ve ever felt unsafe camping.

We have been to a family owned place in North Norfolk (Searles) a number of times and they would never tolerate this! They'd kick the miscreants out!

Actual National Trust campsites are good too (the one at Eskdale in the Lakes is particularly lovely).

@PaperLanterns if you like Norfolk, Kelling Heath is brilliant. It is a big site, but not like a holiday village vibe. 3 camping areas, 2 are dog free.

Its 300 acres in total (not allcamping! ) with loads of lovely woodland, sea views walks, bike rides. Great facilities. Does have a bar, shop, and evening music entertainment (live music) which stops at 9.30.

Thanks everyone - I think you’ve made me brave enough to try aga! I’ll be back to ask for advice!

we went touring in France and accidentally booked two separate Dutch owned camping sites. They were full of Dutch families. If you can cope with everyone being 6ft and 8stone - the couple next door were like two vacationing supermodels - it was the most orderly camping ever! The French love a late night drink and chat but those Dutch families were having little of that! Can’t think of the company but I imagine there are a few- they would be my top French camping tip! Some French sites are mainly British and it’s much more appealing to hear people telling their kids to share etc when you can’t understand the language. It felt like two holidays in one.