Camping (nice facilities but not glamping)

[Cavewomansue]

We need an inexpensive UK holiday this summer. We normally get a cottage in Norfolk, Suffolk, the Cotswolds or Yorkshire but am keen to do something different.

DH hated our one attempt at camping because of composting toilets and a shared shower block. Does anyone have any experience or ideas which won’t cost an arm and a leg but which would have either super clean shared facilities or a private bathroom? Needs to be spaced out pitches or quiet at night as well. Relaxed about location as long as nice places we can drive to.

Any ideas?

Castlerigg farm in Lake District was excellent when I went about 15 years ago. Clean loos, good showers, hairdryer points. We spent about 3 nights and I remember thinking it was a shame we didn't have longer. Look it up 😀

Sounds great. Thank you 😊

Coastal Meadows in Pembrokeshire and Park Cliffe in the Lake District both have private bathrooms available. Coastal Meadows only has a handful of pitches and each one is secluded. Park Cliffe is bigger but on the Fellside field you can choose where you pitch.

You may find a camping pod quieter so not glamping as such more hard shell camping , with benefit of no soggy tent to take down.

Langstone Manor Dartmoor is nice

These are great thank you - exactly the kind of options we are after. Please keep them coming and yes pods are an option too.

National Trust campsites are good. Try those.

Have a look at haven/park holidays - yes they are caravan sites but I stayed in a gorgeous pod at one of their sites (Carlton meres in Suffolk) they have a double bed and bunk beds, you take your own cooking stuff. They are warm and cosy and the breaks can be incredible cheap plus the pods tend to be away from the main site. You can also use the facilities such as pool, bar and restaurant etc. they also gave tent only parts on some
sites..
if you choose to camp (camped as a family for years and now kids ate adults, i still camp) then use
UK Campsite, it's a brilliant website
where you cam filter for the exact type of site you want plus honest reviews)

I did a quick search obviously they go up in high season but have a look at this link.

www.haven.com/search-results/touring?parkCode=LA&tots=0&children=2&adults=2&dogs=0&duration=7&hasAwning=false&length=4&arrivalDate=2024-04-26&type=Tent

Three Cliffs Bay down the Gower is beautiful.

https://threecliffsbay.com/

Ladram Bay in Devon has posher pods with their own bathroom it’s a site with facilities not a mega big one like haven

Honestly we like the idea of camping and did it for years pre kids but now more often than not in my 50s we just get a static caravan on really small sites so no clubhouse etc more in a farmers field with only a few vans. So it feels like camping but en-suite 🤣

southpenquite.co.uk is lovely!

Or on Facebook- South Penquite farm campsite, cornwall

Oh wow! So many people to thank some amazing leads! 🙏

To be honest, having stayed on dozens of different sites, the bathrooms have always been a little iffy, not because they don't clean them but because people constantly walk in with muddy shoes or covered in sand (location dependent!)

There's lots of beautiful and reasonably priced camp sites but you need to adjust your expectations (I've stayed on two mentioned here and they are lovely but your exacting facilities requirements won't be met, it's camping!

Eweleaze Farm is gorgeous with access to their beach abd they have petting animals and dog walks with their dogs. Little farm shop and pizza, they bring round hay bales, logs fir fires and decent showers and compost loos but they are clean and non smelly

The biggest thing that effects camping is the behaviour of the other campers. Can be nicest campsite in the world, but if you have the misfortune to be near a group of noisy, selfish, or obnoxious people, it can be hell.

You might like Camping and Caravan Club sites. We found them a bit restrictive.

The Hideaway campsite in Yorkshire has spotless toilets - they've won lots of awards for them - and is also a lovely site about 30 mins or so out of York.
Also has various glamping pods

Beacon Farm near Whitby has nice clean toilets and family shower rooms.

How many of you are there?

Nicholstan Farm on the Gower is brilliant. Excellent facilities, super clean and beautiful countryside and beaches. Highly recommend it!

The shower and toilets at Nicholaston Farm are amazing. Nicest I've seen.