Cycling UK Forum

........good cycling access to nearby amenities.

Looking to drive to campsite with, reluctant, cycling partner and our two children then abandon the car for the week and use bikes as transport into nearby towns, beaches and anything else interesting.

Any suggestions?

Not been with the bike, but some years ago family camping near Keilder Water gave us lots to do.

Used Demesne farm campsite in centre of Bellingham loads of times.
Good centre to base yourself with excellent local amenities, and loads of places to visit and ride to including Kielder resevoir http://www.demesnefarmcampsite.co.uk/index.php.
Being a working farm they open when lambing finishes, so suggest contacting to find when they open.

I've used West Kyloe Farm near Lindisfarne - very good.

Northumberland is a very, very big place... If you choose to do Kielder/Bellingham, with reluctant companions, you're unlikely to be able to do the coast.

I haven't used it, but can I suggest Beal Barns:

http://barnatbeal.com/camping/

This is almost next to the sea and gives you a nice, flat bike ride to Lindisfarne (Holy Island - time it right, and you can be marooned there for the day); a ride of seven miles-ish each way along cliff tops and off-road tracks into Berwick (all the usual delights of a town, plus Town Walls, Barracks, etc to explore); and a ride of about 12-ish miles each way to Bamburgh (Castle and Grace Darling) and a little more to Seahouses (fish'n'chips).

If you do venture into forested areas, the midges bite from May to September...

We often go to the Camping and Caravanning Site at Beadnell, and I have been going there for years to camp by car and motorcycle. It's next to the village of Beadnell, with it's small shop and fabulous pub, and only a mile or so from Seahouses, with it's pubs, cafes, and small shops. It is just across the road from the beach, and being flat, has excellent access to loads of mini adventures, whether by foot or by wheel. We regularly see cyclists there, both individuals and families, so it clearly has loads to offer everyone, whether they are keen on cycling or not. Once I get my bike sorted, it will be one of the places I will go to when cycle camping locally.

We've stayed at the Bellingham camping and caravanning club site. It's a nice site run well by a group of helpful people.

This is a good site, NCN route 1 passes the entrance gate, I've stayed there a few times now.

http://www.proctorsstead.co.uk/index.htm