CAMP SITES: the Good, the Bad and the....End of Year Updates

[CREPELLO]

I don't think there is a list of cyclist friendly UK campsites on the CTC website or on the forum so may I suggest this could be a good place to publicise the pitch with the perfect view, the rip-off nightmare sites and (optional), those that are just remarkable for some other remarkable reason - the farmer that breeds giant lizards, for example .
Could tourers post up any obscure sites (not shown on OS maps) that they've found in areas that are otherwise not well catered for, near cities for example? There must be a few of those.
Just keep it simple, clear and factual - i.e. don't libel anyone!

So I'll start with these

*Good:Elm Farm campsite, on the B3300 near Portreath - http://www.elmfarm.biz. An organic farm site run by a young enthusiastic couple in the mold of Jimmy Doherty (of T.V.s Jimmy's Farm), it's facilities are minimal, but in it's favour, it does have a good well stocked farm shop AND a well run cycle hire/workshop there. It's ideal if your End to End is starting late in the day, as mine did. After the glorious rolling hills of the north Cornish coast road from Land's End (B3306 then B3301), it rounds off a modest start to the big ride. I was able to get some advice and borrow tools from the workshop to fix a niggle on my bike.

*Bad: The council run site at Nairn. £21 for a pitch , on a cramped piece of ground next to the facilities block that looked more bald than a cricket wicket, i.e, no grass. I was greeted by the security guard and told the bad news, when a very kind South African couple invited me to stay on there £21 pitch FOC (thanks guys, wherever you are) - the security guard said nothing!

*Bizarre: I'm sure there are more bizarre than this out there: The campsite just west of Llandysul (A486), S Wales. It's a descent site largely used by gypsy travellers, with a large flat green and functional facilities. The many kids there were inquisitive, but perfectly friendly. The old boy farmer running it seemed to have his mind on other things and his house is now the pig sty whilst he lives in a big static caravan like everyone else there. "Pay me in the morning" he said cheerily.

So there you go. Place your Good, bad and the bizarre of camp sites here and let everyone else know.

[Si]

Good idea!
should we get a good list going I'll put a link to the thread in "Too good to lose".

[PW]

There's a good one at Applecross for those daft enough to ride the Bealach Na Ba.
When I turned up soaked to the skin & frozen stiff, to find a "Full up, sorry for any inconvenience" sign, they took one look at me, pointed me straight at a hot shower and told me to pitch anywhere I liked.
There's a cafe inside a horticultural polytunnel, the food's great, beer and free internet available, local musicians some nights and there's also a top notch real ale pub down in the village.

[fossil]

http://www.woodyhyde.co.uk/index.html


if your passing through Corfe castle / Swanage , and you want a no frills camp site i can wholehartedly recomend woodyhyde

the wife has been going there since she was small enough to fit in a shoe box , and to be fair the site has'nt changed much since

there is no pitch allocation , i'ts cheep as chips and the scenery is second to none

( if you live in none , i appolagise )

[IGrahamL]

I used these two on a recent JOGLE, used others as well but these two were a bit unusual - in a nice way.

Somerset, Taunton, Tanpits Cider Farm Caravan & Camping Park. An unusual place, was a cider farm, not too sure if it is now? Certainly has the look of a working farm – gear all over the place. Pick your own spot to camp under the apple trees, there’s rabbits, peacocks, geese and chickens wandering around, the site is quite laid back, almost tranquil.
I've seen a few bad reports on this site, mainly for unclean facility's, but they were ok when I was there

Devon, Highampton, Hole Station campsite, tents only, cars are left in the car park and the ethos is green. It’s only been open since April and the shiny enthusiasm is evident. Set in a forest with a wooden board walk winding its way to the different pitchers and amenities. The owner walked me around pointing out the fixed and rentable tents and the places free for your own tent. Fires are ok and I can see people sitting around smoking fires – well I can see the smoke anyway.

Worst was a wild camp besides Loch Doon, should have been good but was the opposite. Lots of rubbish lying around (including old used nappies) and during the night, pissed up local lads wandering around – free isn't everything.

[jayd]

Good: Scourie, Sutherland - good pitches, nice view, handy pub, clean showers, reasonable price
Bad: Lairg, "Dunroamin" ( ) Sutherland - soggy 'n' boggy with dratted coin-op shower.

Can't think of any strange ones.

[PW]

Scourie seconded.

[AMC]

Somerset, Taunton, Tanpits Cider Farm Caravan & Camping Park. An unusual place, was a cider farm, not too sure if it is now?

I stayed here a couple of years ago, I liked it, quiet & peaceful except that the owner said not to pitch my tent under the apple trees as the apples were coming down, it being that time of year. There didn't seem to be any non tree space but I did my best not to pitch directly under the trees. All night I was plagued by nightmares of falling rocks, which of course were apples bouncing off my tent. You woulsn't have that problem any other time of year. Anyway, I got to eat loads of them, sweet & tasty, so I'd definitely go back...

[BruceJ]

Scourie thirded. We've stayed there many times in recent years - fine and handy for the Kylesku, Skiag Bridge, Lochinver (for Pie Shop), Drumbeg circuit.

[rualexander]

This is a very good site :
http://www.faichemard-caravancamping.co ... psite.html

Its a couple of miles west of Invergarry, handy for Great Glen Cycle Route, etc.
No children allowed! Peace and quiet.

[james01]

My ideal campsite would have a 100% car-free area for lightweight campers ( after a horrendous night on a surfers' campsite on the Gower I have a phobia about my tent being run over by a drunk driver ).
For seekers of peace & quiet it should have a "quiet" field (no radios, no late noise etc).

[Si]

For seekers of peace & quiet it should have a "quiet" field (no radios, no late noise etc).

Amen to that!
This is what puts me of camping at many popular sites - the noise. Had the unfortunate experience to be on one recently that was full of what I can only describe as neo-campers (tents bigger than my house, no idea how to put them up, Halfords labels on everything, all the car doors flung open and sterio on full blast). While I welcome more people camping I really wish they'd show some thought for their fellow site occupiers. I assume that a number of them are camping because they can't aford to go to Ibeza this year, but that's not going to stop them partying all night and all day.

[CREPELLO]

Good: The site at the Centre for Alternative Technology 5 miles north of Machynlleth is very attractive tents only IIRC. It's good value and quiet with a friendly manager.

The only mistake I made (it was one of my first night's cycle camping) was to set up camp next to the river on a beautiflluy peaceful summer's evening. I settled down to make my evening meal with a few midges buzzing around. Twenty minutes later, the meal cooked, I was scrambling into the tent in considerable distress at not being able to see in front of me for the black cloud that had slowly desended over me.

Bad: East of Mark, on the B3139, nr Cheddar, £16 PN, IIRC. Rip Off... See reference below.

Bizarre:This should go under bad, but read on>

For seekers of peace & quiet it should have a "quiet" field (no radios, no late noise etc).

Amen to that!
This is what puts me of camping at many popular sites - the noise.

There is a very large site at Cheddar with full shop/club facilities, ie it's loud and lively, but family orientated. After cycling over 100 miles I was desperate to find a site after deciding I wouldn't pay a site owner £16 for a very dull and unremarkable site. Of the 3 at Cheddar, it was the only one that would accommodate me. I was first tol it would cost me £18 , I said I only had ten pounds and the manager came out. He turned out to have been a proffessional cyclist who'd held the LEJOG record sometime in the nineties (forgotten his name now ). He asked me if my LEJOG was sponsored and I said it wasn't. If you do LEJOG sponsored and have docs, they'll let you camp for free . He charged me £10. Good facilities and expert cycling advice.

[Graham]

Following an uncharacteristically bad stay at the KM Rally site, I legged it across to Carlisle.

There were a number of campsites to choose from, but I headed for one a couple of miles outside the city on the smallest/quietest country lane.

Green Acres Caravan Park is a paradise of tranquility.
I had a huge field pretty much to myself. All the caravans dotted around the edge of the field were unoccupied.
Note: On the website they state that it is for "Adults Only" meaning exactly that ( and not what your imagination might want it to be )
I think I paid £6 ( although the shower was a 50p coin slot job, which wouldn't even deliver a cold shower unless I fed it ).

Bloody brilliant. Their target market is for older people who want a pleasant, quiet time and a good night's sleep.

Edit : Their tariffs on the website states £8 for a small tent.

[Basil W Bloke]

*Bizarre: I'm sure there are more bizarre than this out there: The campsite just west of Llandysul (A486), S Wales. It's a descent site largely used by gypsy travellers, with a large flat green and functional facilities. The many kids there were inquisitive, but perfectly friendly. The old boy farmer running it seemed to have his mind on other things and his house is now the pig sty whilst he lives in a big static caravan like everyone else there. "Pay me in the morning" he said cheerily.

Blimey! I never noticed a camp site there. There again, it's not the sort of thing you look for so close to home.

Anyway, I doubt it exists now, or for much longer. They're currently in the process of building the Llandysul by-pass right through there.