Cycling UK Forum

Have had a request for a sticky thread where people can give a mention to good, cycle-friendly campsites (or, indeed those that are not).

Normal review rules apply: just give us the facts, especially if it is a negative review, and try to keep the thread on topic as it's meant to be a resource and so should be easy to skim through. Perhaps we could start each post with something like:

Campsite name: <name here>
Location: <adress / grid ref>
Fees: <£££>
Facilities: <list of cycle-friendly/unfriendly facilities>
Comments: <recommended or not, with reasons>

Turriff Caravan Park.

Station Road
Turriff AB53 4ER
(on Sustrans Aberdeen to Inverness route).

Two Man Tent £9.50 Sometimes unofficial discounts to solo bike tourers.

Site has an on site warden.

Site is within town boundary. Easy walking distance to supermarket pubs. Some traffic noise. Good level grassy pitches with picnic tables. Superb showers. Laundry facilities.

Highly recommended.

http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/caravan ... urriff.asp

If this is a sticky does it need a separate one for each country as I would like to nominate Camping La Pointe at Chateaulin, Brittany, France. The site is very quiet and very close to the banks of the Nantes-Brest canal although on the opposite side from the tow path but is easily reached by crossing the bridge in the town, which is less than a km away. Really helpful British owners who will issue a plastic chair and table to cyclist and walkers so you don't have to scrabble around on your knees - pure luxury. The loo block to be honest could do with a bit of redecorating in places but the pitches are grass and mostly enclosed by hedges. It is a small site so even with a bike probably best to book ahead in high season.

Campsite Name: Pennine View Caravan & Camping Park
Location: Station Road, Kirkby Stephen CA17 4SZ...OS Map Ref...772 075
Fees: prices from £7-£8, depending on size of tent.
Facilities: Clean Toilets, Free Showers & Laundry.
Comments: Clean & friendly, the site is level & grassy. No shop on site, but plenty of shops nearby. Pub just over the main road, does meals. No secure lock-ups, but there are fences to lock the bike to.

Ideal stop-over enroute on LE-JOG or Coast to Coast.

Highly Recommended, 5/5

There's even more campsite recommendations (or not) on this thread I started a little while ago.

Good topic, and one that probably deserves more than just a thread, especially (as has been suggested) if various other countries are included.

I think it would be helpful if reviews included:

(1) Noise levels at night (the curse of the British campsite)
(2) Whether drunken barbecuing yobbos are allowed on
(3) Some photos of the pitches and facilities
(4) Whether it's advisable to book in advance
(5) Whether they have spaces for small tents, especially on caravan-dominated campsites
(6) Whether they have a shop

This is potentially a big topic.

I have just been on-line and on the phone to numerous campsites in preparation for my next cycle-camping tour of about 16 days and I've had mostly good responses, although one or two negative ones.

Of particular note - a nice proprietor of the Camping and Caravan Club at Moffat, Scotland told me that all C&CC clubs will treat cyclists as backpackers and therefore you don't need to be a member, there is a reduced cost and they will really try to accommodate you - this stretches back to their heritage of many years ago when they started out as a back-packing camping club. I was quoted a fee of £8.35 at this site.

I also note that National Trust campsites also have a £5.00 'green' deduction for back-packers, which includes cyclists and travel by non-powered boats.

phil parker wrote:I also note that National Trust campsites also have a £5.00 'green' deduction for back-packers, which includes cyclists and travel by non-powered boats.

That's interesting. It's surprising how few institutions and events with green pretensions offer this kind of concession ( I always ask and usually receive a blank incomprehending stare. Best example was a craft/folk/all-things-green festival which was cheaper to enter four-in-a car than individually by foot or bike. They couldn't believe I'd come on a bike, it was all of 2 miles from the nearest town!).

when this thread really takes off I wonder if it will be of any practical use, since looking through an unsorted random list of all the campsites in the country 10 per page in the hope of finding some relevant to one's trip does not sound quick or easy.

Huntly ,aberdeenshire

a brilliant campsite with free showers and big toilet block all nice and clean, comfy turf , 1/2 mile from town centre, less from supermarkets.

boris wrote:when this thread really takes off I wonder if it will be of any practical use, since looking through an unsorted random list of all the campsites in the country 10 per page in the hope of finding some relevant to one's trip does not sound quick or easy.

Huntly ,aberdeenshire

a brilliant campsite with free showers and big toilet block all nice and clean, comfy turf , 1/2 mile from town centre, less from supermarkets.

This thread may be unsorted, but its a start...

Lets hope it can develop into something better

Al

IRELAND,
Lough Ennell in Mullingar.
family run,
very good rates 7.50 euro
great showers 1 euro needed but worth it,
great shop and restaurant.
no pub, nearest one is 6 km away .
great for fishing if you like that (big lake)
overall very good but a pint before bedtime would be nice.
rating
4.8 /5

I recently stayed a night at Riverside Park east of Malvern.
When I arrived I cycled down the driveway to the house/reception to check in, paid my £10 (eek!), and the owner advised me that I would have to walk with my bike up to the camping area because cycling on site was not allowed! When I asked why, she said that their insurance wouldn't cover them if there was an accident.

Northumberland. (On the Coast and Castles route)

Dunstan Hill. Camping and Caravan Club site.
Nr Alnwick. NE66 3TQ. phone 01665 576310

Quiet,sheltered level pitch, Site close to Embleton for pub. Good toilet block. Cost £4.90 but I am a member. Non member from £5.80 to £8.35 depending on season.

Wiltshire.

Devizes.
Camping & Caravan Club. Spout Lane Nr Seend. Melksham. Wiltshire.SN12 6RN. 01380 828839.

Level site sheltered by trees and hedges. Good toilet block. Site well managed and quiet.
Yards from Three Magpies PH where good food and Wadsworth beers can be had. Adjacent to Kennet and Avon Canal and access available from lane next to site. Cost £7.15 to £8.45 to non members.

boris wrote:when this thread really takes off I wonder if it will be of any practical use, since looking through an unsorted random list of all the campsites in the country 10 per page in the hope of finding some relevant to one's trip does not sound quick or easy.

al_yrpal wrote:This thread may be unsorted, but its a start...

Lets hope it can develop into something better

Al

Good points.

I think we would be doing ourselves a favour if we try to keep some structure to the entries though. If this does grow into a genuinely useful resource, it would be difficult to modify later. Some sort of form entry would be best. Failing that, provided that country, county, nearest town etc are listed, it should be quite searchable.

I know there are other camp site review sites but there are as many types and styles of camping as there are cycling. Hopefully our cycling specific viewpoint would be more prominent here.

Thanks for the info re C,C&C & NT phil, I didn't know that.