Cycling UK Forum

Plenty of campsites in Norfolk if you know where to look but mainly round the coast. If you cant find what you want pm me for local info, I might be able to help. If you haven't alrady looked on CampsiteUk then do so . It lists most of them.

Another alternative look into Warmshowers! Low or no cost,less kit to carry (no tent),with cycling hosts to stay/talk with !

thing to bear in mind is that some/most campsites in wales and england (I dont know about scotland or ireland) put up their prices during school summer holiday periods
in England this is about mid-july to end august
the increase can be as much as 100% - will be interesting to see how much sites in SE increase prices during the Olympics since hotels in london are apparently doubling their prices

some if not all campsites are marked on OS maps with a tent icon
some caravan sites will let you camp with a tent, these are marked on the OS maps with a caravan icon
sometimes you have both icons so will have both types of pitches

be careful using old OS maps though, some campsites i have rolled up to have closed down

the increase can be as much as 100% - will be interesting to see how much sites in SE increase prices during the Olympics since hotels in london are apparently doubling their prices

Only doubling ?

The London (Stratford) Travelodge is indicating a max of around £480 (sic) per night in early August. Yes, a Travelodge ! The last one cost me £10.

Olympics ? Bah .. humbug !

If you want to take camping gear on an audax bike, it has to be light. For a UK trip outside the cold season this means 15 kg maximum, but preferably less. That is easily possible without serious discomfort, and if you buy carefully and are prepared to spend some money, 12 kg is achievable in comfort. The trick is to first reduce volume as much as possible, to fit everything comfortably into two rear panniers. This is principally done with the sleeping kit. A Thermarest Neoair Allseason mattress packs into a tiny volume, and is warm and comfortable. An Exped Synmat Basic 7.5 is a cheaper alternative that is just as warm, but not as light and small. A PHD Minimus 300 sleeping bag will similarly cover the entire temperature range you are likely to encounter, in a tiny volume. Cumulus do cheaper bags in this style. The lightest stoves are either top of the canister ultralight gas stoves such as the Primus Express (get the Duo version for both screw and bayonet valved canisters). For short trips alcohol stoves like the Clikstand or the Caldera cone are convenient. For real meals I prefer the Trangia 27 UL HA. Tents come in a wide range. Ultralight solo tents like the Terra Nova Laser (often available at their website at sale prices) or the Vaude Powerlizard are about 1 kg. But they are tiny. If you want more space, a small two person tent is far more comfortable. If money is not an issue, the 1700 gram Hilleberg Anjan 2 is ideal. Panniers also come in different sizes and weights. For the truly ultralight campers, a 1kg Carradice Camper Longflap may be all you need. In panniers, I think the Pacific Outdoor LTW small (36 litres a pair, at just over 1 kg) may well be ideal. It is a bit smaller than most rear panniers, but still large enough for the minimalist. And it is much lighter than e.g. a 1900 gram set of Ortlieb Classics Backrollers. The tent can go on top of the rack, so here, volume is not as critical as the volume of the stuff that has to go inside the panniers. And remember, whatever you buy, you are likely to earn back the investment in one or at most two summers. And it is so much more fun than B&B's.
Willem

My lightweight camping kit weighed in at 9kg. That only includes enough food for one meal (for in case of missing shops).
I still use an old roll up mat (£4, 250g) rolled up with the tent poles in and put along the top of the rack.

The difference is that I camp only to allow me to cycle longer distances rather than cycle to enable me to camp. This means my camping gear is very simple and lacks most of those "essential gadgets" other campers spend a small fortune on. Much of my kit is expensive but I dont have much of it.

I agree: less is more. If you leave home all those 'handy' things that you do not need, you can save quite a bit of weight and volume. One pair of shoes is enough, as is one pair of long trousers. You do not need a chair. You do not need a tea kettle or an electric shaver. Nor do you need shampoo for a month, etc. A small fiber towel will do just fine. It all adds up. The real comfort for me is in a comfortable mattress and a warm enough sleeping bag, plus a roomy and reliable tent and a stove that I can cook fresh real food on.
Willem