Ideal Campsite

[dslippy]

If a camp site was looking to attract touring cyclists, what would you be looking for?

[BeeKeeper]

Picnic tables by the pitches:

[dslippy]

That was something I had already noted.

My thinking so far:
- small selection of bike repair tools - pumps stands spanners etc.
- spares bucket
- drying/washing room
- something to lock the bike to
- charging point(s)
- internet access/wifi at some point on the site
- local cycle routes info/suggestions

[al_yrpal]

Toilet tap and low prices

Al

[foxyrider]

well drained pitches
mown grass
good shelter from wind
some sort of kitchen facility - stove maybe a microwave possibly few pots and pans
some sort of lounge room - don't need much, few chairs/tables, power points

strange that most european sites offer some or all of these but hardly any in the UK!

[phil parker]

I've been quite pleased with most of the campsites I've stayed at over the last couple of weeks in the Western Isles and I'm just finishing off now on the mainland.

Things that really help are:

Flat even pitches with good drainage
Nice, modern showers and toilet facilities
sufficient laundry and drying facilities
Campers kitchen
A power socket to charge a mobile phone or Garmin etc.

The campers' kitchens have been godsends! Most have a kettle, some a microwave and some also have a double hob and pans & kitchenware.

[jags]

washing line
midge free site
picnic table close by.
camp fire wood burning stove.
reasonable prices £5to £8

[stewartpratt]

- Enough hooks in the shower cubicles to hang stuff on (dirty clothes, clean clothes, towel, wash bag, shower gel)... and enough space that they don't all get soaked whilst washing.
- Clean toilets. Properly clean.
- Clothes-drying facilities, good enough to get lightish kit dried overnight at least.

That'd pretty much do me, I think. Secure bike storage would be a bonus, as would use of the mains for charging gadgets.

I think what I'm trying to say is don't worry about the fancy features until you've got the showers and toilets top-notch. I would, without hesitation, trade all the workshop/kitchen/lounge/internet facilities you could mention, for a really good shower and a relaxing evacuation.

[rualexander]

Separate section for cyclists and walkers to avoid having cars and campervans manoevering around our small tents.

[dima]

- clean and convenient toilets and showers;
- picnic table near each pitch (which can also be used to lock the bike to);
- in midge country - closely and often mown grass - that really helps.

(One of the worst sites I've been on had badly mown grass so lots of midges, and a roaming flock of geese who shat everywhere.)

[irc]

Reasonable prices. I've turned round at the gate a few times after being quoted $35-$40 for one person a biker and a tent. I don't care how good the facilities are at that price.

After price - a level, shaded grass pitch, clean toilet block with showers, a picnic table and bench for each site. Useful but not essential are wifi and laundry facilities. An onsite shop that sells groceries and beer helps too.

[foxyrider]

Beer - now you're talking!

another thought - a site shouldn't be two miles up a dead end single track road in the middle of nowhere - whilst thats nice sometimes its a proper $%^&* after a good days ride!

Had a few like that in the Alps, 20% climbs at the end of the day - not fun however good the facilities are.

[foxyrider]

The campers' kitchens have been godsends! Most have a kettle, some a microwave and some also have a double hob and pans & kitchenware.

One site i visited in Denmark in 2011 even had a supply of FREE food in the kitchen! Now thats what i call a good facility! If i was going to Denmark again - which i might, i think i'll actually leave the stove at home as every site i used on that trip had good campers kitchen facilities and if there weren't i could always sponge off another camper!

[foxyrider]

If a camp site was looking to attract touring cyclists, what would you be looking for?

Are you looking at opening one? Or maybe a chain?

We await details with baited breath!

[alicej]

For us campsites are competing with the wild camping option, so I particularly want the things you don't get when camping wild.

Hot showers - I can't believe some sites don't have this, it's a major reason we stay at sites at all. Something to lock the bikes to (near the tent), and some kind of cafe so we can eat before we set off in the morning, or at least a van selling tea, or a kettle or urn somewhere in which case milk is very useful.

Being conveniently near a pub with real ale kind of suggests to us our whole plan for the evening - pitch at the site, cycle to the pub, charge phones, drink beer, fall into bed. We can rarely resist this if we see the pub and the site after about 7pm, or maybe even earlier if the pub also clearly sells good food.

Cost is also a major factor when we could choose to pay nothing at all to wild camp. I don't expect to pay the same for two people in a two berth tent as others are paying for a whole family, big tent, car parking and electrical hookup. In return I don't mind squishing our little tent into a small space somewhere when a site is full, as long as it's not right next to screaming kids.

I suspect that the easiest way to attract cycle tourists is to sell food and clearly advertise it near the road. It's very hard to cycle past a big sign saying "CHIPS" when you've been cycling all day for several days!