Ideal Campsite

[gloomyandy]

Having just returned from a week of using various sites along the way of the roses, for me...
* Don't require membership of some sort of camping club.
* reasonable prices (most I paid was £10 and for that I also got breakfast - seems good to me)
* a promise that a lone cyclist will not be turned away (even on bank holiday weekends)
* picnic tables
* clean toilets and showers
* a kitchen area (having a kettle really helps too)
* power points to charge things
I don't think any of the sites I visited offered all of the above, one or two offered most of them and they were the best nights of the week.

Andy

[FatPunkOnBike]

Ideal campsite?
1. No midges
2. Flat pitches
3. Covered area in which to cook or shelter
4. Clean, warm and free showers
5. Well stocked shop
6. Kelly Brook and Vicky Pendleton looking to share their beer and listen to music by The Clash!

[nmnm]

I've camped more in France than uk but my universal advice would be to put more hooks in the shower cubicles. The sites with areas away from cars were great - nothing worse than waking to reverse lights on the tent.

[shane]

Fresh water, cold beer and not another person for 100 miles

And if only 2 out of 3 of those conditions can be met then I'll just take the shaded spot with en-suite bathroom and kitchen


Ensuite campsite Sessriem by shanecycles.com, on Flickr

[andymiller]

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

Not to mention endless slamming of doors and boot hatches.

[sedda]

The photo in the original post looks familiar, is it Ouessant by any chance? Loved the island, loved falling asleep to lapping waves and distant foghorn but not too keen on the tokens for the showers or the few steps down (down which I fell) to the site.
http://sarahsjogle.blogspot.co.uk/2011/ ... t.html?m=1

[BeeKeeper]

The photo in the original post looks familiar, is it Ouessant by any chance?

It is indeed - story here: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page ... 88226&v=21

The steps at the camp entrance are a hazard for the unwary. Tokens for the showers also a pain as the office is only open for a very short time each day just after the boat arrives so if you want another token - tough.

[PhilWhitehurst]

Bike stand next to my pitch to lock bike against. Laundry facilities. Shop. Bar. USB charging at pitch. Flat. Website so I can plan ahead

[psmiffy]

Ive camped at campsites on tour for about 500 nights in Europe in the last 15 years most of which were one night stays and only on the same campsite about 3 times – campsites come and campsites go – I don’t have a concept of an ideal campsite – just minimum requirements – well drained, relatively flat place of adequate size to put the tent – sit down toilet – hot shower and running water to cook and wash up with - lack of biting insects – facilities after that generally are superfluous and generally add to the price – as for noise on campsites I’m fairly hard of hearing.

[Slowroad]

Interesting reading!
I like a variety of sites. The bottom line would be a clean quiet(ish but it's nice to see and hear other folks enjoying camping) flatish spot for the tent, clean loos and hot showers and a sink to wash up in, plus somewhere I can lock my bike, like a fence.
Next up it's nice to have a view, nothing special, just some distance in front of my tent (and nobody parking across it!).
Every few days it's good to stay somewhere where you can wash and dry clothes. I like the Camping and Caravanning Club sites for this, and they do say they'll never turn a cycle tourist away.
It's been nice on the odd occasion I've had the use of a kettle, and kind that the same site had a small sitting area - but funnily enough I prefer sitting in my tent!
It's got increasingly expensive to camp, and as a lone cyclist I try not to pay over £8.50.
Finally it's great if the site is in the right place - but one of the best sites I stayed at is up a hill out of Barnstaple so I'll forgive that!
Overall the variety is great, I'd hate it if they all got too similar.

[PT1029]

Near but not under a tree (help keep the dew off, but won't drip on you when it's finished raining), plus somewhere that catches the morning sun to help dry the tent before I leave. Its the morning sun which most determines where I pitch (assuming I have a choice).
Oh yes, as I have not resolved the camping seat issue, something to sit on (brieze blocks do fine, but not to carry around!)

[bikepacker]

One of my favourite campsites is Invercoe near Glencoe. It has a great brick built cooking and eating area, (shown in picture) free showers and lovely loch side location.