Finding campsites in UK

[graham bowers]

I'm intending to do some solo touring in the UK this year using roads and the national cycle network and camping, probably up to 4 or so nights out in England / Wales, at least at first.

How do people find campsites these days? I've found some internet resources and also see that many sites require Camping and Caravan Club membership, and also many seem to be aimed at "family camping" with prices to suit.

Anybody care to share experience of the best way to find quiet, simple and cheap sites please? I've spent quite a bit of time on this and am just going round in circles, so wonder if I'm missing a trick?

Thanks

Graham

 

[Tom B]

I have the same question.

Do people generally book way in advance and be tied to a schedule and making locations or just make it up as you go along based on a loose plan.

 

[graham bowers]

I'd prefer to have a list of potential spots than ideally just turn up, or phone ahead on the day. I suspect this may lead to "disappointment".

 

[cosmicbike]

Depends greatly on where you are planning on going. There's a good few farms out there that offer simple, no thrills camping. Might be worth trying pitchup.com?

 

[psmiffy]

If Im cycle camping I just turn up - Car camping I ring ahead - for locating campsites Archies camping app is your friend - Ive got it both on Android and Windows 10 - opening dates are pretty reliable in the UK - not always so in Europe - but i suppose the geezer who runs it can only work with the data he is given

 

[graham bowers]

Thanks cosmicbike. I had found pitchup.com. One idea is to cycle from home to Aberystwyth. Looking at sites within 15 miles of Telford (possible frst overnight stop) throws up four, in the £12 to £16 range. When I dug deeper it seems that some of the sites have used internet prices that are "examples" based on 2 people, but it is possible to book for 1 at half that price. Others seemingly not, but I have sent a couple of emails to enquire.

psmiffy, thanks, I'll check archies.

 

[oldwheels]

Camping & Caravan club have a good discount for members and have a pretty small charge for one person plus small tent. Trouble is they are often not in the most convenient places. There is a network of certificated sites but they often do not have toilets or showers tho' that is tending to change a bit nowadays. You have to check tho' as they will probably not take you in unless they have such facilities.

 

[MarkF]

I've never booked a site yet in the UK and would be a tad miffed if I was turned away from one, there's always somewhere for a 1 man tent.

 

[robing]

If Im cycle camping I just turn up - Car camping I ring ahead - for locating campsites Archies camping app is your friend - Ive got it both on Android and Windows 10 - opening dates are pretty reliable in the UK - not always so in Europe - but i suppose the geezer who runs it can only work with the data he is given

How do these apps and websites compare with using Google maps?

 

[psmiffy]

How do these apps and websites compare with using Google maps?

Main thing is you can look ahead and see immediately where the campsites are - the app doesnt have 100% of the campsites - (there is an option for the user to add campsites) - but neither does google maps - the apps not perfect and if im stationary and have internet I use google as well - over the short time ive been using the app it has improved - ie visual indication of what campsites the app has information for being closed - sites are greyed out - plus there now is a w10 version - It would be nice if there was someway in the app that i could bluetooth or for that matter send over a wire the POI to my garmin

 

[Blue Hills]

You can also get archies as a POI file to install on garmins - no internet connection needed.

sorry if I've missed/misunderstood something.

 

[robing]

Main thing is you can look ahead and see immediately where the campsites are - the app doesnt have 100% of the campsites - (there is an option for the user to add campsites) - but neither does google maps - the apps not perfect and if im stationary and have internet I use google as well - over the short time ive been using the app it has improved - ie visual indication of what campsites the app has information for being closed - sites are greyed out - plus there now is a w10 version - It would be nice if there was someway in the app that i could bluetooth or for that matter send over a wire the POI to my garmin

But with google maps you can look ahead - just go to the area you are interested in and search for camping.

 

[psmiffy]

But with google maps you can look ahead - just go to the area you are interested in and search for camping.

Yup - its is just easier with the app - to me it is just another resource - along with google - hopefully the map im using - tourist map/signs that I can get the location of campings - just mark them on my map - for 2.99 or whatever it cost its a bargain

 

[robing]

Yup - its is just easier with the app - to me it is just another resource - along with google - hopefully the map im using - tourist map/signs that I can get the location of campings - just mark them on my map - for 2.99 or whatever it cost its a bargain

Ok, thanks. Well I'll definitely give it a go as I'm sure I'd use it all the time. As you say it's only a couple of quid.

 

[psmiffy]

You can also get archies as a POI file to install on garmins - no internet connection needed.

sorry if I've missed/misunderstood something.

I think this must work quite well on automotive GPS - not that ive got one to try it out - the file names or the file format for the GPS points dont seem to play nicely with my hand held garmins - Etrex Vista and GPS 64 -

I do have on my netbook the POI files so that if i'm desperate and there is no internet then i can use that - graphics on the computer have to be pretty good to cope with opening the GPX file - so far they remain unused