UK campsite prices for solo travellers

[jefmcg]

I was at one of my favourite campsites in Derbyshire, Haddon Grove inbetween Bakewell and Monyash. It has been a campsite for decades and is used as a base for DofE groups, it was at the time still a working dairy farm.
I was walking past a group of these 'middle class twonks' and overheard 2 of them talking about the farmyard 'aroma' " You'd think they'd do something about the smell" one of em said "Maybe we should report them to the council" replied the other.

Ok, but English farms smell far worse than Australian ones, and cycling through northern France and parts of Germany, I've never smelled anything on rural land as nasty a the ... I assume it's some sort of slurry, presumably the result of intensive farming. I don't mind "normal" farm smells, on a recent ride I had a Proustian experience: a manure smell made me think "sheep". I hadn't realised until then that I knew what sheep manure smelt like. And it made me smile. But that (or cow or horse or pig) is nothing like the acrid smell you sometimes get passing English farms. The industrial smell that offends the nose, but mouth breathing doesn't help as you can nearly taste it.

OK, maybe that's not the smell of the Derbyshire campsite - I guess it isn't, or it wouldn't be one of your favourite sites. But if it is, I'm on the side of the twonks.

 

[Prometheus]

. I blame middle class twonks and their glamping/teepees - teepees FFS![/QUOTE]

Now now now you will be savaging a Brook's saddles next!

Let me see the Middle classes Intelligent with good ideas.
But completely unable to see detail, this makes it difficult for them
to sort information rationally in a logical manner. This is why they
appear to us to be very egocentric. So a nod and kind words are best
even if you are thinking --- --- ---!

 

[rualexander]

What sort of business do you own?

I don't own any businesses, what made you think I do?
I have however camped at numerous campsites over the years and know when I am being ripped off for putting a small tent on a patch of (normally) poor quality ground.

 

[0lonerider]

Best site I found was in Brampton behind the school £10 a night great hot showers, it's mainly static vans but the sign on the keepers shed says pitch your tent and he will catch you later for the £10.
Iv stayed a few times and yet to meet the bloke

 

[raleighnut]

Ok, but English farms smell far worse than Australian ones, and cycling through northern France and parts of Germany, I've never smelled anything on rural land as nasty a the ... I assume it's some sort of slurry, presumably the result of intensive farming. I don't mind "normal" farm smells, on a recent ride I had a Proustian experience: a manure smell made me think "sheep". I hadn't realised until then that I knew what sheep manure smelt like. And it made me smile. But that (or cow or horse or pig) is nothing like the acrid smell you sometimes get passing English farms. The industrial smell that offends the nose, but mouth breathing doesn't help as you can nearly taste it.

OK, maybe that's not the smell of the Derbyshire campsite - I guess it isn't, or it wouldn't be one of your favourite sites. But if it is, I'm on the side of the twonks.

The smell wasn't horrendous, just that they'd cleared the floor of the milking parlour after 100 head of cows had been in there for the evening milking and it does get a bit ripe in summer.
The thing is there is absolutely no need to camp anywhere near the farmyard, the fields that you are allowed to camp in are large and there are 3 of them, only 'snag' being that you need to walk past the milking parlour to get to where the toilets are (next to the farmhouse)
The campsite overlooks Lathkill Dale and if you climb out of the Dale (point 10 in the guide) the footpath leads you to the back of the campsite, or alternately you can exit the site that way to walk to the Bulls Head in Monyash and then return by road after dark (my trips up to that area involve both cycling and walking elements)
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...sh.htm&usg=AFQjCNG9phDZVBbgH77L4l3hBd8pAn8Mdw

 

[screenman]

I don't own any businesses, what made you think I do?
I have however camped at numerous campsites over the years and know when I am being ripped off for putting a small tent on a patch of (normally) poor quality ground.

Then you may not know the costs of running a business.

 

[andym]

I stayed in one site in Somerset in Summer 2014 and it was lovely, with decent facilities, and they only wanted £5 and I insisted on paying £10. I guess that makes me a middle-class twonk.

Yes I jib at paying more than £10 for a campsite that has shoddy facilities, but I'm happy to pay more for a good site (but not too much). 'Fair exchange is no robbery' as the saying goes. [EDIT - actually make that 'basic' facilities eg a Portacabin toilet/shower and that's about it).]

 

[Blue Hills]

I was at one of my favourite campsites in Derbyshire, Haddon Grove inbetween Bakewell and Monyash. It has been a campsite for decades and is used as a base for DofE groups, it was at the time still a working dairy farm.
I was walking past a group of these 'middle class twonks' and overheard 2 of them talking about the farmyard 'aroma' " You'd think they'd do something abou5t the smell" one of em said "Maybe we should report them to the council" replied the other.

Is this for real or a bit of your satire raleighnut? Amazing if true. I know someone who paid what seemed like a fortune for a very short family stay in a teepee. Which apparently suffered from condensation.

 

[Blue Hills]

Not sure I agree, it's all about the standard of campsite. I stayed at two campsites in the outer Hebrides that was over £10 and one was well worth the £15 but the other one at £11 was a disgrace and shouldn't have been open.

What standards do you need? Surely just a bit of nicely located grass and a clean toilet/shower?

 

[Blue Hills]

on a recent ride I had a Proustian experience: a manure smell made me think "sheep". I hadn't realised until then that I knew what sheep manure smelt like. And it made me smile. .

Not sure i dare ask what fond memory this triggered.

 

[raleighnut]

Is this for real or a bit of your satire raleighnut? Amazing if true. I know someone who paid what seemed like a fortune for a very short family stay in a teepee. Which apparently suffered from condensation.

The comments I overheard were genuine, the campsite is at a farm and not one of those with hook-ups/clubhouse hardstandings etc in fact pretty much like it would have been in the 50s. The tents they were in were their own but great big 'house tents'.
You can tell when the DofE or Scouts are using it by the Marquee size 'Field Kitchens' they erect and at the time the groups of Vango 'Force 10' tents.
Sorry if you got the impression that they were 'Glampers'

 

[screenman]

Is this for real or a bit of your satire raleighnut? Amazing if true. I know someone who paid what seemed like a fortune for a very short family stay in a teepee. Which apparently suffered from condensation.

Did they know about condensation before they booked, also what maybe a fortune to you is loose change for others.

 

[raleighnut]

Is this for real or a bit of your satire raleighnut? Amazing if true. I know someone who paid what seemed like a fortune for a very short family stay in a teepee. Which apparently suffered from condensation.

I googled the site and came up with this
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi9-e6huNbLAhXG0xQKHXG8CLQQFggdMAA&url=http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=2731&usg=AFQjCNF6pIm0mKtI-pS0yV0GZlB8LHWeYA

As you can see some very mixed reviews, the farm stopped milk production a while ago (uneconomic) and although I've not been for a few years (due to my injuries) I'm glad to see it is still as inexpensive as ever at £4 per person but there is plenty of space

 

[L Q]

What standards do you need? Surely just a bit of nicely located grass and a clean toilet/shower?

Exactly, a clean shower block.

The £15 campsite had the lot, clean showers toilets, even a kitchen to use if needed.

Other campsites I have stayed at have barely had a toilet.

Wild camping on Barra was better

 

[KneesUp]

It does rather depend on the quality of the site, but there sometimes does seem to bei a distinct unfairness to the charges.

I drove around the Scottish coast a few years ago - just me, a small car and one of those £10 tents from Tesco (this was when they were green and called tents, not colourful and called 'Festival Tents') The tent had room for a sleeping bag and a towel.

I never stayed anywhere more than one night, never arrived anywhere before 6pm, never left after 10am (as I had no camping stove so I had to search for coffee) and had a tent that was 6ft x 3ft. And at one site I was charged the same per night as a family of (I think) 6 who filled the centre of the field with an enormous tent with bits sticking out - it was like an octopus - and two cars. That seemed in fair.