Sport stars

Whether you love to play or spectate, the UK Club network has the perfect site to help you indulge your sporting passion

Are you a ‘parkrun’ sensation or a budding Rory McIlroy? Or perhaps a cricket or football-watching superfan? Whatever your sporting interest, there is a Club campsite for you – here we highlight 10 of the best…

To kick off, rugby league and cricket enthusiasts could opt for Knaresborough Club Campsite. Set within beautiful Lower Nidderdale, it’s a good base for trips into Leeds (a 45-minute drive to the south), where you might be lucky enough to catch a game at Super League sensations Leeds Rhinos or perhaps a Yorkshire County Cricket Club game at Headingley.

Heading across the border into Lancashire, there’s another attractive, well-appointed campsite for fans of the most popular sport of all in this country – football. Burrs Country Park Club Campsite is less than 10 miles from central Manchester and the National Football Museum. Home to more than 40,000 objects, including the first international football shirt, the oldest surviving FA Cup trophy and one of the first caps given to a member of the England Women’s team, it’s a treasure trove to delight the most ardent soccer fan. If you’re lucky enough to get a ticket, you could even plan your visit around a game at Premier League superstars Manchester City or Manchester United. (During a stay at Burrs Country Park, winter sports enthusiast could also opt for a dry-slope experience – Ski Rossendale is just nine miles away.)

To the south, football fans could stay at the Club’s London sites. Options for Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and more could be Abbey Wood or Alderstead Heath. This leafy Surrey site offers excellent nearby rail links into London. It’s also good for motorsport enthusiasts – a 30-40-minute drive takes you to the superb Brooklands Museum in Weybridge. Here, exhibitions focus on the likes of the British Grand Prix (held at Brooklands in 1926 and 1927), the history of speed record attempts and the story of how the McLaren Senna GTR supercar was created. Brooklands isn’t just about the motorcar, however – a vast collection of air-travel related attractions includes the ‘Concorde Experience’, a must for fans of the world’s first supersonic passenger-carrying commercial aeroplane (additional fee applies).

Pedal power

Photo ©Adam Atkins

If you prefer two wheels to four, there is a host of fantastic mountain biking centres within easy reach of Club sites. While the likes of the 7stanes collection in Scotland and Coed y Brenin in Wales might immediately spring to mind, Dalby Forest in the North York Moors National Park is another highly rated venue. You can find out about the rides on offer (to suit various abilities) as well as information on cycle hire by visiting forestry england.uk/dalby-forest. The good news is that you’ll find a great Club campsite just 14 miles away – Scarborough West Ayton is the perfect spot, and ideal if you fancy a paddle in the sea following a hard day on the trail. (Incidentally, you could also take advantage of a 10% discount on a clay pigeon shooting experience at The Big Shoot’s Scarborough venue, courtesy of our Great Savings Guide – see camc.com/greatsavingsguide for more information.)

‘A’ for Anglesey

Llanddwyn Beach by Newborough Forest, Anglesey. Photo by member Paul Kyffin

If you have any energy left, what about heading to Anglesey to take part in a ‘parkrun’? These 5km events are held every Saturday morning across the nation – but there are a couple of treats on the Welsh island. Penrhos Club Campsite is a good base for taking on the scenic Nant y Pandy Nature Reserve course in Llangefni, but if you are prepared to drive a bit further, the Newborough Forest route promises a mixture of grass, trail and fire road, plus a stretch alongside the coast overlooking Llanddwyn Island. We know that many parkrun enthusiasts like to complete an ‘alphabet’ of 5km runs – why not tick ‘A’ for Anglesey off on your parkrun hit list?

Time to slow things down a little? If angling’s your thing, the Club network opens up reams of possibilities, arguably none better than Fields End Water Affiliated Site in Cambridgeshire. This well-presented, adults-only campsite boasts its own fishing lakes stocked with carp, chubb, barbel, perch and more. Meanwhile, those into sea fishing might like to consider the Club’s Pembrey Country Park Club Campsite in Carmarthenshire. It’s just a five-minute drive or 30-minute walk from the gate to magnificent Pembrey beach, a wonderful, seven-mile stretch of unspoiled sands. According to fishingwales.net, species caught here include bass, mullet and turbot.

If you’d rather get onto the water itself, England’s Lake District is an obvious destination. The Club has plenty of great campsites in the region, including Coniston Park Coppice, Borrowdale and Troutbeck Head. But watersports fans should also consider the likes of East Fleet Farm Affiliated Site. This picturesque base is just a few miles away from Portland Harbour on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast,

a popular centre for the likes of stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking. Or what about the stunning setting of Old Hartley Club Campsite in Tyne & Wear? This recently refurbished site offers excellent access to the Northumberland coastline and a multitude of watersports opportunities – see visitnorthumberland.com to find out more.

Missing links?

St Andrews Beach Old Course

Heading north of the border, Scotland is rightly famed for its golf courses and Club members are spoiled for choice in this part of the world. A particularly good base for links fans could be Balbirnie Park Club Campsite. Located within 400 acres of parkland and offering pitches in open areas as well as shady glades, the site is just 20 miles from the ‘home of golf’ itself – St Andrews. Seven courses make up the St Andrews Links offering, but for many the goal will be to play the iconic Old Course.

Unusually there is a ballot system for those hoping to experience it – for a chance to grab a tee time, entries must be made two days before, with green fees costing from £150 in the low season. Other renowned clubs near to Balbirnie Park include The Golf House Club in Elie and Earlsferry and Crail Golfing Society on the easternmost edge of Fife. (While you're there, make sure take up our Great Savings Guide offer of 10% off at Karting Nation in Dunfermline (20 miles away) – it's the perfect treat for motor racing enthusiasts. See camc.com/greatsavingsguide for more information). 

After all that activity, it’s definitely time for a breather – why not send us some pictures of your favourite bases for sports or let us know about venues we’ve missed (magazine@camc.com).

Five more sites for sports lovers

Kayaking on Wast Water, Lake District. Photo by member Zeta Zeta

Ferry Meadows Club Campsite, Cambridgeshire

You might not be up to a triple Salchow just yet, but Planet Ice Arena in Peterborough is the perfect venue for social skating. Three or five-day skate camps are also available during school holidays.

Treamble Valley Club Campsite, Cornwall

This picturesque site is less than 15 minutes’ drive from Newquay, famed among the surfing community for its impressive waves.

Troutbeck Head Club Campsite, Cumbria

The Rookin House Activities Centre next to this Club campsite offers a multitude of pastimes, from quad biking and archery to go-karting and clay pigeon shooting.

Rowan Park Club Campsite, West Sussex

As well as being well placed for the seaside delights of Bognor and Littlehampton, this site is just 12 miles from West Wittering, a top kite surfing venue.

White Water Park Club Campsite, County Durham

Situated right next door to the Tees Barrage International White Water Centre – great if you want to have a go at canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding and more.