Best campsites in Britain

Could be most know what they want from sites

For us, it was always about the variety of walking either directly from or within a short distance of the site we were on. Very difficult to cast my mind back over so many years, but I think if I had to nominate 3 it would be -

Hawes CAMC site for its proximity to so many of the Yorkshire Dales walks

Drake House Farm CL for Pendle and Bowland walks (such an underrated part of the country)

and Chatsworth CAMC site (I know it's a bit of a marmite site) for access to the estate and the many nearby Peak District walks.

But I reckon if you asked the same question next week, I'd probably pick a different 3!  

Or they don’t get around much?

For me locations are more important than the sites themselves but my top three would be 

Troutbeck Head in the Lakes for all the great walks which figure more than the site, but it does have great views.

Melrose in the borders as it's in the town itself and has access to all the abbeys near it .

Norfolk Broads site at Ludham, near to the all the broads.

Taking out the first two, which we visit many times in any year then add

Seacroft at Cromer and Culloden

Bunree would have taken that last place as it is stunning but we were chased away by the midges.

I have to agree with Steve, the poor (or absence of) footpaths, even when a site is within walking distance to the next town is a real turn off.

When not on our bikes, im more than happy to use my legs and leave the busses to those that need them but walking in busy roads without a footpath really annoys, especially when the site has been there for a while and there is no obvious reason for not building one.

I'd like to think that the club would be campaigning vigorously for footpath improvements in places like this?....perhaps they do?...

we use Bath Marina and are happy to walk the towpath into Bath and well beyond, but it's also good to have the P&R opposite.

of the three sites mentioned, we've been to Brighton several times....although the city is rapidly becoming a dump (Worthing, Shoreham etc far nicer...) it's great for cycling along NCR2 pretty much as far as your legs will carry you...

as far as our own favourites are concerned, it's favourite places rather than sites....the new forest, Lymington, Fordingbridge, Milford on Sea, Chichester, Norfolk, Minehead, and this site at Henley for New Year and the summer 'buzz'....

Totally agree about (lack of) footpaths Steve.  We've gone from a MH to a caravan but even so, we still only use the car rarely, preferring to walk or cycle.  I looked at Burford a few years ago, as we'd never stayed, but some of the reviews mentioned the fact that there is no footpath from the site and that the road is busy.  So we went elsewhere.

Hawes is one of our favourite CAMC sites.  Not specifically for the site itself, although it has better views than some other sites.  I mean for it's position.  We've stayed there for over a week before now, and the car never moved from the day we arrived until we left.  The walking there is superb, in every direction.  Wharfedale and Bolton Abbey are good too in that respect in that area.

BB said - I'd like to think that the club would be campaigning vigorously for footpath improvements in places like this?....perhaps they do?...

You would like to think so? Trouble is we don't know as I have never seen it mentioned anywhere that they do. Obviously footpaths are quite major investments for Local Authorities so I imagine there would also have to be some payback for local residents and that would depend on how many it might benefit locally. Would the Club be willing to make a contribution? The other thing I often wonder is does the Club actively engage with Local Authorities and Bus providers to get bus stops and services from Club sites? The most obvious one I can think of is the Edinburgh site where it is quite a long walk to the bus stop and not a particular pleasant walk back to the site after dark. Given that buses using Muirhouse Parkway do a loop of that road I would have thought it would have been an easy diversion along Marine Drive? Has this been discussed? Not sure the guy that runs the taxi service would be best pleased!!! Another site that could do with a footpath, at least to the main bus service is Southlands on the IOW.

David

Best campsite in Britain. For me an impossible question to answer as weather and life throws up to many anomalies whilst at sites. As we have used hundreds of sites of all description all I can say is my wife made everyone of the sites a great holiday.

The footpath from Moreton in Marsh site was part or all funded by the club

I would think Southland site has difficulty being viable ,without the club assisting with a footpath to the bus stop near the wildlife park when another bus runs past the site?

You may be correct as it has been very noticeable over the last couple of years the amount of members we have been speaking to, ,are quite new to touring in the UK or normally have been  abroad.    ,and the restrictions meaning staycations have ,opened their eyes to just how beautiful these islands are, and has made them think twice before their next trip abroad even those who have not had LVs before