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Please help!!!  Not all teenagers are hoody wearing thugs!!!

My daughter finishes school this year.  She thought it would be great if 13 of her friends (a mixed group of males and females all aged 16 or 17) could celebrate this event by camping for a couple of nights.

I've called two campsites and even offered to put a sensible deposit down to help ensure a degree of responsibility and accountability of the group, but none seem willing to take the "risk".

Does anybody know of a campsite (preferably within the West Midlands) that is a little more open-minded with regards to a group of teenagers?

Hi suns, just used the search feature and called another 5 sites.

Most said no no no ... two said OK-ish if an adult is present.

Apparently it's not a legal issue, it's just the reputation of teenagers.

Hey clarabell001, don't think you've asked something I haven't considered myself ... at the end of the day if I owned a site, would I let a group of 16 - 17 year-olds book a pitch or two???

And this isn't about them being angels, but it is about them being respectful of others etc.  I have no doubt at all that they would enjoy themselves and be a bit rowdy, and I have met most of the group that would be going.

I would be just as happy (if not happier) for them to camp in a field so they could let their hair down without annoying others.

I've spoken with the local council park rangers and even they said no way ...

This forum was my last hope before I, as you put it, give up!!!

We have had youngsters camp on our park several time. Often they are so grateful that you have allowed them on that you get no trouble or noise what so ever!

Thing is each group needs to be looked at before a decision is made. 12 or so under 18's knowing they have to behave and respect others is far easier to cope with than 4 "adults" who have a skinful of drink.

Find an area you can easily get them to, find parks and phone/email them for every 100 that say no way, there might just be one that says ok.

Thing is these youngsters are the campers of the future!!

Have you tried sites with seperate rally field.

Would be a good idea to offer a couple of adults could be present on the site if not on the rally field. Think you may get more assistance.

Good luck.

Hooray!!!  I found one …………

But first of all I would like to thank ianork for suggesting wild camping … although this seems to be more acceptable in Scotland than in England and/or Wales … maybe my search method just needs tweaking a little.

Ang/Ken … what words of wisdom and personally I think you’re right.  I told my daughter yesterday that nobody seemed willing to allow her and her friends to camp alone.  Some sites said yes, as long as at least one adult was present … although I appreciate their concerns, it wasn’t really what my daughter and her friends (or I) had in mind.  You should have seen the look on her face when I received a phone call at 9:45pm from the owner of a camp site that was willing to take them (on the understanding that I would drive there if there were any “serious” issues).

Bill the Bus (who thinks up these names?) I did try a few sites with separate fields but they all erred on the side of caution.

So, who saved the day?

Hales Hall Camping & Caravan Park, Oakamoor Rd, Cheadle, Stoke On Trent, Staffordshire, ST10 4QR

It’s a little further than my daughter originally wanted to go, but when she heard it was only a few miles from Alton Towers, she (and her friends) were delighted.

Mick … thanks for saving the day!!!

Forum ... thanks for your comments and advice ...

Carole

I don’t think so … my wife and I enjoy the pampering holidays (or Disney etc) too much now.  My camping or rather caravanning holidays are over.

Having said that, I really enjoy walking around the outdoor centres looking at the tents, so there’s definitely something still there.

Alan, is she on the normal field or the rally field?

The normal field has a slight slope top to bottom. The site facilities do leave a bit to be desired so tell them not to all go to the loo together . Its very easy access for Alton Towers, one of the main roads actually goes right past the site.

Used to store our van here many years ago and only lasted the one season but i am sure the kids will all enjoy the stay. The town is about 20 mins walk away so might help if they take plenty of supplies. Let us know how they go.

The name by the way?? bet you cannot guess what i do for a living

Bill the Bus - apparently the rally field is for large groups only, so they'll be on the main field ... and I don't think they'll mind the state of the facilities ... I think they're just happy that a site will have them and that there are any facilities at all.

I'll let you know how it goes ... hopefully Hales Hall wont reverse its decision to allow teenagers after this experience!!!

Quote: Originally posted by Alan_C on 23/5/2008

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Bill the Bus - apparently the rally field is for large groups only, so they'll be on the main field ... and I don't think they'll mind the state of the facilities ... I think they're just happy that a site will have them and that there are any facilities at all.

I'll let you know how it goes ... hopefully Hales Hall wont reverse its decision to allow teenagers after this experience!!!

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Hi Alan, am sure they and the site will b fine. Here is a quote from a fellow UKCS member who had just used the site. Hope it helps.

Hi And thanks to you all for you advice

  I started off on  friday morning so did not read some of your replies untill now .

We did go to this site, we had booked on the manifold site at buxton but the stream/river had flooded the site  and had to find a site to fit a group of us on including 40 - 50 Dogs so not many sites would or could take us.

the rally field very soft but most of us got at the far end of this field as this was the dryest part but not very flat, the toilets were ok -clean and tidy with only footprints on the floor but it was raining, and cleaners were back and to so could not find a fault there , but there was a short time today that they did not fluse for a while. did not use the pub for drink or food as we all had group bbqs and had a few cans and made the most of the bad weather, cant complain about the noise as we might of made our own fair share of it , but as i said we were at the very back of the field and no one else was too close to us. The middle field had a few groups of youths on it last night and today .

over all site is ok it all depends on what kind of break you want ( its like going on a hotel break, you can go posh or no frills

 ps there was someone at the booking in office untill late so if you need to complain you dont have to go far

   Thanks again          Colin                                                    

Hello Does Anyone Know of any camp sites for 16 years old to go with out an adult as my friends and i would like to spend a few nights away in the summer holidays x

if anyone does please can you post the link of the webste to book on ?

thanks x