Well a cheap site isn't necessarily rough. In fact some of the cheapest sites I have been to would knock spots off many expensive ones. As I have often said, my favourite sites charge around £10-£12 a night with EHU. I might stretch to about £15 if I am feeling reckless but I don't do 'rough'.
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Agree, for a long time we were only C&CC members and tried a couple of CSs which were indeed rough. Also joined the CC and now we use CLs (and CSs, we have found some good ones) all the time. We have just been to 2 great CLs, one £10 with ehu and loos, one £12.50 with the above plus a shower. Have done a review of the first which is pending and added the other.
cheers all, having spoken to the girls they are happy with the ones we've found on here and sent emails to and they're not bad prices
Some of the ones they found using google are a bit silly wanting £18 per unit with 2 people and then wanting another £6 pp pn for any other people.... if that's the October (end of season) rates i dread to think what they'll charge for high season!
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Although I have camped by one means or another most of my life I didn't start camping on a regular basis until I retired in 2002. I have been able to see how campsite prices have risen since then. Some have risen quite slowly and affordable whereas others have just rocketed out of all proportion. There are several campsites I used to go to in the summer that I simply cannot afford now. When one is on a fixed income i.e. a pension with no overtime to be had, the affordable campsites become fewer and harder to find.
Fortunately, since 2002, I have managed to find one or two good family owned campsites that have managed to survive very well without boosting their prices beyond reach and I still occasionally come across new sites which are still affordable. Long may they reign
We live in Stafford and there is a great campsite just the other side of Penkridge, it is called Pillaton Pools. It's a great site with play areas for younger and older kids (don't know your kids' ages). Another site we take our grandchildren to is Kingsbury Water Park. It's a biggish site but is only a few minutes drive from Drayton Manor.
There is also the racecourse at Uttoxeter. That's a small site but you are within a few minutes walk of the town (very quiet) but there is a big shopping centre just outside the town and I think it has a picture house for the days when they get bored!
Hope you find something that suits. Next stop a trailer tent then a caravan! Good luck with your search.
I recommend Red Bank Farm at Bolton le Sands whenever I can. It's not far off the M6, costs £6 per adult per night.
Has a nice big shower block. It's on an unspoilt piece of coast of Morecambe Bay, so very rural, but a short drive from Morecambe or Lancaster where there is more civilization. Happy Mount Park in Morecambe is almost within walking distance, but a few minutes drive. You can sometimes park there for free, and it has a great free activity area at the back suitable for older children, as well as a safe area for very young children, £1 for the day, no charge for adults.
So for a budget holiday Red Bank Farm is excellent.
Camping can be a cheaper holiday if you don't eat out all the time. You don't need loads of posh new clothes, anything goes. And lots of these smaller rural sites don't have 'posers' with fancy cars and gear either.
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Quote: Originally posted by Medsec on 10/10/2015
We live in Stafford and there is a great campsite just the other side of Penkridge, it is called Pillaton Pools. It's a great site with play areas for younger and older kids (don't know your kids' ages). Another site we take our grandchildren to is Kingsbury Water Park. It's a biggish site but is only a few minutes drive from Drayton Manor.
There is also the racecourse at Uttoxeter. That's a small site but you are within a few minutes walk of the town (very quiet) but there is a big shopping centre just outside the town and I think it has a picture house for the days when they get bored!
Hope you find something that suits. Next stop a trailer tent then a caravan! Good luck with your search.
Many thanks for the reply, I know Pillaton very well, i go fishing there
Uttoxeter, again somewhere i know well, i used to be a doorman there
As for a caravan.... we're actually going the other way, we've gone from a cottage in Wales to a static caravan in the Welsh mountains to a tourer and now we're onto a trailer tent
Quote: Originally posted by franbee on 10/10/2015
For a budget holiday Red Bank Farm is excellent.
Camping can be a cheaper holiday if you don't eat out all the time. You don't need loads of posh new clothes, anything goes. And lots of these smaller rural sites don't have 'posers' with fancy cars and gear either.
Sounds excellent, i'll keep that in mind for next year
The cars, see, now you've ruined it...... if i don't have the "all the gear no idea" types with their fancy cars...who am i going to take the mickey out of
Im not sure for your first trip its a good idea to go so late in the year,cold nights, damp mornings,not many other kids to mix with,I know several people that tried camping and had bad weather and it put them off camping,I would spend winter getting some decent equipment and go next spring,if you go and its decent weather and they enjoy it it will be worth the wait, and the they will want to repeat the experience, sorry if its not wanted to hear, but I wouldn't want you go and it put you all off going camping for life
I think I would agree. My feeling would be try just three nights or so and make it a clear winter theme. So maybe look for somewhere with a fire etc. try somewhere that also has caravans so there will be other kids, and has a club house or bar so you have somewhere to go when it gets dark. Make sure you buy a tent heater from go outdoors (£20). Then have a really good time planning for next spring. If you go somewhere that's a bit of a destination then the fun isn't all centred on the camping. So I would venture a bit further myself. You could try a seaside resort , what about Whitby ? Or Masons campsite is near you, it's pricy but I gather it's always busy with families even in winter. Or one of the seaside campsites as they often have an indoor pool- or go to a resort with a good indoor pool. Wales? Blackpool?
Look we started camping for the same reasons, I needed a way to have cheap family holidays as I could simply not afford the kinds of holidays I did when the kids were small. We started with literally no equipment and a cheap end of line tent. It was the best holiday we had ever had. We only do camping holidays now and have for the last five years. We made amazing friends and have had amazing experiences. You can build up your kit gradually and you will get better at it. I think given the season you just need a few extra considerations.
Sorry, i guess i must have caused a bit of confusion when i said newbie, i meant new to the forum not to camping/caravaning
Our first trailer tent is just that our first trailer tent, as i have said previously we've had statics and caravans but this is our first trailer tent.
We (as a family) have spent many nights "under canvas" in fishing bivvies, and in a large 6 berth tent which we used to pack away into our classic mini!
My youngest is 13 and she loves coming winter fishing with me, we've spent a 3 day weekend away in january on the shores of Lock Aline and we were "toasty" to say the least, i have friends in Norway and they managed to lay their hands on some Norge military sleeping bags which are roughly a 13 tog rating, sadly they are very heavy so not good for hiking..... god only knows how their soldiers do it!!
I admit that with this trailer tent i have brought a couple of halogen heaters, i saw the £14 ones for sale in go-outdoors and was going to buy a couple but i wanted to check out the reviews first so waited untill we got home and had a look at the reviews on their website..... after deciding to buy some I had a look on amazon and found the exact same heater on there for £8!
Thanks once again for the replies
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Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: newbie needs some help/advice
