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This site is fantastic - it's just a shame it is where it is as there's not that much in the area once you have done Eden and Charlestown and the China clay works - perhaps that's harsh it's just that St Austell is dreadful for traffic and therefore you always seem to be in a queue!
The site though was great - it isn't cheap - £31 for four in a motorhome with elec. The site is by that Ben's playworld place and the Cornish market (managed to avoid with kids) but there are two outdoor rides which you have to go past to get in - pester power!
We were quite disappointed by this campsite. The photos in the brochure were quite deceiving: they are more than 10 years old. The toilet blocks are very clean, which is always nice. The pool is very small and can get way too crowded. There is some evening entertainment for the children, which is basic and short. Better to go to Ben's Playworld, an indoor complex about 5 minutes from the site (next to Cornish Market World). There is a pub about 15 minutes' walk away.
The biggest disappointment was the beach, and for us, it's a reason not to go to this particular campsite again. The beach is a 15 minute (uphill) walk from the site. When you get there, you see a monstrosity in front of you: they are building some kind of massive development and according to some people we spoke to there, the beach will soon be off-limits to visitors.
A review by Grillo's daughter, Grillo KT (aged 10).
My trip to Carlyon Bay camping park was the best holiday I've had in 3 years of camping. Our pitch was HUGE so me and my brother could play loads of games and not keep annoying other campers!
My favourite parts of the campsite were the play park, crazy golf (free so you had unlimited use), the shop (stocked with sweets and toys as well as everything else adults need like milk, bread and booze!), the entertainment , such as discos and clowns, and best of all . The swimming pool! It was a really nice pool and it was heated so we could go in it on a grey day!
The toilets and showers were clean which was good. The staff were friendly and helpful and even gave us a jump start when our cool box drained our car battery!
Carlyon Bay is a brilliant campsite and I hope to return one day!
Grillo Gaz adds:
Everything KT says is true. The pitches are big, flat and give a real feeling of space even when the site was full.
There are three shower blocks with washing up facilities so queueing was rare.
Tesco is a mile away or Asda is another half mile on if you prefer. There are Indian, Chinese and Thai restuarants on the back road to Charlestown (turn right out of the campsite and head under the railway bridge) and the fish and chips at the shop by Tesco was great!
Eden Project is 5 miles away. I wasn't that bothered about going but I'm glad I did. Buy your tickets at Carlyon Bay and miss any queues. They'll also show you the back way in!
We have just returned from a holiday at Carlyon Bay Camping Park. What an excellent site it is. We went with friends, who also camped. We both have large family sized tents (Royal Montpellier and Outwell Hartford XL) so required large pitches together to accommodate us.
The pitch sizes were more than ample and we also fitted the cars, gazebo and play area for the children and were not encroaching on our neighbours.
The shop was well stocked and the take away was acceptable, if you didn't fancy cooking. The was plenty for the children with adventure parks and free crazy golf.
The site is in walking distance to the beach probably took us about 10 - 15 minutes. At is still under construction and there are 82 steps down to it so not elderly or buggy friendly. But it was very clean and the water really clear. Not the same could be said for Par Beach which was full of seaweed and rubbish including bottles, cans and dirty nappies (avoid if possible).
But a big thumbs up for the site my only disappointment was the pool. Heated - but still very cold, and the picture on the web and in the brochure needs a bit of imagination - put it this way we ended up calling it the puddle!
But in spite of this I would recommend this site very central, reasonable priced, clean and tidy and helpful staff.
This is an attractive looking site with lots of mature planting including Palm trees, Large Grasses and Hydrangeas.
We were on Crinnis field - which is on the right when entering the site. This is dog free during high season and all the pitches are large and have EHU. A number on this field are super pitches. Many get the sun all day and into the evening apart from those at the top end which were shaded by the trees by early evening.
The large playground and ball game field were also located in the bottom two corners of this field but neither infringed on the units as they were set well away from the pitches.
Dupworth field was very flat with a combination of EHU and non EHU units, you got the impression of lots of space on this field as it was completely grassed with no tarmacadam road. Veryan looked very nice but was alot smaller and set apart from the rest as it was surrounded by mature trees.
The fields to the left of the site were set on a hill although they were in the main terraced and flat, some of the overflow pitches were sloping. On the whole I didn't feel you got quite the same sense of space on this side of the site although the pitches were still a good size.
The train line runs along the perimeter of the site, behind the woodland at the top of Zelah field, but we did not find it obtrusive.
There are three shower blocks and all were of a very high standard. Combinations ranged from from single WCs, individual sink cubicles, multiple sinks, sink/WC units, single showers and baby changing/bath areas. On the Crinnis field there were sink/WC units and this occasionally caused a queue at peak times ie kiddies bedtimes, however the other blocks were very close and I never experienced a queue in those. The showers were free and water was always hot, however there was no way to vary temperature and you had to frequently press the button to keep water flowing (on Crinnis - don't know about the other blocks). Hand wash was provided at all sinks and always refilled. There were socket points for hairdryers and vanity mirrors with chairs/stools. - can't remember if they provided hairdryers.
Washing up facilities were good, plenty of hot water again and kept clean.
The laundry room looked in good condition but I can't comment on the equipment as I did not use it.
The site is very child orientated with a couple of small play parks and the large one, free crazy golf, pool £1 a go, and table tennis - you buy a ball from the shop and the bats are left on the table (sometimes). The swimming pool and paddling pool were walled and gated to prevent young children straying into it and although it was attractive the pool is on the small side - more for playing than actual swimming. The ball park area had goal posts and net for other ball games. A field to the front of the site was often used for flying kites etc. Archery was provided for a small fee twice a week (weather permitting) and during our week there was a magician one weekend night and a mid week disco - both finished around 9pm. There are lots of children riding round on bikes but as most drivers were aware of this there didn't't seem to be any problems. The site was generally all quiet by 11pm at the very latest and usually much earlier.
The site is kept very clean and tidy and dustbins were emptied around the site regularly - at least twice a day. The owners and staff are very friendly and helpful and nothing seems to be too much trouble for them. There are lots of information leaflets in Reception and staff are always willing to give tips on best routes/ beaches/shops etc.
The shop stocked a good array of groceries/beach/camping goods/toys/bakery/fresh goods etc as well as gas. Prices seemed very reasonable.
Mobile phone reception was good in the area.
Carlyon Bay beach is a short walk away, 5mins at most and is easy accessible although there are approx 82 steps down the cliff, however they have been newly created and have handrails and lights. Building work has halted on the beach and the area to be built on has been fenced off, not exactly pretty but once passed that and sitting on the beach facing out to sea you can't see it. The tide doesn't seem to go out too far but warnings are in place regarding walking on the beach and becoming cut off by the tide. The beach is fine shingle but lower down when the tide goes out it is sandy. This coast line can get quite a sea breeze and whilst not cold it can be deceptive on a hot day so take plenty of sun cream especially for the kids. You can drive to this beach in a few minutes and during building work parking is free, however you do still have to negotiate the steps. There is no shop/cafe on the beach, the builders have provided a portaloo but it is very basic.
Off site there is a Tesco close by and also an Asda a few miles away.
St Austell whilst not a pretty town is well placed for visiting all the usual attractions, Eden, Mevagissey, Polperro, Newquay etc. The roads do tend to get grid locked on a Saturday and it is probably better to stay very local during this time.
Personally we really liked this site and would have no hesitation in recommending it
Just returned from a four day stay at this site and had a great visit. We found a well maintained site with high quality and very clean facilities. The owners were very friendly with good play areas for our young son. Quiet at night and early morning and a great place to tour from.
August 2005 This is a great site so much so we returned again this year after being dreadfully let down by a site further down the road . Jeff , certainly did us proud after we arrived at 7am to wait for a pitch at the last minute . He even remembered my husband by name (it's George , Jeff , if you read this!). He showed us to the reserve pitch which was away from the hustle and bustle that didn't bother us as we like it quiet. The only draw back was it wasn't level but hey, we hadn't booked so we were very happy we had a pitch. This campsite is very well run and the owners Jeff and Fran certainly make you feel welcome , we have 3 children age 4 , 8 and 12 and some friends came with us who have 2 children similar ages. They certainly had plenty to do on an evening when you are relaxing with your glass of wine. There are 3 playgrounds all different which they would argue about which one they were going to that evening! There is crazy golf, archery and entertainment 3 or 4 times a week. My kids especially enjoyed the rock band well done to Jeff and Frans sons who play in it! There is also a disco , magic show and a animal show. The entertainment is definately a good idea. Carlyon beach is under development at the moment , but it doesn't distract you from a lovely beach very peacefull, it is shingle so it does hurt the kid's feet in places, but I would class this a child friendly beach as you can safely watch them in the sea as the tide doesn't go out that far. There are many beaches to visit in this area of Cornwall which makes the campsite an ideal base for going all over. I would certainly reccommend it so much so we have booked again for next year , once bitten and all . We arn't taking any chances. See you next year Jeff and Fran
August 2005 Stopped here for 8 nights having originally booked for 2 nights so that says something!
Difficult to find a fault with it. Very clean, well managed, good play area / swimming pool etc. Owners are helpful and very pleasant. Try to avoid the overflow field which is on a slope.
The beach at St Austell is within walking distance but they are currently building on it so it’s not great this year. Should be very pleasant next year.
If staying mid week you must visit the Eden Project on a Jungle Night Evening – very good entertainment and only a couple of miles away.
July 2004 We have recently returned from Carlyon Bay. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly. The facilities were spotless and there are plenty of toilets, cubicles and showers. They have a playground for the children, outdoor swimming pool, t.v. room, table tennis, table football and on some days archery. The camp is usually quiet by 11pm so if you like to be up late this is not the camp for you. There is a shop on site which is well stocked, a laundry (which is £3.00 a wash and then £1.50 to tumble dry, but they are larger than normal machines) and a small take away.
The staff regularly cut the grass and remove the rubbish. The pitches are large and spacious and are marked out. To the right when you drive up towards the campsite there is a large flat field which has both caravans and tents and to the left the pitches are terraced but still flat for tents. At the back of the terraced pitches there is a railway but the trains are high speed and the noise is negligible.
Moving away from the camp, Carlyon Bay beach is made from sharp shingle and is not comfortable to walk on without shoes there is also a major development being built there and so the walk down to the beach is fenced off with large metal fences. There are lots of other beaches that are much better in the surrounding area. When we were there the next town along, Charlestown, had a regatta that week, you can easily walk there along the coastal path or drive into the town but parking spaces can be difficult to find if you don't get there early. They had a brilliant firework display on the Friday night which the children really enjoyed, there was no charge for children to enter and only £2.00 each for the adults. All the children were given a chocolate coin, a pirates hat and tiny parrot.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Carlyon Bay and there are lots of places to visit a short drive away. Having moved onto Dawlish in Devon for the second week so that we would be closer to home, we really wished we hadn't! We tried to get in for two weeks at Carlyon Bay but left it too late - next year we will make sure we book early. Keep up the good work Carlyon Bay.
July 2004 We arrived at the camp site in the afternoon, booked in for a week, first impressions were very good, very neat, loads of room, nice reception and shop. We were given a short tour of the site and shown where everything was. We were shown where the pitch was, but was made clear to us that we could move somewhere else if we wanted to. Pitch sizes are brilliant, really big and it was nice to have them lined off. Facilities at the site are fantastic, toilets were spotless, and the showers had very hot water and they were not too busy - plenty of room. The washing up sinks were very good, very hot water again. Other facilities included a laundry and tv room, as well as a play area very useful for kids, I imagine - although having no children we didn't really use it! The shop was well stocked and had a good variety. Overall a very good campsite with excellent facilities and a very personal service - overall very good value for money.
AUGUST 2003 Have got to say it is the best campsite we have ever stayed in. We can't go this year as they are fully booked when we want to go but will be booking early for 2005!!! The owners were very friendly and helpful. It was extremely clean (toilet blocks are better than some hotels). Enough entertainment without being noisy (kids clown and disco x 2 weekly plus an animal roadshow). Location wise you couldn't get better as you are pretty near to most of Cornwalls attractions. Fowey Reggata which is usually on for one week around August Bank Holiday is well worth a visit and the campsite has regular timetables of events for it. Can't wait to go back!!!
August 03 Well, a great site. We were there for 2 weeks up to bank holiday weekend. The facilities were excellent, as good as the brochures, you had the usual queue in the Ladies for a shower between 8.45 - 9.30 but there was always plenty of hot water everytime I went for a shower at all different times of the day. The kids aged 6 and 11 loved the play park and were often to be found having a round of golf.
The pitch was a good size. The site was always clean and tidy. The entertainment was good although I would have been happier if more than 3 times a week. The pool area was clean although the pool was a little cloudy, having a pool at home I know that this is likely to be due to being heated and the sun/heat we had been experiencing, however the pool had chlorine and the water on inspection was clean. The staff were second to none.
The only down side was the local beach. I last visited Carlyon Bay some 15 years before when there was a great pool, arena and facilities, I was shocked to find a gruby beach and even grubbier buildings with no pool. We soon found a better beach a couple of miles down the road at Par. This one is clean and very flat, great for the kids although we must advise of the rock perils. 6 year old fell on one and ended up in hospital having stiches! Not to be climbed on!
We loved the area, the site and the people, I would definitely go back but certainly would not bother to visit Carlyon Bay beach.
Reviewer: sarah hammond
3.8.03 spent 12 nights here.not done a lot of camping recently, but this was an excellent site.Loo facilities clean, pitches well kept, pool lovely, staff very friendly.we cannot fault it!!well done, we can recomment this site.Carlyon Bay beach is scruffy so tended to go further a field and cheaper game of golf can be had a couple of miles up the road, by Asda!
Reviewer: maria williams
aug2003 Have just returned from Carlyon bay, we have been camping now for over 10 years, this site is easily one of the best we have ever stayed on. 1/4 mile from the beach, mostly flat pitches with loads of space around them for kids to run about ,toilet facilities like a 4* hotel( a little short on toilets early morning and evening), extremely well stocked shop,snack bar etc.No club ( heaven). Railway line behind the site but after a day we hardly noticed it. The one thing that really impressed us was the owners obvious encouragement of kids,( how refreshing) my children 15,12,10 were all in agreement that there was loads for them to do :swimming pool, archery,table tennis,crazy golf,giant draughts,pool table, large games field,Tv,play areas that were well thought out, high season- animal shows ,disco,clowns, magicians. Well done Carlyon Bay ,will definately be visitng again
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Common Questions
Is Carlyon Bay Camping Park child friendly? YES, it accepts children & has a playground View all facilities
Does Carlyon Bay Camping Park have a swimming pool? YES, there is a pool on site View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Carlyon Bay Camping Park? There is a shop on site View all facilities
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
All reviews and comments are the personal opinion of the review author only , and as such do not represent the view of the UK Camp Site.co.uk.
The facilities shown on this website are a guide only, and you should check with the campsite direct before making any booking. The UKCampsite.co.uk will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions
Tent Pitches 
Caravan Pitches 
Motorhome Pitches 
Small Campervans 
No Glamping Units 
No Statics for Hire 
No Statics for Sale 
No Seasonal Pitches 
Electric Hookups 
Hardstanding Pitches 
Fully Serviced Pitches 
Families Welcome 
Not Members Only 
Rallies Welcome 
Not Naturist Site 
Dogs Welcome 
No Dogs Allowed 
Groups Welcome 
Toilet Facilities 
Hot Showers 
Washing Up 
No Bathroom 
Baby Changing Facilities 
Laundry On Site 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
Chemical Disposal 
No Battery Charging 
Gas Exchange 
Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
Freezer / Fridge 
Motorhome Point 
Wifi Access 
Shop On Site 
Bar <1 mile 
No Restaurant 
Kids Playground 
No TV Room 
Games Room 
No Evening Ents 
Fishing <1 mile 
Wild Swimming <1 mile 
No Indoor Pool 
Outdoor Pool On Site 
No Horse Riding 
No Cycle Hire 
Golf <1 mile 
No Tennis 
Beach <1 mile 
Watersports <1 mile 
Boat Launch / Mooring <5 miles 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport <1 mile
Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access 
This site is fantastic - it's just a shame it is where it is as there's not that much in the area once you have done Eden and Charlestown and the China clay works - perhaps that's harsh it's just that St Austell is dreadful for traffic and therefore you always seem to be in a queue!
