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Lovely family campsite, good weather forecast so very busy, arrived at 7pm on the Friday evening, welcomed at the gate by the warden to check us in, security barrier at entrance/exit which required a code to get in or out, not many pitches left, but found a nice one overlooking the beautiful views of the forest.
You can choose your pitch as long as you are 6 metres away from the next unit. We took our bikes with the hope of cycling for the 2 days we were there. Which we did quite easily and could of stayed for the week.
Toilet block clean, showers lovely and hot although I did have to queue for about 5 minutes. Again probably down to the good weather forecast and the site being busy.
Brilliant access to some great cycle routes, straight down the hill then one way to Symonds Yat and the other to Monmouth, we did both of these with our kids aged 9 and 7, really good traffic free routes. Wardens were very helpful and gave us lots of advise on trails etc. Also have a little shop with drinks, ice creams and tiny cartons of milk if you run out!
Lovely walks up and down the river Wye. Coleford about a 10 minute cycle ride firstly up a very steep hill and then down a very steep hill with a couple of main roads to cross, but mainly footpaths.
Cycled the family trail from Coleford to Milford, bought a map from the cycle centre in Coleford, the man there was very very helpful also - again a really lovely traffic free trail through the woods, with lots of picnic areas and places to stop off. Also by the Cannop Cycle centre a skills course for the kids, which my kids loved it consisted of jumps and bumps and a few cambers to practise their skills on.
We took a detour through the woods back to the campsite probably not recommended as some of the tracks were very overgrown and you are asked to keep to the gravel roads if you are on your bike, also a very steep climb all the way back.
All in all a lovely family site, the sound of kids playing goes on quite late as the weather was lovely and there were loads of kids, great for us with kids but maybe not if you want a more peaceful evening !
Went here 1st weekend in June. Staff were friendly and I'd booked in advance, but easily accommodated my changing my mind from the Christchurch camp to Bracelands (next door sister sites) as Christchurch is much smaller and was very crowded.
Pros:
+ Large spacious site, can choose own pitch
+ Beautiful forest surroundings
+ On site 'Forest Retreat' with outdoor picnic area, indoor seating area, shop of groceries, alcohol, hot pizza take-away, cafe etc'
+ Toilet blocks close for cleaning at different times, so always available.
+ Gloucester only 18miles away - useful for us as I took the wrong tent poles and had to buy a new tent from tesco at 9pm at night!
+Great activities available especially with the rangers for the children.
Cons:
- Staff friendly but not very informed of local tourist facilities but market themselves as an information service. Quite slow service too.
- Sloping site. Flattest (gently sloping) pitches are in the middle of the fields, the edges by the trees are all quite steep.
- Toilet/shower facilities are clean but tatty and old. No hot water in the block near us.
- Had to press the very weak shower every 8 secs.
- One hairdryer for 580 pitches! Needless to say I daren't wash my hair when the weather turned cold.
- No freezer facilities for icepacks (except max 2 to swap in the shop, at 50p per block)
- No outdoor sinks for cleaning BBQs/boots etc
- No BBQ hot-ash bin
Overall reasonable site with comfortable facilities, but have been to much better equipped and flatter sites in the past, and therefore shan't be camping with forest holidays again.
This site is in a good location next to a big Forestry Commission area with plenty of tracks etc for walking. However, it was very busy when we were there (half term weekend) and they really seem to pack people in, with no designated spaces so it’s just a case of pitching where you fancy. Consequently there seemed to be tents everywhere and it was fairly noisy and hectic.
The shower block had plenty of toilets, sinks and showers, although they were quite busy and some of the toilets were running out of loo roll.
There’s a decent shop at the campsite entrance (shared with Christchurch campsite next door) which has a good range of stuff.
Having read the recent reviews on Bracelands after booking (not sure why I did that) it was with some trepidation that we went on our bank holiday camping trip. We were a party of 6 families with kids ranging from 3 months to 10 plus a few dogs thrown in.
I found my reservations about this site to be totally unfounded and all of us had a great stay here. We arrived mid afternoon on the Friday (to avoid the bank holiday rush) and there was only a small queue at reception.
The staff were very friendly and helpful and we were quickly given the low down on how the site operated. There was plenty of space and we found a lovely spot in a corner so when our friends arrived we could set up together.
This worked really well - the kids were able to play and each tent / caravan was given enough space so as not to feel on top of one another even when it got busier on the Saturday.
The facilities were generally good - the bins did get full - to be expected on a bank holiday - but were soon emptied.
The showers did get busy at certain times but I never had to queue as I went out of the peak times. The toilets were generally kept clean - only issue was a few got blocked. This was generally down to people not flushing properly - it took a bit of oomph and I reckon some people didn't really try hard enough.
The wardens were visible and did enforce the rules ( dogs on leads, no campfires) - being courteous and helpful.
We generally spent most of our time around the site - walking to the river or up to the other site.
Overall a great stay, just a shame about the wet weather on the day of departure but that's part of camping! Would definitely recommend this site based on this experience.
A welcoming site in a wonderful location with lots of great walks and cycle routes all around it. Very easy if you have a dog because there are so many walks available from the site.
We had a tent unit with an electric hook up and had no problems. The electric hookup pitches seemed to all be on pretty level ground, however lots of the standard tent pitches were on gradual slopes
The site is huge with lots of space which is great and there were families whose kids were enjoying the space.
However the facilities were not great. We stayed on a busy bank holiday weekend, only two toilet blocks were working and to be honest they were hideous at times. There was insufficient cleaning and basics like toilet paper availability just wasn't checked.
This was the only (big) downside for us. Welcoming staff, a beautiful location, great views, wonderful walks but a lot more effort needs to be put into care of on site facilities.
I have read most of the reviews for this site and agree will all in part.
There are, however, two aspects to every item mentioned about this place.
The site layout in superb (road, toilet blocks etc. ) but the flatness of the ground is horrible.
The staff were great at directing and being friendly, but didn't notice a dog running around our tent area for a good 10 minutes, and soiling, while the owners and there kids were setting up some distance away (I found the owners and they did apologise and clean up. )
However, staff quickly came round to my tent, after my BBQ had faded and I was burning a 2 hour artificial log, to tell me to dowse the flames with water.
The cycling paths were wonderful, but, we were walking. On our way down through the woodland towards the river, kids on bikes were hurtling out of control down the hillside.
I found that the showers were good (although every press was for a short burst of water) but my wife found them far to hot and could not let our child near the water for fear of scolding.
Overall, the atmosphere and surroundings of the site were exceptionally good.
However, the disappointing aspect of everything else left us very disappointed.
Although we were drawn to woodland sites (as we live at the seaside) we only went there because it was booked by friends who we had made plans to go camping with. One of there parents had been there in a trailer tent and enjoyed it (level ground not such an issue). I think that the convenience of the toilet /shower block lay out was the biggest factor for her choosing it.
We definitely would not return. , unless the site was virtually empty! Then it may be worth going without a fire for the surroundings.
Visited for three days in the Easter holidays. Great for group camping trip, especially with children and dogs. Site not particularly busy on our visit but booking essential for Bank holidays. Sloping site as in previous reviews but not a challenge for experienced caravanners.
Endless walks into the Forest, great for the kids to explore and the four legged friends too!
10 mins walk up the road to the shop at the Christchurch sister site. Papers, milk, bread etc. 5 mins by car to Coleford for a supermarket.
Only the top toilet block was open when we were there, no issues with cleanliness. (Another visiting camper of 20 years told me that this was the first year as part of the CCC and there were currently discussions about improvements to the other two blocks).
We have stayed at this site numerous times. I used to visit as a child and now go back with my own children. The setting is wonderful, surrounded by the Forest of Dean. You can walk all over the forest straight from the campsite. About 30 mins to the river and the suspension bridge. Along to the punt and the pub!
The site is quite hilly but we have always managed to find a reasonable pitch as we usually go out of high season. The toilet block by the entrance is the newest and the showers and toilets are good. The other blocks are a bit tired, I remember them being built in the late 70's. However the water is always hot and they are kept clean.
There are a number of pubs a short drive away and Symonds Yat to visit.
On previous visits the check in area was at the top of the hill, this is now a shop/cafe, you now have to go to the site, but don't be surprised to encounter a very long and slow moving queue and be very cautious of people springing out of their cars behind you to get to the check in first! Once this hassle is over you are issued with a barrier code for going offsite and allowed to choose you own pitch unless camping EHU where there is a specified area.
The site is surrounded by forest and is truly beautiful, the walk to the river, wobbly bridge and pubs are really worth the visit alone and the kids were convinced bears roamed the woods!
The toilet/shower facilities are ok not great, and the water in the showers are not exactly warm after approx 8am so get in early.Be warned the mens blocks have a sensor/timed light so if you want to find the loo roll in the night after being suddenly left in total blackness take a torch! Unfortunately what lets this site down is the total lack of control at night, some of this was down to unfortunate choice of pitch as we were next to a small group on the first day which grew to almost 30 people over the weekend. They all liked the sound of their voices and their blue language, this went on ALL night and not once were they requested to quieten down, two sleepless nights and some very unhappy campers.
The other downside to this site is when you go offsite,firstly you have to battle your way back uphill as you now have two lanes coming down, the one waiting to check in and the other people returning that don't fancy waiting in the queue and you know that when you return you will again be stuck in this tedious process!
So mixed feelings, the area is amazing and I really hope this site can just apply a few things to make it what it deserves to be,It is also expensive so uncertain whether we shall revisit.
I have stayed at this site and the neighbouring Woodlands site several times over the last few years. We always come here at the same time of year (end of October) and this is often the last weekend that the site is open. As a result of this the shop is pretty empty and the site is rather quiet. I am certain that in the height of summer there is a very different feel.
The location of the site is perfect for walking and cycling and there are lots of places of interest in the area which are well documented in other reviews, personally I would advise against Littledean Jail with young children as the content is not suitable although there is a host of material on display there for interested adults.
One word of caution on finding the site, be sure to follow the directions given by the site and AVOID following Sat-Nav as it may attempt to bring you up the road under Yat Rock which is totally UNSUITABLE FOR CARAVANS, my travelling companions found this out the hard way!
I booked this site for our first family camping expedition on August bank holiday. I was really looking forward to it. Until I looked at the reviews on this site! Then I dreaded the trip sooo much, wondering what I had let my family in for. Well, despite the fact that it was bank holiday and very busy, we had a lovely weekend.
The site is lovely - views are fantastic. We had enough space and the occasional queueing wasn't a real problem. The shower/toilet blocks could do with a deep clean but they were ok for a camp site! There was a shop on the upper campsite which was a nice surprise too. We have a lovely 2 night stay and would be very happy to come back.
Just returned from a weekend at Bracelands along with 8 other families, in general a great time was had, good weather was a great bonus, we managed to all pitch together and the children had a ball, the forest was simply an amazing adventure.
The big disappointment was the high price paid to camp, way and above any other fees we have paid to camp elsewhere and the disgusting condition of the toilet/shower facilities, they looked as though they were not cleaned very often or very well, some toilet doors were without locks, taps that constantly ran and ran, presumably they are not on a water meter. Maybe if they are on a meter this relates in the high pitch cost! Showers were adequate but not brilliant. But worst of all was the awful stench in the urinals, next time maybe a face mask should be packed.
We will return next year as the site is in a wonderful location and a great place to spend time with friends, hopefully the facilities will have improved by then.
A site set in a really beautiful location but a great shame that the facilities were in need of an overhaul. The costs per night was expensive when you look at the poor condition of the toilet blocks etc. There was never any soap in the dispensers and I did not look as if they had been cleaned!
On the plus side the fact that you could walk straight from the campsite in the forest.
We were lucky where we pitched as we were on a bit of a slope but nobody pitched one side of us. Looking at other areas of the site it looked very overcrowded.
Stayed at Bracelands for a long weekend in August. As others have said the views and forest is lovely - but standard is very poor.
The toilets were horrid not overly clean, taps were burning hot, running all the time or wouldn't switch on, tiles hanging off the wall and all the time we were there we never had any hot showers. The showers also didn't drain so you ended up standing in sometimes dirty cold water - yuk!
Someone had been sick all over in the ladies floor and took someone ages to come and clean it up the next day even with repeated requests from many people.
Washing up facilities very poor 4 sinks to wash up in but no plugs and people left bits of food in the sinks and never wiped down after use. People were using the laundry room sinks becuase of the queue so don't do any laundry in there!
The site is on a slope and you were lucky to find pitches that were even. Bins weren't empty often enough and one morning woke up to see that the rubbish put by the bins had blown all over the site. Cars also drove too fast around the site as children were playing very close.
We went up to the other site which looked pretty much the same with the same problems - took the children to the play ground however many of the things were broken eg broken swing, lots of foot holds missing from the climbing frame. The shop was good though.
The area is lovely but there are much better, nicer, cheaper places to stay - come guys upgrade your facilities - they are not nice! Worst I have ever seen
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Common Questions
Is Bracelands Campsite child friendly? YES, it accepts children View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Bracelands Campsite? 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.
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Tent Pitches 
Caravan Pitches 
Motorhome Pitches 
Small Campervans 
Glamping Units 
No Statics for Hire 
No Statics for Sale 
Seasonal Pitches 
Electric Hookups 
Hardstanding Pitches 
No Fully Serviced Pitches 
Families Welcome 
Not Members Only 
Rallies Welcome 
Not Naturist Site 
Dogs Welcome 
No Dogs Allowed 
Groups Welcome 
Motorbikers Welcome 
Toilet Facilities 
Hot Showers 
Washing Up 
No Bathroom 
Baby Changing Facilities 
Laundry On Site 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
Chemical Disposal 
No Battery Charging 
No Gas Exchange 
Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
Freezer / Fridge 
Motorhome Point 
Wifi Access 
Shop On Site 
Bar <1 mile 
Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway <1 mile 
No Playground 
No TV Room 
No Games Room 
No Evening Ents 
Fishing <5 miles 
Wild Swimming <5 miles 
No Indoor Pool 
No Outdoor Pool 
Horse Riding <5 miles 
Cycle Hire <1 mile 
Golf <5 miles 
No Tennis 
No Beach 
Watersports <5 miles 
Boat Launch / Mooring <5 miles 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
Open All Year 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport <1 mile
Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access 
Lovely family campsite, good weather forecast so very busy, arrived at 7pm on the Friday evening, welcomed at the gate by the warden to check us in, security barrier at entrance/exit which required a code to get in or out, not many pitches left, but found a nice one overlooking the beautiful views of the forest. 
