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Just spent a fabulous four days on the christchurch site. Two families with five children from 6 to 13 including one with severe learning difficulties. The weather was hot!(we were lucky). Managed to get two pitches together with hook up which was good as they would not offer any assurances we would get this as first come first served. The rest of the site was hammered over the weekend (we arrived on a Thursday) some of the tents had to be a bit close for my liking on the none hookup pitches.
The showers were average but not spectacular and really could do with an upgrade.
The real gems were for the kids, play area and a load of organised events with the ranger, we went on a 2hr dusk walk which was great and the time flew.Loads more we would do on return. All the staff were lovely and very helpful.
The local chippies portions are gargantuan, Coleford was disappointing as full of nothing but Charity shops! Canoed on the river Wye and walked to Symonds Yak for spectacular views, the estimated time for this from the site however does not take chidren into consideration! Would return.
The positives of this site were good play area, lovely site in the forest, a good shop (very handy for ice creams) and when a group of teenagers were very rowdy one night they were asked to leave early the next morning.
The only downside I can think of is that it was quite busy, but it was summer holidays so that can probably be expected.
Puzzlewood is definitely worth a morning out to see.
We visited this site in early July 2009 with our 3 year old son and a couple of friends. The site is very nice - gently sloping in places but with enough flat spots to accommodate quite a lot of tents, and the ground is amazingly stone free making peg-bashing a breeze. The staff are friendly, the shop well stocked with local produce as well as some camping essentials, and LOTS of information on local hostelries, amenities and attractions. The toilet and shower facilities were also very good and very clean.
All in all a great site. Shame about the neighbours. Our weekend was unfortunately spoiled by the arrival late Friday afternoon of a large group of people with three massive tents and a crowd of children. Despite having a lot of space to choose from they chose to pitch camp right next to us (well within the stipulated 6 metres) and proceeded to allow their various children (aged between 4 and 10) to run screaming around *everyone else's* tents until nearly 11pm - at one point handing out lightsticks to increase the excitement! Granted the camp rules only stipulate 'quiet hours' between 11pm and 7am, but there should be some respect for others outside these times, especially after dark when other people and small children might be trying to sleep.
When we complained about the noise the following day the camp staff did not seem particularly interested, however it may be that someone had a word with these people as the second night the children were not allowed to run riot quite so much and were put to bed at a more appropriate hour. Unfortunately the adults then proceeded to sit around until almost 1am braying at each other in increasingly loud voices. Disappointing that there is not some warden presence on site during at least the first half of the night to put a stop to such behaviour
But other than that it was a great place to stay in the Forest of Dean - perhaps better appreciated outside of the public school holidays!
We have just returned from a three night stay at Christchurch and we were very disappointed with the site.
It is a reasonable sized site, divided into a lower flat area (mostly used by tents) and then a sloping upper area which was mostly used by caravans (that's where the EHU is). You can pitch wherever you like so long as you are 6 metres from the nearest unit. That sounds great, but it fills up fast and when we arrived mid afternoon all the best EHU pitches had already been taken, so arrive early if you can!
The site is in a lovely part of the world and right next to the forest which is great for walks. Sadly the facilities let it down badly. There are several blocks, but one was closed so it meant a bit of a hike up the hill for those staying in the lower part of the site. The shower and toilet block nearest to us was very shabby - tiles coming off the walls etc. They weren't kept very clean either (although the site was quite busy so that is kind of understandable, but still frustrating).
On our first night we had to wash up in tepid water. Was much better the second night so we wondered if the hot water had simply run out the first night. Get your washing up done early is my recommendation!
There is a nice play area, but it wasn't much good for my 2.5 year old. It's like a miniature adventure playground, but she was too little to do that. There wasn't a slide or a climbing frame for the little ones to use.
The on site shop is well stocked and the staff were very friendly.
There's plenty to do in the surrounding area. Puzzlewood is an amazing place, but not accessible for pushchair or wheelchair users. Just down the road from Puzzlewood is the Perrygrove Railway. My daughter loved that - it's a miniature steam train with activities at each of the four 'stations'.
I would definitely return to the area as there was more we wanted to see, but I wouldn't go to Christchurch again.
We chose this campsite for the close proximity to Symonds Yat (10mins by car). The site is very large with several facility blocks. Most of the pitches are on some form of a slope so be warned, and it is first come first served, so get there early to get the best pitches. The staff are friendly and helpful but we felt that the toilet block that we used was very dated and not kept that clean and not all of the showers worked but the ones that did had plenty of hot water.
My only other gripe is, on our last day there when we came to empty the chemical toilet the waste disposal point was blocked and we had great difficulty in finding another one.
The park was busy and fairly noisy but nothing that disturbed us, and the staff removed the football goals at 10pm (having the goals provided was great for the kids and putting a ‘curfew’ on them was a nice touch, it seemed to work really well).
The site is ok and is in a lovely part of the Forest of Dean, with lots of walks straight from the site into the forest, great for dog owners / cyclists / walkers etc.
All in all the site is ok but not one of the best we have stayed at, fine for a long weekend, but we’d prefer better facilities for anything longer.
The showers were nice & hot with good pressure. They were clean and we didn't have to queue at all. The toilets were also cleaned every day & the toilet roll re-stocked!
The kids disappeared to the play area only to be seen at meal times & bed time.
The walk down to the Wye is nice & shady, which was welcome relief as it was baking hot. I'm sure the hill was steeper on the way back though!
Just up the road from the campsite are two corner shops, a nice Chinese take-away & a pub.
The staff were very friendly & always chatted.
The only thing that I didn't like was having to queue with people just turning up for a pitch, especially since I'd booked online & pre-paid. Also, you have to stand in a queue with people booking in to return your pass key, perhaps that could have been handled slightly better. There were quite a few caravans parked up on a hill with all their owners waiting to return a pass key.
Arrived about 6.30pm on a Friday night. Campsite was busy but not packed. Reception staff were friendly. We pitched on a slightly sloping area, but it was fine. Walks can be done from the campsite into the forest or down to Symonds Yat rock - ask at Reception and they will tell you some local walks. Campsite shop was well stocked, although they had no milk at 8.30am on the Sunday but a local shop is not far. They will freeze your ice blocks for 50p a time. Toilet block was slightly dated but clean. The showers had a puddle of water that wasn't draining, which wasn't great, but I did overhear that there had been a blockage and the following day there were no puddles although the shower block was empty so I don't know if the blockage was cleared or there was no puddle just through lack of use! The play area was well used by our children. We wished we had taken their bikes. In all, we enjoyed the weekend thoroughly and would go back.
Having read the site's description which said 'gently sloping' we were rather expecting to pitch our tent on a slope! However, this wasn't the case. For a standard tent spot, you are spoilt for choice where to set up camp.
We arrived just after the half term so admittedly all the facilities weren't open - our nearest shower block was closed and the you had to be up very early to get any milk from the shop, but this did not spoil our fun. In fact, I'm quite sure the staff were probably thankful for the peace and quiet from what had been a hectic week prior especially with the superb weather!
Whilst the on-site shop stocked the basics, it cost more than the average supermarket, but this is because you are paying for convenience. Yet, I wouldn't say it made a huge dent in the budget, and the sausages are worth every penny!
Previous reviews quoted the showers as being somewhat dated. Each to their own, but I found them to be spotlessly clean, with plenty of hot water and no queues. Interesting 'hair dryer' in the ladies though: it was a hand-dryer mounted high above your head! Not ideal if you've got thick hair like me!
The staff were most friendly and knowledgeable of the local area and recommended Symonds Yat @ 5 mins drive away. It was superb, especially if you're the adventurous type enjoying rock-climbing and riding the rapids in a canoe! I would recommend the Kingfisher river-boat trip at £5.50 per adult (45mins duration) and for eats; if you can't get a table at the Saracen's Head PH, then walk 3 mins further along to the Royal Lodge where we enjoyed a superb lunch. You must get up to the Rock - just don't forget your camera when you do!
Nearby Coleford is a sleepy village: ideal for stocking up on food essentials with its 3 basic supermarkets, but if you are looking for more high street type shops, then head for Chepstow @ 20mins drive away.
Another hidden gem we discovered was Puzzlewood, just outside Coleford. It's a 14 acre natural woodland site which resembles a Harry Potter film set! It's also where Tolkein got his inspiration for Lord of the Rings: visit it and you'll know why!
All in all, a great little site and a great location. Granted, the UK was experiencing better weather than the Mediterranean at the time, but come rain or shine, this is a place I would definitely go back.
We came done on Monday 25th may for a 4 night holiday only the second time camping and had such a wonderful time we did not want to come home. The toilet block and showers were very clean and perfectly adequate for what you need. The added bonus was the children's play area were I left my youngest aged 8 to play and make friends will I cooked lunch and felt very happy doing so. An excellent site and we could not find any fault with the site and would go back next time. The surrounding area is breathtaking and we bet the trees in autumn would be wonderful. We would definitely recommend the site to any fellow campers. After reading some of the comments in your reviews about the site we were wondering what we would find but on our experience we could not find one single fault and would book up again.
Had a very enjoyable weekend here. Arrived on the Friday at midday - lots of people trying to book in at the same time so a bit of a wait. I took the time to soak up the sun, whilst others seem to be getting a little stressed. Not too sure why!? Took about 30 mins to book in and then it was time to pitch. We were allowed to pitch anywhere as long as we were 3m from any other tent (not the 6m as stated on the tin). Found a good spot and pitched up. By about 6 ish the site was getting pretty busy but nothing too bad. Our 2 young boys (4 and 2) had a great time - lots of other families on site. Great location with some nice little walks nearby. Fellow campers caught site of some wild deer in the woods next door. Lots to see in the Forest of Dean itself. Costs £3 for a parking ticket per day - valid in all of the Forestry Com. Car parks. The camp site itself was really friendly - not too sure of the previous posts. Nobody asked us to move the tent! The facilities could do with an upgrade - the block nearest to us wasn't the cleanest but heh. It's camping, not the Hilton! Looking forward to going back again. This time with my bike.
We arrived at the site about 4.30 on Saturday (bank holiday weekend). It was the busiest site we have ever been to. We had to leave the caravan outside and walk around the site to find a pitch. It would appear that earlier arrivals were not keeping strictly to the pitch markings (a slab) and despite booking a long way before our break, pitches were not specifically allocated. We are glad we did not arrive any later. Many of the units were too close together and was not the quaint forest site we expected. It was better after the bank holiday had finished and the site was not as busy!
There were only 5 showers that I counted which does not seem like many for the size of the site (I think it was 280 Pitches). We therefore used the shower in our caravan, trying it out for the first time. The toilet blocks are in need of modernisation and although clean, they are quite old.
The site itself is very nice and we would go again, but probably not over a bank holiday as it is just too busy.
There is a lot to see and do in this area, with nice walks, and both family and mountain bike rides. Not far from Cardiff which is a nice city to visit (usually good on match days!).
The site has a children's play park and many children on bike's and scooters.
Didn't use the shop but always looked very busy. We did not realise but you will need £10 Cash Deposit for the Barrier Key, not mentioned in our terms and conditions, had to leave driving licence.
Stayed at this site with friends (plus a 2 year old) for Bank Holiday weekend.
Good points:
- Friendly wardens - Close to the forest - Very scenic - Handy shop
Bad points:
- Unmarked pitches with strict rules of where/how to pitch - Dated shower and toilet facilities in need of a refit, although clean but very basic - Queues for showers during the morning - Some pitches are sloping and would cause a few problems with tents
We had a nice weekend with some good weather. The site is picturesque and would satisfy most campers. However I do like 'nice' toilets and showers and this site didn't deliver on this aspect, although they were kept relatively clean considering how busy the site was.
This was our first camping experience as a family and we were really happy with the site. Christhurch's sister site, Bracelands, is situated further down the road and we were told it was a good job we'd booked Christchurch as Bracelands was completely waterlogged (it was the exceptionally wet summer!) We ventured down there and agreed immediately with the wardens, although otherwise that looked a lovely site too. Back at Christchurch there is a handy shop, very expensive alcohol, nice Costa Coffee! The adventure play area was adored by our 5 and 3 year olds and they loved being able to venture there on their own. It's a large, slightly sloping site and the facilities were clean, if basic. Nicely positioned for forest walks, Clearwell caves, Puzzlewood etc. The wardens also offer activities (for a fee). As novice campers this site had all we expected and needed.
Great location to explore surrounding areas, good reception area and friendly and helpful wardens. Handy shop with all basic requirements and some not so basic items.
Had two toilet blocks open but there were others which were closed due to season. Toilets clean and tidy. Showers had plenty of hot water and not on a push button so I could fully rinse my hair and take a shower without having to keep stopping and starting.
Lots of local pubs serving meals which the warden directed us to, good value and plenty of choice, decent size portions. Lots to explore in surrounding villages and the general forest area. We bought the Forest experience card for £12 but saved £18 discount on 'Go Ape' experience, which I can say was one of the best days out we have had in UK. So well worth purchasing as it also give discount on pitch fees.
Small play area for kids but as we used campsite as base we didn't really use it.
Really loved the area and will definitely be going back, perhaps to another of the two sister sites.
The only improvement would be that there didn't appear to be a focal point to the site, however that could be again due to season as there was a pavilion which is presumably used in summer.
This was our first ever family camping trip. Myself, OH and DS 2.1/2yr absolutely loved it here.
The staff where very friendly and helpful, the site was lovely. The forest card was suggested and has already started paying for itself as we ended up staying for 3 nights.
The site was quite every night by 11 even though there were a few groups.
We stayed on an EHU pitch and you didn't feel packed in, even between a motorhome and a caravan, but the site wasn't busy, and the weather was great.
The shop was well stocked and very friendly even to the point of tell us where the nearest corner shop was.
The toilet/shower blocks where lovely and clean every time we went in there.
Lots of walks and cycling in the area.
We will definitely go back and will try more of the forest holidays.
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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
No Tents 
No Caravans 
No Motorhomes 
No Campervans 
No Glamping Units 
No Statics for Hire 
No Statics for Sale 
No Seasonal Pitches 
No Electric Hookups 
No Hardstandings 
No Fully Serviced Pitches 
Families Welcome 
Not Members Only 
No Rallies 
Not Naturist Site 
Dogs Welcome 
No Dogs Allowed 
Groups Welcome 
No Toilets 
No Showers 
No Washing Up Area 
No Bathroom 
No Baby Changing 
No Laundry 
No Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
No Chemical Disposal 
No Battery Charging 
No Gas Exchange 
No Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
No Freezer / Fridge 
No Motorhome Point 
No Wifi Access 
No Shop 
No Bar 
No Restaurant 
No Playground 
No TV Room 
No Games Room 
No Evening Ents 
No Fishing 
No Wild Swimming 
No Indoor Pool 
No Outdoor Pool 
No Horse Riding 
No Cycle Hire 
No Golf 
No Tennis 
No Beach 
No Watersports 
No Boat Launch 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport 
No Dog Walk 
Just spent a fabulous four days on the christchurch site. Two families with five children from 6 to 13 including one with severe learning difficulties. The weather was hot!(we were lucky).
