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We visited here for a two night break to go to the Traction Engine Rally - it was a last minute booking but they were able to fit us in. The campsite is fairly big and was very busy. As a reluctant camper I was a bit worried thinking it would be noisy and toilets/showers dirty. But I was wrong considering how busy they were the toilet/showers were v clean - never had to queue. On a night it quietened down really quickly and not too late either.
There was children's entertainment and a bouncy castle - the kids enjoyed it. There was also a play area - but it was a bit of a trek away so couldn't let the boys go on their own but they didn't miss it as there wasn't much to play with.
Handy shop with essentials in and free refreezing of icepacks for cool boxes. The staff where very friendly. Only negative thing I can think of is the pitch was big but fairly uneven - but it wouldn't stop us visiting again. Lovely site.
I would recommend the campsite, the showers etc where excellent, great facilities such as sink area to wash dishes, washing machine/iron/dryer. BBQ highly recommended, staff friendly,plenty of things to do for the kids, ryedale museum highly recommended. Only negatives were the midgies, but smoke definitely deterred them, there was 9 of us 3 adults and 6 teenagers, I felt we were certainly not loud and in bed by 12.30am however, older more quiet campers told us that we were noisy, if we were up until 4am they had a point, we were not noisy, this spoilt our time as we felt we had to be mice, it was a holiday! one of the teenagers suggested that it would be better if there was a poole table and such like, but over all, I would highly recommend this site and will definitely be coming back. Ps. The shop was not expensive and catered for things that I would not of thought of.
We spent 2 nights at Spiers House with another family at the end of July. We booked non EHU (EHU pitches were already booked up) pitches but it was still first come first served so we arrived at lunchtime to get a good pitch. It had been wet during the week and the pitches were boggy. The grass was long and the pitches were not marked out, it was a free for all and hard to work out where we should pitch. However once pitched we had a nice stay (apart from the midges which are a problem but so is any campsite in summer near woods & water).
The toilet block was excellent - the best showers I have come across, what was especially good was the plentiful hot water and the generous size of the cubicles with plenty of hanging space, and the fact that they were free.
The shop is good and seemed to sell most things you would need. The staff were helpful when we realised we needed power to inflate our airbeds but hadn't booked EHU - they allowed us to use a socket in their workshop. The play area is a lovely spot but a bit sparse, it could do with a few more things to do, especially for younger children.
We tried to cycle from Spiers House to the sister site 3m away (Kelda), which was supposed to be a family friendly easy route, but had to abandon after we met a frisky bull en route. Apart from that the trails are fantastic and the one we chose was good for families (assuming the bull isn't a permanent fixture!). I would stay again but only on an EHU pitch.
We initially booked for 2 nights with friends, but it rained so heavily we called the site to ask advice. They were really honest and said that it was raining so heavily there that it would be difficult to pitch. They said they would hold the booking and if the weather improved and we wanted to go the following day we could pay for just one night.
Weather was fine next day, so turned up mid morning ready to pitch tent. Due to rain, fields were a bit water-logged but staff were great and helped us find somewhere to pitch 2 tents together.
There was a small shop selling basic camping gear, food & essentials. There was a children's play area, which our kids loved.
The loo/shower blocks were clean with lovely hot showers.
Being a woodland site, we were bombarded by the usual midges, which drove us inside the tent by 7. 30pm! The woods are lovely though, with a fab den-building area which the kids spent ages in. There are some lovely walks in / around the site and lots of places easily accessible by car. It's a shame our visit was so short due to the weather, but definitely a site we'd return to.
The site is very well placed and great for outdoor lovers, the staff were excellent and very helpful.
The toilet/shower block was very clean and always had hot water, the pitch we had was with EHU and was very good. The play area was ok for our kids 6 and 9 but could do with a few more things. Bike hire on site is excellent value for money. The shop is well stocked with basic supplies.
If you have ever camped in scotland you will know that the midge problem at this site is not really a problem at all, just a few and not every night. We will return to this site in the future. The weekly BBQ is a good idea to meet other campers.
Great site toilets and showers very clean, and lots of other very good facilities, pot wash, shops etc. Organised activities for a reasonable charge. All in all would recommend good site for families. Only thing to watch is site barriers close at 10.30pm and don't open till 7am but car park other side if you get caught out (as we did) or if you have an emergency there is a number for warden, if urgent, posted on notice board.
Just returned from a long fathers day weekend we booked at this site. Lovely forest location with different walks and bike rides which are colour coded. Walks start from 1 and a half miles. Definitely worth visiting if this is your thing.
We were sited on an uneven grass pitch for our tourer at the furthest point away from the toilet block, this was apparently a premium pitch?
There is a great shop which sells fresh bread and essentials. Quite pricey though.
There are forest ranger activities advertised on a board outside reception for the kids to go on, (at a fee) but when I enquired about them they weren't actually available at any of the scheduled times. The receptionist got out a piece of paper the ranger had left to say what he could do and at what time but she couldn't understand it. Apparently he was splitting his hours between this site and another.
The shower blocks were nice and clean and didn't need to queue while we were there.
We went out to eat in Pickering for fathers day to a fabulous place on the main street in the market place called the white swan. The food here was amazing! The best Sunday dinner I have had in a long time, all home made food. The desserts were to die for with the best chocolate cake you will ever try. We were with a group of foody's and we all gave this place 10 out of 10.
After this meal out we packed up and left a night early even though we had pad for it. The midgie's here were just too much to take. They were not deterred by insect repellent or lots of citronella candles. We were all bitten and annoyed in the night with them flying in our faces. I'm not sure the site could do anything about these little pests.
It was my first visit to any kind of forest camp site and will definitely be my last, it was just unbearable. All in all I think this campsite is really for keen walkers and bikers.
Went to Spiers House for the May whit weekend. None of us enjoyed it and the kids wanted to pack up and go home after 2 nights. Weather was good so it wasn't that - I think as a tenter you are made to feel very 3rd class - you come after the caravanners and the Eurocampers who all have the dry level pitches near the facilities.
We were on a boggy patch of land next to the Forest which was absolutely teaming with midges. There's only one set of loos etc which was a long trek away. The water in the showers was cold after a very long queue.
The staff were too busy discussing when they would be able to close up to book us in. The shop wouldn't take cards on a spend of below £10 - I would have been happy to pay a charge rather than have to trudge all the way back to the tent. Very little fresh food for sale - e.G. Bacon, sausage - the sorts of things you need. Large space given over to fridges for wine and beer which looked great at first until we realised they'd charged £7 for wine that tasted like paint stripper.
They've obviously spent a lot of money on their branding and identity without thinking through the actual experience - we'd have been better off on one of the local farm sites. At least it would have had a bit of character.
On the plus side, the forest is lovely, but certainly wouldn't be back.
The location cannot be faulted, scenic with lots of wildlife. Toilets, showers and washing up facilities were modern, clean and well designed with no shortage of hot water. Staff were friendly and the shop well stocked with essentials, as well as fresh produce. The tent pitches are unmarked on slightly sloping uneven ground and the bottom field is a fair hike to the loos up a slight hill. Were I to return I would go for a powered pitch as these are closer to facilities and better maintained.
Only two criticisms. Have a major midge problem - virtually everyone we spoke to had been bitten, some severely and at times, despite candles etc. It was virtually impossible to sit outside due to clouds of them descending.
Secondly, one field was rented to a youth group for a night and although we were warned, supervision was poor with kids allowed to shine torches willy nilly after dark and the adults were still chatting and slamming car doors gone midnight.
This is a really nice site but midges can make it miserable.
For 'new' campers we found this site really good. We opted for the 'Select Pitch' which included an electric hookup and picnic table - but you pay a premium for this.
It was crowded the weekend when we went but we hardly had to queue when using the showers or doing the washing up. Showers and toilets were always clean. Staff were friendly and helpful.
We also found this a reasonable base for going to the coast, which was about half an hour's drive away. We really enjoyed our stay and will definitely go back again.
Forest Holidays seem to think that we all need a latte & champange.
If you have a tent & EHU then you will be pitched within reasonable distance of the toilets/showers. Without it, you WILL have a hike, so pack a potty! (& yes, the non-EHU tent field is on a pretty significant slope).
We were looking forward to using the refurbed site, but it would appear that it's Forest Holidays who've refurbished their camping ethos, rather than making any significant improvements for tent campers particularly. When we've used the site before we've been able to get daily papers, ice lollies, bread, milk etc - no such luck this time (the new vending ice cream machine had not arrived yet!).
The refurb could have gone further to upgrade the play area a little
We have been coming to this site for some 6 years in both a caravan and more recently in tents. The surrounded forest area is simply wonderful and you approach the site up a long narrow road through the forest which ends in a large clearing where the campsite is situated. The site over the last few years has gone through a period of renovation and to a certain extent this is a shame as it has spoilt some of the uniqueness that the old site had. The owners did say it was a matter of modernising the site or closing all together.
The modernised site has now split site into two with tents on the right hand side in a large field and caravans and tents requiring electric hook-up on the left. The caravans have hard standing area and all the tents have grassed area. The site is becoming very popular that the units seem to be packed in but within safety regulations. The tents in the large field can suffer from the ground having drainage problems and I have been there when vehicles have been asked to keep off the grassed area due to it becoming too muddy. The site now also has cabins for rent too.
The facilities in the form of the showers and toilets are excellent being well heated and clean. The reception area now has a small shop which also sells hot food and drinks.
The walks in the forest are brilliant and there are good cycle routes too. For a popular site you soon can find the peace and tranquillity of the forest which offers a great wakeup call in the morning with the pheasants talking chatting away in the early hours. The village of Cropton is just down the road with the Cropton Brewery offering not only great food but as the name suggest its own brewed ale. Pickering is about 15 mins away and offers an array of individual shops so much missing in modern towns these days. This is also where you can pick up the stream train which is often featured in TV series Heartbeat. Further a field there is Dalby Forest with a great tea room and Whitby and Robin Hood’s bay are within easy reach.
This is perhaps not a cheap site to stay on but you get a lot for your money.
Having just spent 4nights at Spiers House I must say,as experienced campers, we were a little disappointed in what we found. The site is much bigger than we expected, and as such, I don't feel the toilet / shower facilities, whilst spotlessly clean would be adequate in the height of season. However our biggest gripe is the on going building work,yes the cabins will be fantastic WHEN COMPLETE, The review we read from Forest Holidays gave the impression the site was newly re-ferbished,well not quite!
We paid for a premium pitch,with hook up,the pitch was heavely rutted,& the hook up point was quite a distance from our pitch,we had to borrow a long extention cable.
The site shop was'nt that well stocked with the basics,eg tinned bits n bobs you often forget,you will need to visit Pickering for your shopping around 14 mls round trip,also the shop dos'nt open 'till 9 am,a little late for a camp shop,& closes at 6pm. The site DOES provide a good base for exploring the surrounding area & does have a bus service which picks up & drops off at reception.
The nearest pub,is the New Inn, about a mile or so from the site, in Crompton,which serves meals & also has it's own brewery on site which is open to visitors.Little niggles,just be aware.
Just back from 3 nights at Speirs House, we had a tent with EHU, got a good pitch, although on a bit of a slope, had plenty of space.
Fantastic forest location but access to site is not the easiest, lots of winding, hilly roads, and one road has fords to cross. Once we got there though, check in was easy, staff friendly and helpful and showed us to our pitch.
Bank holiday weekend meant that the site was very busy but never a queue for toilets, showers or washing up facilities. Washing up area could do with a bin for food scrapings waste.
Showers were clean and had plenty of hot water. Only drawback was that the showers were in the toilet blocks - a family shower area would be good for families with young kids.
Kids playpark got 10 out of 10 from our kids, felt very safe on this site and the forest walks were great. The on site shop had lovely fresh baked bread and all the usual essentials, although they were expensive.
Pickering and Malton very nice wee towns within a short drive, both have supermarkets for more reasonably priced supplies, Pickering had excellent ice cream shop.
If we could find an easier way in to the site, we would definitely go back.
A Forest Holidays site - so a collaboration between the Forestry Commission and the Camping And Caravanning Club.
Generally, the site was OK, but I have several major gripes.
1: I have been unable to find a good road route to access this site with a caravan. The obvious one, off the A170 through Wrelton and Cropton, involves narrow lanes, steep hills (1-in-8) and a narrow, 90 degree blind corner. And this is the best route in! Great care is needed, but the site does nothing to offer advice on this aspect.
2: Signposting to the site is poor until you actually arrive at the entrance to the forest road. Once at the campsite (more than half a mile from the B-road) more signs are needed to show where the reception block is.
3: The caravan pitches are relatively small and the hard standings are often difficult to get on and off. The site road is often too narrow to allow vans to be backed in to place if neighbouring pitches are occupied.
4: The site is remote and peaceful . Apart from the neighbouring building site. Forest cabins are being built right next to the campsite, and during our stay work often began at 8am and went on past 8pm. This included the use of noisy generators, heavy plant machinery and vehicles, plus hammering, sawing etc. This wrecked the peace and quiet aspect that we were hoping for. It looked like there would be several months more work at least before the cabins were finished. Ask about this before you book!
5: Campsite staff were friendly but disorganised. It was unclear when facilities such as the shop or showers would be closed. Often they seemed to shut whenever the staff felt like it.
The area around Spiers House is terrific - Pickering and Helmsley are great market towns - but unless you specifically want to be in the forest then there are probably better sites to choose.
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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 
We visited here for a two night break to go to the Traction Engine Rally - it was a last minute booking but they were able to fit us in. The campsite is fairly big and was very busy. As a reluctant camper I was a bit worried thinking it would be noisy and toilets/showers dirty. But I was wrong considering how busy they were the toilet/showers were v clean - never had to queue. On a night it quietened down really quickly and not too late either.
