CAMP SITES: the Good, the Bad and the....End of Year Updates

[CREPELLO]

Now that we've all come back from our camping hols, I thought I'd revive this thread. So has anyone got any new camp site experiences they'd like to share?

My good one is the National Trust campsite near Castle Wray on Lake Windermere. It's very good value (£4.50-£5.50 pp, up to £25 for a heated wood clad 'pod', which looks comfy and fun - would sleep up to about 4). It's a great waterside location, friendly staff, and is bang in the middle of the Lakes for road cycling. There is even a recumbent cycle builder who lives somewhere in the woods near by!

The only downside for me was I bust my good knee at the end of a lovely 54 mile food shopping trip to Keswick:( - don't ask. That was the day before I was going to tackle Hardknott Pass and the rest, so had to contend myself with a gentle strole along Windermere. And the injury is still keeping me from proper cycling nearly a month later.

[julk]

Here are the best sites I have camped at in the last couple of years.

I camped at Moffat and Dunbar this year, Jedburgh and Ravenglass the previous year. Ravenglass has a small flat grassy area for tents. All are Camping and Caravanning sites, so well equipped and run and have a fair price for cyclists (backpacker rate).

Barnsoul (KMRally as mentioned by Graham), was a nice site to camp on, but I left my good cycling jacket in the kitchen and it was stolen on a Bank Holiday weekend, some smokey open camp fires as well, so avoid it on Bank Holiday weekends.

High Gaitle near Longtown came to my rescue a couple of years ago when I arrived at Longtown to find my target camp site under water. I have been back there every year. No website so details are :-
HIGH GAITLE CARAVAN & CAMPING
High Gaitle, Longtown, CA6 5LU.
T: 01228 791819
1 mile north of Longtown, excellent site for touring border region and Hadrian’s Wall district. Quiet site.

Craigendmuir, a caravan/campsite in Stepps, 5 miles east from Glasgow city centre. I needed to camp in Glasgow and was surprised to find this site in a pleasant location relatively near to Glasgow city centre. A bit pricey for 1, but nowhere else is so near to Glasgow centre.

Tweedside Caravan Park, Innerleithen has a quiet grassy corner for tents. The site is on NCR1 and Innerleithen has a great icecream shop, Caldwells, which is worth a stop.

Victoria Park Caravan and Camping Site, Selkirk - this municipal site was a bit rough round the edges, but nicely located alongside the leisure centre and the river Ettrick in Selkirk. There is a great cycle friendly route to Melrose and lunch in Papa Jacques on a corner opposite the Abbey is a treat.

Riverside Caravan Park, Hornshole Bridge, Hawick - this private site is on a quiet site by the river Teviot. Can be a bit pricey as you pay by pitch, so use 1 tent if possible. About 4 miles to shops in Hawick.

Rowanbank, Beckfoot, Silloth is a delightful site on the edge of the Lake District. Great facilities, although aimed at caravans still takes tents.

I would camp again at any of these sites.
julk

[bodach]

Agree Lairg is not too good and pricey but there is a nice site about 4 miles N.off the Loch Shin road at Shinness (sometimes called Auchnairn).Well signposted at the junctions.

[PW]

If you like it quiet Le Manoir De Kerestat at the top of the hill above Roscoff used to be good. They had a walled garden which was reserved for walkers and cyclists. For a bit more life try the Municipal on the coast at Kerlouen. The French have a liking for huge all night meals where they eat a little, drink some, someone sings a song, eat a bit more, have another drink, someone does a standup comedy routine, eat a little...... The civilised way to party! If you're next door it's quite possible you'll be invited to join in.