Family campsites? (1 Viewer)

Vlad The Impaler

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Just managed to have my first look at the new site and I have to say what a good jobs been done!
The only thing I might have added was in the campsite best for section,remember not all funsters fart dust and a best for families section would also come in handy for those of you with grandkids.

Vlad.
 
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Vlad The Impaler

Vlad The Impaler

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waldegraves and searles are good for children if that helps
I know that Gail, my kids love Searles (both primary schoolers) perhaps an addition could be made to the campsite section?
Last time we went to Searls we stayed in the camping field, no hookup but £18 a night for 4 with the dog and leisure passes!

Vlad
 
Sep 3, 2013
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We've found the following:-

Wellington Country Park near Reading
Swiss Farm in Henley-on-Thames
Chertsey Caravan and Camping Club Site
Clachtoll Beach campsite in Scotland
Loch Ness Shores camspite - guess where?...

There's more, but you get the gist.

Just to add weight to Vlad's request for a families section would be very handy for us youngsters. (thumbs-up smiley)
 
Jan 4, 2012
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Yes please!
We seemed to be a forgotten minority , a 6 and a 4 year old here that we go off with everytime.
MHF seems to be for the older / retired folks :cry:

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ourcampersbeentrashed

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Yes please!
We seemed to be a forgotten minority , a 6 and a 4 year old here that we go off with everytime.
MHF seems to be for the older / retired folks :cry:

I disagree joner888

The children at the Stratford motorhome show had a fabulous time and they always do at the Malvern show too. Some funsters even bring the grandchildren but it all depends on where the meets are school term wise.

Additionally children grow up so quickly, there were loads when we first joined and our son will be 18 next year, but we have had a few new families join at detling and Stratford.

Jaws thetford meet is a great one for kids so watch out for that next year
 

scotjimland

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Am I a minority.. I have a kid, age 13 and three grandkids.. :D

Starting in 1973 I have brought up six that always went on camping holidays.. but I can never recall looking for a specific 'family' site .. I would look for sites that were close to beaches, lochs or rivers.. or perhaps a forest with plenty of trails..
Location was and still is everything, not what is provided on site.

There are more and more 'adult' only sites springing up and also sites listed as 'not suitable for kids' .. whatever that means.. How can a camp site be unsuitable for kids.. or is that just a polite way of saying.. 'w e don't want kids'

I may suggest a site, or even an aire, that is close to a fantastic beach but has little else.. would this be a classed as a 'family site ?

So what facilities make a family site ? Is it organised games, creche, a games room, cafe, swimming pool ... or what .. ?

Give kids a beach and lose them for the day.. give them a games room and they get bored in have an hour..
 

Chris

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Am I a minority.. I have a kid, age 13 and three grandkids.. :D

Starting in 1973 I have brought up six that always went on camping holidays.. but I can never recall looking for a specific 'family' site .. I would look for sites that were close to beaches, lochs or rivers.. or perhaps a forest with plenty of trails..
Location was and still is everything, not what is provided on site.

There are more and more 'adult' only sites springing up and also sites listed as 'not suitable for kids' .. whatever that means.. How can a camp site be unsuitable for kids.. or is that just a polite way of saying.. 'w e don't want kids'

I may suggest a site, or even an aire, that is close to a fantastic beach but has little else.. would this be a classed as a 'family site ?

So what facilities make a family site ? Is it organised games, creche, a games room, cafe, swimming pool ... or what .. ?

Give kids a beach and lose them for the day.. give them a games room and they get bored in have an hour..

Same here Jim.

We never look for family specific sites - in fact I hate the likes of Haven etc.

Location is the key for us.

Give me a site close to the beach any day so the kids can play and I can go fishing ( preferably off the rocks to avoid every passer by asking me if I have caught anything)::bigsmile:

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Jan 4, 2012
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I disagree joner888

The children at the Stratford motorhome show had a fabulous time and they always do at the Malvern show too. Some funsters even bring the grandchildren but it all depends on where the meets are school term wise.

Additionally children grow up so quickly, there were loads when we first joined and our son will be 18 next year, but we have had a few new families join at detling and Stratford.

Jaws thetford meet is a great one for kids so watch out for that next year

We have been to x2 meets - Newbury and Chester, no kids anywhere, we felt a bit of a oddity .
However there are sites as Scotjim says , near beaches as in Woolacombe .
Thetford is looking good(y)
 
Sep 3, 2013
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Jim, you're correct.

My children don't need specific areas for them. It's the location and the atmosphere that's important.

As you said, camping suits children a great deal but some sites 'do it better' than others.

For example, Wellington Country Park is situated in the middle of a... country park. Ideal for the little people to explore and for walks around the lake or to see their min-farm. Plus pitches are HUGE and it's well away from any roads.

Clachtoll is literally right next to the beach and the sea.

Chertsey doesn't allow ball games, but it's got a little play area that my 3 year-old daughter loved, there's a gorgeous pub 5 minutes walk away and the Thames runs past with some beautiful walks along the banks.

The thing is, whenever the word 'children' is used, some think of noisy, unruly kids with footballs, running around with no consideration. My children aren't like that but I know of some who are. So when a campsite is 'child-friendly', I think they're trying to channel resource into the more hyperactive kids as opposed to the more laid-back ones.

I don't want theme parks or suchlike. But I do want large pitches and peace where my childern are safe walking around and where there are good (washing) facilities, just in case. Swiss Farm is a good case here. Outdoor swimming pool - not too big - and nicely done and a nice quiet site but where my children can play quietly with a ball just outside or go for walks around the site without worry. The toilets and showers are excellent - just in case - and there's a handy coffee bar for those 'suddenly-hungry-can't-be-bothered' moments. Plus easy walking into Henley for those little essentials that may be needed.

Clachtoll has none of these really. But the beach is the BIG draw. Talk about wearing them out! So very family orientated once again, but surprisingly peaceful as all the children are in bed by 7.30 as they're so tired from being on the beach most of the day.

There was one site near Aberfoyle that we stayed at last year in the hired Swift. Nice. Quiet. Chilled. But I don't think they really 'liked' children. That was the vibe be picked up. More 'mature adult' with a nod to accepting families because they felt they had to. And I saw very few other little people there. All very prim and proper and, although nice, not a place we'd go back to because of it.

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Chris

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Chertsey doesn't allow ball games, but it's got a little play area that my 3 year-old daughter loved, there's a gorgeous pub 5 minutes walk away and the Thames runs past with some beautiful walks along the banks.



.

Do you mean the pub on the other side of the bridge?

The hotel on the campsite side of the bridge used to be great until they refurbished it a few years ago. Now it is horrible( and empty).

We were there in early January and left the day before the major flooding. We had fun though paddling along the banks of the swollen Thames in our wellies watching a variety of garden furniture Float down the river having been swept from the gardens leading down tothe Thames.
 

scotjimland

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Jim, you're correct.

My children don't need specific areas for them. It's the location and the atmosphere that's important.

As you said, camping suits children a great deal but some sites 'do it better' than others.

.

Absolutely agree..

the difficulty is defining 'family or children friendly site' ..

what you and I like may be different from what someone else likes..

We prefer just a field with plenty of space, with water and dumping, nothing else. We don't need EHU, washing facilities, toilets, pub or club.. .. in other words, a basic CL ... a place you can chill out and enjoy a barbie.. I know for a fact that is not what others think of as a 'family' site.. it wouldn't suit everyone.

Sadly, places like these are getting thin on the ground .. the latest crop of nuvo campers want 5 star facilities, like Las Vegas on a field .. :ROFLMAO:
 
Sep 3, 2013
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Chris, yes. The pub was a very pleasant surprise.

The hotel you mention - completely agree. Didn't look terribly inviting to us as it had plenty of placards outside advertising 'Live Football' in their bar. It didn't look busy when we were there a few weeks ago.

But the pub, on a Thursday, was packed. Justifiably so. The food was very good indeed and the bar had a great wine selection. We ate outside under a canopy, watched the short but intense rain shower and enjoyed the evening air.

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Vlad The Impaler

Vlad The Impaler

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I like,fishing,walking and great locations,it's all about choice!
I think if there's a place to list sites that offer lots for kids it would be a bonus.Kids love meeting and playing with other kids and when mine do they go off and get on with it and I can fish or whatever.
You can get good locations and be stuck with people who don't enjoy kids and there can be a slight atmosphere.Family sites can be all singing and dancing with rides and pools,or a nice little field with a steam or woods!
One bonus would be that if it were known as a family site
Those old farts that don't like kids shouldn't be there.

Vlad
 
Jan 4, 2012
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I like,fishing,walking and great locations,it's all about choice!
I think if there's a place to list sites that offer lots for kids it would be a bonus.Kids love meeting and playing with other kids and when mine do they go off and get on with it and I can fish or whatever.
You can get good locations and be stuck with people who don't enjoy kids and there can be a slight atmosphere.Family sites can be all singing and dancing with rides and pools,or a nice little field with a steam or woods!
One bonus would be that if it were known as a family site
Those old farts that don't like kids shouldn't be there.

Vlad
So there it is then, a sticky thread for kid / family friendly sites.
We have been to some sites where there are older people enjoying the quiet and sites where it is all happening.
If there was a thread here ,us with kids could go and pick and choose on there and leave comments about them.
People that don`t like kids about could click past it where as we could read on(y)
 

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