We all have our favourite go-to holiday locations, but looking no further than our island nation, what would our top 10 UK campsites be? They may be in the mountains or by the sea, or a bit of both. One thing for sure, we are truly blessed with an embarrassment of riches right on our doorsteps.
Mother Ivey’s- North Cornish coast nr Padstow.
We have visited this site for years ever since our kids were little and we have so many happy memories associated with this part of the world. Mother Ivey’s is a well established, and large campsite based around its own private, and easily accessible beach. It has however resisted the temptation to go too commercial and does not have any form of bar or entertainment program that is seemingly so popular in this part of the world. This makes for a very quiet and peaceful break at any time of the year. The site offers anything from the most exclusive fully serviced pitches right down to camping pitches in their summer only meadows field.
Toilet and shower facilities are clean and well situated around the large site, although at peak times of the year you may face a wait for showers to become available. The site has a well stocked shop for all your camping and catering essentials, as well as a laundry facility that is really useful for longer stays. In terms of location, the site is ideally situated for some of the best beaches in Cornwall. Mother Ivey’s Bay is small and secluded and access is via the site. You can fish directly off the rocks for local herring and the occasional sea bass, as well as just relaxing on the golden sand or playing in the surf.
About 15 minutes walk from the site you have access to 2 amazing surfing beaches, one of which is world renowned. Constantine bay is a huge surf beach with brilliant conditions for the very best surfing and boogie boarding. Next to it is a hidden gem of a beach that is less well known, but no less amazing. Boobies Bay is limited to opening by tide times, but is an absolute stunner of a beach. Hit it at the right time and it will become one of your special places.
Towyn Farm- Porth Towyn, North Wales.
Situated in a prime location on the north coast of the Llyn peninsula, this farm campsite provides doorstep access to some of the most beautiful and quite beaches in the UK. The farm also owns the beachside cafe that has an amazing collection of home made cakes and pastries as well as a wide range of locally produced ice cream.
The campsite is home to a number of seasonal pitched caravans, but also has a large camping field with EHU points available. The toilet and shower facilities are spotlessly clean and situated in the very cute old pig stye! You will need 50p for the showers, but they provide ample hot water at any time of the day. They allow open campfires on the site and sell wood if you run short. One of the unique things about this site is that it is very much on a working farm. When we were there, they were in the middle of dosing the sheep, which involved driving the herds through the farmyard and into the pens- hundreds of sheep are not quiet but it was a lovely sight to behold.
Porth Towyn beach is only a short walk across the lane from the site. It is a wide sweeping bay of golden sand that is very safe for families, but if you fancy something a bit more secluded, there are three stunning coves to the right of the main beach.
Seathwaite Farm, Borrowdale, Lake District.
Situated at the very end of the Borrowdale valley, this isolated and simple lakeland campsite has become one of our firm favourites when we just want to get away from it all. There is no phone signal this far up the valley as mountains tower all around the site. In emergencies there is a public payphone that must be one of the last remaining payphone in the UK!
The site is full of natural beauty, with a crystal clear river running along the length of the site and impressive waterfalls cascading down into the valley. The site is however very basic, little more than an isolated farmers field- which is part of the attraction- transporting you back in time to a much more simple camping experience. The only toilets are the National Trust public toilets, which to be fair are kept clean, but remain very basic! The showers are actually much more appealing than the toilets- coin operated, only open limited times in the day, but they are clean and hot! Apart from that, there are no other facilities on the site. The farmer will come around and collect the £7 pppn fee, and then it is up to you to provide the entertainment.
There are loads of wild swimming opportunities, the site is at the start of a very popular 14km walking route up Scarfell- Englands highest mountain, or you could simply discover this beautiful Borrowdale valley on foot. Open fires are permitted, but you need to bring your own pit and wood. We have spent some amazing nights simply sat around the camp fire as the sun sets and the stars come out.
Llyn Gwynant- Snowdonia, North Wales
We only found this popular site a few years ago, but we gather that it has been an ever present in this part of the world for a number of years and has many loyal and return visitors year after year. It is situated in the shores of Llyn Gwynant, a stunning mountain lake which is dwarfed by the imposing Snowdonian mountains that towers above it. It is an ideal base for anyone into water sports on the lake or anyone wanting a central location for walking and climbing in this beautiful and stunning part of North Wales.
The site is well developed and highly commercial despite it’s wild location. There is on site catering that serves takeaway food and drinks throughout the day, a take away bar and an amazing wood fired pizza operation that opens on an evening. In terms of watersports, there is an on site hire facility that has canoes, kayaks and SUP’s to hire by the hour/half day or day. The site provides free fire pits across the site, only asking that you purchase the wood that they provide. There is no phone signal in this deep valley, but the onsite wifi allows simple contact with the outside world- it would not cope with any streaming of video content. Toilet and shower facilities are sufficient, but in peak times the campsite can feel rammed and the facilities feel like they struggle to cope. As any lakeside campsite would, in the summer months there is a real midgey problem which can make the evenings a little problematic if you are not adequately prepared for this.
Our one gripe about this site is that since COVID they now only accept online bookings, which is fine, but they do tag on a £5 booking fee for every booking, which does feel like a little stealth tax. Surely it would be more transparent to just put the baseline cost per booking up if they wanted more income?
Kettlewell camping- Yorkshire Dales
Situated a 2 minute walk from the village centre, this site is a real gem. Kettlewell is a small village in the Yorkshire Dales with all the basic amenities that a modern camper would require- a range of good pubs that all serve quality food in a idilic location. A number of streams and rivers converge in the village centre, ensuring that you are never far away from the calming sound of running water. Kettlewell is a hub for many walks and cycle rides in the surrounding fells and has more than enough variety for a weekend or week away.
The campsite itself is compact and well organised. It only takes tents and small VW transporter sized campervans. Surrounded by traditional dry stone walls and next to the village church, you really do feel in the heart of the Dales. The facility block is one of the best that we have found in the UK. It has underfloor heating and piping hot showers at any time of the day. The facilities are kept spotless and really are an example of what we should expect from campsites that have chosen to go beyond the budget market.
Campfires are allowed, with fire pits available to hire from the small reception and shop. This stocks emergency essentials for campers, but should not be relied on for general provisions- do your shopping as you pass through Skipton on the way to Kettlewell. Needless to say, with the quality of this site and its limited capacity, pre booking at peak times is absolutely essential as the site is very popular- and justifiably so.
Lochranza- Isle of Arran
The beautiful Isle of Arran is often described as a mini-Scotland, mirroring the entire Scottish geography in a much reduced area. The Lochranza campsite is situated on the northern tip of the island in a small hamlet of the same name. Don’t expect many services in Lochranza- it has a tiny ferry slipway, a ruined castle, a whiskey distillery and that is about it. No shop, pub or bar. Whatever you need for your stay, you need to take!
The campsite is bizarrely somehow linked to the local golf course, but it is quite hard to tell that by looking as the main inhabitants of the course are seemingly the local sheep and their lambs. Red dear run wild in this part of the world- if you are really lucky they may make an early morning visit to the site- but you need to be quiet and up early to catch a glimpse. If not, you only need to look up towards the mountain sides that surround the site to see groups of deer grazing above.
Facilities at the site are clean and simple- with lots of hot water for showers and washing up at any time of the day. Pitches are well spread out and well organised, with plenty of EHU options. As you would expect at such an isolated location on an isolated island, phone signal is decidedly sketchy - which is all part of the appeal surely? The campsite does have good wifi that you will depend upon for communication with the outside world.
Horgabost- Isle of Harris
First off, a sad tale to tell about this campsite. Pre-covid, this site used to run on an honesty box principle and was pretty much un-manned. With it’s idilic beach front location and cheap prices it was always very popular and oversubscribed. When covid restrictions hit, they had to adopt a more formal booking system to track their visitors. Durning this time, the farmer owners soon realised that they had been getting ripped off for years by campers abusing the honesty box principle. Although their capacity was much reduced, their takings went up nearly 40% during this time- come on campers- this is an absolute disgrace that we are doing this to trusting & well meaning people. Rant over.
This campsite is situated on a stunning white sanded beach on the west coast of the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. The location is second to none, with set pitches situated throughout the raised dunes that look down on the beach, with the site ideally located to witness night after night of glorious sunsets. The facilities are very basic and they make no excuses for that, located in old shipping containers right next to the beach. What you are paying for, and wanting from this site is location, location, location and you get it in bucket loads.
We recommend booking in advance as the site is very popular and has no phone signal for many miles. To book for our last minute visit, we had to drive south for 20 minutes away from the site, to call the site to make the booking, to then drive north for 20 minutes back to the campsite- oh the challenges of island life! There is no shop on site, so make sure you are fully stocked up, although there were signs that the site had at one point had a food truck on site that provided a good choice of fast food takeaway.
Langdales National Trust site- Lake District
Situated at the very far end of the Langdale valley, this National Trust site is increasingly popular- for good reason. It’s location is ideal for so many Lakeland fells, with walking routes for all abilities and all seasons. Once you are set up on the site, there is no need to have to drive any further, there is more than enough adventures on your doorstep to keep you busy for at least a weeks stay.
Within walking distance from the site are three great pubs that all serve wholesome pub grub. Our favourite pub for after a long day on the fells is The Old Dungeon Gill, 5 minutes from the site. With a dedicated walkers bar that is a proper spit and sawdust place, complete with a roaring open fire, quality beer and bench seating to encourage drinkers to mix, what more could you want? A great place to spend an evening and we have never been disappointed with the hospitality.
The National Trust have invested heavily in their sites over the last few years and the facilities are first rate. Toilet and shower blocks are always toasty warm with their underfloor heating, with an endless stream of piping hot water at any time of the day or night. There are well equipped drying rooms that are a godsend in the wetter months, as well as a bouldering wall for the kids to play on and a substantial site shop that is really good for things that you may have left at home!
Wasdale Head National Trust site- Lake District
If the Langdales feels isolated, then the Wasdale Head site will feel like the end of the earth. Situated at the very end of Wasdale, pretty close to where the road ends, is as little slice of peace and solitude in our busy, modern world. There is no easy way to get to this part of the Lakes, with a long drive ahead of you from when you leave the M6 motorway as it is situated in the far west of the Lake District national park. The drive into the site, along the side of the imposing lake of Wast Water- one of the UK’s deepest lakes- is never less than impressive. Surrounded by high mountains and overlooked by Englands highest peak- Scarfell, you really do get the feel of being in the wilds.
Like other NT sites, Wasdale has undergone recent refurbishments to bring the site upto the highest standard. It is so nice to finish a day in the fells and to be guaranteed a hot shower in a pristine facility block. Like the Langdales site, it too has the luxury of underfloor heating! There is a small shop on site for camping essentials, with enough stock to survive, but in reality you need to arrive fully equipped for your trip- it is a long drive to anywhere in this part of the world! Needless to say, there is no mobile phone signal in this part of the valley.
A short walk from the site is one of our favourite, and most iconic mountain pubs, the Wasdale Head Inn. For many years this institution has been serving the needs of mountain folk who need the comfort of a warm fire and a cold pint after a long day on the fells. Put simply, you will be stepping into a place of mountaineering history and you can feel it the moment you step inside.
Howgill Lodge camping- Yorkshire Dales
For a variety of reasons, we found ourselves having to spend a lot of the summer of 2021 in the Yorkshire Dales close to my parents house. We stumbled upon Howgill Lodge after staying at their sister site at Bolton Abbey. Howgill is much further out of the way, but maintains the same high standards and customer service as their larger sister site. Built into the valley side, Howgill guarantees sunset views across the picturesque valley but at the minor cost of a very steeply sloping and terraced site. The pitches are perfectly level and have good access to EHUs.
Over the course of the last year, the facilities have been enhanced dramatically and are of a good standard. There is a small shop on site that also runs a good breakfast coffee and pastry service.
The ultimate draw of this site has to be their resident Alpacas who are definitely the stars of the show. Feeding time is such a great time to get to know these adorable creatures. In addition, the local wild rabbit population is booming, so expect to see lots of bunnies particularly at dawn and dusk.
even better, all 3 Alpacas at Howgill are due to have babies in early autumn so I won't even be moving from the campsite!