Camping recommendations?

[Flatforsale]

I have persuaded my camping-phobic husband to give it a go, and we are going on a one night experiment. Can anybody recommend a good camping site up to 2 hours or so drive from here?

[bluesuperted]

We are going on a short break in a retro caravan (very excited!) to escape home renovations and have had lots of help from the lady who runs the hire company. Here's the link to her company, Aly is excellent so far, although haven't been in the caravan yet! We are going to Kent as we love Broadstairs. The Nethergong she mentions sounds AMAZING but there was no availability. Sounded idyllic and has a write up in cool camping so if you go there I will be jealous but let me know what it's like! Tempted to get into camping proper in order to go (think they only allow tents).

Aly at the Glampervan Hire Company:

http://www.love-glamping.co.uk/camper-hire-kent/#.UhpeJKa9LCS

Anyway, here are some campsites she recommended as not being too hectic/busy/lairy etc!!

"Below are all options I can come up with that are not massive touring parks. None are really like Nethergong, but they are all nice sites with different benefits, in terms of location and facilities.

http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/siteseekerlite/aspx/details.aspx?id=7050&returnPage=search.aspx%7cradius%3d20%7clocation%3dcanterbury%7clistViewPageSize%3d10%7csiteTypes%3d1%2c2%2c3%2c5 (Canterbury)

http://www.lovecamping.co.uk/campsites/south-east/kent/yew-tree-caravan-park (canterbury)

http://www.pitchup.com/campsites/England/South_East/Kent/Birchington/quex-caravan-park/ (Westgate on sea)

http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/siteseekerlite/aspx/details.aspx?id=179187 (Sandwich)

http://www.pitchup.com/campsites/England/South_East/Kent/Whitstable/seaview-holiday-park___/ (whitstable - maybe a bit bigger with lots of 'statics' but you mentioned she knew we liked the area).

She also mentioned Kingsdown campsite near Deal/Dover and on a shingle beach which sounded really great too but not our ideal area as have some friends we'd like to visit close to Whitstable.

I for one did not know such a plentiful world of campsites existed!!

[tomk]

Wapsbourne Manor. Also known as WOWO. Highly recommend.

[patt1980]

We spent a lovely weekend here a couple of weeks ago www.hiddenspring.co.uk/. Very family friendly with a few animals, swings etc and near Lewes and South Downs national park and you drive through Tunbridge Wells to get there which is nice for a stop.

[Monkey]

Swiss farm in Henley. Glorious field camping, some electric pitches, good shower blocks... A good intro to camping!

[ratty]

We just come back from Wo Wo last week. Seems that half of east dulwich were there!

[alieh]

We went to Forge Wood last weekend. Near Tunbridge Wells so just over an hour drive. It was very easy and we thought nice. I like that you can camp right in the woods and have your own campfire. They hire grills for ?5 so you can cook over the fire and they deliver wood to the campsite. There was a little cafe/bar onsite so even had a drink in the afternoon and fry up next morning. A couple of great pubs nearby too.

Loos and showers were a bit grim but we barely needed them as only there one night.

[nunheadmum]

Red Shoots campsite in the New Forest. Good family campsite with a pub by the entrance with a rope swing to keep kids entertained while you relax! On the bounds of 2 hours but we had such a good break there, thiught it worth mentioning.

[Bellenden Belle]

Just a smidge over your two-hour drive, we spent three nights camping this Bank Holiday at Swattesfield in North Suffolk.

http://www.coolcamping.co.uk/campsites/uk/england/east-anglia/suffolk/534-swattesfield

It was absolutely wonderful. Loads of space - other more seasoned campers remarked on how this campsite keeps numbers much lower than others - hot clean showers, wonderful woods to explore, a pub 20 minutes away, two cafes and a playground within walking distance and just oodles of space and loveliness.

[scareyt]

Ha we just came back from Wo Wo too! It is brilliant for kids around 6+ and we had a fab time but I found the toilets and showers quite grotty and it was a bit hard to keep track of adventurous little ones. My sister raves about this place: http://www.chestnutmeadow.co.uk/ - they have a cafe on site and will bring takeaway food to your tent. She said its quite a small site so its easy to keep little kids within sight most of the time.

[coco99]

Second the recommendation for Wo Wo. Also nearby Ashwood Farm just outside East Grinstead and at the other end of the Bluebell line. Best for camping uncrowded woodland camping, you can light fires and the owners are very friendly.

[Langdale]

Burnbake Campsite is great! Take a BBQ so you can use it for a fire at night time. No caravans, just pitch your tent up where you like and it's very close to the beautiful Studland beach in Dorset - white sand, nature reserve etc

www.burnbake.com