Important Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Campsite

Important Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Campsite

Camping is a popular pastime and it’s a common feature in the holiday and activity plans of families, couples and friends. According to a 2015 Great Britain Tourism Survey, camping contributed about £2.5 billion to the economy. Deciding on a campsite can be difficult due to the variety of options, but you can use general factors to guide your choice. So, what factors should you consider when choosing the best campsite? Here are four you should have in mind.

Location

Location is perhaps the most vital thing to consider when choosing a campsite. We all crave different things in a perfect location. Thankfully the UK has an abundance of sites across the country. The main locations people look to book are coastal, countryside or woodland. It is possible to search for sites by using your chosen criteria.
One consideration is how long you want to drive to reach your location. If you are travelling for an extended holiday then it may be you are happy to travel further. If it is a short break then keep your travelling to a few hours.
A good location should be easily accessible via road. You want to arrive on site with no stress and no damage to your caravan or motorhome.
A good site must be large enough for your camping party to pitch up. You need outside space to cook meals, to sit out and for children to play. A convenient site makes it easier for you to find your way around in the dark, lessening your likelihood of getting lost. A peaceful environment will assist with quality sleep. Take you time picking an excellent campsite to ensure you enjoy your holiday.

Facilities and Accessibility

With over 4,000 official campsites for UK residents to choose from, you are spoilt for choice. Many sites choose to open all year, whilst some are seasonal. To appeal to campers and holiday makers, sites have to distinguishing themselves by providing facilities to boost their appeal. Disability-friendly and accessible facilities are extremely important. Caravan and motorhome holidays need to be inclusive of everyone. Most larger campsites will offer laundries, Wi-Fi, free hot showers and washrooms. Even smaller CL and CS locations may provide showers and toilet facilities.
When looking for a campsite, conduct thorough research and cost-benefit to discover which campsites’ facilities best suit your needs. Do you really need electric hook up? Do you need a hardstanding pitch? Can you use your own onboard facilities?

Campsites with modern facilities like https://www.middlewoodfarm.com/ provide a great choice for a family. This is an example of a site in a good location and ideal for a family holiday by the coast. Sites like this offer glamping too, perfect for if you don’t have your own leisure vehicle.

Safety concerns

We would always recommend that all campers must prioritise safety when deciding on where to go camping. Safety concerns are especially necessary when camping involves children. You must prioritise this to minimise the risk of injury or casualties.
Popular safety recommendations from seasoned campers include avoiding a campsite with open water. Children and pets can get in to difficulty in water. Even a small pond can be a high risk to children and non-swimmers.
If you are camping in woodland consider the chance of children becoming lost in the woods. Camping in the forest offer excellent sites within dense woodland. It is easy to become disorientated and lost. If bad weather is forecast, be mindful of pitching under trees. You don’t want to suffer any damage from falling branches in high wind. Safety is a top camping priority, so be particular about it to avoid mishaps.

Activities

Research indicates that about 90% of campers leave campsites to engage in other activities. Therefore, your activity checklist must influence your camp choice. Your activity checklist will also guide other factors like location picking, and the quantity and clothing type to bring along. Popular activities to do on holiday include walking, fishing, swimming, sightseeing, and cycling. We would suggest consulting sites like pitchup.com and TripAdvisor. You will discover campsites and activities in the area that other have visited and highly recommend. If you are booking with The Camping and Caravanning Club, they offer great suggestions on nearby activities.

It might be you don’t plan to leave the site and relax instead. That is quite common when people are away for a short break. In that case a site like Love2Stay offers activities onsite. These include a restaurant and coffee shop, a gym, outdoor swimming pool, children’s activities and a dog agility course! This is one of our favourite sites for a September visit.
Once you have found a campsite to satisfy each of these, it is time to take your family off on an exciting outdoor experience.