UK CAMPSITES
Reviewed by Margaret Williamson
Slingsby Camping & Caravanning Club Site, North Yorkshire
Testing the new Helmet Camera
A small quiet site between Helmsley and Pickering. Slingsby village has no shops but the farmhouse right next to the campsite sells home-made fruit loaves (highly recommended). There is also one pub with outdoor dining, and pizzas at weekends. The castle ruins near the lovely old church are out of bounds. The site is an excellent base for cycling a maze of quiet lanes in the Howardian Hills. We rode to Castle Howard, Kirkham Priory, Malton, Pickering and Helmsley. The facilities are currently closed (Covid) apart from the toilet-emptying point, which is very clean with handwashing basin and gel provided. The only problem was that the electricity supply fell to 190 volts when the site was busy. This was not enough to power our fridge, which we sometimes had to run on gas. The hookups round the site perimeter looked old and worn and perhaps rewiring is due? The newly installed free WiFi worked well across the site.
April 2021
April 2021
Burnfoot Park Village Camping & Caravanning Club Site, Near Haltwhistle, Northumberland
Arriving at Haltwhistle Campsite
A small secluded site tucked away down a steep hill in the woods by the River South Tyne, with plenty of public footpaths on a National Trust estate. It’s a pleasant 2.5-mile ramble on footpaths to Haltwhistle, which has shops and a railway station (Carlisle-Newcastle line). The camp is also a good base for visiting some of the Roman sites along Hadrian’s Wall, to the north of Haltwhistle. Or you can explore the Haltwhistle-Alston cycle path, partly on an old railway track and partly quiet roads, accessible less than a mile away at Park village and fairly level once you’ve climbed the steep hill out of the campsite. It’s an easy 4-mile ride along the cycle route to Haltwhistle or 14 more varied miles in the other direction to Alston, England's highest market town. The campsite facilities were closed (Covid) and the site was busy, though not full. The newly installed free WiFi worked well across the site. Look out for deer, birds and red squirrels.
April 2021
April 2021
Beadnell Bay Camping & Caravanning Club Site, Beadnell, Northumberland
A large windswept site on the Northumberland coast, directly across the road from the sea. It’s a 5-minute walk along the clifftop path to Beadnell village, with its small harbour, beach, café, grocery store and pubs. A fish & chip van parks in Beadnell on Fridays (recommended). Seahouses (3 miles south) has more shops and offers boat trips round the off-shore Farne Islands to see the puffins (at the right time of year) and the seals.
Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne (to the north) and the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle (to the south) are within reach for a drive or a good bike ride. For cyclists, note that the Club website claims: “both the Coast & Castles and National Cycle Routes pass the entrance to the campsite”. In fact the ‘Coast & Castles’ route is simply the local section of National Cycle Route 1 (North Sea), which does NOT pass the campsite entrance. NCR 1 can only be joined at Seahouses (northbound) or beyond Chathill (southbound), after riding a few miles of busy road (B1340).
The site facilities were closed (Covid), resulting in an undignified queue every morning for the single and inadequate toilet emptying point, sited in a small hut. One of the wardens explained that planning permission for a second facility block was being delayed by local opposition but that doesn’t excuse the state of the current emptying point, the worst I’ve seen on any Club site. Crouching in the 5-foot-high entrance, the weak low-pressure flush only rinsed half the bowl, there was nowhere to put the cassette screw top while emptying, the short hose for rinsing out cassettes leaked and there was no hand-wash basin, just some gel. Surely planning permission isn’t needed to improve or replace this essential facility?
The free WiFi throughout the campsite worked well and now seems to be standard on Club sites (much appreciated).
April 2021
Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne (to the north) and the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle (to the south) are within reach for a drive or a good bike ride. For cyclists, note that the Club website claims: “both the Coast & Castles and National Cycle Routes pass the entrance to the campsite”. In fact the ‘Coast & Castles’ route is simply the local section of National Cycle Route 1 (North Sea), which does NOT pass the campsite entrance. NCR 1 can only be joined at Seahouses (northbound) or beyond Chathill (southbound), after riding a few miles of busy road (B1340).
The site facilities were closed (Covid), resulting in an undignified queue every morning for the single and inadequate toilet emptying point, sited in a small hut. One of the wardens explained that planning permission for a second facility block was being delayed by local opposition but that doesn’t excuse the state of the current emptying point, the worst I’ve seen on any Club site. Crouching in the 5-foot-high entrance, the weak low-pressure flush only rinsed half the bowl, there was nowhere to put the cassette screw top while emptying, the short hose for rinsing out cassettes leaked and there was no hand-wash basin, just some gel. Surely planning permission isn’t needed to improve or replace this essential facility?
The free WiFi throughout the campsite worked well and now seems to be standard on Club sites (much appreciated).
April 2021
Brown Rigg Camping & Caravan Club Site, Bellingham, Northumberland
Simply the best Club site we know, with campsite and campers exceptionally well cared for. The reception/shop was open with a range of camping equipment, maps and everyday foodstuff on sale, as well as a library of books and films to swap. All the staff were extremely helpful, supplying printed information on local walks, a map of Bellingham and the bus timetable and town plan for Hexham. The showers were temporarily closed, but the washing-up room, laundry and toilets were all open, immaculately clean and Covid-secure with a range of sanitisers, handwash and paper towels. There is a children’s play area, plenty of grassy space and free Wifi which worked well throughout.
The site is in a very quiet location in the Northumberland National Park, ideal for walking, cycling or star-gazing. Bellingham village, which lies on the Pennine Way as well as two national cycle routes, is a 20-minute walk away. The shops include a Co-op, a butcher, a baker, an excellent second-hand bookshop, café and pubs (when open). Kielder Water and Forest can be reached by bicycle or vehicle, with its visitor centre and car parks.
It was our first visit to Bellingham but we do hope to be back.
May 2021
The site is in a very quiet location in the Northumberland National Park, ideal for walking, cycling or star-gazing. Bellingham village, which lies on the Pennine Way as well as two national cycle routes, is a 20-minute walk away. The shops include a Co-op, a butcher, a baker, an excellent second-hand bookshop, café and pubs (when open). Kielder Water and Forest can be reached by bicycle or vehicle, with its visitor centre and car parks.
It was our first visit to Bellingham but we do hope to be back.
May 2021