A great day or half day out for all the family. The young can feed the ducks, the keen can take the…read more2 mile walk around the lake, the kids can play in the park/s (one just past the lake to the right then left and the other half way round the lake walk) Plenty of places to eat and drink or just grab an ice cream. Your typical Blackpoolesk place on a smaller scale. You can ride small boats on the lake and there is parking close by but this can be limited. During half terms and school holidays there is usually a fun fair on in the car park so you may have to park out of the centre and walk in

What a gorgeous beach this is! Long stretches of flat sand, grassy dunes and a coastal pinewood…read moreforest (inhabited by a local population of red squirrels). A large group of us came here to participate in a beach clean-up day which they arrange most months. We were lucky that it turned out to be a gloriously sunny and warm day, but obviously the downside was that we were having to pick up all manner of litter that the lazy public neglected to take home with them. At least we were helping to keep this location as stunning as possible. It's looked after by the National Trust, so if you're not a member you'll have to pay a car park entry fee. There's a path from the first car park through the forest towards the dunes, or you can drive all the way down towards the dunes and walk to the beach from there (though this area gets full of cars very early). It was still the summer holidays so it was rather busy on the beach, with folks setting down blankets and camping chairs whilst their families messed about in the sand. A really lovely part of the coastline; how we'd never visited before whilst growing up is beyond me. Just remember to 'leave no trace' and take everything home with you!

This place has a nice combination of trails in the woods and beach. The beach is very beautiful a…read morefb is worth visiting alone. There's toilets and a ice cream van as well as a coffee/tea van but that's all in the way of amenities. It's always ram jam packed in the summer and that's if you can get into the car park to get a parking space but in the winter it's a great place to come and explore. There are quite a few dogs not on the leash but where isn't there in the uk! If you have national trust membership it's free to park and visit.

Very quiet campsite, upon 4 acres. I camped next to a creek so I heard nothing but soothing…read morerunning water. The owner, Robert Is extremely attentive and willingly will go out of his way to help or make your stay a better one. Easy to reach from Manchester by Metrolink to Rochdale, just get off at Newhey. On the 15 min. Walk to the campsite from the station, there are bars, also in town a grocery store and places to eat. Manchester is a must see if you like history, science, architecture, railroads. The hot water is extremely hot, there is a laundry room, and a means to boil water and toast bread. P.S. there is no wifi here. Wish I could have stayed longer than two nights.

Spend the weekend in a barn? Don't mind if I do…read more It was a little late in the day when my friends and I put together our annual camping trip and before we knew it we were stuck with only the first weekend in September. Camping in September? Well it's worth a try, we'll just need plenty of warm stuff and a strong constitution won't we? It was then that I remembered something from back in my Girl Guiding days - you can camp in barns! Camping barns are pretty much just tents made out of stone, with a roof, with a flushing toilet and a sink if you're lucky (and yes, Alstonefield is a lucky barn). The ground floor of this one has one big communal room with wooden picnic benches and a cooking platform and the whole upstairs is for sleeping. No beds, just a wooden platform. Luxury it is not, but utterly beautiful, rustic, quiet and homely (in its way) it sure is. The barn is literally in the middle of nowhere (though there is still some phone signal), with nothing much around for miles barring the farmhouse at the other end of the dirt track and the myriad sheep and cows. There's no electricity but plenty of nooks and crannies for candles. We were mildly unsettled when we arrived mid-afternoon and could already see our breath on the autumnal air, but this gave way in the evening probably through a combination of the candles, the humans, bringing the barbecue inside and the ever present and loving beer jacket. It wasn't half as cold as we thought it'd be - especially for a clear night. We had plenty of space to cook, eat, drink, dance, sing and shout. Camping barns are a bit of a revelation for me. Warmer and (slightly) more comfortable than camping, with no crouching, no damp, no trekking to the toilet block, no falling over guy ropes, no packing away the canvas in the rain, no neighbours. but still with all the good stuff, the great outdoors, the roughing it, the hanging out with your mates. You can rent the whole of Alstonefield for £84 for the night - it fits 12 people (it's £7 each). What a way to spend a weekend! Just bring your woollens in case.

Great one stop shop for pretty much all major out door activities. Good range of equiptment, well…read morepriced and helpful staff on hand to assist you. They have a cycle surgery for maintainance and repairs to bikes. Good range of footwear and kit for the snow. It's a good idea to call ahead should you be after something specific just to check it's in stock.

Fabulous caravan and camping site situated right next to the River Ure. ust a few miles up the road…read morefrom Lightwater Valley Theme park. It has a canoe shop and rental on site although the shop is not part of the site's business. There is a general shop that sells great bacon butties and the usual provisions as needed. The site is really well looked after but there seems to be a bit of a downer on canoeists from the management. I have been here many times and it is not a cheap site by any means but that is acceptable when the level of management is good. However there are now signs on the toilets that say 'no wetsuits in the toilets' so how are canoeists meant to go to the loo? If it means no washing of wetsuits in the toilet and shower area why haven't they offered an alternative. Every other campsite that I have been to where watersports are predominant provide something. You can use the river without camping here, you just pay for parking but they have stopped you being able to drive nearer to the river. So you have to drag all your equipment through the car park, over or under a barrier and some way down the campsite. Once a year there is a big canoe slalom held here which brings in lots of campers and caravanners from all over the country for the weekend and lots of them become returners during the following year. However the management seem intent on driving this out by increasing the prices dramatically and putting so many restrictions in place and being miserable with all concerned. The previous managers joined in and always seemed pleasant and helpful. However there always seem to be a good rapport between all the site users. Anyway despite all this, the site is in a beautiful spot with good roads and lots of countryside for walking in. There is a lovely walk along the river that comes out in West Tanfield which is the most picturesque place with a church and a Pele Tower next to it. It is also home to a couple of pubs that do good food and in summer there is a beer garden next to the river. There is a Dales bus service that calls into the campsite and it is a vintage vehicle. Always nice to see it but it also means you can leave your car and go for a relaxing trip without worrying about getting lost.

Well situated, good facilities, clean, friendly and with fantastic views over the Dee & North…read moreWales. All these factors go together to make a site worth visiting. Been twice now and already looking forward to next years trips.

I've been visiting this camp site for over 22 years and always had a nice time here…read more It's a very basic place, with one small toilet block and a couple of showers but it's cheap! It's not far from Bakewell (2 miles) and a nice drive into Buxton (10 miles) and there is a pub in Monyash that has an outdoor childrens play area and really nice meals (2 miles) The campsite is fantastic for the kids as it is quite far from the road and you can let the kids roam and play without worrying about them wandering and there are some woods that the kids can explore in and enjoy themselves. At the far end of the camp site is a family only field that tends to be nice a quiet (ish) as the groups field is further away. In all my family love to come here, relax, walk and play and it's greta value for money.

nice quiet campsite with three field to choose from although the first field is supposed to be for…read morefamilies it tends to get a lot of duke of edinburghs groups in. Can get noisy at bank holidays but generally quiet and safe for children to play aound the site. They even have shetland ponies for the kids to stroke. The toilets and showers have recently been refurbished to a decent standard and is ongoing with its improvements.Nice and friendly owners. Tree swing for the kids which they seem to enjoy. Nice views of Lathkill Dale and pubs in the nearest villages of Over Haddon and Monyash. Bakewell three miles from the site and Buxton 10 miles from the site. Matlock and Matlock bath within easy reach as is Chatsworth house and Haddon Hall.Tissington trail not far away. Definately worth a visit. Good value for money.

Great caravan and camping site just 4 miles from York off the A19. Has adults only field and also…read morefamily fields. Right by the river Ouze, so some walks nearby also the locks and weir are interesting to sit by and watch in operation too. There is a local pub The Blacksmiths Arms nearby (see review) which opens for breakfast at £2.99 for campers who don't like to cook! Full meals and BBQ's available here with lovely real ale. Fulford just short drive away with another 3 pubs and an Aldi and Iceland for shopping. Piches from £16 £23 per night with electrical hook up. Small shop onsite with limited opening hours that stocks all essentials. Very friendly, flexible, helpful staff. Toilet block cleaned regularly, showers always always clean and free. Pot washing area too. Well worth a visit if you are looking for a nice place close to York.