In some respects this is a parallel post to newbie ones on a tent for a family of 5 and and the essentials I need. We have beeb convinced that the family with 3 kids 5 and under should sample a preinstalled tent first that has all the facilities. We are relaxed where we go whether UK or though, even now, warm weather beckons as it rains down in London again! We do not drive! So can anyone suggests great campsites for us that are relatively easy to get by planes, trains and buses. I have looked at the Eurocamps, Canvas' etc but they have nil or skimpy info. Usually. get a car and drive 100 km. Any tips would be most welcome and we promise to feed back to others, over the years. Dave Franks
|
 |
 Take the train to Portsmouth. Short bus journey to ferry terminal. take ferry to France. St Malo would be a good destination although it's a 9 hour crossing. Bus (or short taxi ride) to camp site.
|
|
I should have said Europe above.
|
|
 Some of the site are 'Fly-Drive' I know you don't drive but you may be able to arrange transportation with the company in lieu of the car hire element of the holiday?? Some may be not too far from the airport? May be possible to use a train instead of a plane??
May be worth asking especially if the current economic climate carries on and they need to sell holidays?? Can't hurt to ask anyway.
|
|
 You can do this also in Lakes. Euston Train to Windermere (change at Oxenholme, it's quietest relative to Preston and Lancaster). Windermere rail station and the bus station are together. Then pick the bus to the direction you want. The main big bus (I think route 592) from there goes to Keswick and on its route you go close to campsites at Ambleside and other places. Campsite close to Keswick near the lake or further (2 miles) to Braithwaite. Or the smaller buses northeast to the Patterdale direction passes Limefitt and then Side Farm then Glenridding. Or south to Bowness, or west to Coniston.... Langdale... I've cycled all those places and plenty of buses pass me. Really it's a choice of solitude+quiet vs shops close by. Of the above for a family, something like Limefitt may be best choice, has plenty of on-site facilities, nice hike up the side to High Street and a little village close by. Not frequented by drunks like many other campsites.
|
|
Hi David, Have a word with the holiday provider (like Eurocamp)....they will be able to tell you which sites fly/drive or train/drive (Eurostar/TGV combo is awesome...we left London at noon and were in Nimes at 10-00pm with one relaxed change (time for a pizza and a coffee) in Lille....and may even organise it for you. Even though we arrived in Nime at 10-00pm, we were met, taken to our gite...where our hire car was sitting outside waiting for us...I know you dont drive...but you get the point.
|
| Edited: 27/03/09 23:06 |
Hi David, Have a word with the holiday provider (like Eurocamp)....they will be able to tell you which sites fly/drive or train/drive (Eurostar/TGV combo is awesome...we left London at noon and were in Nimes at 10-00pm with one relaxed change (time for a pizza and a coffee) in Lille....and may even organise it for you. Even though we arrived in Nime at 10-00pm, we were met, taken to our gite...where our hire car was sitting outside waiting for us...I know you dont drive...but you get the point. Dear Simon, Thanks we have used tgv and eurostar many times b4, and love it! and the Austro-German network. If Eurocamp can assist me a bit more than great and if we can get picked up, that will be excellent. We visited Nimes years ago b4 kids can you recommend your accomodation? DAVE
|
|
Not for you I'm afraid....it was a gite way out in the sticks as we like to be well off the beaten track (it helps that managment is multilingual) so a vehicle was absolutely neccessary - even the nearest shop of any kind was 15 minutes drive. Try a company called Chez Nous. Most (if not all) of the owners are both english speaking (many are expats) and live on site or very close to the gite, so you can literally ring them and discuss suitabilities/requirments......even down to the grocery box some provide so that your first morning is catered for. When the kids were younger we used them a few times and found it most convenient. Worked the other way too.....sometimes we had requests to bring things with us like some PG Tips.
|
|
 Try Take the family They have a forum and hits and tips sections for folk taking families abroad
|
|
|
|
|
 Your post reminded me of staying in a hostel in the North-West Highlands of Scotland many years ago with a family and their 4 children all primary school age. The family had travelled up from the south coast of England and were spending a week or so exploring the area on foot and by train. They had a room to themsleves. Just thought I would mention this an alternative to camping. In Scotland there are lots of hostels, independent or SYHA close to rail stations or actually part of rail stations. Aviemore on the London/Inverness line comes to mind as there are plenty to do in and around the town including trips into the Cairngorms.
|
|
