28/05/2013

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Perfect coastal campsites for caravans

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Rosemarkie Campsite is set on the shore of a half-moon bay

If you like to be beside the seaside, then these campsites are perfect for your next caravan trip ...

Rosemarkie Camping & Caravanning Club Campsite, Highlands

Ness Road East, Rosemarkie, Fortrose, Highlands IV10 8SE
T: 01381 621117 W: www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
Open: 21 March - 28 October
Price: From £15.80

The Rosemarkie Camping and Caravanning Club Campsite is set on the shore of a half-moon bay, which means that from your pitch you can see across the Moray Firth to Fort George and Chanonry lighthouse. The beach here is literally on your doorstep and is part pebbled and sandy. If you’re lucky enough you may see seals or dolphins swimming in the waters of the bay from the comfort of your pitch. The beach is public - dogs are welcome and you can have a barbecue while watching the sun set if you wish to.

The campsite is right in the heart of the small village of Rosemarkie and just a few hundred yards away from where you pitch is a restaurant on the seafront. There are also pubs serving real ales within walking distance of the campsite and about 400 yards away you will find a beachside café (open 1 May - 28 October). Inverness is easily accessed by bus and offers shops, galleries, a cathedral and Victorian market to explore. For those who like wildlife, try the Dolphin and Seal Centre or the Black Isle Wildlife Park which covers 50 acres and is home to a wide range of animals.

Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park, Cornwall

Trevose Head, Near Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8SL
T: 01841 520990 W: www.motheriveysbay.com
Open: 23 March - 3 November
Price: From £18.00

Mother Ivey’s Bay is an immaculate campsite, dotted with rockeries and flower-beds, right on the Cornish coastline. The site has its own private beach which is accessed by a short path from the site near the hire caravans area. The beach is a sheltered cove with golden sand and is perfect for family days and building sandcastles. Dogs are welcome on the beach too. Padstow is a fishing port and holiday destination that is close by. It offers many places to eat, including a Rick Stein restaurant (booking essential) and an interesting harbour area. The South West Coast Path runs past Mother Ivey’s too, so for those who enjoy walking this is the perfect site for exploring this stretch of coastline.

The campsite itself is a peaceful haven, with no clubs, discos or restaurants. The facilities here are first-class though and include toilets and showers, dishwashing and a laundry. There is also a shop next to reception selling a range of items and the purpose-built play area and large open grass area offer something to keep children occupied. If you can drag them away from that stunning beach that is …

Holiday Resort Unity, Somerset

Coast Road, Brean Sands, Somerset TA8 2RB
T: 01278 751235 W: www.hru.co.uk
Open: 15 February - 17 November
Price: From £11.00

This family holiday park is packed with everything you could possibly need for a great holiday. There’s a fun park with rides, a golf course, fishing lake, a waterpark, bars, restaurants, shops and even a land train to get you around the whole site. But even with all this activity going on, the pitching areas retain an air of peace and tranquillity. There are three touring fields, all with modern facilities including toilets, showers, baths and a laundry. Each field also benefits from its own wardens. Two fields are more family orientated, close to the Leisure Park and with family bathrooms. The third is closest to reception overlooking open countryside and is encouraged to be adults only during the week and out of school holidays.

A five-minute walk out of the campsite entrance, across the road and either down a lane past the café or through trees, leads you directly onto Brean Sands. This is a massive seven mile expanse of sandy beach which stretches from Burnham on Sea, north through Berrow and Brean, stopping at the National Trust headland of Brean Down. The Down itself is 97m high and reaches 1.5 miles to its tip, offering stunning views.

Garreg Goch Caravan Park, Wales

Black Rock Sands, Morfa Bychan, Porthmadog, Gwynedd LL49 9YD
T: 01766 512210 W: www.garreggochpark.co.uk
Open: 1 March - 31 October
Price: From £16.00

Black Rock Sands, with its rocky headland and backdrop of sand dunes, affords fantastic views across the Harlech and its castle and is situated just ten minutes’ walk from this campsite. When the tide recedes you can explore rock pools, caverns and the multicoloured rock face. The beach is open and wide with fine sands and a slipway for watercraft. Black Rock Sands stretches for two miles, cars are allowed on it and dogs are welcome on certain parts too.

Garreg Goch Caravan Park is perfect for exploring Snowdonia and the Llyn Peninsula and is close to Porthmadog which offers shops, restaurants and amenities. Garreg Goch only offers a handful of pitches on two areas of the park, so you’ll need to book early. Facilities on site include fully serviced pitches, toilets and showers (with family rooms), a laundrette, children’s playground and also a small shop selling basic necessities. One touring area is close to the playground and is suitable for caravans up to 22ft. For those with larger caravans (up to 26ft), there is a newly refurbished quieter area away from the main facilities.

Norman’s Bay Camping & Caravanning Club Campsite, East Sussex

Norman’s Bay, Pevensey, East Sussex BN24 6PR
T: 01323 761190 W: www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
Open: 21 March - 4 November Price: From £15.80

This Club campsite, with views to the Isle of Wight, is set next to its own private beach which appears at low tide. Nearby are the Pevensey Levels, known for nature conservation and walkers can enjoy the 80 miles of the South Downs Way. Pevensey is 1.5 miles from the site and has various pubs and shops, including The Star Inn which comes highly recommended, and Pevensey Castle is one of Britain’s oldest strongholds. The seaside resort of Eastbourne is a short drive away as is Beachy Head, Britain’s highest chalk cliff, which affords stunning views of the sea and countryside as well as a great coastal walks.

Sand le Mere Holiday Village, East Yorkshire

Southfield Lane, Tunstall, East Yorkshire HU12 0JN
T: 01964 670403 W: www.sand-le-mere.co.uk
Open: All year Price: From £15.00

This has to be a touring site that potentially has it all - a full facility holiday village for all the family next to a sandy beach which is great for walks, dogs and finding your own bit of peace and quiet. Tunstall beach can be accessed by walking directly from the bottom of the site down a short path. The beach is set among low craggy cliffs which keeps the beach itself sheltered but retains a rugged air.

The touring area was recently upgraded and developed and now includes a selection of pitches, from grass to super pitches on hardstanding. The array of on-site facilities include a new leisure complex which houses an indoor pool with slides, a toddlers’ pool, a sauna and steam room, soft play area, restaurant and bar. Outdoor activities range from children’s play areas, to crazy golf and fishing. For days out there is the bustling city of Hull with its famous aquarium The Deep, home to over 3,500 fish including sharks and rays. Hornsea is a seaside town with a promenade and factory outlet village for those who love to shop. For bird watching Spurn Point is a national nature reserve and home of the Humber Lifeboat.

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