When did camping become so expensive?
Posted by AlertCucumber2227@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 135 comments
Granted, I haven't been camping in 15 years, but the cheapest pitch I can find (for a small tent) is £36 per night and I have to pay £4 extra for my car. This is for basically a field with a shower block. I don't want electricity and I don't need a 10 x 10m pitch. Has the old school camping been replaced by glamping and VW camper vans?
InsaneInTheRAMdrain@reddit
Wait people pay to camp, i still just fuck off to the lake district with a 1 man tent and pitch it where ever.
madjula@reddit
That's illegal, do not go to the Lake District and do that.
InsaneInTheRAMdrain@reddit
Its illegal? Ohhhh no, whatever will i do, im such a criminal.
madjula@reddit
Well what does happen is that locals or farmers will come and harass or destroy your property and the police will do nothing.
Jibbathehutt07@reddit
It would be a disaster if everybody wild camped though. I was up in the lakes last September and it's was pretty disappointing to see a lot of people clearly not following the rules of wild camping. leave no trace, pitch just before it's dark and be up and out by 8am at the latest.
yojifer680@reddit
Who made that a "rule"?
cragglerock93@reddit
Exactly lol. It's not legal in England at all, so the rules are nonsense. It's like saying nobody's following the rules of speeding - stay below 100.
inquisitivepeanut@reddit
Wild camping is still legal on Dartmoor and there are rules.
MxJamesC@reddit
Thought u could on the moors
RPG_Rob@reddit
Stay away from the moors!
Ok-Decision403@reddit
When the hours of darkness stalk the land...
MxJamesC@reddit
You stay away from the moors!
RPG_Rob@reddit
Sorry, it was "Keep off the moors"
https://youtu.be/UbW8KumM5gQ?si=XbHoJDPHvc6dkKp_
MxJamesC@reddit
How did it go for them?
RPG_Rob@reddit
The film would have been much shorter if they'd listened.
LowarnFox@reddit
On Dartmoor, specifically, yes- not on other moors.
MxJamesC@reddit
Ah ok I'm near dartmoor.
SlightlyIncandescent@reddit
It's an unspoken rule. By law it makes complete sense to drive at 60mph on the right hand lane of the motorway but it's against the unspoken rules.
eclectic_radish@reddit
Unspoken? Has no one ever read the highway code out loud?
"Stay in the left-hand lane unless overtaking or turning right.
Use the right-hand lane for overtaking, but return to the left-hand lane when safe.
On three-lane dual carriageways, you may use the middle or right-hand lane to overtake, but should return to the left when possible.
Be mindful of climbing and crawler lanes, which are designated for slow-moving vehicles on hills.
Always check mirrors and signal before changing lanes.
Do not overtake on the left unless traffic is moving slowly and the right-hand lane is congested."
Tuarangi@reddit
I get your point but the analogy of doing 60 in the outside lane doesn't work as it's actually an offence - it is considered to be careless or inconsiderate driving to unnecessarily stay in an overtaking lane and / or going too slowly can be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users
LowarnFox@reddit
It's legal on Dartmoor- there are no rules about when you have to leave your pitch in the morning, you're encouraged not to stay in the location for more than 2 nights, which suggests it's very acceptable to have your tent up for a full 48 hours. You are also allowed to set up at any time. Leave no trace is expected, but that's expected of day walkers too (who are often worse).
MarvinArbit@reddit
Generally it is tolerated in the high fells as this is wild land that is just used for sheep farming. It is tolerated as long as you treat the land with respect. When it isn't - that is when the clamp downs occur.
rice_fish_and_eggs@reddit
Everybody knows the unofficial limit is 80.
St2Crank@reddit
Whilst not legal, it’s still a civil matter not a criminal one. It comes down to how the landowner wants feels about people camping on thier land, if they have people who are unseen and not causing an issue then generally they don’t care. If people are making themselves known and leaving a mess behind they’re going to care. People being disrespectful ruins it for everyone else.
Polarwarrior@reddit
As trespass is a civil matter the “rules” of which you talk are commonly understood to be, leave no trace. And if asked to move on, do so.
It’s far different from speeding and that’s a poor comparison buddy.
Virtual-Guitar-9814@reddit
Christopher Lee.
Far-Act-2803@reddit
The idea is you're gone before people start hitting the hills, walking the dogs, etc. So you're just always out of sight, out of mind.
yojifer680@reddit
Walkers don't own the countryside. If people want to go camping out in nature, they can leave whatever time they want.
bluehobbs@reddit
Well technically they aren’t free to go wild camping as it’s not legal…
It’s an unwritten rule among wild campers to pitch late and leave early.
trappedoz@reddit
Jfc why is this upvoted and why are we so brainwashed? Normal thing is free camping, like almost everywhere in the world. Wild and abnormal thing is having to pay for it
InsaneInTheRAMdrain@reddit
Yeh that sucks. No one ever knows i was there, i usually pitch up at night and am gone at day break.
I get a bit weird about people knowing where i am since im alone. And obviously dont want trouble.
Speaking of which its almost that time of year again.
Mijman@reddit
Get in just before dark, leave as it's getting light.
Can't wait to start camping this year.
Maicka42@reddit
I hammock camp in whatever strip of woodland i can find, away from roads and people. I avoid the lakes because of the hikers, i like to tuck away places where noone goes.
MrPloppyHead@reddit
Leave no trace is more the country code.
I would just camp off the beaten track. I’ve always tried to avoid putting a tent up in the dark, it’s shit.
colin_staples@reddit
People pay to camp if they want large, flat, stone-free fields, a shop, large clean toilet blocks with hot showers, and other facilities.
Where you do use the toilet and shower when wild camping? Whatever your solution, it’s probably not suitable for a family with 3 children under the age of 6.
InsaneInTheRAMdrain@reddit
So your solution to camping is... get a hotel?
colin_staples@reddit
I didn’t say that it was my solution.
However it’s the way things are going.
“A hotel under canvas” is a some people’s solution (see the massive tents for sale now, the ones with inflatable poles and room for 8 plus a large living space) and that is why campsites have nicer facilities and cost more for a pitch. Which was OP’s question.
thelajestic@reddit
Children can wild camp. My niece and nephew are 6 & 9 now but they've been doing wild camping for a good few years. You just don't shower - it's not a requirement to shower whilst you're camping. A combo of water heated in a billy can, wet wipes and hand sanitiser will keep you clean enough even if you're away for a few days. And they follow the guidelines for doing the loo, and they let an adult know if they need to poo so they can be taken far enough away from camp and get a hand with the disposal. They're a lot less bothered by it than the adults!
colin_staples@reddit
Yea children can wild camp, and they can poo in a hole in the ground
But 99.999% of families don't want that.
They wanted big clean shower blocks and other facilities.
Which is why large and expensive camp sites exist, which was OP's question
thelajestic@reddit
I was replying to your comment. Which was:
So I answered your question. Just because you personally don't think it's suitable doesn't mean it is actually unsuitable.
LowarnFox@reddit
You toilet in a hole and bury it (well away from water sources). You strip wash with wipes etc and take your rubbish with you- most people don't wild camp for longer than a day or 2 at a time, so a shower isn't required.
thenamesjoshua@reddit
Yeah you shouldn’t do that in the Lake District cos you get dickheads just leave their tent behind and all their shit
InsaneInTheRAMdrain@reddit
Okay? Why is other people being dickheads my responsibility?
Iv had 0 problems, but im also very low impact. I pop the tent to sleep, then keep walking at day break. Its not like im sat in a field with a big fire for 3 days drinking.
HerrFerret@reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/Cumbria/s/iRbdEPWIny
'Shakes fist'
I actually reported them as I was in the area, and also had backed up the TikToks and Insta pages.
They closed it and didn't prosecute..... They had names, faces and video evidence.
Same-Ad3162@reddit
Personally I find the increase in wild camping a shame, as many are abusing it. We were walking along the brathay at the really busy part just east of Elterwater village and a group of lads had camped the other side of the river.
They had litter strewn round the tent, had made a fire and were a topless bleary eyed mess lol, staring around at passersby like "what's going on". It was about lunchtime.
Spoiled the view and atmosphere a bit tbh.
Rhythm_Killer@reddit
Well I’m happy for you, but I don’t think I can manage a family holiday with two little kids that way….
InsaneInTheRAMdrain@reddit
Hardly see the point in camping if you're just going to bring everything from a hotel with you. Sounds more like sleeping in my backgarden.
welshlondoner@reddit
Sadly I have to have electricity overnight so wild camping isn't possible any more.
macksimus77@reddit
Have you seen the big power banks by Jackery or Ecoflow? Big enough to power a fridge overnight or most other “non-heat” related items.
welshlondoner@reddit
Yes, but thank you. They're very expensive, and more importantly very heavy which would mean I still can't hike and wild camp like I used to. I'd still have to have the car nearby and it'd need recharging every day. Hopefully the technology improves in the future.
audigex@reddit
You’ll usually get away with it if you don’t leave a mess and choose somewhere quiet, and generally the worst case scenario is that you’re woken up and asked to move on
But it’s not technically legal to wild camp in England without explicit permission from the landowner
People do fairly regularly get moved on, too - not the end of the world but pretty annoying at 4am
Although my main point is just that it’s not allowed and if everyone started doing it, it would quickly be cracked down on when landowners got annoyed
marquis_de_ersatz@reddit
I wouldn't get a wink of sleep worrying about getting moved on.
geeered@reddit
Even with the new laws, which some claimed were draconian - that if there was two or more of you or you're in vehicles, that you have to move on when asked I believe - that wouldn't cover someone on their own in a tent.
I haven't done it a lot, but I've never been asked to move on - I like to think because I've chosen location sensibly.
audigex@reddit
Arguing it out with a policeman at 4am is still gonna ruin your sleep though, I'd have thought
But yeah I think it's one of those things that if people are doing it sensibly, the landowner doesn't complain, and it's not too widespread, it's not really enforced anyway
But still, if you tell too many people it's fine, you'll probably find the "It's not too widespread" thing makes it so that they start enforcing it - a few fires from BBQs and a few piles of litter, some anti-social noise etc and it's gonna get cracked down on
My point being: shhhhhhh
Automatic_Isopod_274@reddit
Hmm we pay quite a bit less than that usually, in the South West of the UK, and we get electric. Are you looking during school holidays? And what area?
AlertCucumber2227@reddit (OP)
Was looking at the Dawlish Warren area, this weekend, so not peak. Having a 7 year old means need to be close to some fun stuff. Seems electric is standard now and massive pitches for giant tents and caravans. I'm happy with a small patch in the corner of a field but it doesn't seem to exist now!
Monkeylovesfood@reddit
They do, and there are plenty of them.
You are looking for more commercial touristy campsites close to towns or those with lots of amenities. They have higher running costs and are more popular so cost more. The favourite campsites for our kids is one in the New Forest and one in the Lake District on a farm. No electric, no fun stuff specifically for kids anywhere near. Swimming, den building, campfires, rope swings, games and adventures are far more exciting than the same old crap you do for fun normally.
Look for non electric pitches and immediately discount any campsites that have entertainment or static caravans.
randomcheesecake555@reddit
Imagine if the OP is actually a lazy genius who’s managed to get other people to do their research for them by posting whiny bullshit on reddit rather than just using google correctly like the rest of us.
Monkeylovesfood@reddit
They do say if you want a quick answer to a question on the internet, post the wrong answer instead of asking. People love to correct others while answering a question is not worth their time.
Kudos to OP if that was their intention though.
InternationalNinja29@reddit
The best Google results are usually Reddit posts with links to what you need so it's the circle of Internet life
miklovesrum@reddit
FYI, it's still the Easter holidays in Wales, so they may still be charging you peak prices.
Suitable-Ant8840@reddit
We thought the same recently. We wanted to pop up to the lakes thinking we could camp for maybe a tenner a night but the cheapest was £30 a night for just a grass pitch.
Cute-Air2742@reddit
As long as you leave no trace, just wild camp
KingForceHundred@reddit
March 2018.
aembleton@reddit
Depends where you go. £14/night for two people, tent and a car at the campsite in Malham.
EconomyDisastrous409@reddit
We've just booked one that's £7 per person per night.
x99kjg@reddit
Really? Me and a mate went camping last year and it was 70 quid for 4 nights. Site was by a beach, tidy toilets and showers etc.
toady89@reddit
Check out YHA, their camping fees are usually in the region of £10-15 a night with free parking, you get a 5% discount if at least one person is under 26 and if you're going to use it enough you can get at least 10% off with their membership (in sales up to 25% off). You get access to everything in the hostel building so toilets, shower, self catered kitchen, TV room / lounge and bar/restaurant if they have one.
twowheeledfun@reddit
I go cycle touring, and it's even worse. My bike and tent need about 2 x 3 m, but the price is often the same as a large family tent with a car parked next to it.
Sometimes I get lucky and I'm only charged £5 though.
Kcufasu@reddit
After it got popular amongst the middle class
ONLY_SAYS_ONLY@reddit
Name a tourist spot with commercial facilities that doesn't milk the fuck out of tourists.
This has nothing to do with class and everything to do with the domestic tourist industry price gouging. For the price of an airbnb I could fly to a Mediterranean country and stay in comparative luxury. Then they cry "Why don't people want to go on holiday in the UK 😢".
Sure, I could spend £200 a night to stay in your rural granny annex with no central heating in the miserable weather, or I could be sipping margaritas off the coast of Málaga.
Teembeau@reddit
I honestly don't get the appeal now. I'll do a long weekend because of some sights and take advantage of cheap hotels off-season, but a beach holiday in the UK? With sea that is freezing cold and weather no better than the back garden? Might as well go to B&Q and buy a bag of sand and throw some over your sandwiches.
You can camp all over France and if you avoid the coasts, it's pretty cheap for really good sites. And it's warm enough that sometimes you can almost sleep outside. If it rains, your tent is dry by evening. And travel costs very little with the tunnel. You have to drive about 5 hours from the coast to get the good weather.
Regular_Zombie@reddit
I'm not sure if any popular places are crying about it though. And given plenty of places are full despite the high prices lots of people apparently are willing and able to pay.
Karloss_93@reddit
My regular campsite in Pembrokeshire charge £55 a night for regulars and £65 for new bookings. They open bookings in February and it's fully sold out before the end of the month so I don't think they're struggling.
I'm fortunate that we've been going since they opened, and in exchange for doing some drone footage and photography for them they give us a sizeable discount and let us pre-book our usual pitch before it opens to the public.
acidgypsiequeen@reddit
The UK is expensive. My electric bill is 3k a month for 4 cottages with hot tubs.
acidgypsiequeen@reddit
I wouldn't make any money at all if I charged £100 pound a night.
AlertCucumber2227@reddit (OP)
So true! Ruined the music festivals too..
ebbs808@reddit
They fucked them and charity shops right in the arse!!
Mysterious_Soft7916@reddit
This has been discussed a lot of late on various camping groups. It's certainly gotten worse post COVID. Many camping spaces have vanished to accommodate glamping. A lot also prefer to cater to vans than tents now. Couples prefer the cost per person model and families miss the price per pitch model. It seems these days, not many are happy with the current state of camping.
geeered@reddit
Since Covid, but if you're aiming for places where you get an assigned pitch, then if they can sell those pitches to people in £60k campervans, they're going to.
Beorma@reddit
A bunch of places around Yorkshire have completely converted to caravan sites and no longer allow tents too.
Regular_Zombie@reddit
The UK is incredibly crowded, and most people are only looking at camping from Easter until September so you have decent demand pushed into a pretty short window.
With the added hassle of camping and the cost I'd rather just stay at a BnB now: it's usually only £30 more and I can forget the weather and gear.
Teembeau@reddit
Many years ago, we looked into buying a caravan and we realised that it just wasn't worth it. You have to use it a lot throughout the year, and if you're going to places off-peak, you barely save anything nowadays. Hotels are much more sophisticated in their pricing and are often almost giving away rooms off-peak.
I always like to tell people about coming to the West Country and staying in the hotels around Swindon. No-one comes to visit Swindon for fun, but you're only a 30 minute trip from the Cotswolds, Bath, Avebury, Marlborough. You just use it as a place to sleep and have a shower. You can get rooms in the Hilton and Holiday Inn for about £60.
And the best place for camping is France, where the weather actually suits camping.
welshlondoner@reddit
https://www.fivetreescamping.co.uk/ £29.50/night
http://grindlebrookfarm.co.uk/camping.html £20/night
https://devon.camp/home/ £12 adult £3 child per night
https://www.wrayvalley.co.uk/ from £8 adult per night
A few I like going to
jeffmorgan1991@reddit
Amazing list, thank you. Also you're giving away secrets!
BigFluff_LittleFluff@reddit
We're booked in a campsite in Bala on Bala Lake, it's £35 a night for electric hookup, or £25 a night for just a normal pitch.
-_-___--_-___@reddit
When you say you can't find anywhere cheaper than £36 a night I bet you're looking in a specific popular area at a few campsites.
I know several rural campsites that are at most £15 for a tent/caravan pitch without electricity in amazing areas of natural beauty. So you can't be looking that hard.
AlertCucumber2227@reddit (OP)
I could camp free on Dartmoor, but taking a young kid, I need some kind of fun things nearby! The holiday parks have a minimum of 3 days at like £120 and the nearby basic campsites are £40 a night. My original issue being that 15 years ago I went to the same campsite for £5 a night which is now £40.
benb999@reddit
Try here if you’re looking for south Dartmoor Your close to ashburton, tones and Dartmoor There is a steam train in buckfast, dartington hall for somewhere nice to walk around, beaches are a 30 min drive, you can play in the dart as well. Dartmoor zoo is about 15-25 min drive.
https://riverdart.co.uk/campsite-caravan-holiday-park/book-online/
Let me know if you want some more places to visit
petey_love@reddit
If you drive there, have a wife and child, and have a dog, you're looking at £83.50 Per Night!! Hardly answers OPs question.
LowarnFox@reddit
You have to scroll down and look at the cheaper pitches- £25 with electricity per night (Without a dog) That said, of course dogs cost extra as they can cause damage, annoy other guests and people don't always look after them responsibly...
benb999@reddit
What dates were you looking I get it as 110 total in June for 3 days on a grass pitch…. With the camping pass you also get access to the river dart country park.
LowarnFox@reddit
I'm curious as to where you are looking, because in Cornwall there are places within walking distance of the beach and even towns where you can get a non-electric pitch for 2 for \~£20-30 a night. They may not be all singing all dancing holiday parks but some of them will also have a play area, pools, shops etc on site. Maybe not on e.g. August bank holiday, but even during July there are cheapish pitches available!
If you want a holiday park with full entertainment etc on site, you do have to bear in mind how much minimum wage, utilities etc have gone up in the last 15 years- these will be major costs for holiday parks and it's not surprising they are so much more expensive now.
azkeel-smart@reddit
The whole idea of taking young children camping is for them to learn how to have fun and enjoy nature. Taking them to the holiday park and taking them camping are two completely different experiences. When I took my toddlers camping, the best part was looking at them playing with mud and sticks and exploring nature.
luckeratron@reddit
I mean that's a load of bollocks really isn't it. Do you have the rule book on camping with children.
Fitnessgrac@reddit
Thanks for saying that, saves me writing something less polite.
compactcornedbeef@reddit
No no you don't understand. It worked out well for them, so everyone should be able to do it.
10tonterry@reddit
Exactly this. We used to go with a few other families and most of the time the kids were left to their own devices.
whyohwhydo_i_bother@reddit
Have you been on pitchup.com? They have pop up campsites. I found some in Cornwall for May half term for £60 for 4 nights i think it was. They're pop up campsites, so the facilities aren't amazing, but they're much more reasonable!
notimefornothing55@reddit
I wild camp. Small tent, small gas stove, leave no trace. Try not to be seen (i use a green tent and a camo net), set up camp late and pack up early. I did a night in kielder forest last year and it was amazing, we had a dear walk super close to our camp before it realised we were there, it was staring at us for a couple of minutes trying to figure out what it was looking at, then it ran off into the forest barking.
Yankee9Niner@reddit
Never really been camping. Does this 36 quid just get you a patch of grass and access to a toilet block?
MarvinArbit@reddit
Some don't even offer that!
Regular_Zombie@reddit
Yes. Some sites have a playground or shop, but mostly it's just a relatively safe place to set up.
Some of the more expensive 'campsites' are more like holiday parks, but they are often £75+.
MarvinArbit@reddit
They are taking the mickey. I have seen campsites charging nearly £40 a night for wild camping i.e. without and showers and a porta loo at best !! I have seen many that are dearer than a budget hotel!
If you search around you can still find affordable campsites charging £5-£10 a night for a tent. This is how they should be priced as camping was always the cheaper alternative for a holiday.
I also think the high prices have caused an up-surge in wild camping because people don't want to pay the silly prices.
pic_strum@reddit
Because, as with everything, the gear is now marketed as 'tech' and some landowners are greedy (I'm looking at you, the people who own Llangennith on The Gower).
davidlen@reddit
I paid £10 a night 2 years ago in North Wales.
That same campsite today is £12.
AdPale1469@reddit
IDK man but something needs to change real quick. All i want to do is pitch up for the night then continue my hike, I need a bit of field like wtf is going on.
tradandtea123@reddit
If you look on sites like pitchup they're much more expensive than local sites or often the same small sites if you go direct. Just find basic sites on Google maps and give them a call or email them. They're usually fairly basic but that's what I enjoy most with our kids.
Karloss_93@reddit
We always contact campsites we find on pitch up and book on their website or over the phone. Most of them have a cheaper rate because pitch up take a charge per booking and the campsite have to inflate their prices on there to make the same amount. Just cut the middleman out.
Also have a look FB pages. There's quite a few sites that probably aren't official but will let you camp for a small charge. You can only really find out about them through word of mouth and FB groups are great for that. You don't even need to ask, just search on the page because no doubt someone else has already asked.
Bose82@reddit
I’m glad I’m not the only one that thought that. I’m not really the camping type but I thought last year I’d take my son (4) camping. Everything I saw was around the £40 a night price. I thought I was looking at the wrong kind of pitch.
AlertCucumber2227@reddit (OP)
It seems that it's all catered for people with campers, caravans and giant castle tents who want electricity and all the mod cons. Camping for me is to get away from all that!
Karloss_93@reddit
I think it varies depending on where you are and time of year. I do all 3 of wild camping in a 1 man tent on my own, family holidays in a big tent and we also have a van. I paid £34 for a piece of grass in the Peak District over Easter weekend. Toilets and showers were gross and the field was on a hill so we to adjust the bed to be able to sleep. There was also lots of big groups of kids in Audi's smoking weed and blaring music.
We also had 2 nights in roadside park ups for free. Lots of peace and quiet with beautiful views and loads of great walks. On both nights no one (other than other vanlifers) knew we were there and me and another van walked around with a bin bag and cleaned up litter from people who had parked up for the day to go walking.
The hot spots will always charge high because they know that's where people are going for long weekends or holidays and £120 quid is still cheaper than a hotel, but there are plenty of basic campsites out there still charging £10/15 a night for a bit of grass for a tent.
We go away each year to a lovely campsite in Pembrokeshire which is £55 a night. Tbf we get a private secluded pitch, which is fenced off from other pitches (great for my reactive dog) and have our own personal shower, compost loo, picnic bench, sheltered kitchen table and fire pit. It's expensive but worth it for all the luxury on a campsite with sea views that has still retained it's wilderness. Our regular pitch is surrounded by ferns with lots of birds and we often see owls out hunting in the evening. There's a massive bit of open land next to it with horses who often come and poke their heads over into our pitch. I'm fortunate that in exchange for me doing some drone footage for the campsite they knock 3 nights off the cost of our 9 days away.
The same campsite though is situated on the coastal path and they have an open patch (without all the luxuries) where hikers can pitch their tent for 1 night maximum at £10.
accountsdontmatter@reddit
When we started caravaning 15 years ago you could get some farm fields - just a field, for £3 a night. Now they are more like £9
A posh site with shop, games room, pool etc would have been £25 but are now up to £50
JavaRuby2000@reddit
During and since COVID. I had a camper van pre COVID and used to go away every weekend. In between lockdowns a lot of the campsites put their prices up to recoup loses. Those prices have never come back down. Farmers field camp sites that used to charge £5 or even free are £30 plus now and the ones with amenities are charging more than a hotel.
Ended up selling the camper van and just go on long haul holidays nowadays. It works out around the same cost all in.
I'm sure there are people on here who are going to say "well its just the places you are staying" or "I know a spot that's still £5" but, the thing about the camper van was that I didn't have to plan. I just got in drove wherever I felt like and "everywhere" was cheap.
Callum-H@reddit
Camping became expensive in 2020, when we couldn’t go abroad but we could go outside and the weather was great.
Prior to that you could find most campsites prices between £5-£15 a night
thelajestic@reddit
I camp in the permit areas of loch Lomond/Trossachs national park quite a bit and that's like £4 a night for a permit (or free if you go out of season). Have you got anything like that near you where it's more like wild camping and not just a field with showers? Might be cheaper. Or just proper wild camping which is free, although I know a bit more difficult if you're not in Scotland.
AlertCucumber2227@reddit (OP)
I'm near Dartmoor so if I was going alone it would be perfect! Unfortunately my son would be very bored and want to go home... 😆
welshlondoner@reddit
It's good for children to be bored. Hell find his own entertainment when camping. It's one of my favourite things watching the children play differently when they're camping.
Kazinessex@reddit
It started during Covid, a favourite campsite went from £8 a night to £25.
I’ve just looked at another one I regularly used until it went to over £30 a pitch - this year they’re only charging £28, so it’s possible we have passed the peak and are returning to more sensible prices…..I hope.
Have a look at campsite.co.uk, there are plenty of options there and you should be able to find a cheaper place. Good luck!
DraftLimp4264@reddit
Since middle aged fat blokes took to YouTube and started expressing the desire to 'get back to nature & decompress' with wild camping videos.
..it's why all the extra large sleeping pads and bags are always the first to sell out.
CrabAppleBapple@reddit
Drive up to Scotland, find somewhere quiet, don't leave any meds and don't damage anything, problem solved.
DeepVeridian@reddit
Yeah camping can be expensive, but you can easily find places that only charge a tenner a night.
Ordinary-Bend7063@reddit
Mate, not sure what campsites you’re looking at but I regularly camp for a tenner a night. Look at pitchup.com
jojo_modjo@reddit
That's a bit much.
I live in Pembrokeshire. Campsites everywhere. Typically they charge £10 ish night for adults and around a fiver for children.
Suspicious_End130@reddit
I go camping on the Isle of Man every year and the campsite charges £8 per person, per night and not extra charge for having a car either. It blows my mind that somewhere could charge nearly £40 for one night of camping.
omgu8mynewt@reddit
That's £40 per pitch I think though, you could have two couples In two small tents = tenner a night
ijs_1985@reddit
I’ve been to Dawlish Warren a few times and it wasn’t cheap
2 summers ago we paid £80 a night for a campervan + electric pitch and that was the final straw with the van
SwingyWingyShoes@reddit
Just go Scotland. Much more freedom to camp anywhere.
V65Pilot@reddit
A lot of people with land see it as a get rich quick scheme, unfortunately. My friends opened a campsite, and invested their life savings building an amazing facility, even adding several bunkhouse type cabins to the property. Nice clean showers and toilets, a massive covered area with picnic benches, communal firepit, free coffee (drip), and tea (donations to cover expenses accepted) wifi etc....Aimed mainly at motorcyclists, but they accepted everyone with the exception of large RV's, because they didn't have hookups or reinforced parking area for them. They sold it a few years ago to pursue other interests, and like me, they are getting older. Obviously it wasn't in the UK, but I remember talking with them about the expenses, which were considerable. Somehow they managed to keep the rates down to easily affordable prices. I've been to sites here in the UK that have a tap for water, a couple of portaloos, and are charging the same as hotels and B&B's. Luckily, I can always sleep in my vehicle.........
For those interested. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g55374-d1648441-Reviews-Hunt_s_Lodge-Tellico_Plains_Tennessee.html#/media/1648441/?albumid=101&type=ALL_INCLUDING_RESTRICTED&category=101
Note: It appears the new owners have added RV hookups.
https://smittyslodge.com/ Under new ownership.
The UK needs places like this.
lardarz@reddit
I got 2 nights in Scarborough on an electric pitch for £50 last week
welshlondoner@reddit
I go to a few lovely, but basic, sites for around £25 a night. I have to pay a little more than their base rate because I have to have electricity overnight. They're out there but you're not going to find them on sites like pitch up
AubergineParm@reddit
To be fair we still find good pitches for 20 a night
Lover_of_Sprouts@reddit
I camp a lot each summer, and usually pay £20-£30 a night. Where are you looking?
Martipar@reddit
That's about right but it's also pretty expensive considering I'm paying £46 per night to go to a festival in August, and they have bands to pay.
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