South-West coast UK trip / meet Slimbridge

[Skylark2.0]

If you are heading to Devon via Plymouth in the morning, I would urge you to drive past the Punch Bowl and Ladle and take the King Harry Ferry across to the Roseland (takes 5 minutes). It’s quicker anyway than driving via Truro and far nicer. Do a slight detour to St Mawes if you have time. Roseland is one of the most beautiful parts of Cornwall and very different to the ruggedness you will have seen so far. You can pick up the A390 via Tregony and head towards St Austell and up to Plymouth.

There are many fabulous restaurants for lunch I St Mawes a..

 

[Skylark2.0]

I would recommend that you strike Paignton off your list and slowly follow
the coast up to Plymouth.
Head over to Roseland, take the King Harry ferry, Portscatho, head up to
Mevagissey ,Pentewan. and if you like the series Poldark then Charlestown,
before you head out of the beautiful county.
Just a tip by the way.

Just fabulous!

 

[Rich20]

Plan was to head past Plymouth but as we stayed longer on Lizard Point walking and enjoying the sun we only drove up to Truro at the Carnon Downs caravan&motorh. club . we would be arriving after 6pm at the site i seen in the ACSI book eigther Paignton or Dartmouth.
Today 133km driving
Payed 26£ for the night here in Truro

Now tea time @hotel california with fudge !
View attachment 32461

That is our favorite site and we have known the owner Simon for many years. The individual washrooms make for a very pleasant stay. We stay there for visits to our family in Truro where I grew up.

 

[sapto]

Nice report @hotel california! I like to follow your posts! Keep them coming!m and enjoy your time!

 

[SimonB]

You look as if you are having a great time and seeing some lovely places.
The road from Kingsbridge to Dartmouth is very nice. You go along to coast for a lot of it and there is a lot of history there, including an American tank as a memorial.
It is sheltered from the prevailing winds a lot of the time, so the weather can be be better than on the North. As someone else said above, take the ferry over the river at Dartmouth and explore the other side on your way. If you like Agatha Christie books, she had a house just inland from Kingswear which is now run by the National Trust.

 

[Hotel California]

It started raining yesterday by 9pm and rained trough the whole night and morning so far .
This site realy fab. those big private showers (not that i need to be private) are top !
Central heating in each of them , shower with a normal tap (no push-buttons) , water with adjustable themp.....strong jet to wash your hair (not me though) , and that water themp. is just great , i like to build up the water heat to the end to end up in steaming hot ! Just did so
Only minus would be showercurtains (not that hygienic)...would have been 10/10 if it was a walk in shower
I've been in hotels with less confortabe bathrooms !

Great dogwalk in a loop thruout the site and a 7acres field to run free !

All nice maintained.

One thing ,pretty close next to a road otherwise this would be 10/10 site

Off to Bridport today looking for that site the Easter meet was on last time .

Guess we would be driving a lot as the weather is not in to walking today.


Check out the private sanitairy ...

 

[SimonB]

If you are near Bigbury on Sea then Burgh island, mentioned by someone earlier, is worth a look. Built in Art Deco style it has been used by film crews to dramatise Agatha Christies books including some starring Hercule Poirot.

 

[Martin]

Off to Bridport today looking for that site the Easter meet was on last time .

Wim, make sure you choose a gravel pitch if you want a sea view, also if windy the ones close to the edge are very very exposed

 

[Hotel California]

Guess where we ended up just now.....
Hopefully no snow?!

@Martin , thankx for the tip but still we
got the pitch with the nicest view , for now not much wind and if so....still got the nicest view .
It's not sunny at all and slight drizle rain.
If we where here 30min later the pitches next the fence where taken ...
Got lucky . Not cheap this site...86£ for two nights
Edit : i was wrong it's "only" 78£ ....still to much for the things i've seen in the sanitairy block.
Hope its dry tomorrow so we can have a walk on the coastal path.

 

[WelshGas]

Nice to see the view without the Blizzard.

 

[SimonB]

Guess where we ended up just now.....
Hopefully no snow?!
View attachment 32492
@Martin , thankx for the tip but still we
got the pitch with the nicest view , for now not much wind and if so....still got the nicest view .
It's not sunny at all and slight drizle rain.
If we where here 30min later the pitches next the fence where taken ...
Got lucky . Not cheap this site...86£ for two nights
Hope its dry tomorrow so we can have a walk on the coastal path.

You'll have to go to Martin's Bar, it's just opposite the reception. Never did find out why it was so named. There's a nice walk down the hill from the top left hand side of the camping field in front of you. There is a gate in the corner and the path takes you down to Bridport.

 

[Hotel California]

Spot the Cali

Still nice up here....
Found our favorite rosé at Morrisons today so back in bussines

 

[Trebor]

Great to see your trip Hotel California . Sorry about the weather . If you’re coming back along the south coast come and say hello and let us entertain you in Poole ( boat ) or Christchurch . Pm for Phone . Will see you in Denmark if not . Great black and white photo by the way .

 

[motacyclist]

Not cheap this site...86£ for two nights

Wow! That's ridiculous! Were they wearing masks?

 

[Hotel California]

Wow! That's ridiculous! Were they wearing masks?

Need to adjust myself it's "only" 78£
Payed 46£ for two nights at St-Ives with much nicer sanitairy block , Bridport only does the trick for the spot with the view , otherwise way overpriced !
While sitting here looking down there's a much smaller campsite within' view just next , i think with smaller charges also...
On top they charge 3,5£ / person to acces the pool !

The Caravan&motorhome site yesterday was 27£ witch i found a lot , but after seeing the sanitairy i temperd myself ....
On the mainland we use the ACSI low season tarif this time a year at 15-20€ (Euro ! ) rates....

 

[motacyclist]

Need to adjust myself it's "only" 78£
Payed 46£ for two nights at St-Ives with much nicer sanitairy block , Bridport only does the trick for the spot with the view , otherwise way overpriced !
While sitting here looking down there's a much smaller campsite within' view just next , i think with smaller charges also...
On top they charge 3,5£ / person to acces the pool !

The Caravan&motorhome site yesterday was 27£ witch i found a lot , but after seeing the sanitairy i temperd myself ....
On the mainland we use the ACSI low season tarif this time a year at 15-20€ (Euro ! ) rates....

You probably already know that C & M sites are quite a bit cheaper when you are a member, but if you don’t live over here you would have to do the maths on how many nights you are likely to use it. On top of that they also list hundreds of Certified Locations with a maximum of 5 units run by private individuals at very reasonable rates. We’re not members at present, we weren’t using it enough.

But we have just joined the other UK club, Camping & Caravan Club, because last week we stayed in one of their sites and the cost reduced from £23 to £15 by joining. It was £39 to join, so we should get that back over 12 months. The C & CC club also have their version of CL’s.

I don’t think I would enjoy staying somewhere that charged £40 odd per night off season, views or not! TBH it annoys me that you have had to pay it, the robbing b*’s! I hope the rest of the holiday makes up for it

 

[Hotel California]

Great to see your trip Hotel California . Sorry about the weather . If you’re coming back along the south coast come and say hello and let us entertain you in Poole ( boat ) or Christchurch . Pm for Phone . Will see you in Denmark if not . Great black and white photo by the way .

We are looking for a overnight sunday - monday after we will be leaving Bridport , was thinking about the New Forrest .
And a place to spent the night close to Dover on monday evening
Tips welcome.

 

[Hotel California]

@motacyclist , they charged only 2£ extra becose we where no member in Truro caravan&motohome site ...so i was ok with it.
I try mostly to look up ACSI sites as we buy the book and low season discount card for 25€ and it takes about 10 nights to get that returned and you get the book with free-spot tips. Mostly sites on the mainland doh .
If we only visit the UK every two years as it is now i don't bother getting in any UK memberships.

 

[Trebor]

We are looking for a overnight sunday - monday after we will be leaving Bridport , was thinking about the New Forrest .
And a place to spent the night close to Dover on monday evening
Tips welcome.

We are looking for a overnight sunday - monday after we will be leaving Bridport , was thinking about the New Forrest .
And a place to spent the night close to Dover on monday evening
Tips welcome.

You guys are very welcome to visit / stay / camp on drive . We’re right by Bournemouth beach ( 50 miles east of Bridport right by sea ) Christchurch / Hengistbury Head ( great dog walking ) or nice site ‘ Hurst View ‘ overlooking the western entrance to the Solent with direct access to waterside walks ....or lots of New forest Campsites but they’re mostly big . Could even meet at Parkstone Yacht Club first for lunch ( 40 mls east of Bridport ) where we keep our boat if you fancy that . Trebor and Caligirl.

 

[Annik]

If you think that is expensive, don't go to Sandy balls in the New Forest as last time we went we got charged £60 per night. I don't think £39 per night is too bad at Highlands End as they have nice facilities and a view to die for, when we stayed there we thought how much would this view cost if we were in a hotel.

 

[Martin]

The rally we had there was only £24 per night, quite a big jump in price considering it was only five weeks ago.

If you are going back via the New Forest you could always try Hollands Wood, it's a bit like wild camping but being on a campsite with basic facilities, we had one of the first club meets here many years ago. They also have several others in the New Forest. https://www.campingintheforest.co.uk/england/new-forest/hollands-wood-campsite

 

[motacyclist]

If you think that is expensive, don't go to Sandy balls in the New Forest as last time we went we got charged £60 per night. I don't think £39 per night is too bad at Highlands End as they have nice facilities and a view to die for, when we stayed there we thought how much would this view cost if we were in a hotel.

Many years ago I bought a nice new record player but it cost so much I couldn’t afford to buy any records. Now i’I’ve got a nice new California but it cost so much I can’t afford to go camping in it!

(Not at those prices any way, sooner bag a Wowcher offer! )

 

[daz60]

Just back from walking from the campsite to St-Ives . Very nice town guess very busy in the high season , as even today there was allready many tourists . Was about 20-30m walk to the center and we spent the day overthere . When we got there arround 10am we had a rainshower about 20min but then it cleared out and it turned sunny !
We walked on the seaside , the dogbeach and then in to the small streets where the tourist shop are .
Send a postcard to my mum ...yes a genuine postcard handwritten with a real stamp ! Any of you remember postcards?
View attachment 32416

View attachment 32417
We where so lucky with the weather, sitting on a bench in the sun eating pastery and a coffee with seaview , would never thought we be doing this after yesterdays weather.
Now we are back in the Cali did a 15km walk all together and in 5min a rainshower about 10m ...lucky again we sat in the Cali
When walking on the seafront saw these signs hanging ....
View attachment 32418

Now i now why....
View attachment 32419
That rainshower came at the right time as it was wet i took the time to wash off the present of that seagull
Damn you birds...
View attachment 32420

Glad you made it to St Ives Wim, we love that place, will be there in June.

 

[daz60]

Just back from walking from the campsite to St-Ives . Very nice town guess very busy in the high season , as even today there was allready many tourists . Was about 20-30m walk to the center and we spent the day overthere . When we got there arround 10am we had a rainshower about 20min but then it cleared out and it turned sunny !
We walked on the seaside , the dogbeach and then in to the small streets where the tourist shop are .
Send a postcard to my mum ...yes a genuine postcard handwritten with a real stamp ! Any of you remember postcards?
View attachment 32416

View attachment 32417
We where so lucky with the weather, sitting on a bench in the sun eating pastery and a coffee with seaview , would never thought we be doing this after yesterdays weather.
Now we are back in the Cali did a 15km walk all together and in 5min a rainshower about 10m ...lucky again we sat in the Cali
When walking on the seafront saw these signs hanging ....
View attachment 32418

Now i now why....
View attachment 32419
That rainshower came at the right time as it was wet i took the time to wash off the present of that seagull
Damn you birds...
View attachment 32420

Hi Wim, what campsite are you on, is it Polmanta ?

 

[leightonjthomas]

Wim- we live in Bognor Regis, half a mile from the sea. You’d be very welcome to stay overnight with us on Sunday, either on our drive or indoors- we’ve got good facilities! Leighton