Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Stayed at a good site? Or a really poor one? And what about wild camping? Put your comments here.

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lindalove
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Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by lindalove » Sun Jan 18, 2009 6:32 pm

Hi I am trying to do some research into what campsites are available in the UK/continent which are very much aimed at the tent camping/smaller campervan end of things ie do not allow caravans, and are meant to be as eco and sustainable as possible.

To give you an idea of the thing I am on about check this place out in North Norfolk which comes with loads of recommendations - http://www.deepdalefarm.co.uk/camping/index.html. So not neccessarily yurts etc but the campsite might have shower blocks which are solar powered and maybe the shop has local produce etc, local pub serves food caught locally etc.

The Deepdale place is featured in the Cool Camping - England book - http://www.coolcamping.co.uk/ which apparently is also aimed at the kind of people who would rather stay somewhere smaller and quieter, and less commercial than maybe a Haven-type holiday camp, although obv that kind of site works for many people and good on them. So I will be getting that book, but am sure people have some good recommendations here too.
francophile1947
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Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by francophile1947 » Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:13 pm

Don't know any others, but Deepdale is a good site and you get a good breakfast at their cafe (don't think the bacon is locally caught though :lol: :lol: )
TBH, I can't see why it's any greener than any other campsite though, except the lack of hook-ups. In fact, it's probably less green to have to run your engine to charge your batteries :?
John
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mellyarnold

Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by mellyarnold » Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:18 pm

Hey Lindalove

What a fab post to start, this would be great if it could be made a sticky (pretty please mods?)

I would be interested to hear of any eco friendly campsites (even ones that take simple things like recycling seriously). An eco friendly site would be preferable to me anyday over and above any site that doesnt take the environment and its issues as a serious matter. There is nothing more satisfying knowing you are eating local eggs/bacon and drinking milk from the local dairy etc....

We like to do our bit on each campsite and recycle everthing possible and take home what we cant, we take biodegradable rubbish bags, always buy local where possible, use eco friendly washing up liquid, toilet fluids etc...

Well done Lindalove for raising this................

p.s love your avatar, Dolly is a great musical love of mine (I walked down the aisle to "Love is like a butterfly")
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lindalove
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Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by lindalove » Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:18 pm

francophile1947 wrote:TBH, I can't see why it's any greener than any other campsite though, except the lack of hook-ups. In fact, it's probably less green to have to run your engine to charge your batteries :?
THis is why they say they are greener -http://www.deepdalefarm.co.uk/environment/index.html - obviously can't vouch for it having never been there!

And well actually re bacon - there are a fare few pig farms in that neck of the woods, including my uncles, so you never know it could have been caught locally! :D Maybe got lucky and escaped during the walk to the abbatoir...

PS Re Dolly, am a massive country fan, good choice for your wedding! My husband and I recently got married to Johnny Cash's Jackson ie "We got married in a fever...!"
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Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by francophile1947 » Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:34 pm

mellyarnold wrote:What a fab post to start, this would be great if it could be made a sticky (pretty please mods?)
Done :D
John
(Evidence that intelligent life exists in the universe, is that it hasn't tried to contact us)
pippin

Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by pippin » Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:25 pm

Oi you!

I am the mod for this part of the forum - get off my territory!

I looked at the request and honestly thought that making it a sticky was not justified.

Not that I disagree with the sentiments - you should see the inside of my yurt, and if you ask nicely I will take you down the field to show you the earth toilet and the way I recycle the .....!
trevd01

Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by trevd01 » Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:41 pm

How about this one from further down in this section?
trevd01 wrote:If you want to try wild camping, but are worried about giving up campsites altogether, we have found the perfect site.

http://www.5van.co.uk/caravan-sites/sit ... e-cottage/

You have to be a C&CC member, and they are only licenced for 5 campervans, but can take many more tents.

This was not a problem for us as we had the whole site to ourselves in Easter week!

So what do you get for your six pounds fifty a night?

Well, there is a tap. And a chemical toilet.
There was a solar shower, but it blew down in the recent gales.
Perfect peace and quiet (other than the poultry - see below) Fabulous views.
You are welcome to use the owners' swimming pool.

We loved it.

A campsite to ourselves!

Image
Image

A macho turkey and a thirsty duck

Image
Image

We had the freshest scrambled eggs for breakfast, that were the brightest yellow ever, from the extremely free range eggs they had for sale.

And if not all the family want to camp, there is bed and breakfast in the owners' cottage.

The owners (ex VeeDub camper owners) loved our Bongo, and would like to see more!
mellyarnold

Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by mellyarnold » Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:50 pm

Oh Pips why not a sticky? Id love to see your yurt!!! :wink:
francophile1947
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Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by francophile1947 » Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:51 pm

pippin wrote:Oi you!

I am the mod for this part of the forum - get off my territory!

Sorry Pippin - didn't think you were doing it now, as nothing locked or deleted for 2.5 years :wink: :lol: :lol:
John
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pippin

Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by pippin » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:15 pm

Ooops!
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karena
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Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by karena » Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:28 pm

pippin did you get your yurt from the beardy chap at lampeter.

It would be intresting to know how eco people are prepared to go, (i say this with a site in mind) - but how about a small field, spring water, untreated but from a tap, and campfire area in a very rural area (nearest pub 3 miles no shops no lighting use of toilet /microwave in owners house - local produce available from owners freezer - what would you have to have added as a minmum to make you pay say £5.00 per night per unit bear in mind it has to be eco - no electric available.
i have already thought of clay pizza oven and stone cool store.

back to the original question i did find an "eco" site in wales last year i think it was tywnn area i will look it up again
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lindalove
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Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by lindalove » Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:14 pm

karena wrote: It would be intresting to know how eco people are prepared to go, (i say this with a site in mind) - but how about a small field, spring water, untreated but from a tap, and campfire area in a very rural area (nearest pub 3 miles no shops no lighting use of toilet /microwave in owners house - local produce available from owners freezer - what would you have to have added as a minmum to make you pay say £5.00 per night per unit bear in mind it has to be eco - no electric available.
i have already thought of clay pizza oven and stone cool store.

back to the original question i did find an "eco" site in wales last year i think it was tywnn area i will look it up again
I suppose what I am trying to do is differentiate from 'wildcamping' - I would put the above description in the wildcamping category. Eco campsites are, I suggest, 'proper' campsites which are geared up to attract a like-minded crowd so I guess be social places too.

So will have facilities, but facilities which are meant to reduce CO2 footprint etc. So there might be an electric hook-up, but the 'lec is provided by windturbines or something ( this might not be poss but you understand what I am saying). Or the hot water is heated by solar panels.

THere will prob be limited facilities as some things like swimming pools can't really be described as eco, though there may be a local Lido!
trevd01

Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by trevd01 » Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:33 pm

The Camping and Caravanning Club sites make a virtue of been green, and they do try. Many of them have solar hot water these days. The C&CC president is David Bellamy (not that I actually rate him that highly in green issues; he has a bizarre attitude).

It the C&CC campsite book, for each site they also tell you where to source local produce, and the site managers always have suggested walks direct from the site, so you don't have to drive.

Whenever possible we choose one where you can walk to a pub/village, reach the coast path, whatever, without driving, whenever possible.

We have found the recycling varies a lot, but that is in line with the local council policy as to what is separtaed etc.

The newer C&CC sites do the best, as they have been designed to be green from the outset.
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Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by B*Witched Blingo » Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:40 pm

trevd01 wrote:How about this one from further down in this section?
trevd01 wrote:If you want to try wild camping, but are worried about giving up campsites altogether, we have found the perfect site.

http://www.5van.co.uk/caravan-sites/sit ... e-cottage/

You have to be a C&CC member, and they are only licenced for 5 campervans, but can take many more tents.

This was not a problem for us as we had the whole site to ourselves in Easter week!

So what do you get for your six pounds fifty a night?

Well, there is a tap. And a chemical toilet.
There was a solar shower, but it blew down in the recent gales.
Perfect peace and quiet (other than the poultry - see below) Fabulous views.
You are welcome to use the owners' swimming pool.

We loved it.

A campsite to ourselves!

Image
Image

A macho turkey and a thirsty duck

Image
Image

We had the freshest scrambled eggs for breakfast, that were the brightest yellow ever, from the extremely free range eggs they had for sale.

And if not all the family want to camp, there is bed and breakfast in the owners' cottage.

The owners (ex VeeDub camper owners) loved our Bongo, and would like to see more!
Hey, what's that dripping from the Bongo? Not washing up water I hope. Naughty. [-X
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"Get your wellies out. No likey floaty Bongo's"
trevd01

Re: Any suggested 'eco' campsites?

Post by trevd01 » Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:47 pm

ChellandAdy wrote:Hey, what's that dripping from the Bongo? Not washing up water I hope. Naughty. [-X
Of course not! (we do have a 27 litre waste water tank under the Bongo) - this was water we had washed some lettuce in :D

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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