Broadstone Park, Coleford

This is a medium sized site that is all grass with a few electric hook ups available.

It is situated next to a fairly busy A road between Monmouth and Coleford right by the Forest of Dean.

You can pitch where you want to and it is mostly flat with a few old oak trees in the main field.If you pitch away from the road the traffic is barely noticeable and it does go quiet in the evening.

It is a basic campsite with a very clean toilet and shower room, the owner can be seen cleaning it several times a day.

There isn't a laundrette and the dishwashing facilities are uncovered but does have hot water.

There is a small play area for under 6s.

Dogs are allowed but must be kept on a  lead.

There are free range chickens that wander around the whole site and you are allowed to feed them.

Fly fishing is available in 2 small pools and there are rods available to hire, lessons for beginners can be had. There is also a pond full of Rudd for the kids to fish in at no charge, and there are 2 rods for them to use.

Fire pits are available for hire (£8 including kindling and logs )and Geoff the owner delivers it to your tent.

The small shop sells the basics along with boar burgers, venison sausage and eggs from the chickens that roam around and the prices aren't inflated.
www.broadstonefisheries.com

You can hike through the forest directly behind the site and if you're lucky you will see deer and boar.

Lots to do around the area such as kayaking,Go Ape is nearby and there are caves and castles, a sculpture trail to mention just a few things to do.

The owner is a lovely friendly man and is the soul of this site, he is very knowledgeable and is always happy to offer advice on anything and everything.

Woodlands Caravan Park

As the name suggests this is mainly a static caravan site but they have a small area for camping.

You can pitch where you want but it is fairly limited and if you arrive late in the day you are very limited as to where to pitch. There are a few electric hook ups.

The shower and toilet facilities are outstanding. . huge showers with plenty of space for dressing.There is under floor heating and they are very clean. The dishwashing area is under cover and there is a laundrette and a communal freezer.

There is a small play area for the kids situated on a small mound.

Dogs are allowed.

The shop on site is very poorly stocked and expensive which is a shame as the nearest shops are in Aberystwyth which is approximately 10 miles away.

There is a cafe that isn't run by the site which does breakfast, lunch etc but it does shut early.

The site is 5 minutes walk to Devil's Bridge which is a lovely walk up and around hillsides, there are 3 waterfalls which are lovely to see.

There is a pub that does food by Devil's Bridge and a steam railway is a little further along.

A day trip to Aberystwyth is a great way to pass the time if you aren't into hiking.

www.woodlandsdevilsbridge.co.uk

Higher Well farm holiday park, Stoke Gabriel

This is a fairly small site with a few static caravans but mainly suitable for tents, caravans, motor homes etc, however I don't think there are any hard standing pitches.
 There are some electric hook ups available.

The site is situated along a narrow country lane just outside Paignton near a lovely village.

It is a basic campsite with very clean shower and toilet facilities, the dishwashing area is situated inside which is a bonus, there is also a laundrette with ironing facilities. The shop/reception area stocks the basics at normal prices.

You are allowed to pitch where you want to and it is mainly flat and there is cover from hedges and trees.

During the school holidays there is a field opened specifically for the kids to play in.

Owners are friendly and keep the site very clean and tidy, the bins around the site are emptied regularly and the grass is kept short.

Great location for exploring the area and Stoke Gabriel is well worth a visit to have a go at crabbing!

Whitehill Country Park, Paignton

We have visited this site twice this year.
It is a fairly large site offering static caravans and log cabins for hire or you can take your own caravan, motor home or tent.

The site is situated along a narrow country lane near to Paignton and a good Base for visiting the area.

The main tent field is on a slope and is very open to the elements as there is only a small hedge surrounding the area,and a electricity pylon runs across the whole field, there is another small field tucked away in the bottom which is more sheltered and flatter.

The shower block stands out like a sore thumb, it is fairly clean but is not big enough which leads to queues. I believe there is another one in the bottom area but I didn't venture down that far. There is also washing up facilities and a laundrette.

There is a shop that sells the basic items and a takeaway on site, you can sit in and eat but be prepared to wait a while as they are fairly slow.

The bar is small compared to the size of the site, gets very busy, kids run in and out of the kids room into the bar to see their parents so it does get noisy and overcrowded. There is entertainment but not nightly.

The heated outdoor swimming pool isn't very big and was busy whenever we walked past.

It is dog friendly but I found dog owners were not responsible and let dogs loose to run around although there is a separate dog exercise area.

I found it to be noisy and security appear to do very little to enforce the quiet rule and this meant there were groups playing music and drinking until very late at night.