Topic: Family camp sites. (Read 7197 times)

Gerry · « **on:** April 02, 2011 »

Hi,
Bought a family tent last year to take the grandkids camping.
3 weekends at Carnfunock and not a dry weekend to be seen.

What are Castlewellan and Tollymore like for a family camp and any other recommendations greatly received, I see that Meelmore gets a bit of a mixed review.

Just pitched it today to see how it survived the winter in the garage. All good.

RedLeader · « **Reply #1 on:** April 02, 2011 »

That's an awesome tent. Can't remember the last time I slept in a tent that didn't have to be light enough to carry.

Gerry · « **Reply #2 on:** April 02, 2011 »

Tried to get it into my rucsac but it left a few poles sticking out.

surfnscenic · « **Reply #3 on:** April 02, 2011 »

Tollymore is an excellent place for a family camp. There is so much to explore with walks through the forest and along the river. I have been there many times and my kids always enjoyed it. Though I never stayed at Castlewellan I have been there for days out and it's just like Tollymore.

My neighbours have stayed at Kilbroney Forest Park in Rostrevor and we are due there in a month or so. I imagine it'll be similar.

Up north there is Ballyness at Bushmills, an excellent site with easy access to Whiterocks, Portballintrae, Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine. www.ballynesscaravanpark.com

Hope these suggestions give you some options.

Gerry · « **Reply #4 on:** April 02, 2011 »

Thanks surfnscenic thats what I thought.
Wasn't too sure about drunken yobs running about the place.

Will check them out.

big chris · « **Reply #5 on:** April 02, 2011 »

Hi Gerry.
As Surf said Tollymore and Castlewellan are good family sites plenty of forest walks and things like that, dunno what age the grand kids are but a big lake at Castlewellan you have to watch them like hawks.

The tents a very nice size not too big or too small, its better to buy a bigger one than you need for storage while camping

surfnscenic · « **Reply #6 on:** April 02, 2011 »

No matter where you go or what you do you'll almost always find some people who don't know how to enjoy themselves without annoying others, especially after midnight. It is of course usually the exception rather than the norm at most places. Ballyness is very strict with excellent facilities.

There's another member on here called VMCC who seems to do family camping and whenever she is on the forum I am sure will be glad to give her advice from her own experiences.

Gerry · « **Reply #7 on:** April 02, 2011 »

Thanks Chris,

They are 8 & 9 and take a watching.

The lake would be like a magnet to them probably.

spartan00117 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 03, 2011 »

At Castlewellan with my family the other week, think it was opening weekend actually so pretty quite. Is clean and very good. Nice walk around the lake, fishing if you have a licence, maze for the kids and there is an outdoor adventure club there but not sure what the score is with hiring their kit if needed.
Castlearchdale in Enniskillen is brilliant and a great place for water sport activities. Although the last time we went my wife ended up with a Tick on her rear end. I didnt find this funny, not funny at all.
Tollymore is good to but you will get the travelling community going there quite often too so just watch your gear as I know a few friends who have had bother with them whilst they have been camping.
Banone tourist complex on the north coast is another great area to be in, so much more to do up around there and the beach is a blue flag and stunning. Last time we were there we were in the water 5 days in a row and had 6 BBQ's back to back that week.

Hope this helps.

Brian

VMCC · « **Reply #9 on:** April 04, 2011 »

Quote from: spartan00117 on April 03, 2011

Castlearchdale in Enniskillen is brilliant and a great place for water sport activities.

Have you seen Castlearchdales prices? £42.50 a night for a six man tent with ehu....forget it! Nearby Drumhoney is worth supporting because Castlearchdale dont' want campers (the caravans have cheaper pitch prices, standard pitches are £25 and lecky is included in that)

Yes to Benone, good spot. If you want EHU you have to go amongst the caravans.

Best one in Fermanagh for me is the Share Centre. The kids will love the watersports (you might too) and the prices are probably the cheapest you'll get. An hours banana boating/kayaking/waterskiing for £6.50. They have other land based activities too for £3 or so.

Castle Ward has got a pretty nice camping area from the pics I've seen, tents in the middle and caravans around the outside....

I'm thinking of joining the Caravan and camping club as I could go to the national trust properties (Mountstewart, Springhill in Moneymore, and the Argory) for a fiver a night or thereabouts. Its worth the £40 a year for those kind of savings. They do four types of sites - forest parks, national trust properties, alternative venues like schools or rugby clubs or conventional campsites.

http://www.northernirelandda.com/

VMCC · « **Reply #10 on:** April 04, 2011 »

Quote from: surfnscenic on April 02, 2011

No matter where you go or what you do you'll almost always find some people who don't know how to enjoy themselves without annoying others, especially after midnight. It is of course usually the exception rather than the norm at most places. Ballyness is very strict with excellent facilities.

First of all, you always get a**holes no matter where you go....and secondly - I'm sad to say that one of my members has reported to me that Ballyness no longer take tents.

The tenters in NI get a lesser deal of it in general, when we are accepted at a site we get shoved into the field behind the wheelie bins with a 8 -10 minute walk to the loos, there's generally no electricity and on top of that we pay the same rate as the caravanners or very nearly the same rate. The best place to go camping is France....they like campers there!

Edit....to the OP. Love your Outwell. You're a bit posher than me I'm in a Vango!

Gerry · « **Reply #11 on:** April 04, 2011 »

Thanks everyone for the input. Lots to think about now.

Hope to try out some of the mentioned campsites and I will give a report.

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Author Topic: Family camp sites. (Read 7197 times)

Gerry

Family camp sites.

RedLeader

Re: Family camp sites.

Gerry

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surfnscenic

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Gerry

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big chris

Re: Family camp sites.

surfnscenic

Re: Family camp sites.

Gerry

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spartan00117

Re: Family camp sites.

VMCC

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VMCC

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Gerry

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