The 10 best family-friendly campsites in the UK

Jonathan Knight, founder of Cool Camping Guides and co-author of the new edition of Cool Camping Kids picks his favourite finds from this definitive guide to family camping.

Higher Pentreath Farm, Cornwall

Cornwall’s Praa Sands is a spectacular beach. Its wide, flat reach and safe waters mean it’s popular with families, and the best place to watch over the hubbub is from Higher Pentreath Farm.

As the setting sun lights the bay with the red and golden tones of summer evenings, lucky campers need only step outside their tents to appreciate this special cove.
Arthur’s Field, Cornwall

Arthur’s Field sits atop the cliffs where verdant pastures tip onto shingle beaches, making you feel so relaxed and fuzzy inside that you'll want to capture the feeling and never let it go.

Enjoy fireside storytelling sessions, feast nights celebrating local food, and activity workshops - from making stained glass to foraging. Within strolling distance of three beaches and postcard-pretty Portscatho, Arthur’s Field is the sort of site that stressed-out urbanites dream about.
Runnage Farm, Devon

Runnage Farm is right in the midst of Dartmoor's rolling moorland, where descending mists give it an air of mystery and adventure. There are no pitches or hook-ups, just two fields next to the river, where campers are free to do as they please.

Kids can enjoy running around in this magical wilderness, before settling down to toast marshmallows over the campfire. Adults looking to recharge their batteries can unwind to the tranquil sounds of rural peace and calming, flowing water.
Rocks East Woodland, nr Bath

Most campers return to Rocks East for two reasons: the golden opportunity to sit around an open fire, and to have the run of 100 acres of ancient woodland.

All campers may roam free in the forest and the useful illustrated information boards educating novices about flora and fauna in the area are a great resource for adults and kids alike. There are no defined pitches, so you can pretty well choose your spot, which creates a chilled, informal vibe.
Wapsbourne Manor Farm, East Sussex

'Wowo' is one of the least ruled and regulated sites you could possibly find. Campfires are encouraged, and children’s entertainment includes climbing trees, swinging on tyres, rolling around in ditches, and making camps in the undergrowth.

There’s usually some communal fun going on during summer weekend evenings: soup suppers, pizza making, and mingling around the campfire. With the evening air scented with campfire smoke, the soft murmur of sociability and the odd sing-song, Wowo just oozes rustic back-to-basics appeal.
Pencelli Castle, Powys

Everything about this site says child-friendly, from the pristine loos to the generous play area and the well-clipped camping fields. A shop at reception stocks basic provisions as well as ice creams and locally pressed apple juices, and you can order bread for the next day.

The owners run the place like clockwork, and their attention to the finer details is what makes it work so well: there’s a bike- and boot-wash, and the camping fields are kept well drained to reduce the amount of tarmac on site. Paying quiet consideration to a camper’s every need makes this campsite
Trehenlliw Farm, Pembrokeshire

This isdefinitely a function-over-form kinda hangout – and that’s precisely what all the regulars love about it. The large, flat camping field is cocooned within the 115 acres of farmland, which is mainly used for breeding sheep and suckler cows.

There are no streetlights to pollute the night sky, so the strip of moor immediately behind the campsite is a wonderful place to watch for wildlife after dark, including fox cubs and barn owls.

Take the flag-down shuttle bus service around the peninsula, and enjoy a coastal roam back to your tent.
The Dandelion Hideaway, Leicestershire

Five stylish ‘country canvas cottages’ are set out across the top of a field within 250 acres of farmland. Take a tour of the farm to discover what goats eat and how they are cared for.

Afterwards, the kids can have a go at milking them and taste the finished produce. Once they are clued up on goats, they can dash back to the cottage, where they’ll find a ‘discovery’ trunk full of family games, toys and a stash of wildlife books and equipment to help them explore the surrounding countryside.
Haddon Grove Farm, Derbyshire

With bags of room for the kids to roam, this back-to-basics campsite on a family-only field has great views thrown in. A short walk downhill and you’re by the river, with its small weirs and shallow pools for creature spotting.

As long as they’ve got space to run around in, the kids probably won’t need much more than this. And it’s a pretty safe bet that there’ll be plenty of playmates to hand. The field has lots of room for ball games, and the small wooded area separating the family field from its neighbour is good for hide-and-seek.
Iona Campsite, Isle of Iona

The rugged and windswept Isle of Iona lies just off the coast of Mull and has some of the UK’s most wonderful and virtually deserted beaches. Until recently, there wasn’t a single campsite here, but at long last Iona Campsite has thrown open its gates to tents.

The site itself is very basic, but what more do you need when there are so many beaches waiting to be discovered just a short walk away? A couple of picnic tables await alfresco diners and you’ll spy a few hens and sheep roaming around: amusement for the little ones before the whole family hits the beach.

Cool Camping Kids 2nd edition is available from May 2012 from www.coolcamping.co.uk priced at £16.95 or from all major bookstores.
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