Kaya Camping – Göreme (Turkey): Göreme Müze Yolu, Ortahisar, Ürgüp, Nevşehir, Turkey. GPS location: N 38.63676, E 34.85413. Tel: +90 384 343 3100 1050.
When we stayed: Saturday 11 October to Wednesday 15 October 2014 (5 nights).
A great campsite with simply stunning views over the valley. The owners are rally friendly and helpful. It's a little way out of Göreme, we were able to cycle in, but beware coming back there is a really steep hill to walk or cycle up. When we arrived there was a massive power cut which lasted for about 4 hours, they were very apologetic, but there wasn't anything they could do about it. For more information about our time in Cappadocia, read our blog post: Turkey In A Motorhome Part Two: Mamure Castle to Cappadocia.
Facilities: The campsite has all the facilities including an onsite bar / restaurant that serves healthy, cheap and tasty Turkish fare. There is wifi but it was quite slow when the campsite was busy. There is a washing machine, but sometimes we had to wait for a while to use it.
Advantages: The campsite has the most wonderful views looking over The Rose Valley, and there are paths that lead directly from the campsite right down into it. The campsite is very popular with motorhome tour groups, so can get very busy in peak months. The canpsite is very close to another little village which we found to be much nicer and less touristy than Göreme called Ortahisar which has one of the most wonderful and exciting castles I have ever seen. It simply has to be visited.
The damage: 50Turkish Liras per night about 15Euros.
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| Izzy, The motorhome's at the back. Views onto the valley on the right. |
Kaş Camping – Kaş (Turkey): Hastane Cad. No:3, Kaş/Antalya, Turkey. GPS location: N36.198586 E29.6309962. Tel: +90 242 836 1050. rezervasyon@kaskamping.com / www.kaskamping.com
When we stayed: Monday 29 September to Thursday 2 October 2014 (4 nights).
A beautiful campsite right on the coastline. There isn't a beach but they have made a swimming area with a wooden jetty. The sea is simply stunning and we snorkelled for hours. The only downside is that it is all terraced and if its busy it can be quite hard to find a pitch and even harder to level your campervan or motorhome. When we returned in last november we had the whole place to ourself, so we had the pick of the site.
For more information about our trip to Turkey, read our blog post: Turkey In A Motorhome Part One: Gallipoli to The Mediterranean.
For more information about our trip to Turkey, read our blog post: Turkey In A Motorhome Part One: Gallipoli to The Mediterranean.
Facilities: The campsite has all the facilities including an onsite bar / restaurant that serves healthy, cheap and tasty Turkish fare. There is wifi but it was quite slow when the campsite was busy. There is a washing machine but sometimes we had to wait for a while to use it. The campsite also has a dive centre on site - www.sundiving.com
Advantages: The campsite is less than ten minutes walk from the beautiful little town of Kaş. It has countless quaint bars and restaurants, little supermarkets and a fresh fruit and veg market running every Friday morning near the coach / bus station. We watched a champions League match in the main square and it was really lively and exciting.
The damage: 60Turkish Liras per night about 18.50Euros/£13.50(40TL off-peak). 10TL for washing machine (3Euros or £2). A full Turkish breakfast is 25TL at the campsite cafe, Gecko. I paid 194TL for two dives.
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Kryoneri Camping – Thrace & Marmara (Greece): Proskynites - Kryoneri , Maronia 69 400. GPS location: N40.9083556 E25.433928 Tel: +30 25330 61133. Mob: +30 69453 76209. info@kryonericamping.gr / www.kryonericamping.gr
When we stayed: Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 September 2014 (2 nights).
A small amazing family-run campsite in the wild, unspoilt and undeveloped region of Thrace & Marmara. The very friendly owner welcomed us with open arms and a smiley face. He apparently spoke French although communication was somewhat difficult. His daughter, Joanna and her partner speak fluent English and are so helpful with local sights. It was right at the end of the season but they still opened the restaurant for us for our anniversary meal. This is one of our favourite campsites of our whole trip. For more information about our journey to the campsite, read our blog post: Turkey In A Motorhome Part One: Gallipoli to The Mediterranean.
Facilities: The campsite has all the facilities including a lovely restaurant serving simple delicious meals cooked with local produce at a very affordable price. Fast Wifi, washing machine, hot showers. In peak season there is a small supermarket.
Advantages: On a beautiful unspoilt section of coastline. Joanna told us about a 'secret' beach that we were able to cycle to. It was truly amazing. There are also some ancient Greek ruins close by. Komotini is the nearest city and is about 30 minutes drive away.
The damage: 14.50Euros per night (3.50Euros per adult + 4Euros for motorhome + 3.50Euros for electricity). 4Euros for washing.
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Camping De Oude Wilg – Transylvania (Romania): Str. Prundului nr 311 - 557070 Cârta jud. Sibiu. GPS location: N45 47,033 E24, 34,024. Tel: +40 269 521 347. Mob: +40 723 186 343. de_oude_wilg@yahoo.com / campingdeoudewilg.nl
When we stayed: Wednesday 16 to Friday 18 July 2014 (3 nights).
A lovely Dutch-Romanian family run campsite in the heart of Transylvania. Tucked away in one of the residential back streets of the small village of Cârta, the grassed Camping de Oude Wilg is a peaceful retreat for all. The owners have taken care to add little touches to the whole campsite to make it that little bit more special such as a BBQ/pergola-covered terrace. For more information about our time in Romania, read our blog post: From The Exhilarating Transfagarasan Road to Auschwitz Memorial Site.
Facilities: Very nice showers and toilets. A lovely kitchen and dining space is available with a few books. Maps and current trains timetable to Sibiu are up in the dining area. The friendly owners are always there to help and answer any questions on-site too.
Advantages: a couple of small shops and cafes are located in the small village of Carta including in the grounds of its old church (Kirchenburg Biserica Cetate). Cycling and hiking opportunities a-plenty as it is located a few kilometres from the
The damage: 56Lei per night (16Lei per adult, 17Lei for motorhome and 10Lei for electricity) about 12.50Euros or £9.25.
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| Another field is located behind the small trees on the right-hand side. |
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Chy-Kara Farm Camping and B&B – the Great Plains (Hungary): no proper address, better to use the GPS location: N46°34’9.72” E19°57’15.48”. Tel: +36 70 203 9737 / CK-Crew@chy-kara.com / chy-kara.com
When we stayed: Saturday 5 to Monday 7 July 2014 (3 nights).
At the end of a kilometre-long dirt track (drive carefully to avoid branches and rocks), in the middle of farm fields, is small and beautiful Chy-Kara Camping. Jamie and I enjoyed our peaceful and relaxing time at Annemieke and Jay’s farm camping. From the Netherlands and England respectively, our very friendly hosts made us feel at home in Hungary! For more information, read our blog post: Eastern Europe: TheGreat Plains of Hungary and Chy-Kara Camping.
Facilities: drinks, snacks and meals are available. Nice accommodation are available in their home-made “tanjas” (traditional Hungarian farmhouse) if fancying something different. Outdoor sun-heated shower (the shower was cold during our stay which we didn’t mind as it was so hot). This may have changed now as they were planning on replacing it. Paid internet.
Advantages: its location reminded us of the Great Plains of America. Being flat, we were able to walk and cycle to the villages and to the banks of the river Tisza even in the Summer heat. The nearest cafe and small shop was about 3km in the village of Pusztaszer.
The damage: 5,263Ft per night or 17Euros (15Euros for camping and 2Euros for electricity) or £11.78.
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| Chy-Kara, our Bohemian retreat in the Southern Great Plains. |
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Autocamping Stanovy Tabor – Snina (Slovakia): Rybnícka 4483, 06901 Snina. GPS: N48.97447 E22.18782. Tel: +421905537091 / autocampingsnina@centrum.sk / www.autocampingsnina.sk
When we stayed: Saturday 28 to Monday 30 June 2014 (3 nights).
Autocamping Snina is a very friendly family-run campsite by a father and his son. Their smiles and helpfulness really made a difference to what would have been a basic campsite. It added a real home-feel and relaxed atmosphere.
Facilities: Token-operated showers (0.50Euros per token). No washing machine. Very good wifi (no need for a booster). Covered kiosk/bar outdoor terrace. Volleyball net.
Advantages: Cycling abandoned railway track through woodlands.
The damage: 12.50Euros per night (roughly £8.85). Plus four shower tokens at 0.50Euros each. And we bought two glasses of wine, three beers and a packet of cigarettes for 9.40Euros from the campsite’s kiosk.
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Autocamp Podlesok – Slovensky Raj National Park (Slovakia): Podlesok 573/33, 053 15 Hrabušice. GPS: N48.96417 E20.38622. Tel: +421 (53) 429 91 64 / recepcia@podlesok.sk / www.podlesok.sk
When we stayed: Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 June 2014 (2 nights).
A spacious grassed campsite at the foot of the beautiful Slovensky Raj National Park. Lined with chalets and surrounded by green hills, cycling and hiking trails, Autocamp Podlesok is the place to relax and enjoy nature. We loved hiking through the exciting and the best hiking trail we had ever experienced, Suchá Belá! For more information, read our blog post: Discovering Eastern Europe: The Last of Czech Republic and Evergreen Slovakia.
Facilities: Bikes can be rented and any other activities can be arranged at reception. A few fast food bars and one restaurant are literally next door to the campsite. Token-operated showers and washing machine (0.30Euros per token, very cheap!). Tokens are bought at reception. Good free wifi is available at the hostel/reception and the restaurant opposite, “Restaurace”.
Advantages: its location is a must. Brochures are available at reception and there is a big map of hiking trails by the entrance of the campsite.
The damage: 12,50Euros per night (roughly £8.85). We bought six tokens for showers and two tokens for the washing machine. After our hike we treated ourselves to an early dinner at Restaurace (kitchen shuts at 7.30pm). It costs us 22.85Euros (about £16.20) for traditional sheep cheese & garlic soup to start with, then pork medallion with potato wedges for Jamie and chicken with grilled vegetables and fried potatoes washed with beer (Jamie) and wine (for me).
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| Coming back from our Suchá Belá hike. Izzy, the motorhome is the first one on the left. |
Camp IN LIFE Litovel – Olomouc (Czech Republic): Koupaliste 651, 784 01 Litovel. N49°42'13.02" E17°4'7.75". Tel: +420 774 44 55 99 / petr@in-life.cz / www.in-life.cz
When we stayed: Saturday 14 to Monday 16 June 2014 (3 nights).
Kemp IN Life Litovel was basic, but the friendliness of its owner/manager, Petr combined with its great location by the Morava river made it the best camping experience we had in Czech Republic. Even though Petr was busy planning events ahead (the site also welcomes groups and families for activity day/weekends or even weeks), he was always available to help and answer any questions we had. We enjoyed exploring Litovel on foot and sampling its local beer at the brewery kiosk/terrace; getting the local trains to Olomouc and visiting its beautiful old quarters; and having a laugh canoeing on the river!
Facilities: clean toilets and shower blocks (token-operated and quite cold. Petr was planning on upgrading them in the next year). Canoe and bike hire available. We enjoyed going down the Morava river for a couple of hours! The nice Paddlers bar/restaurant serves simple quality dishes (we had a lovely meal there with the owner, Petr). Open fire available. Wifi available in the restaurant.
Advantages: Only a five minutes walk or bike-ride to Litovel's town centre. And a train-ride away to Olomouc (Litovel Mesto-Cervenka then change to Cervenka-Olomouc) for only 78Czech Koruna for four of us there and back (roughly 2.85Euros or £2).
The damage: costs us 980Czech Koruna for three nights, about 327Czech Koruna per night. (Roughly 12Euros or £8.50).
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| Izzy, the Motorhome aka the "Autoquest" and the "Hymer mobil". |
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Camp Karolina – Plana (Czech Republic): Brod nad Tichou, 348 15, Planá u Mariánských Lázní. N49°50'2" E12°44'27.96". Tel: +420 777 296 990 / office@camp-k.cz / www.camping-karolina.cz
When we stayed: Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 June 2014 (2 nights).
Camping Karolina is tucked in a beautiful wooded and secluded area along the river Tichá at the end of a long bumpy road in West Bohemia. Long and narrow with grass on both sides of the main track, motorhomes and tents can settle camp alongside traditional Eastern European wooden chalets/bungalows and playground. The friendly busy assistant of the owner made us feel very welcome and even took the time to call a garage dealer friend for us to repair a part. For more information, read our blog post: Motorhoming with Family in South Germany and Czech Republic.
Facilities: Being an ACSI-member & discounted site mean that all the facilities of a campsite in Western Europe can be found here. Covered wooded terrace bar/cafe (sells sweets and crisps too). Washing machine. Wifi works with a booster. Open fire also allowed!
Advantages: great hiking and cycling to be had for all ages and skills as it is mostly on flat surface. We cycled from the wooded track behind the campsite and did a loop back via the nearby town of Plana.
The damage: thanks to our ACSI-discount and low season, it costs us 399Czech Koruna per night (roughly 14Euros or £10).
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| The site was quiet during our stay. |
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Camping La Chauderie – La Tour d’Auvergne (France): Route de Besse, Pont du Taquet, 63680, La Tour d’Auvergne, Puy-De-Dôme, France. N45.52746 E2.70120. Tel: +33 6 33 78 53 45 / info@la-chauderie.com / www.la-chauderie.com
When we stayed: Friday 16 to Sunday 18 May 2014 (3 nights).
This ACSI-discounted terraced family campsite was beautiful and well located in the heart of the Puy-De-Dome. It was quiet with only a few other campervans and caravans. The young Dutch owners, Ronald and Wendy were busy cutting branches and grass around the playground area and building a five-a-side football pitch during our stay. Ronald took time to welcome us at the reception/cafe/pizzeria. It’s a nice space to relax and drink coffee, read a book or eat. For more information, read our blog post: Rediscovering France Part Two: Camping in the Auvergne and BirthdayCelebrations in Mulhouse, Alsace.
Facilities: Cafe/Bar/Pizzeria. Wooden bungalows available. Playground. Information brochures available in the reception/cafe/bar/pizzeria. Washing wasn’t available at the time. And Wifi was free for the first 15 minutes, but then very expensive and very slow.
Advantages: only a kilometre away from La Tour D’Auvergne where épicerie, boulangerie, bank, bars and restaurants can be found. Hiking and cycling opportunities. Swimming is possible in the river running through the campsite.
The damage: thanks to our ACSI-discount and low season, it costs us 12Euros per night (approx. £8.50).
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| Panoramic view of the campsite. Playground/Picnic area on the left, reception in middle & pitches on the right. |
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Camping Amaido - Asturias (Spain): El Llano, 33774 San Tirso De Abres, Asturias, Spain. N43°24’40” W7°8’38”. Tel:+34 985 476 394 / Mobile: +34 616 781 155 / amaido@amaido.com / www.amaido.com/eng
When we stayed: Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 April 2014 (2 nights).
This family-run grassed and partly shaded campsite located in beautiful countryside is the best we experienced in Northern Spain. It was very peaceful and quiet during our stay. We loved cycling around the village and along the via verde from San Tirso to A Pontovina. The ingredients used in their restaurant are all fresh from the campsite's working farm. For more information, read our blog post: Asturian Cycling Adventures, La Rioja's City Life & The Pyrenees' Abandoned Railway Station.
Facilities: free wifi. Agroturismo restaurant. Wooden cabins available and opportunities to help out in the farm as mentioned on their website.
Advantages: being right at the entrance of San Tirso de Abres. A pretty and small village with a small cafe/bar and shop. Many walking and cycling opportunities in the valley and along the San Tirso De Abres - A Pontovina via verde.
The damage: 18Euros per night including electricity (roughly £12.75). Our dinner at the campsite's agroturismo restaurant only costs us 21.50Euros (set menu @9Euros each plus hot beverages) or £15.20.
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| Our grassed campervan pitch opposite the showers & toilets blocks. |
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Camping Cepo Verde - Bragança (Portugal): Lugar da Vinha do Santo, 5300-561 Gondesende, Bragança, Portugal. N41°50’55” W6°51’40”. Tel:+351 2739 99371 / capoverde@bragancanet.pt / www.montesinho.com/en/cepoverde-campismo
When we stayed: Sunday 13 and Monday 14 April 2014 (2 nights).
This medium-size ACSI-discounted family campsite was the best campsite in Portugal that we got to stay at. In the heart of the Montesinho National Park near the small village of Gondesende, we found a peaceful retreat. The swimming pool wasn’t open yet for the season, but we enjoyed cycling from the campsite to Paramio and relax by our grassy and tree-shaded pitch. For more information, read our blog post: InlandPortugal: Centuries-Old Fortresses, National Parks and Rural Villages.
Facilities: great family-run restaurant using homemade and local produce. Wooden bungalows available. Wifi available in the restaurant. Homemade honey and other local products for sale in the reception/shop next to the restaurant. Swimming pool open in the Summer.
Advantages: many cycling and hiking possibilities right at your doorstep in Montesinho National Park. The campsite offers workshop opportunities for all from bread-making to woodcraft.
The damage: being ACSI-discounted and low season, it meant one night costs only 10Euros (£7).
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| A view of the terraced pitches from the restaurant/reception. |
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Parque de Campismo - Tomar (Portugal): N39°36’25.12″ W8°24’36.74″. Tel:+351 249 329 824 / go@campingtomar.com / campingtomar.wordpress.com
When we stayed: Thursday 3 and Friday 4 April 2014 (2 nights).
Facilities: it has good hot showers and toilets, washing up sinks, chemical disposal and waste water too and a washing machine and dryer.
Advantages: only five minutes by walk to the centre of Tomar and its many attractions. The outdoor's swimming pool's just next door - a great place to hang out in the Summer with the family.
The damage: 11 euros per night (approx. £7.80). 4 euros per washing machine load and 4 euros for drying.
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Camping Esprit Nature - Essaouira (Morocco): Lakouach, Ounagha, 44000, Essaouira, Morocco. Tel: +212 650 806 392 or +212 653 051 755 / espritnature.essaouira@gmail.com / espritnature-essaouira.com
When we stayed: Wednesday 5 to Saturday 8 March 2014 (4 nights).
Facilities: the beautifully decorated toilets and showers were the best we'd experienced in Morocco - perfectly laid out and thought through! Washing's available. Swimming pool and activities such as archery and woodwork for all the family are organised during the season. It is 18km from Essaouira, cyclable, but not
Advantages: A quiet and peaceful campsite to relax after visiting Essaouira. There are many cycling and hiking opportunities in the surrounding forested valley. Séverine and Patrice are very helpful and will be able to advise you on where to go.
The damage: 110 dirhams per night (roughly 10Euros or £7.20). The campsite was the most expensive we'd stayed at in Morocco, but was well worth our four nights stay. 50 dirhams per washing machine load.
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Camping La Vallée - Tafraoute (Morocco): BP237, 85450, Tafraout, Morocco. Tel: +212 528 801 803 / aubergecampingameln@gmail.com / auberge-camping-lavallee.com
When we stayed: Sunday 23 to Tuesday 25 February 2014 (3 nights).
Facilities: small handy shop by the entrance with all amenities from fruit & veg to milk and coffee and fresh bread. Washing's possible at a cost of 50 dirhams. Internet (the router was in the restaurant, even though it was shut, the owner let us shuffle with it to make it work).
Advantages: Much quieter and peaceful than all camping sites in Tafraoute. Many cycling and hiking opportunities in the Anti-Atlas mountains including to the famous "Pierres Bleues" and "Chapeau de Napoléon".
The damage: 60 dirhams per night (180 dirhams for three nights) (Roughly 5.50Euros or £3.90 per night). 50 dirhams for one big wash load.
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| A couple of other French campervans were parked during the time of our stay, which cannot be seen on the photograph. |
Casbah Caïd Ali - Agdz (Morocco): Mezguita SARL, BP23, 45050, Agdz (Province of Zagora), Morocco. Tel: +212 524 843 640 / g.aitelcaid@gmail.com / www.casbah-caidali.net
When we stayed: Wednesday 19 & Thursday 20 February 2014 (2 nights).
Facilities: Hot showers, electricity and water and chemical disposal. Hotel, restaurant, nice terrace and swimming pool. Running two tours a day to visit the ancient Casbah. Multilingual-speaking owners - French, English, German and Arabic!
Advantages: Near Agdz. Many walks and cycling can be done in the Drâa Valley.
The damage: 70 dirhams per night (about 6.44Euros or £4.56). Different fresh breads and loafs available on demand the day before starting from two dirhams. The 30-minutes tour of the Casbah Caïd Ali costs 30 dirhams per person. Our dinner at the restaurant came up to 150 dirhams. It included two Moroccan salads, a huge plate of fresh chicken and vegetable couscous to share accompanied with mint teas and bottled water.
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| The beautiful Casbah Caïd Ali which was once the family-house of Gaëlle's husband, Aziz. |
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Le Petit Prince – Merzouga (Morocco): 52202, Merzouga, Morocco. Tel: +212 672 039 615 / lepetitprince4@yahoo.com / www.lepetitprincemerzouga.com
When we stayed: Sunday 16 February 2014 (1 night).
Facilities: Hot showers, electricity and water. Chemical and waste disposal (a tube coming out of the sand in the camels' enclave behind a palm tree - it was nearly full). Big terrace with tables and parasols and a small panoramic one on top of the auberge. A big lounge/restaurant serving traditional tagines and Berber dishes.
Advantages: although not to our taste (too commercial), the auberge is conveniently placed in the heart of Merzouga at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes. The auberge itself and many other facilities in the vicinity offer camel and desert tours. Food can be bought from the town's market and shops.
The damage: 60 dirhams per night (approx. 6.52Euros or £3.90). Our late lunch / early dinner costs 135 dirhams: 60 dirhams for a salad, a Berber omelette and fruits and 75 dirhams for a salad, a beef bruschetta with fries and fruits. Our meal also included tea and coffee and a bottled water.
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| Motorhomes parked at Le Petit Prince can be seen on the right-hand side with the camels' enclave in the foreground. |
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Chez Moha – Amellago (Morocco): Ksar Ait Youb, Amellago 52272, Errachidia, Morocco. Tel: +212 678 417 810 / ahmed_ousri@hotmail.com / moha2_ousri@yahoo.fr / www.gitechezmoha-amellago.com
When we stayed: Thursday 13 February 2014 (1 night).
Facilities: Great hot showers (some of the best in the Atlas mountains!). Electricity and water. Beautiful garden and panoramic rooftop terrace to relax. Lounge and restaurant serving homemade traditional Berber dishes. Freshly made bread by Moha's son's wife can be ordered in advance for the morning.
Advantages: Moha's son, Ali who runs the gîte can organise many activities in the region from visiting a traditional Berber farm to rock climbing some of Amellago's gorges sheer rock faces. It is a good base to discover Amellago's gorges by bike or on foot.
The damage: 100 dirhams per night (60 dirhams for parking and two adults, 20 dirhams for electricity and 20 dirhams for two showers) (roughly 9.20Euros or £6.52). A huge flat and round loaf of bread costs us 10 dirhams. Our dinner was 100 dirhams: it included two traditional lentils and chickpeas soup with fresh bread; two rice Berber tagines with minced beef cooked with peas, tomatoes and onions; generous bowl of fruits and mint teas for desert.
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Camping and hotel Ksar Timnay (Morocco): Zaida, Morocco.
RN13, between Zaida (9km) and Midelt (20km). BP.81, Zaida, 54375 Morocco.
Tel: +212 0535 360188 / timnay@menara.ma / www.ksar-timnay.com
When we stayed: Thursday 6 to Saturday 8 February 2014 (3 nights).
When we stayed: Thursday 6 to Saturday 8 February 2014 (3 nights).
Facilities: all the facilities including good hot showers. Washing and drying are possible for a 50Dh (one of the nice cleaning ladies dealt with our washing, we just asked at the reception for details). The swimming pool wasn't in use yet, a shame as we had a bright blue sky during our stay. The restaurant's opened all year round and serve great local food at a very affordable price. Wifi was free and good, easily reachable with our booster. A small fruit & veg store and a small general counter are located right outside the walls on the left hand-side by the main road.
Advantages: the campground of Ksar Timnay is a great gateway to the Atlas mountains and its Berber villages. There is a lake by the campsite for those who just want a short stroll. Great hikes and bike rides can be had. Guided tours (4x4, bike, hike, etc) are also available.
The damage: 90 Dirham per night (inc. electricity and shower) - about £6.50 or 8Euros.
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| An 180 degree view of the grounds of Ksar Timnay. Its riad and campsite on the left, the hotel at the centre and its reception and restaurant on the right hand side. |
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Camping Azilane – Chefchaouen (Morocco): Rue Sidi Abdel Hamid. GPS: N 35.17509 E -5.26616. Tel: +21 2539986979 / campingchefchaouen@gmail.com / www.campingchefchaouen.comWhen we stayed: Saturday 1 to Monday 3 February 2014 (3 nights).
Facilities: all the facilities including a small shop/counter selling fresh bread for 2Dh as well as other essentials in the restaurant at the far back of the campsite. The restaurant wasn't opened when we were there as it was probably out of season. The hot shower wasn't working during our stay, but they got somebody out when we left. Wifi was free, but very weak.
Advantages: by the Talasemtane National Park and only a 15/20-minute walk away to Chefchaouen and its medina, the campsite was in pretty surroundings. Gated and manned 24hrs, the site felt very secure.
The damage: 100 Dirham per night (inc. electricity and shower) - about £7 or 9Euros. Laundry: washing possible by one of the cleaning ladies (approx. 40/50Dirham).
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When we stayed: Wednesday 20 to Saturday 23 November 2013 (3 nights).
Facilities: nice soiled pitches. Small laundry area next to the showers and toilets. WiFi available, but didn't work even with our WiFi booster. We were told it was because of the bad weather; it rained heavily on Friday night. The small shop and restaurant were shut (they're only opened in the Summer).
Advantages: cheap ACSI discounted campsite conveniently located by the UNESCO World Heritage historical ruins and only a 5 minutes walk away to the local train station: Pompei Scavi - Villa Dei Misteri on the Naples-Sorrento line. It's also a 15-mins train ride to the other ruins, Herculaneum (Ercolano) on the same line and a coach ride to Mount Vesuvius.
The damage: 14 euros per night (inc. electricity and shower) (approx. £9.90). Laundry: washing & drying 5 euros each. WiFi: 5 euros per day.
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When we stayed: Monday 11 & Tuesday 12 November 2013 (2 nights).
Facilities: many well delineated tree-shaded good-sized pitches. Bungalows also available. Laundry room and washing up area. WiFi available, but wasn't working well even with our WiFi gain amplifier - I had to go near the reception to make calls through Skype. Restaurant and bar. Outdoor swimming pool.
Advantages: cheap ACSI discounted campsite near enough one of the most famous cities in the world!
The damage: 16 euros per night (inc. electricity, shower and wifi!) (approx. £11.30). We did our laundry there too for 8 euros (4 euros for the washing and 4 euros for the dryer). We also had to pay a small tax of 0.84 euros. The full bill was a reasonable 40.84 Euros.
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Hostel Tallinn – Tallinn (Estonia): Juhkentali 46, 10132 Tallinn. Tel: 372 601 6969 / info@hosteltallinn.com / www.hosteltallinn.com
We found the hostel pretty quickly whilst searching for "hostel with secure car park" in Google. The hostel was a 20/30-minute walk to the Old Town - we walked everywhere, but we could have hopped on a bus easily as the hostel's located right opposite the city bus station. The website makes the hostel look very sleek and clean, but we had a very different picture... Located on a busy junction on the outskirts of the city centre, the building looked run down with a small gated car park. The only reason we didn't miss it was because of the huge "hostel tallinn" pvc banner hung over it. Before booking we thought we'd ask to see our room and make sure we could park our motorhome. The room was very simple (again not like on the website), but clean and, even though small, towels were provided. The shower was simple too and had to be shared with another two rooms, which only one was occupied by the time we left in the morning, but had hot water.
Facilities: various-sized private bedrooms with shared shower and dorms available. Full kitchen (we used it to make teas. Hot drinks and a few snacks available in the reception. Small CCTV car park. Next to the city bus station. The wifi was only working in the reception and not in the bedrooms as advertised.
Advantages: cheap & safe option to park Izzy.
The damage: 32 euros for one night (approx. £22.65). They let us leave Izzy whilst we went for a one last stroll in the city centre. We always took our backpacks with us with our papers, money and gadgets.
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Rastila camping – Helsinki (Finland): Karavaanikatu 4, 00980 Helsinki. Tel: 09 310 78517 / rastilacamping@hel.fi / www.rastilacamping.fi/
We found Rastila in the Alan Rodgers Europe camping book and looked it up online. It is the nearest campsite to Helsinki city centre. Located right outside Rastila tube station, it's only a 10-minute ride away to the centre. Very safe and clean; the campsite is gated with 24h CCTV and reception, all blocks (showers, toilets, etc) are shut and only accessible with a pass such as the ones you're given in hotel chains like Ibis etc. But this comes at a high pricetag of 32 euros a night! Branded as an "Oasis in the middle of the city", I found it more like a huge gated motorhome parking sat between high-rise apartment blocks. The weather didn't help as well - grey clouds and rain, it did look pretty grimm.
Facilities: hook ups, water points, three showers and toilets blocks, three washing up rooms, one laundry room with drying lines, tv/lounge building. Wifi. Traditional wooden cottages available to rent and they seemed to also have a hostel. In the Summer, it may be nicer as there is a public sandy beach hidden behind a few trees, but the campsite must be a whole lot busier - even off peak, we were there from 21-23 October, many campervans were hooked up.
Advantages: only a few minutes tube ride away from the city centre and a safe option to park your motorhome.
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Lochranza campsite & golf course – Isle of Arran (Scotland): Isle of Arran, KA27 8HL. Tel: 01770 830273 / contact page / www.arran-campsite.com
We were recommended this campsite by a couple from Barnsley who we met at the Ken Bridge Hotel campsite. We also found it through the Camping & Caravanning Club app. The campsite manager, Nigel made us feel very welcome and gave us a tour of the facilities before leading us to our spot. It is a very peaceful and friendly campsite at walking distance from the village of Lochranza. This is refelected in the campsite's slogan 'a quiet site.' It is surrounded by wildlife - red deers roamed around the campsite in the mornings, and even was seen attacking the food in the porch of someone's tent.
Facilities: the campsite is big with many facilities including hook ups, water points, showers and toilets, washing up sinks, laundry room, information/lounge room. The campsite had wifi, but the signal was weak where we camped, but strong near the lounge/office.
Facilities: the campsite is big with many facilities including hook ups, water points, showers and toilets, washing up sinks, laundry room, information/lounge room. The campsite had wifi, but the signal was weak where we camped, but strong near the lounge/office.
Advantages: close to the beautiful village of Lochranza which has a nice little sandwich shop opposite the ferry terminal, a hotel pub/restaurant and Lochranza castle. The campsite has got a restaurant next door which serves lovely food, but gets fully booked very quickly.
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Ken Bridge Hotel – Dumfries & Galloway (Scotland): New Galloway, Kirkcudbrightshire, DG7 3PR. Tel: 01644 420211 / mail@kenbridgehotel.co.uk / www.kenbridgehotel.co.uk
Jamie found the Ken Bridge Hotel’s campsite on his phone using Google Maps. The hotel and campsite are nice and beautifully located along the Ken river. The main road is not too busy and hidden by bushes and trees which helped muffling any traffic noise. The hotel manager may seem quiet at first, but is very friendly and helpful – he advised us on cycle routes and where to go next on our trip (see our blog post - "Day 5 - Making our way to the Isle of Arran").
Facilities: the campsite is small with basic facilities including hook ups, water points, one toilet and one toilet with shower.
Advantages: a restaurant & pub at your doorstep – in the hotel. We didn’t go to the restaurant, but had a few pints at the pub. Close to the village, New Galloway which has a bank, post office, a few shops, restaurants and cafes including the Cat Strand cafe. The Cat Strand has wifi, serves lovely homemade food and cakes and has a great art shop. And the campsite is also conveniently next door to Galloway Forest Park.
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