While some of us are looking for sites that offer every modern convenience and amenity, the rest of us are seeking somewhere natural and want to be as far removed as possible from the sounds of jangling slot machines and karaoke performers.

Here we try and include something for everyone so that whether you are looking for party central or wilderness hide-away you should find something to suit.

Here are C4Caravan’s top picks for the best caravan and camp sites in Wales…

Caerfai Bay Caravan and Tent Park

Fford Caerfai, St Davids, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, SA62 6QT

www.caerfaibay.co.uk

Nature lovers, beach bunnies and all those who enjoy lying back in their camp chair and ocean gazing will love this camp-site. Pembrokeshire is not short of dazzling beach scenery but the location of this site, perched on the cliffs of Caerfai Bay, is about as good as it gets. The beach, where dolphins are often seen cruising past, is a natural playground of rock pools, caves and crystal clear calm waters perfect for snorkelling – all guaranteed to keep the younger family members (and perhaps the not so young) occupied for hours if not the entire holiday.

Although you could laze away every day without stepping outside the camp-site there is plenty to see and do should you manage to tear yourself away. Canoe trips, kayaking, coastal boat cruises, whale and dolphin watching tours, surf lessons and jet boating are just a few of the options open to water and nature lovers while history and culture enthusiasts are equally catered for.

Pembrokeshire is home to more than 50 hill forts and castles which range from the wonderfully preserved to the romantically ruined. Or step back even further in time and check out standing stones, ancient settlement remains, barrows and dolmens – a type of Neolithic burial chamber.

So what do you fancy? Walking, fishing, climbing, rock-pool adventuring, swimming or joining one of the many tours on offer such as learning how to forage for wild food? The problem here won’t be finding enough to do – it will be puzzling out how to fit it all in.

Facilities: Showers and toilets, electric hook-up, dogs allowed (on a lead at all times), telephone, laundry, dish washing area, Internet, disabled toilet and shower, rest area, tourist information, recycling, farm shop (100 yards)

Open: 1^st March to second week in November

Cost: from £11.50 per night for 1 unit and 2 people + £4 per night electric hook-up

Cenarth Falls Holiday Park

Cenarth, Newcastle Emlyn, Ceredigion, Wales, SA38 9JS

www.cenarth-holipark.co.uk

It’s not really surprising that this holiday park boasts an impressive trophy cabinet – a David Bellamy Gold Award, Calor Gas ‘Best Park in Wales, a 5 star rating from ‘Visit Wales’ tourism board and proud holders of ‘Loo of the Year Awards’ held every year since 1994!

From these ratings alone we can deduce that the park is eco-friendly, has exceptional facilities and is spotlessly clean. However, sparkling toilets and shower-rooms are just the tip of the bragging rights iceberg for site owners, the Davies family. This site has all the facilities you would associate with something that has ‘holiday park’ in the title such as swimming pools (indoor and out); a health and country club with Jacuzzi, fitness suite, sauna, restaurant and live entertainment every weekend; children’s playground, games room and the like, but it is all planned out in such a way that you can immerse yourself in this atmosphere or enjoy peace and quiet instead.

The 2 acre field of 29 pitches is set aside from all that is going on and is surrounded by beautiful, unspoiled countryside. Just a short walk away is Cenarth Falls where the salmon leap when the season is right and the picture postcard pretty historical village of Cenarth. The stunning Cardigan Bay coast is just 7 miles away too.

Cenarth Falls Holiday Park is for those who want the best of both worlds – a quality holiday park with exceptional facilities but with a chance to escape easily to peace and solitude when the mood takes them.

Facilities: Toilets and showers; Coracles Health and Country Club with indoor heated pool, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, fitness suite, bar and restaurant and live entertainment (pay as you go or discounted membership passes available for park guests); outdoor pool (not heated); children’s playground; games room with pool table and video games machines; Wi-Fi; launderette; dog friendly site; hard standing; electric hook-up.

Open: March to November

Cost: From £16 to £27 per pitch per night for one unit and up to 4 people (includes electric hook-up)

Gwern Gof Isaf Campsite

Capel Curig, Betws-y-Coed, Snowdonia, North Wales, LL24 0EU

www.gwerngofisaf.co.uk

Although much frequented by those hardy outdoor types, Gwern Gof Isaf camp-site is also a firm favourite with those who want to surround themselves with spectacular mountain scenery without necessarily feeling the urge to scale the peaks towering over them. Of course should you feel energetic then there is plenty to occupy you – a wealth of walking and climbing options which range from easy strolls to kamikaze; the National Mountain Centre 2 miles from the site which offers, amongst other things, canoeing, orienteering and abseiling and also mountain biking and pony trekking within a few miles.

The camp-site itself is part of a 750 acre National Trust farm and so special is the location deemed that in 2006 Gwern Gof Isaf camp-site featured in the Independent’s ’50 Best Campsites in the World’ list.

The site can take touring caravans and larger motor-homes but space for these is limited so be sure to call ahead to check availability.

Facilities: Wash-rooms, toilets and hot showers, electric hook-up, chemical toilet disposal, washing up area

Open: All year

Cost: £10 per night per pitch (includes electric) for vans and caravans

Pilbach Holiday Park

Betws Ifan, Rhydlewis, Newcastle Emlyn, Cardiganshire, Wales, SA44 5RT

www.barkersleisure.com/holidayparks/pilbach_holiday_park

This site, set in 15 acres of parkland, is particularly suited to families and those who want a range of modern facilities and entertainment options without over-commercialism. Touring caravans and motor-homes have a choice of three large fields to choose from and there is also a choice of pitches between standard and fully-serviced super-pitches which offer electric, hard-standing, water and instant drainage of grey water.

The company, which also owns sites at Aberaeron (a coastal park) and Aberdwylan, has frequent special holiday offers which include large discounts.

The site is located just three miles from Aberporth – an award winning, safe swimming beach and, listed on the park’s website, are a diverse range of attractions in the immediate and wider area which will suit all pockets, ages and tastes.

Facilities: Showers, toilets, electric hook-up, super pitches available (hard-standing, individual water point and grey waste drainage), heated pool with toddler’s area, bar and restaurant, amusement arcade, all-sports field, play area, laundry facilities, on-site shop, dog friendly site with dog walking field, entertainment (karaoke competitions, bingo and cabaret acts)

Open: All year

Cost: From £17 per pitch per night (£19 super pitch) including electric hook-up

Llyn Gwynant Campsite

Nantgwynant, Snowdonia, Wales, LN55 4NW

www.gwynant.com

(NOTE: The is no electrical hook up on this site)

This is the type of camp-site which although not unusual for tent campers is as rare as hen’s teeth for those who want to pitch a caravan or motor-home. It is true, back to basics holidaying for those who love the outdoors and comes complete with camp-fires and breathtaking scenery.

The metre deep river which runs through the site would probably provide all the opportunity for adult and kids fun that is needed, but there is much more at this action packed natural playground! Rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing, kayaking, lake coasteering (a combination of swimming, climbing, scrambling and cliff jumping), raft building and orienteering…..and the list goes on. Kids can be passed over to the professional instructors leaving parents free to laze away their days by the lakeside or maybe hire a boat from on-site to cruise the river. Of course if they want to they can get stuck in with the kids.

Most of the activities take place from June to September when the site is lively and sometimes full of school groups. Outside of school summer holidays the camp-site is about as quiet and secluded as you are likely to get in the UK. There is only licensing and room for ten caravans/motor-homes at any one time (15 allowed during bank holidays) so do check ahead to avoid disappointment.

Facilities: Hot water showers, toilets, chemical disposal point, dish washing area, freezer for ice packs

Open: Easter to November

Cost: £8 per person per night, children 5 – 15 are £4 per night (under 5s free)

When you are choosing somewhere to stay it is worth considering what you need from your holiday destination. Here are 10 things that could affect your choice of pitch:

1. Animals – Not all sites allow pets, some may charge if you do take them.

2. Adults – Some sites are adult only sites, creating a completely different atmosphere.

3. Children – Some sites will have lots of child friendly facilities such as playgrounds, swimming pools, tennis courts and even petting zoos.

4. Privacy – If you want a high degree of privacy it may be worth looking for somewhere with en-suite facilities and secluded pitches.

5. Facilities – Sports facilities, food and drink availability and social events all differ from place to place. If you want to cycle, many sites offer cycle hire facilities.

6. Public Transport Connections – If you wish to see the local area you should find out about the local transport system. Check how close the train station or bus stop is to the site.

7. Locations – If you want lots of things to do during your holiday, check the local area or your intended destination site for information about areas of natural beauty, tourist attractions, water parks, beaches, local events and other things to do.

8. Locality – It is worth finding out how long it will take you to get to the site, and how much that journey will cost you.

9. Price – Price varies enormously, from £3 a night upwards, you may find that it is beneficial to join a club so that you can take advantage of their reduced rates.

10. Booking – Book well in advance if you have a specific site in mind. During peak times some sites get completely booked up.

Once you have decided upon what you need from a site you can start looking at the different kinds of sites available.

Static Caravan Sites

There are lots of static caravan sites in the U.K. They are available to buy and to rent. If you particularly like a certain area and wish for the comfort of having your own things around you then buying a static caravan may be a good idea. You can also rent static caravans. This is excellent if you do not have the means to transport a touring caravan. The parks that static caravans are located on will normally offer a range of facilities.

Touring Caravan Sites

Touring caravans are flexible homes. You can stay in large parks with many facilities or you can retreat to small rustic pitches in the countryside, the choice is yours!

Certified Locations

The smallest sites known as Certified Locations to the Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravanning Club, are suitable for no more than 5 caravans at any one time. They offer seclusion and basic amenities. Certified locations are casual, normally rural caravan sites designed to facilitate your enjoyment of the local area rather than to provide you with on-site activities. Many sites of this size are affiliated to a caravan club so they are only available to use if you are a member. The cost of staying in a site of this size starts at about £3, which makes it great value for money if you can entertain yourself.

Starred Caravan Sites – The British Graded Holiday Park Scheme

There is a system in place to evaluate holiday parks and caravan sites. It is the traditional 5* system. Private sites, holiday parks owned by commercial operators and the club sites that are open to non-members will generally all be rated under the star system. It is organised by the tourist boards of the U.K. As you would expect 5* is the top rating; caravan sites with this accolade will have groceries available daily, 24 hour access to a public telephone, good lighting, heated toilets and 75% of pitches will have electrical hook ups. 5* sites will have extremely high levels of cleanliness and all facilities will be in good order.

The other sites are graded according to where they fall in comparison to this. 5* means exceptional standards, 4* excellent quality, 3* is the industry standard, 2* is good, 1* is acceptable. Any parks that fall below these standards will not be awarded a star.

The star system is not an indication of the types of facilities available, but of the quality of the facilities that are there. Star status is reviewed annually. Always check individual brochures for details about the exact facilities that will be available.

Other Criteria for Judging Holiday Parks

The Camping and Caravanning Club and The Caravan Club have their own criteria for judging their own caravan sites. This information is available to members. Both of the clubs have a good reputation and many choose these sites because they have a high minimum standard.

The David Bellamy Conservation Award is given to all of the caravan sites in the U.K. that are making a comprehensive effort and having a positive affect on local wildlife. There are 600+ awarded sites at the moment. Many of the sites are in areas of great natural beauty and some are completely eco-friendly.

]]> http://www.c4caravans.com/blog/types-of-caravan-sites-choosing-the-perfect-caravan-park.php/feed 0 http://www.c4caravans.com/blog/have-a-green-and-economical-caravan-holiday.php http://www.c4caravans.com/blog/have-a-green-and-economical-caravan-holiday.php#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:17:40 +0000 admin http://www.c4caravans.co.uk/blog/?p=153 The impact of travel on the environment is huge. Daily car trips and annual summer holidays abroad are the norm for many people. This causes a huge release of CO2 into the atmosphere every year. But there are a number of ways that you can actively reduce your carbon footprint when you go on holiday.

Environmentalists have long praised the green credentials of caravanning when compared with other modes of transport, particularly plane travel. The National Caravanning Council’s research shows that the C02 emissions released when transporting a family of four on holiday in a mid weight caravan and car combination are significantly less than catching a plane and are also the same as or less than taking the journey on a train. In fact if you go on holiday in a large car towing a heavy caravan it will still be a great deal less harmful to the environment than if you went on a plane. This is especially true of short and medium distance journeys such as travelling within the U.K. and travelling to France or Spain.

There is always more that we can all do to reduce our impact on the environment and whilst caravanning is a good start it is by no means the end. Here are five tips that will help you to lower fuel wastage whilst driving:

1. Make sure that your caravan and car are well matched for fuel efficiency.

2. Towing at 40 mph uses significantly less fuel that towing at 50 mph. Try to not exceed 75% of your maximum speed as this makes a large difference. Also avoid rapid acceleration.

3. Turn off your engine if there is no movement ahead. If you have to leave the engine idle for more than approximately 30 seconds then it is more fuel efficient to turn it off.

4. Ensure that you have the correct tyre pressure and that your vehicles are in optimum condition as this combats the inevitable inefficiencies as your vehicles get older which will reduce fuel consumption and make oil leaks far less likely to occur.

5. Obtain a profiled roof box; increasing aerodynamic efficiency on your caravan can make a surprising amount of difference to your overall efficiency.

Lowering fuel emissions on the journey is an effective way to have a greener holiday. You should also find that the cost of your holiday will be less than with foreign travel. Particularly for travel within the U.K. where there is no need to deal with unfavourable currency rates and generally no need to use other more expensive forms of transport such as ferries.

There are many other measures that you can take to ensure that your holiday has the lowest environmental impact possible, Here are five more ways that you can save the environment and save yourself some money in the process!

1. Avoid short journeys with your caravan; the start of the journey uses up a lot of fuel.

2. Take less with you! More weight = more energy consumption.

3. Take bikes with you. When you are at your destination you can use these instead of the car for fun, healthy and carbon free travel.

4. Trips to the beach or nature reserves are a great day out and will not cost you much at all.

5. Choose a eco-friendly caravan site. Both the Camping and Caravanning Club and the Caravan Club have schemes in place to ensure that their sites are always trying to improve upon their green credentials. 

Influential botanist David Bellamy gives Conservation Awards each year to any caravan sites that achieve high levels of natural integration with their surroundings. The awards include consideration of every aspect of how the site is run including water conservation, encouraging bio-diversity and having good recycling facilities. Some caravan sites get bad press for being unsightly and unnatural areas but any that David Bellamy has awarded are sure to be the exact opposite of this. Giving you and your family many opportunities to stay in beautiful places that are designed to sustain and celebrate nature whilst creating a lovely holiday destination.

If you put all of these factors together you are going to be going on a great holiday that costs you and the environment less!