Camping and sailing..

[onesea]

My daughter has announced her wishes for her summer holidays...
We will have 7 maybe 10 days...

She wants to camp (under canvas on dry land). Then sail our dinghy (lark) and paddle (inflatable) the canoe on the water adjacent.

Oh and castles and mountains would be nice...

Not a big demand but help where.. We are Solent based but no objection to travel.

Lake district? Scotland? Norfolk broads? Cornwall? France? Switzerland? Belgium? Holland?

Landover Towing Lark would be the set up...

All suggestions welcome.

 

[tyce]

Don't know where but that is one cool daughter you have there, should be a trip of a lifetime. Scotland would be favourite for me.

 

[colhel]

If France could be on the list they have places Ideal for you.

 

[Croak]

Lakeside camping in the lake district at.

Low Wray Windermere (rules Rules)

Coniston hall (noisy)

Hoathwaite coniston, (a long way from the wate

East end of Ulswater.

Caravan and camping club site Derwent water (expensive)


Wales?

 

[Croak]

Scotland.

Not too far up

Brighouse bay Dumfries and Galloway. V comercialised.

But to do it properly Mull or up beyond Ullapool and cruise the Summer Isles. (lots of fuel in a Landrover.

 

[Sandgrounder]

I think Croak has it about covered on the Lake District: - Coniston Hall is good out of season but can be subject to noise and drunkenness (half mile walk to pubs) at times, whereas Low Wray is beautiful and quiet but subject to a fair bit of National Trust notices and general hectoring etc. They shouldn't spoil the fun if you are on the water though

 

[Sybarite]

My daughter has announced her wishes for her summer holidays...
We will have 7 maybe 10 days...

She wants to camp (under canvas on dry land). Then sail our dinghy (lark) and paddle (inflatable) the canoe on the water adjacent.

Oh and castles and mountains would be nice...

Not a big demand but help where.. We are Solent based but no objection to travel.

Lake district? Scotland? Norfolk broads? Cornwall? France? Switzerland? Belgium? Holland?

Landover Towing Lark would be the set up...

All suggestions welcome.

Strangford Lough
Golfe de Morbihan

 

[FairweatherDave]

So obviously you want to get further away than Chichester harbour and Poole.......
I always wanted to camp and sail from around Mylor (Falmouth, Cornwall) but that is too far from Cornish mother-in-law
So you can sail and camp up river opposite side from Fowey (Penmarlam)........steep hill down to launch area from campsite and you can keep you boat there and camp elsewhere (or you could). Obviously tidal estuary and wind can be flukey. Salcombe is also good but campsite a little way from boat park.
We are going to Lake Sanguinet nr Bordeaux which is perfect but a lot of driving if you aren't staying too long. Haven't been to Annecy which would tick boxes....
(We tow our Wayfarer and put a Topper on the car roof ).
I'd love to go to Ireland but my lot want heat. South Coast of Brittany has really good potential too (look at my old threads!)
(Wish my kids weren't growing up!)

 

[VicS]

My daughter has announced her wishes for her summer holidays...
We will have 7 maybe 10 days...

She wants to camp (under canvas on dry land). Then sail our dinghy (lark) and paddle (inflatable) the canoe on the water adjacent.


All suggestions welcome.

The Camping and Caravaning Club Boating group might be of interest to you. For the future if perhaps too late for this year.

We were members for a good few years and had numerous good holidays, camping and sailing, as well as weekends, with them. Usually not on big commercial campsites.

http://boatinggroup.weebly.com/

 

[JumbleDuck]

Scotland.

Not too far up

Brighouse bay Dumfries and Galloway. V comercialised.

Plenty of other possibilities in Galloway. Brighouse is big and commercial, but there are other campsites with great sailing possibilities. I live in the area, so haven't camped, but I think my top recommendation would be Mossyard (www.mosssyard.co.uk). Quite small, fantastic beach with islands nearby. Sandgreen also worth a look, though it's bigger.

Or try freshwater - there are several campsites around Loch Ken and it's a great place for children to sail.

 

[onesea]

Don't know where but that is one cool daughter you have there, should be a trip of a lifetime. Scotland would be favourite for me.

She does like to do things, my biggest worry is when it gets a little cold and she is only 7. She also finds long drives boring which does not help with some of the further away places. Although of course a ferry across the channel would be exciting!

I also have staging points in the NW and Glasgow, where we would be welcome to spend a night.

I will not be booking yet for 1001 and one reasons, I will probably end up doing my usual and having lots of options open till quite late. Its amazing how much difference 300 miles north or south can make to the weather!

Have had cracking trip round Scotland one April no midges and great weather, we had planned to go through Switzerland/ Italy to South of France but weather was not so good that way.

I suppose I should add to list of toys inflatable (Yacht tender) with outboard (2 stroke, if allowed) and oars (means I can play rescue if required)...

Keep the ideas coming... Any one any experience in Europe France Etc?

Lake district is possible I sailed Low Ray as a student many years ago, shame to here about the rules. They tend to get in the way of just having fun...

LLangorse Lake In the Beacon Beacons, which also looks good.
But launching fees:
Sailing Dinghies/Rowing/Fishing Boats(5mph speed limit)17ft and under 21.00 a day..
CW Canoes,Kayaks & Windsurfers 9.50 a day....

Loch Ken
Will be charged as shown below. Payable to Loch Ken Holiday Park.

Loch Ken looks good: Sailing / Windsurfing / Rowing / Canoe - FREE

That's a big saving when being young a sail after breakfast and paddle before bed would be quite acceptable... 4 days at 30 quid a day pays the difference in diesel between Scotland and England!

Fair weather Dave do not knock out Chitchester or Poole... Short drive if weather unsettled and we want to get home. My big boat has 2m draft its not places where I tend to wave her keel, so any ideas there always appreciated.

I have also just checked its Menai Straights Regattas so if there is still communal camping their (if its the same field the tent would remember where to pitch its self!) she may be the 4th Generation (that I know of) to sail in them...

 

[FairweatherDave]

Fair weather Dave do not knock out Chitchester or Poole... Short drive if weather unsettled and we want to get home. My big boat has 2m draft its not places where I tend to wave her keel, so any ideas there always appreciated.
..

Launching from Itchenor and camping at Nunnington Farm (West Wittering) (or another one slightly nearer... ?Scotts Farm)
For Poole there is a site near Wareham with a slipway but I haven't sailed there, you then have to get down the river a bit to get into the harbour proper (something like Redbridge Farm?), so an outboard useful. It's a destination I will get to one day.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Loch Ken looks good: Sailing / Windsurfing / Rowing / Canoe - FREE

There is no charge for unpowered craft using Loch Ken, but the three normal launching places all charge for their facilities. They are (a) Crossmichael Marina (a tiny harbour normally used by fishermen), Loch Ken Marina (part of Loch Ken Holiday Park, mainly power boats and waterskiing) and the Galloway Activity Centre (www.lochken.co.uk) where I keep my Hunter 490. They charge £10.50 per day or £42 per week for visitors, which includes toilets, showers, clubhouse and so on. They have a nice campsite too. I'm only a customer there, but I know them well and like them.

For a general outdoor holiday, though, I'd recommend Mossyard.

If you come up here, please let me know. I may be able to rustle up a similarly aged child who is dead keen on boats and would welcome some company afloat ...

 

[vyv_cox]

Bala lake in North Wales is hard to beat. Llangower campsite on the water's edge, beautiful surroundings, no motorboats on the lake, plenty of walks in the area and castles not too far away.

 

[Toutvabien]

Have you considered Essex and Suffolk?

We have camped and sailed in Walton Backwaters in Essex, not sure if you could spend a week rough camping there with a 7 year old but a night at Stone Point would be a decent adventure, the nearby seaside delights also offer a bailout. Nearby there is also the River Stour with a local camp-site http://www.rushbanksfarm.co.uk/ that specialises in boaters.

 

[Iliade]

Strongly recommend Lake Annecy in France.
Various other lakes in France, Italy and Switzerland.
The french river and canal system.

Most of Europe is well set up for camping and dinghy sailing, and is nearer to us than Scotland!

Croatia - rivers and island chain. If feeling more adventurous and low risk of Bora then there is some absolutely stunning riverine and island hopping sailing to be had here. Literally thousands of islands to sail between.

 

[Sandgrounder]

Was a member of Llangorse for a couple of seasons many years ago. The clubhouse and boat park are immediately adjacent to the public facilities. They were a very friendly club and I think would be glad to let you use their facilities were you to ask. Inevitable, as with many clubs, there is precious little activity during the weekdays.

 

[Daydream believer]

Central France on some of the canals. Reasonably safe, could do a couple of locks for fun
Warm, places to camp & being " foreign" it holds a bit of adventure
Get a cheap rod & catch a couple of fish- might even BBQ one
Places to visit & a few hills. A couple of bikes in the car would enable a few off water trips
Actually a canal boat would allow parents to be comfortable & keep an eye on the daughter

Other choice - Holland & the Veersmere. Loads of places to camp on the islands for adventure or caravan/camping parks for comfort, A few places to visit- Veere, Middleburgh etc & not so far to go
Good for a few cycle rides- cheap to hire bikes

 

[Searush]

Menai Straits has lovely scenery, miles of sheltered water & three superb castles, but adjacent shoreline camping is only possible in a couple of places. Aber Menai, Llandwyn Island (if you approach from the sea & are subtle about it), Foryd (near Caernarfon), you may get permission from Plas Menai (National watersports centre) and there are Lime kilns close to Trwyn Ddu (puffin island) where you may be ok for one night. Red Wharf Bay is not far and there is a pukka site there, right on the beach with all facilities.

I would consider having the boat set up for the occasional night where there is no suitable shore based site available - The Gazelle & other hotels on or near the waterside should also be considered for a bath/ shower, cooked brekky & warm bed in extremis.

But Scotland has right of access that allows camping shoreside unlike the rest of the UK

 

[onesea]

SeaRush I like your idea but I know my limits... One base for the week, this time!

At 7 she is a great kid but moving camp every night would be a bit much....

Some one had to mention it... Bikes... I guess they will fit in the boat

So toy list is:
3 Bikes
2 Tents cooking gear etc etc etc
1 Sailing Dinghy
1 inflatable Canoe
One inflatable and outboard (Maybe).