Best CAMC Club Sites if touring with Dogs
We have always had at least one dog with us throughout our touring years, and some Club Sites have certainly stood out as being really good if you travel with dogs. I will give a couple of our favourites, and hope that others will list more (particularly from a walking/exercising point of view)
Yellowcraig CAMC Site (East Lothians, Scotland)
Located right on the Firth of Forth, some 24 miles from Edinburgh, this large site offers some of the loveliest dog walking available on the Club network. Half a mile of fairly level walking brings you out from the site entrance onto the beach opposite Fidra Island, and from there you can stroll right or left taking in beach, dunes, conifer woodlands. It’s a good walk into North Berwick with its nice shops and the Scottish Seabird Centre, or head up the Firth and along to Gullane. Lovely scenery, plenty of bird life, wildlife. The site is around a mile from the village of Dirleton, with its fairytale Castle and beautiful gardens. Trains into Edinburgh can be taken from North Berwick, and all along the foreshore with various stops. Plenty of other places of interest around, and for that quick early morning, last thing at night walkies, the site has a dedicated dog walk area, just outside the main entrance. A good cycling site as well.
Exeter Racecourse CAMC Site (Devon)
High on Haldon Hill, this relatively small site is split into two distinctive areas. Close to the small facility block are the hardstanding pitches, whilst slightly away from this main area is another all grass area that gives more of a feel of a large CL. This area is slightly more sheltered from the weather up here, and doesn’t get as much of the traffic hum as the main area. Both areas are great for dogs, as it’s a short stroll out to head off for a couple of miles around the racecourse itself, using the service path just inside the racetrack itself. (Good manners says keep your dog off the actual track itself.) Lovely heathland walking, but keep a close eye on your dog as deer do roam this area. Walks can be short or long, cutting across the inner area of the track. Not far away is the whole of the Haldon Forest Park as well, probably a good couple of miles between the racecourse and the visitor centre. Exeter is back down the hill, and there’s plenty of places of interest to get out to but a vehicle, or use of local transport links is essential.
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Dunnet Bay CAMC Site (Highland, Scotland)
Miles of glorious sands which can be accessed straight from the site. I guess the biggest drawback is that it is the club's most northerly site so it requires as determined effort to get there.
(How do I change the density of type to provide a bold heading?)
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Highlight the words at up pops the format bar
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@Tinwheeler the bar does not appear as you have shown. I thought there should be one, as with the old version of CT but it's just not there on my Kindle, most strange. Thanks all the same.
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Two more inland Club Sites excellent if visiting with dogs….
Clumber Park CAMC Club Site (Notts)
Miles of walking directly from the Club site itself, accessing paths via different coded gates. Woodland, heathland, lakeside, with three well placed NT cafes, including Central Bark, which is dog friendly, and is not far from the beautiful Walled Gardens. Club Site reception has walking and cycling maps available. Only thing to note is that Clumber Park itself is a known hotspot for Seasonal Canine Disorder Syndrome, which can affect some dogs during the Autumn period.
Ferry Meadows CAMC Club Site
Situated just outside Peterborough at the Nene Valley Country Park, this site has two pitching areas and offers lovely dog walking all round the country park on well marked and maintained paths. Close by the Club Site is a dog agility walk, lake side strolling and then the wetlands areas with various bird hides. A variety of cafes, Watersports centre, boat trips, and the Nene Valley Railway are all close by, with a fairly level walk all the way into Peterborough itself.
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Wirral CP - Has an old converted railway line, The Wirral Way, right outside the site entrance and a 4 mile walk northwards will take you to West Kirby where there is a tidal beach that your dog can have a good run on. Southwards, there is Thurstaston Common within half a mile and continuing onwards you could walk for miles. From the site you can also access the estuary beach below the site easily.
Southport This site lies next to sand dunes on the front at Southport and easy access can be gained onto the sands. The tide is renowned locally for hardly ever reaching the front so your dog can enjoy free rein for miles without you having to get in a car.
Lady Margarets Park This site lies adjacent to Chirk Castle N.T. and there is easy access to the grounds from just outside the entrance. There is also very easy access to the Llangollen Canal from the site. As the name suggests you could walk to Llangollen or if you walk the other way there is a pub and a garden centre within 1 mile.
Kendal From site you can access the woods above the site or walk the River all the way into Kendal or make a local circular walk over the other side of the river.
Low Manesty Providing the CAMC haven't committed the cardinal sin of closing this site just because it doesn't meet their "new" corporate image of fully serviced everything then this site is a Godsend to walkers with or without dogs. The list is almost endless of where you can walk either from site or by catching the bus which stops outside the site or the main road at Grange village nearby. Catch a ferry to the opposite side of Derwentwater for more walks.
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Buxton The site is situated in an old quarry and there is a walk straight outside the site that will lead to Solomons Column at the top of the hill or into the woods that separate the site from Buxton suburb. You can get a good walk just in this wood but if you want to venture further there are PFs opposite the road entrance that leads to site.
Bridlington Whilst the site may not have direct access to PFs a short stroll on the pavement leads to the lane to Sowerby Hall. From there you can easily walk down the grass hill to town or alternatively pick up the coastal path that heads northwards and walk to Flamborough Head. If fit you could continue on this path to the RSPB outlook spot to view the Gannets etc., although you'll get good views if you walk a short distance past the cafe and car park at the Head towards the RSPB without having to go the whole distance. Dogs best on leads on the coastal path as it can be very close to the edge.
Sandringham A walk straight from site will take you to the House and estate. Plenty of walking here but beware of Canine Seasonal Illness that has occurred here.
Castleton Easy walk into town from site along pavement and from there you can walk up around the back of town and access Mam Tor and the Ridge.
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@Wherenext I disagree about Castleton being good for dog walks, the site's own one is very small and walking directly from the site involves a narrow pavement along by a busy road. One really needs to take the dog out from the site in the car to a suitable local car park from which there are certainly plenty of decent walks.
I do agree about the other sites you mention.The Tewksbury site has a large park adjacent, and easy access to the riverside path too.
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We have used Castleton quite a bit, but it’s not a good site for larger dogs requiring an extensive walk. Site walk is only tiny, the pavements into village are narrow, and there are sheep literally everywhere. It’s not a bad dog site, but for us it was a compromise. Wirral sounds more our kind of place though👍
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White Water Park, Stockton on Tees is another good site for walking with the dog, with decent paths either side of the river in both directions, and a country park directly behind the site.
I am unable to highlight in bold any parts of this post, perhaps I should just type the site in capital letters so they stand out.
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As the name suggests there is a park adjacent to BALBIRNIE PARK, Glenrothes, Fife, which also offers lots of scope for letting one's dog have a free run, as well as good footpaths too.
There are plenty walks too from MELROSE GIBSON PARK, along by the river in both directions and also up onto or around Eildon Hills,
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