Camping Blaarmeersen Gent (David Klyne)

Camping Blaarmeersen
Zuiderlaan 12
B9000 Gent
Belgium

Tel: 09 266 81 60
Fax: 09 266 81 66

E-mail: camping.blaarmeersen@gent.be
Web site: www.gent.be/blaarmeersen

Mobile reception good

Touring Cheques Accepted

To find site:
Leave A10 motorway at junction 13 and take N466 signed for Gent West. After about 5 kms watch out for sign (brown) Sport Recreation Centre Blaarmeersen. This takes you around the top of the rowing course and then alongside it. The site is signed through a barrier control entrance to the Park. This will be opened for you to allow you to proceed to the campsite.

This campsite of 228 pitches is part of a large recreational area called Sport Recreation Centre Blaarmeersen.
Pitch size is generous and they are grouped in sections of about 10 units with each individual pitch separated by hedges which give a degree of privacy. Towards one end of the site is an area available to tent campers.
There are several toilet blocks dotted throughout the site all to a very high standard.
At the entrance to the site are Reception, a reasonable shop and a restaurant.
One oddity of the site is that every section has a tall column topped by loudspeakers. These were only briefly used twice during our three-day stay and did not intrude but it did conjure up visions of Hi Di Hi!! Generally this is a quiet and peaceful site but some noise is generated by visitors to the adjacent park.

This site makes a useful overnight stop but deserves a longer stay. A visit to Gent will be on most people’s agendas and there is a four times an hour bus service from near to the site entrance.
Gent is a delightful place to wander around and is a 15/20-minute journey away on the bus.
Onward journeys to other parts of Belgium are possible from the stations in Gent.
The "Sport Recreation Centre Blaarmeersen" is right outside the site. The large lake and its surrounds are used by the locals to relax and swim. Immediately opposite the entrance is a large Tennis Centre. If you need a larger supermarket there is a Delhaize one on the bus route about halfway between the campsite and Gent Centre.

David Klyne. CLIC. September 2003
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Camping and Recreatiepark Klein Strand
Varsenareweg 29
B8490 Jabbeke
Belgium

Tel: 050 811 440

E-mail: info@kleinstrand.be (english)
Web site: www.kleinstrand.be/

To find site:
From the direction of Dunkerque follow A18 motorway, which merges with the A10. Leave motorway at junction 6, signed for Jabbeke, and keep right (don’t follow signs for Jabbeke Services) Whilst initially it seems confusing you are travelling away from Jabbeke but after a couple of hundred metres you arrive at a roundabout which you go round and head back towards Jabbeke. The campsite is signed from here but just watch for a left turn in the town of Jabbeke and follow the narrow road to site on the right. Some directions suggest going through the main site (entrance on left) but I don’t see any advantage in this. From the Gent direction you leave at the same junction which exits onto the roundabout mentioned above.

Klein Strand is a large Recreation Park which combines a large area of static caravans with a separate tourist area.
The centre piece of the site is a large lake which is used for swimming, boating and fishing with its own sandy beach.
The pitches are of a good size, being, on average, in excess of 100 sq metres. They are set out on a grid system with some in groups of six.

When the site is full it can feel slightly crowded. All pitches have easy access to electrics (a useful 10amps) water and waste points. There is a single main toilet block in the touring section which are a to a perfectly acceptable standard. When you check in you pay a €30 deposit for a key which operates the barrier. It also is used to take showers with the €30 balance reducing per shower. On a long stay the key can be recharged with more money.

The site has a shop selling essentials and there are two restaurants, one being a Chinese. The site also has a WiFi facility which can be accessed in the touring area for €1 and hour.
For children, apart from the lake and beach, there is a good adventure playground near the entrance.

Klein Strand is open all year. One side of the site, the opposite side on the lake is adjacent to the motorway so there is often a hum from the traffic but not too intrusive.
My one gripe with this site was the general state of some of the pitches with many no more that earth because of excessive use of groundsheets. The weather here is similar to the UK and when its wet the pitches become very muddy.

This site is ideally located to visit Brugge which is about 8 miles away. You can drive in although at popular times the many car parks get full. Alternatively there is a bus service from the stop outside the church in Jabbeke.

David Klyne. CLIC. May 2008
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Camping Memling
Veltemweg, 109
B8310 Sint Kruis
Brugge
Belgium

Phone: 050 35 58 45

Date of visit: 28 June 2002

Directions:
From Brugge ring road take N9 Signposted Maldegem. At second lights adjacent McDonalds turn right and immediately left. Site is on right in 500 metres.

For our last night we had intended to spend it in Belgium. As we had made good time on the journey up we got as far as Brugges.
This site is ideal for the old town of Brugges and also convenient for the ferry port. The Caravan Club book stated that it was possible to stay until 1500 hours making it convenient for catching the evening boat. However I arrived at 1700 on a Friday evening. I should have known better! One would not just turn up at Chester like that without booking! Luckily I got a pitch but was told I would have to leave by 1200 the following day.
The site was very busy and had all the facilities but I was disappointed in it. There are a large proportion of seasonal pitches and the general appearance of the place seemed to indicate a lack of care or maintenance but possibly we were being fussy after the excellent ones that had gone before. Certainly the toilet block was clean enough.

David Cuff. CLIC. September 2002.

Camping Groenpark
Gentsesteenweg 337
B-9240 Zele
Belgium

Tel/Fax: 093679071

Email: Groenpark@scarlet.be
Web Site: www.campinggroenpark.be

To find site:
Leave A14 motorway at junction 12 onto N47 and then take N445 towards Gent. Campsite is just beyond the Zele exit sign the campsite is on left.

Camping Groenpark is a busy campsite situated between Antwerp and Gent.
There are around 70 touring pitches some are in a section which is heavily wooded and others have a more open aspect. The pitches vary in size although most are reasonable. However given that the site is often full overnight it can feel quite crowded.
Satellite reception could be a challenge in the wooded section. Water, waste and electrical connections are handy to all pitches although not truly fully serviced. Electrical connections are rated at 16 amps and accept CEE17 blue plugs.

The main toilet block is part of the reception building and there is a smaller block further into the site. They are both of a good standard with seated toilets with paper provided. Within the reception area is a small bar, WiFi can be accessed in this same area at a moderate daily cost. The campsite accepts the ACSI Card during the low season. Date of visit late June 2011.

This site is useful as a stopover between France, Holland and beyond. It could also be used as base for visiting Gent or Antwerp. There are restaurants within walking distance of the campsite as well as a small supermarket. Nearby is a fuel station. Also nearby is the Donkmeer a large lake with many walking and cycling opportunities.

David Klyne. CLIC. July 2011
For images of this site, and other reports, go to Caravantravels

Kompas Camping
Basservillestaat 141
B-8434 Westende
Belgium

Tel: 00325 8223 025
Fax: 00325 8223 028

Email: westende@kompascamping.be
Web site: www.kompascamping.be/

Leave motorway at junction 4 on the A18 and follow signs for Middelkerke. Turn left on to N318 towards Westende.

Kompas Camping is a large campsite with over 450 pitches. It’s difficult to establish how many of these would be classed as touring pitches in the sense that we understand the meaning but I would put the figure at only a few dozen with 90% of the site given over to seasonal campers. Although they may well be semi-permanent they all seem well turned out.
Apart from a small motorhome area near reception all pitches are on grass and of a good size.

We arrived late afternoon on a Thursday and were told we could only stay one night as the site was full for the weekend, we also had to pay for a serviced pitch as that was all that was left. You get precise instructions on how to position your unit on the pitch which often means that you are stepping out on bare earth. Most of the pitches we saw had water and waste connection for which there is a €2.60 surcharge per night. Electric connections are rated at 10amps and use CEE 17 blue plugs, however it might be worth checking for reverse polarity.
There are four toilet blocks of a very good standard with seated toilets but toilet paper is in dispensers outside the cubicles. The site has a bar/restaurant, takeaway and a small shop. Children are well catered for several play areas to suit all ages. The site has a WiFi service which appears to be site wide, details from reception. Camping Cheques accepted, extra charges might apply for serviced pitches. Date of visit early May 2011.

We used this site as an overnight stop so did not have much opportunity to explore but you can walk to the beach from the site. Westende is only a short walk from the campsite.

David Klyne. CLIC. July 2011
For images of this site, and other reports, go to Caravantravels

Panoramacamping Petite Suisse
Al Bounire 27
B6960 Dochamps
Belgium

Tel: 00 32(0)84 444 030
Fax: 00 32(0)84 444 455

E-mail: info@petitesuisse.be
Web site: www.petitesuisse.be

To find site:
From A26 motorway leave at junction 50 and head towards La Roche en Ardenne on N89. Just after Samrée take a right turn to Dochamps and follow signs for Petite Suisse. The campsite is on the left but on the right is a parking area with several spaces for caravans/motorhomes where you can park prior to booking in.

The name in some ways says it all. This campsite is set high up in the wooded Ardennes and you get excellent views from the terraced pitches. It is a large site with a mixture of touring pitches, permanent caravans, mobile homes, pitched tents and log cabins.
The touring pitches are nearer to reception. The original pitches are shaded by mature trees but the newer terraces are more open but a lot of these pitches have individual services such as water, waste water, electricity (10amp) and TV points.

The main building houses reception, a useful little shop and a bar/restaurant. Beyond the bar terrace is a swimming pool complex and nearby is a children’s playground.
The main toilet block is in the basement of the reception building. It is of a good standard. There are two other toilet blocks one of them being of a mobile type which is actually quite nicely done. Chemical toilet disposal is at one end of the site so a long walk from the newer pitches.

The campsite offers a free WiFi service. In the low season Camping Cheques are accepted.

There are many opportunities for exploring the Ardennes from this campsite. La Roche en Ardenne being only a few miles away is a popular tourist destination. Reception will give you directions to the nearest supermarkets, although we liked the Dalhaize at Hotton.

David Klyne. CLIC. August 2008
For images of this site, and other reports, go to Caravantravels

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