Blackland Lakes--- Second report--- Fishing site
Calne
Wiltshire
SN11 0NQ

Tel: 01249 813 672
Direct Booking: 01249 810 943
Fax: 01249 811 346

E-mail: blacklandlakes.info@btconnect.com
Web site: www.blacklandlakes.co.uk

We’ve stayed at this place a few times and on each of the last two occasions we vowed never to go back. The only reason we booked in there last time, which was in August of 2002, was that the other locations in Wiltshire (which seems to have a dearth of good quality sites) were fully booked over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The site is located on the outskirts of Calne and consists of a number of paddocks with a couple of fishing lakes and a leisure centre (swimming pool and health club). A few years back the pool was open to campers but no longer. Unless you want to pay the prohibitively expensive short-term membership fee you are made to feel a bit like a second-class citizen with various notices prohibiting you from going into the leisure centre (although they are quite happy to sell you alcohol? just as long as you don’t drink it in the club).

We ended up on a super-pitch as it was all that was available, although I think it would be misleading to call these pitches ‘super’. They consisted of a rather bumpy gravel hardstanding, somewhat overgrown alongside the usual service point. I had to use levelling blocks under one wheel, so you can get some idea of their state. The TV aerial point didn’t work and since there was poor reception in the area for our Status aerial, this was another so-called service we were paying for but didn’t get.

There are two shower blocks ? a small block near the entrance and a larger one adjacent to the lakes. The showers are unisex in the latter and at least you don’t have to pay for the hot water, but of course if you went at the wrong time of day, there was NO hot water. The showers themselves were generally poorly kept. Lots of dust and cobwebs and of course lots of muddy footprints. I overheard one chap describing it as the "worst showering experience" of his life!!

The warden was not much in evidence, occasionally zipping around in a little four-wheel-drive. You felt that he was avoiding walking around the place. Most of the time he seemed to tuck himself away somewhere, ignoring his customers.

All in all, a poor commercial site that needs a lot of investment and some decent management. A shame really as its in an excellent location in a part of the country not exactly overflowing with sites.

Ron Miller. Internet. November 2002

Blackland Lakes--- Fishing site
Calne
Wiltshire
SN11 0NQ

Tel: 01249 813 672
Direct Booking: 01249 810 943
Fax: 01249 811 346

E-mail: blacklandlakes.info@btconnect.com
Web site: www.blacklandlakes.co.uk

We have just returned from a 4 night break at Blackland Lakes and having read the article by Ron Miller nothing has changed since November 2002 - this place is a horror story. There is no way we would ever go back there again.

Like the previous correspondent we picked Blackland at short notice at our peril.
We paid £96 for 4 nights on a multi service pitch (including a separate £10 for electricity !!!) - and at these prices we expected Best of Britain standards but were sorely disappointed.

By far the worst possible experience of the 4 days was encountering the dreadful dirty dismal unisex shower block where the only hint of any cleaning was a filthy mop bucket with an even filthier mop standing in a gallon or so of dirty water. This was plonked just outside one of the cubical doors on our arrival and there it stayed until our departure.

This site has enormous potential but needs significant investment in upgrading pitches and amenities - and the recruitment of competent cleaning staff.

Ann Evanson. Internet. August 2006

Brades Acre
Tilshead
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP3 4RX

Tel. 01980 620 402

George & Judith Brades

This is us and our friends on the right --- A view of Brades Acre

Brades Acre is easy to find. Its on the A360 that runs through the centre of Salisbury Plain. Tilshead being in the centre. The site is on the left if approached from the A303 at the Stonehenge junction. You will pass through Shrewton, Tilshead being the next village on. As you come into the village, the entrance is on the left.

The site is a small one, having aprox. 15 pitches, most with electric hook up. The ground is sloping from back to front, we found that if we placed the ’van sideways on and had our awning facing the centre we ended up with the hitch almost on the ground, we found this better, and did away with the need to block one of the wheels

The toilet/shower block was good, they seemed to be uni-sex as neither was marked male of female. I can only assume that the one that had carpet on the floor was for the ladies but everyone was using whichever one was available. Each part had two toilets and one shower, making a total of two showers and four toilets. I thought that for a site of this size, that was a good ratio. There always seemed to be a shower and a toilet available, but that might have been because the site wasn’t full.

The site owners, George and Judith Brades, seemed to be easy going, down to earth people, easy to talk to, with a rural laid back attitude to life. Most of the people on the site had been there before and seemed to return there at the same time every year. That to me speaks volumes, when you find people keen to return to a site.

Plans to return ? None yet but as it is only a couple of hours away and we enjoyed our stay, we may be planning a return visit.

24/05/96

Ian SL. CLIC. May 1999

Devizes C & CC site--- An update
Spout Lane
nr Seend
Melksham
Wiltshire
SN12 6RN

Tel: 01380 828 839

Map ref: 173/951619

Open all year
90 pitches

Visited: January 2006

Level site with mixture of grass and hardstanding pitches, although the grass pitches were not in use in January due to mud. Electric hook-ups if required.

Toilets, washbasins in private cubicles, showers to usual club standard. Laundry and dishwashing facilities.
Motorhome service point.

The site is right next door to the canal so plenty of opportunities for walking, cycling and fishing.
There is a pub next door to the site which I believe does food as well although we didn’t try it.

I felt this site didn’t really get a chance to be seen at its best on a cold, wet, muddy January weekend, so may need to pay it a return visit in better weather. :-)

Myra Sears. CLIC. February 2006

Devizes C & CC site
Spout Lane
nr Seend
Melksham
Wiltshire
SN12 6RN

Tel: 01380 828 839

Map ref: 173/951619

Open all year
90 pitches

Well, I said we’d revisit in better weather......... We revisited, but better weather it most definitely was not!!! The day we set off there were the major floods in the M4 corridor, so the 140-mile journey took us over 7 hours :-((

We phoned the wardens about 7:30 from the Windsor area and explained that we would be late but we had no idea when we would arrive. They were great. "Don’t worry" they said "just keep coming and we’ll sort it out when you get here."
They advised trying the smaller roads, which was what we were attempting at the time and that did enable us to make slow progress (which was a vast improvement on the M4 that wasn’t moving at all). We eventually arrived on site at 9:45pm, were greeted with a smile and shown to our pitch - full marks to those wardens!!

So although it was theoretically summer, the site was still quite damp. The 2 days we spent there were a mixture of sunshine, cloud and rain, so I was very glad we had booked hardstanding. Good facilities, good size pitches, ours was quite secluded being a corner plot with hedges on 2 sides. Loads of rabbits around.

Devizes is one of the newer sites in the CCC network and I think it has mellowed a bit in the 18 months since our first visit, trees, hedges etc. grown more - I certainly felt it was nicer now.

Myra Sears. CLIC. September 2007

The Golden Swan
Wilcot
Nr Pewsey
Wiltshire
SN9 5NN

Tel: 01672 562 289

E-mail: taskerpeter@btinternet.com
Web site: www.thegoldenswan.co.uk/

Very slightly sloping field behind the thatched pub - the camping area appears to have recently been extended. Fresh water, newish looking compound with rubbish bin and recycling bins.

One Ladies and one Gents outside loo with cold water hand washing facilities - basic but clean with soap and loo paper provided. Loo cassettes/Porta Potties can be emptied in a manhole near the loos, outside pub opening hours.

Owner was friendly and very laid back about what time we left on the Sunday. Also quite helpful - he allowed us to park on the end of the site road as there are no hardstandings and we were a bit worried about getting stuck due to the amount of rain recently.

Food in pub was good, didn’t sample the beer - It is a Wadworth’s pub.

Site was used by two groups of cyclists while we were there, not sure whether this is a regular thing, but there did seem to be several cycle routes within a few hundred yards. The canal is a short walk away, but I have a feeling the fishing is private.

No play area on site, but village green is 100yds or so away and has swings and climbing frame.

Quiet, relaxing site, would quite possibly use it again if we needed a 1 or 2 night stop in the area. Probably wouldn’t book a week or more here, although I think there is enough in the way of places to visit in the area to make that worthwhile.

The only downside was that £10 for MH & 2 adults seemed a bit much on a site with very little facilities - previous night we paid £7 for CL with hardstanding and electrics.

Myra Sears. CLIC September 2007

Green Hill Farm Camping & Caravan Park--- Second report below------Update on bottom of last report--- Fishing site
New Road
Landford
Salibury
Wiltshire
SP5 2AZ

Tel: 01794 324 117

E-mail: info@greenhillholidays.co.uk
Web: www.greenhillholidays.co.uk/

A view of the lake --- One of the two toilet/shower blocks ! --- An overall view of this site

This site is on the northern edge of the New Forest and has access into the New Forest from the back of the site

It’s position makes it slightly out of the way. The nearest town is Totton, where there’s an Asda, a whole group of take-a-way places and a fishing tackle shop (out the back of Asda).
We didn’t investigate the area too much, as the whole idea was to fish. But it did seem a bit remote.

Green Hill is a basic site with basic facilities. This is reflected in the prices they charge. £5.00 a night plus £2.00 for electric hook up. This is an all year price.
They have no facilities apart from the portacabin type toilet/shower blocks, which includes a dish washing area and the site office where ’things to do’ leftlets can be found.

The toilet facilities let this site down. Mainly the problem was with the showers. There is a 30p charge per shower (you use tokens and you can put in more than one), but the allotted time allowed per token was far too short, that’s when the hot water ran straight away ! It was necessary to strip naked before the token was dropped in ! We complained about this shower time and lack of water after the token had been dropped into the slot and got the tokens returned. We would have been far happier (and willing to pay the 30p) had we been able to wash with ease instead of rushing to get the job done.
Another grumble is the position on the token box. You guessed it, outside the shower cubical !

A lot of the available pitches are arranged around the 2 lakes, although fishing is only allowed from the back lake. It’s possible to place the ’van right on the waters edge, so it’s only a few steps to your own peg (handy on weekends when they get busy with anglers)
Fishing permits cost £3.00 a day (3 day ones are £7.00), but strangely, they didn’t offer 1 week blocks ?? You have to have a valid NRA licence.
Carp, bream, perch and roach abound. I had a couple of fair sized carp and a nice bream as well as lots and lots of the small fry.

Green Hill have a web site which shows the fishing lake. The first and third photo’s (on their web site) show an angler on a grassy bank which is now covered with rough tarmac and bloody hard (I bent a couple of my 6" nail type awning pins trying to get them in).

Having had my grumble, I would go back again, but only for the fishing. It was so pleasant to just step outside the awning and onto your fishing seat.

Marks overall: 5/10
Marks for fishing: 8/10

Ian SL. CLIC. September 2001

Green Hill Farm Camping & Caravan Park--- Third report below------Update on bottom of last report--- Fishing site
New Road
Landford
Salibury
Wiltshire
SP5 2AZ

Tel: 01794 324 117

E-mail: info@greenhillholidays.co.uk
Web: www.greenhillholidays.co.uk/

Main site, as previously described is now, adults only and anyone with dogs is not allowed to walk or pitch near the wildlife pond.

Facilities still the weak point of the whole site and most badly need replacing.

Prices now at £15 p/n with a charge of £3.60per rod per day for the fishing which is pretty good.

Expensive for what it is but if you want to fish, and walk in the New Forest with access to the local common from the site, then it is just about worth it.

Mike Bonathan. CLIC. July 2006

Green Hill Farm Camping & Caravan Park--- Fishing site
New Road
Landford
Salibury
Wiltshire
SP5 2AZ

Tel: 01794 324 117

E-mail: info@greenhillholidays.co.uk
Web: www.greenhillholidays.co.uk/

This was our second visit to Green Hill Farm, the first was some 5 years ago.

We had hoped that we would have seen an improvement in the overall look of the toilet/shower blocks around the site, these remained the same. The site owners’ had improved the facilities inside though, by replacing the shower systems and updating most of the internal equipment. The showers are now very good and free, although the dimentions of the buildings restricts the space available for showering and changing. We found the middle unit (labled ’ladies’ and ’gents’) of the group close to the bottom lake were best for space....Oh, you will end up mopping the floor afterwards cos the curtains are too short to hang inside the shower tray and positioned slightly outside the ’hang’ line.

The rest of the site is much as we remember it (see previous report)
A lot of bushes and vegitation has been cleared from the ’back’ lake (all part of the main lake, it just goes under a bridge and is tucked to one side. This has opened up this part to allow more fishing pegs.

The fishing was good. There are carp to 24lb, but the larger carp were very hook shy and had to be tempted out from under the lilies.
There are also plenty of good size roach, bream and perch, although I didn’t manage to pull in anything decent.
My friend managed a nice 12.5 carp taken on luncheon meat. My best was a rewarding fight with a 7.5lb carp, taken on bread.
We did survey the new lake, but it seemed to be too ’new’ and too ’open’ for our liking.

The site:
This is, understandably, is arranged around the main lake. One drives in along the perimeter road with the pitches all on the left. The first few pitches are non C & CC, these start about halfway from the main gate, and are close to the road, this area is the C & CC CS part. There are pitches in front of these, closer to the lake, which I believe are non C & CC
All of the main part of the site is adult only, so it’s nice and quiet.
The back part of the site is over to tourers and tents, and I think families with kids.

These did seem to be a lot of notices........all around the site. Some were informative, but most are ’instructive’.....lots of ’dos’ and ’donts’
When My friend telephoned to book our two pitches, he had asked if it would be ok to arrive late in the evening, say between 7.00 and 8.00. He was told that the site didn’t accept arrivals after 5.30. You can imagine our annoyance to see others turn up as late as 9.00 pm ! We did check on Green Hill’s web site, but we were unable to find anything relating to late arrivals. There seems to be an inconsistancy between what visitors are told and what is allowed.

I feel it’s unlikely we will return to this site, which is a shame. All it needs is the shower/tiolet blocks.

Ian SL. CLIC. July 2006

An update:
January 2009.

This site is now under new ownership.
The new owners are planning to make a few improvements, namely replacing ’those’ toilet blocks. The new facility will be ready for the 2010 season. Children will welcome now.
Fishing is going to be supported and improved. The pitches to the right, to the other side of the main lake will be adult only. Children are not going to be discouraged from fishing, as there will a fenced, smaller lake for them to use, supervised by an adult.
Other tidying and facility improvements will follow as soon as the new owners can do them.

Hillside CC Site--- Second report below
Andover Road
Lopcombe Corner
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP5 1BY

Tel: 01980 862 527

Dates of visit: 9th - 12th September 2002

Open to members only.

This was the first CC site that we have stayed at. It is only just in Wiltshire, as the Hampshire county boundary is just past the site entrance.

On arrival we were told to walk round the site to select a pitch. As the name suggests the site is on a hill, with a green at the top, with pitches round it, and a circular road going round the rest of the site. The pitches off this road are in small clusters, pretty well level, some grass and some hard standing. Each small area is named - we were in Juniper Corner, which had the advantage of a view onto the adjacent farmland. Most of the pitches only had a view of the trees and bushes on site.

The facilities on the site surprised we, as we had always been told that all CC sites were far superior to C&CC ones. We now know different! The block here was by the entrance and was small, with limited space inside. There was a small room with a spin dryer, but no washing machine. A sheltered outdoor washing up section completed the set-up. This was as far from our pitch as it was possible for it to be, so we used our own facilities. There were 3 chemical disposal points around the site, plus water and waste disposal points. The only ‘play’ facility for children consisted of a very small open fronted ‘hut’, with nowhere suitable for ball games.

TV reception, stated to be fair, was just snow on our pitch, however we did have tall trees immediately adjacent in the direction of the transmitter. Mobile phone (Orange) was good.

A convenient site for visiting the area, but not one that we are likely to use again.

John & Jean Haseltine. CLIC. October 2002

Hillside CC Site--- Third report below
Andover Road
Lopcombe Corner
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP5 1BY

Tel: 01980 862 527

Dates of visit: March 2005

Open to members only.

An updated review of this site, which has had new facilities since the report above.

This Caravan Club members only site is built on a hillside (hence the name) and consists of small areas, typically 3 or 4 pitches, although one has 6 pitches and a couple have room for just 2 pitches. There are about 7 hardstandings. Many of the areas are tucked away in the trees, and you’ll often find wildlife pecking or scurrying around your door.
The pitches at the top of the site are more open and have better TV reception. There are plenty of service points for water and waste disposal, as well as a MV service point.

The site shop stocks milk 3 times a week and there is a petrol station/shop a short drive or longer walk along a byway away.
The Wardens are very friendly and happy to help with anything you need.

The earlier review here led me to believe the facilities were pretty basic, so I was pleasantly surprised to find they’d had their toilet block rebuilt last year - lovely showers, with hand rails and temperature control, disabled block, small veg. prep. and dishwashing area and a laundry with washing machine and dryer.

The site is very quiet and rural, and probably not the best one for small children as there is little to amuse them, but for people who want a bit of peace and quiet, a short distance from Wiltshire and Hampshire’s attractions, it’s perfect.

Kay Dickinson. Internet. March 2005

Hillside CC Site
Andover Road
Lopcombe Corner
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP5 1BY

Tel: 01980 862 527

To Find Site:
From Andover follow A343 towards Salisbury about half a mile past Jack’s Bush turn sharp left immediately before Phipsons Car Sales and just as you enter the 50mph speed limit signs. The approach road is narrow but with a clear view of the site entrance.

Hillside is a very pleasant campsite a few miles from Salisbury. There are 48 pitches set out in two areas.
Immediately behind reception is the largest section all on grass with good views out over the surrounding countryside. The other pitches are in a more wooded section set out on terraces around the site roadway, some on grass and others have hard standing.
There is one toilet block near the entrance to the site which benefits from being recently constructed and of a really excellent standard. Water and waste disposal points are dotted around the site. There appeared to be no provision of a children’s play area.
The site reception does have limited supplies of milk and will order papers at weekends. However the garage about two and a half miles from the site towards Andover has a fairly well stocked shop.

This is a site where you will require some sort of transport as there is not much to visit in the immediate vicinity. However both Winchester and Salisbury are quite near.
For a meal out I am happy to endorse the warden’s recommendation of the Silver Plough at Pitton, a few miles from the site.

David Klyne. CLIC. July 2005
For images of this site, and other reports, go to Caravantravels

Kilima Farm CCC site
Naish Hill
Lacock
Chippenham
Wiltshire
SN15 2QH

Tel: 01249 730 464

Site Owner/s: Mr J Stratton

Big Sites Book 173/036

Some images of Kilima Farm... Temporary holiday site--- ..another view of temp. site--- The dog walk--- The fishing lake

This is a Camping and Caravanning Club Certificated site for members only.

When we stayed it was May Day Bank holiday and the site was in use as a Temporary Holiday Site run by the local District Association of CCC. It is often used at other times for rallies.

There is a large grass field, roughly level but with some undulations. A couple of hardstanding areas in the farmyard.

Nice dog walk and fishing lake (no idea what the fishing was like).

Would consider returning - our only problem when we were there was that it was quite windy and we had trouble keeping the fridge working on gas :-( - others were having similar problems. Electric hook-up is available if you are using the CS rather than the rally field.

Attractions in the area:
Lacock Abbey & Fox Talbot Museum (National Trust)
Avebury (English Heritage)

Myra Sears. CLIC. September 2007

Longleat CC site--- Second report below
Warminster
Wiltshire
BA12 7NL

Tel. 01985 844 663 (8.00 - 20.00)
You tube video: Longleat

OS map ref. 183:806434.

Typical top of the range Caravan Club site, 150 pitches some spacious others a bit cramped. Only 1 toilet block which was a bit stretched as the site was full.
But the beauty of the site is that it is literally behind the house at Longleat, only 2 - 3 minutes walk from all the attractions. Longleat is brilliant for children from about 1 to 100 years. you can buy a passport ticket to all attractions for £13. Single total price £25.70 so you save nearly half. You don’t have to see everything in one day as the ticket is valid for the full season. The big advantage of staying on the club site is that you can wait for good weather and then just do a little bit at a time.

Try the maze, its the biggest in Europe, it took us 1hr 10mins to get back out (not good when you need the loo).

The house is certainly worth a look and the safari park is brilliant. We waited till late afternoon until most people had gone before we went round that way you can just saunter through. Don’t go in the monkey enclosure if you value your car though. The little devils will take anything off it as a souvenir and stick 2 fingers up at you as a thank you.

Really though a great site with stacks to do. Great for families but go outside of school holidays if you like things a little more quiet. For walkers there are miles of footpaths through the estate and you can also fish in the lake adjoining the house.

If anybody is in to organising caravan rallies then they can be run in the grounds.

Harry Burrows. CLIC. August 1999

Longleat CC site
Warminster
Wiltshire
BA12 7NL

Tel: 01985 844 663
You tube video: Longleat

Date of Visit September 2001

The site is situated on the Longleat estate very close to the house. Due to the foot and mouth restrictions access was not the normal one. It was not well signed and the last bit of road after the car park was very rough.
The site itself has around 150 pitches. It is in an idyllic location just behind one of the best stately homes in the country. It is quiet and peaceful yet convenient for all the attractions in the area. Most of the pitches are grass and level but there are hard standings as well. The pitches do not have a regimented look about them as the site road winds around the site and there are separate areas due to the trees and shrubs on the site.
I checked out the play area as I usually do for these reports and it looked very good. Although with all the facilities available in Longleat I cannot understand how the little brats [sorry - darlings] will have any energy left to need a play area.

Reception is on the left just after you enter the site and next door is a public telephone and the hut containing all the tourist information. Milk and bread and suchlike basics are available here.

Facilities are standard Caravan Club. All are kept spotlessly clean by the hard working and very friendly helpful wardens. However there is only one toilet block. For 150 + pitches this is not enough. We were there in early September 2001 and I had to queue on more than one occasion to get a shower. I would imagine that in high season these facilities would be stretched to say the least. Also although kept clean they are a little elderly now and look it. There were several rumblings in the site comment book about the access and the facilities but I noticed that none were willing to add their name and membership number.

I got chatting to the wardens and they explained that the normal entrance for caravans was through the farm. Due to F&M this was obviously not available - hence the rather convoluted way of getting in. Although the holes had been filled several times the rain only washed the gravel away again. In addition at the end of the season the site was closing for a complete refurbishment. This was to include two new toilet blocks and general site improvements.

This report therefore must be taken in context, as the site will be completely different next year. As we thoroughly enjoyed our stay I must say that I am looking forward to another visit.

On the estate itself there is the house and the safari park, together with mazes, a butterfly display, adventure playground, Postman Pat exhibition, boat rides on the lake, miniature railway etc. In fact for £14 [adult] you have entrance to all the above and more. I considered it good value. Also you do not have to do it all on the one day. Once you have the ticket you use it any time in the season. We chose the only rainy day of our week to go round the house.

As for other attractions in the area Bath is only 14 miles with all its attractions. Wells is an hour away. The Cheddar Gorge also is only an hour. There are many more places to visit depending on your tastes and interests including Shepton Mallett, Glastonbury, Salisbury and Bristol.

David Cuff. CLIC. September 2001.

Longs Croft Farm
Trowbridge Common
Wiltshire

On Trowbridge Common on the A363, Trowbridge to Bradford on Avon road, easy access.

June 97

The site is easy to find, and well sign posted, although the road signs in that area were, to say the least, ‘a bit sparse’.
It consists of a large rectangular field, with a fairly large established row of trees in the middle, water taps were abundant, although waste water points were not.
The toilet and shower block were clean and tidy, only 2, so your own sanitation is a great help.
Fees were more than reasonable, the owner charging us for just one pitch for the two dome tents.
As usual on this type of site, everyone was friendly, and after finding out the kids were there for a Judo competition, nearly everyone wished them good luck, and wanted to know the result on our return.

An added bonus for us was the discovery that the Kennet and Avon canal was about five hundred yards away, and as we are keen cyclists and had the bikes with us, we had an enjoyable ride along the tow-path to the flight of locks at Devizes

Roger Barker. ICQ. May 1999

Piccadilly Caravan Site
Folly Lane West
Lacock
Chippenham
Wiltshire
SN15 2LP

Tel: 01249 730 260

E-mail: piccadillylacock@aol.com
Web site: www.caravancampingsites.co.uk

Open April - October

40 pitches

Visited: August 2005

Quiet, level site with mixture of grass and hardstanding pitches with electric hook up if required.

Toilets, basins and showers well maintained, clean and well stocked.
Laundry and dishwashing facilities.

Conveniently located for visiting National Trust property at Lacock.

Myra Sears. CLIC. February 2006

Plough Lane Caravan Site
Kington Langley
Chippenham
Wiltshire
SN15 5PS

Tel/Fax: 01249 750 795

E-mail: enquiries@ploughlane.co.uk
Web site www.ploughlane.co.uk

Owners: Roger & Helen Wilding

Date visited: 2nd to 9th September 2002

Cost (2002) - £11 per unit night, including hook-up
The site accepts caravans, motor homes and trailer tents.

We decided to stay at this site following a recommendation from a friend. This was our first visit to an Adults Only site, no one under 18 being allowed on site at all, not even as a day visitor.

On arrival at the site you find a security barrier, with an intercom. Press the button and Roger or Helen greets you. The barrier is raised, and you pull forward to reception, where whichever of them is ‘on duty’ arrives to book you in, and tell you about the site facilities. A card for the gate costs £5, returnable when you give the card back on leaving. All payments must be cash or cheque, no plastic. You then walk round the site to select your pitch.

All pitches are hard standing (very) and of ample size, with a grass area for sitting out if the weather is suitable. If you do not have suitable pegs they are available on loan, or you can buy them (£5 for 10). I had a 2.5 lb club hammer, but regretted not having my larger one with me. Each ‘road’ of pitches is separated from the next one by a hedge of shrubs, and mature trees surround the site

The site facilities are well designed, and are kept in spotless condition (our friend said that he felt like changing into slippers at the door to the toilet/shower block!). The ladies side has cut flowers in vases, whilst the gents has pot plants. There are both indoor and covered outdoor veg preparation/washing up sinks, and the laundry room has a spin dryer, and coin operated washing machine, tumble dryer, and iron. A payphone is located in a kiosk opposite reception.

TV reception is good, as is the (Orange) mobile phone signal. A Safeway Supermarket, and an Esso garage are about a mile away, with a Sainsburys further away. Other shops are in Chippenham. There are 2 pubs which serve food a short distance from the site.

The site is peaceful, with only a distant traffic noise being heard. Have a look at their web site for photos, and for tourist information about the area.

John & Jean Haseltine. CLIC. October 2002.

Salisbury C & C C Site
Hudson’s Field
Castle Road
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP1 3RR

Tel: 01722 320 713. No calls after 8

Open March - October. 150 pitches, grass and hardstanding.

Visited September 2006

Reception with site beyond ---- Grass pitches ---- Site view

This site is ideal for visiting Salisbury/Old Sarum etc. - buses run from the entrance of Hudson’s field (of which the site is part) into Salisbury. There are sometimes also bus trips to Stonehenge from the stop, according to leaflets we found, although we didn’t try this. Old Sarum is within walking distance (uphill all the way), but we made it and athletic/fit we are not, so it can’t be too daunting!!!

Sloping site, so take your levelling ramps/chocks.
First field has electric hook-ups, don’t think the second one did.
Usual good standard of toilet/shower facilities (2 blocks). Barrier at site entrance and key pads on facilities blocks to stop users of Hudson’s field making use of the site.

There is a Harvester pub/restaurant within walking distance of the site (turn left out of Hudson’s field and it’s on the other side of the road). Also a convenience store a little way along the road if you turn right out of Hudson’s field. It is possible to walk into Salisbury along footpath type routes rather than road - the site staff drew us a map but we opted for the bus in the end (still recovering from Old Sarum the day before!)

Probably wouldn’t use this site for a relax-on-site type of holiday but for a return visit to Salisbury itself, yes certainly.

Myra Sears. CLIC. February 2007

National Trust CC CL
Stourhead Estate
Stourton
Warminster
Wiltshire

Open all year
enquiries to:
The Warden: 2, High St, Stourton, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 6QF
Tel: 01747 840 061 - before 21.00hrs

Members only (and they do check your card!)
Listed under Mere in the CC sites directory

Visited July 2006

Small well-kept site which is situated at the National Trust property Stourhead House & Gardens. It is basically a fenced off section of the overflow car park, but once the day trippers go home it is very peaceful. Might not be ideal if you like to sit on site all day, but if you are happy to go and look around the house, gardens and estate during the day, then come home and sit peacefully in the evening it is ideal.

There are 5 hardstanding pitches with grass between. The hardstandings are fairly narrow, you won’t get car on as well as van.
All pitches have electric hook-up. £6.50 a night for NT members, £8 for non-members when we went, but looking at the CC web site it looks like it has gone up 50p now. Warden comes round to collect the money in the evening - advance booking seems to be expected (there will be a reserved marker on your pitch when you arrive with your name on it).

Opposite the entrance there are recycling facilities for glass and cans. At the other end of the CL there is a dustbin, drinking water, waste water disposal and the elsan point hidden in the trees (look out for the fungi growing on some of the trees there - massive!)

Within 100 yards or so are the NT shop, plant shop, cafe/restaurant, loos (which you can use during the property’s opening hours), visitor centre and a farm shop which sells local fruit, veg, cheese counter (proved rather costly for us, but then we do like our cheese!!!), meat, dairy produce, frozen meals, preserves. Not cheap but the stuff we bought there was very nice.
The Spread Eagle Inn is within walking distance and does food (http://www.spreadeagleinn.com).

Attractions:
Stourhead House and Gardens itself, King Alfred’s Tower 2½ miles away
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/
Walks around the Stourhead estate are free - leaflet available from visitor centre - There are also quite a few other NT properties in the area

Wincanton (town and racecourse)

Not that far to drive to Stonehenge
(EH/NT) ( www.english-heritage.org.uk/ for details)

Would we go back again? - definitely, I’m writing the list for the farm shop at the moment!

Myra Sears. CLIC. January 2007

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