Camping Castle Archdale

I am just back from a visit to Castle Archdale with my wife and 9 year old son. We have been there last year at the same time and had a wonderful time and met some very good camping buddies. I am afraid this year was a bit of a disappointment from the beginning.
We arrived on the Saturday afternoon and as we registered we were given a document about noise to sign, I thought this is good. We were given our pitch and off we went to our £30 a night spot. The site had beer cans thrown over it and burnt out embers of a fire paper and cigarette butts it was a mess, but we tidy up and got on with it. The camp sight was packed great as this creates a great atmosphere. On Sunday and Monday the site emptied, we thought this was normal as it was a bank holiday in the south. The site got a few more caravans but now mostly tents in by the Wednesday. The toilets and showers were a bit grubby and could do with a bit of work to them for hanging cloths and seating in the showers and a bit better cleaning, but we carried on. On the evening of the Wednesday night at about 12 o’clock, after the onsite pub shut the site next to us lit a fire, the fire was raging, sparks flying every where. This concerned me, as who pays for damage to awnings or caravans, the campsite? The party carried onto after 3 in the morning, it was very loud and drunken. I reported it to the site office the next morning to be told that they were regulars, but they would speak to them. On the Thursday night the party continued the night the security came pass at 12:07 and pointed to my caravan nodded to the crowd making all the noise and walked on. I took that to be the extent of the investigation and the useless piece of paper I signed at the beginning. The group next to me had raging fires every night and drank onto the early morning every night after that. This could have spoiled my stay but I was not going to let it. However I will review if I ever go back there again, maybe others have also voted with their feet as there is no point in bringing anything to the management of the site you are only putting yourself at risk. This is all a pity as the location has everything a family wants, great walks plenty for the kids and family to do together on the lake.

I was camping this past weekend 20th-22nd Aug 2010. What a mess. Not the rain or the soggy sites but the noise levels. Especially the Saturday night. I am in my 30's and like a bit of a laugh, but 4.30 in the morning and still a lot of noise and people drinking so much that they are sick outside their tents. Then the next morning the group packed up and left. They left beer bottles and rubbish bags all over the place. The area they where sick over was also just left and this is a area children will be playing on later and running around on! I would not give it a four star rating. In fact I would not even give it a three star rating. I will not be back again. I have travelled throughout Europe including Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland etcetera and have camped in all of them and never have I been in such a rowdy campsite. I am not knocking young people ( I am one myself) but the drinking and noise situation needs to be sorted out. I am completely discussed. Maybe two star but defiantly not four.

Large site. Tent field is on a bit of a slope so it was difficult getting a flat pitch. There is a road that runs around the tent field so if you have young kids you need to keep an eye on them. We were there at the weekend through to Tuesday. At the weekend it was very crowded and very noisy at night, tent folk drinking to 2am in the morning, very annoying if you have small children trying to sleep. However the kids woke early and annoyed the late night drinkers! Once the weekend was over it was like a different site, quiet, peaceful and just lovely. Overall, great site if you don't go at the weekend or peck times.

This evaluation has been obtained by our inspector from a questionnaire at the camp site.

This evaluation has been obtained by our inspector from a questionnaire at the camp site.