Camping holiday with 5 yr old & 10 yr old

jfh

Hi all,
i'm bringing my son (5yr) & nephew(10yr) on a camping holiday for their birthdays.

any recomendations of where to go & what to do?
just on the off chance that someone on here has done same.

or any other idea's very welcome. Tayto park etc.

thanks

Orion

Plenty of campsites around that are kid friendly. We're going to Hidden Valley for the June bank holiday. It's supposed to be the best one for kids around. You need to book early though - it's very popular.
River Valley is a great site too and has a pub on site.
Both have 11pm noise curfews so no problems there.
I've been to Nore Valley too. Kids had a ball. I've heard bad things about the owner being a grumpy b****x but I didn't experience that myself. I found him quite pleasant.
Camac Valley in Clondalkin is a fine site. Right next to Corkaigh Park.

These are all Wicklow/Dublin - you don't say where you are/where you want to go. Over west there's Strandhill which is fantastic and Lough Key which can get muddy but you've got the Forest Park right beside you with plenty to do (don't miss Boda Borg).

You'll find more at http://www.camping-ireland.ie/

[edit]We bring our 9 year olds camping btw - they love it.

Orion

Have an email from a fellow scout leader who goes camping with her kids:

Kilkenny: Tree Grove. Nothing onsite for kids but they like it - can walk into Kilkenny town.
Leitrim: Battlebridge. Pub onsite and organised activities for kids in the evenings.
Wexford: MorrisCastle. Beside the beach.

I haven't stayed in any of these myself but they have come recommended to me.

jfh

hi orion,
many thanks for your reply, some of those look great, particulary hidden valley. i'll be driving from clare though so might find somewhere closeer on that camping website, always good to get personal input.

RubyGirl

We have stayed in Westport house before camping. Loved it.

S28382

Go up the mountains there aint nothing like it and the kids will love it, i brought my youngfellas camping for the first time about 2 yrs ago and they loved being up there it was like an adventure for them.

My sister goes to all the campsites but i keep telling her its not real camping

hawkwind23

i stayed here with my 10 year old daugher last week.
she loved it , she was able to feed the hens and collect her own eggs for breakfast!
very handy location in slane to explore

http://www.slanefarmhostel.ie

hawkwind23

should also mention tollymore in co.down
spectacular place to camp at the foot of the mountains and very good facilities

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/index/information-and-services/leisure-home-and-community/leisure-and-recreation/outdoor-recreation/forests/public-forests-in-northern-ireland/forests-in-county-down/tollymore-forest-park.htm

McTigs

jfh wrote: »

hi orion,
many thanks for your reply, some of those look great, particulary hidden valley. i'll be driving from clare though so might find somewhere closeer on that camping website, always good to get personal input.

If you're coming from Clare, grab the Doolin Ferry to Inisheer. The campsite has the beach to one side and there's a big playground to the other and the village is a 5 minute walk away with bike hire (very few cars so very safe) for exploring the island, there's old ruins and a shipwreck (right up most boys street). Makes a great weekend.

Also anytime i've been on inisheer the weather has been really good, even when it's lashing on the mainland. It's like some kind of microclimate!

Orion

I'll second that. We've been to Inis Oirr many times. Usually in a house but last year we camped for a week. The campsite is fairly basic but there is running water, free showers and toilets. Also laundry but half the island use the 2 washing machines so get there early if you need it. It definitely has its own microclimate - we were watching storms hit Clare last year while sitting on the beach in the sun

jfh

have experienced that myself, got the ferry over from doolin a few years ago, the crossing was unbelievable rough, got to inisheer & it was a perfect day.

i would say that it would be hard to entertain 2 kids out there though.

Orion

We go with our two kids and they absolutely love it. They're 9 now and insisted on going back again this year. There are loads of kids around to play with. The playground is excellent. And the beach is second to none.

moochers

Check out Lough Key Forest park