As more Brits choose to holiday closer to home, interest in camping breaks is growing. Nearly one in five (19%) are opting for domestic holidays over international travel, while searches for “UK campsites” have risen by 16% in the past month to 43,000.
To help holidaymakers find the best value seaside stays, idealo has analysed popular coastal campsites across the country, ranking them based on affordability, guest reviews, beach proximity and on-site facilities.
You can read the full research here: https://www.idealo.co.uk/magazine/lifestyle-leisure/uks-best-coastal-campsites
The UK’s top ten best coastal campsites
| Rank | Campsite | Location | Cost to pitch per night (2-person pitch without hookup) | Cost to pitch per night (2-person pitch with hookup) | Average Google rating | Proximity to Beach (km) | Facility Score out of 100 | Pet friendly? | Final Score /10 |
| 1 | Machrihanish Holiday Park | Machrihanish, Argyll | £26.00 | £29.00 | 4.7 | 0.6 | 90 | Yes | 8.85 |
| 2 | Beryl’s Campsite | Devon | £27.00 | £32.00 | 4.7 | 1.2 | 85 | Yes | 8.21 |
| 3 | The Hollies Leisure Resort | Kessingland, Suffolk | £23.00 | £28.00 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 75 | Yes | 7.64 |
| 4 | Llanungar Caravan and Camping | Solva, Pembrokeshire | £24.00 | £30.00 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 75 | Yes | 7.63 |
| 5 | Watermouth Valley Camping Park | Ilfracombe, Devon | £32.00 | £40.00 | 4.8 | 0.75 | 100 | Yes | 7.52 |
| 6 | Manor Farm | Runton, Norfolk | £25.50 | £32.50 | 4.7 | 1.1 | 60 | Yes | 7.23 |
| 7 | Beadnell Bay Camping | Beadnell, Northumberland Coast | £27.71 | £39.57 | 4.5 | 1.3 | 90 | Yes | 7.14 |
| 8 | Burnbake Forest Lodges and Campsite | Dorset, South West | £30.00 | £38.00 | 4.5 | 5.9 | 100 | Yes | 7.03 |
| 9 | Watertop Farm | Ballycastle, Antrim | £20.00 | £25.00 | 4.5 | 7.8 | 70 | Yes | 6.88 |
| 10 | Treveague Campsite | Gorran, St Austell, Cornwall | £32.00 | £42.50 | 4.8 | 2.1 | 100 | Yes | 6.54 |
Machrihanish Holiday Park, Argyll is named the UK’s best coastal campsite overall, with pitches from £26 per night, free dog stays, strong facilities and Machrihanish Bay Beach just 0.6km away, a three-mile stretch of golden sand backed by wildlife-rich dunes, where visitors can spot seals, seabirds and even otters.
Beryl’s Campsite, Devon came in second as a highly rated campsite (4.7 Google rating) located 1.2km from Beesands Beach, offering excellent facilities and pitches from £27 per night. The site is ideally placed for exploring the South West Coast Path, paddleboarding, canoeing and other waterside activities.
The Hollies Leisure Resort, Suffolk rounds off the top three, and is one of the best-value options in the ranking, with pitches from £23 per night, a 4.5 Google rating and Kessingland Beach just 2.9km away. The resort offers campers the chance to stay just minutes from the Suffolk coast while remaining within easy reach of the Broads, Southwold and Lowestoft.
The study also found that Watertop Farm in Northern Ireland was the UK’s most affordable coastal campsite, with prices starting from just £20 per night.
Adenike Herzog-Osikominu at idealo shares practical guidance on keeping camping costs manageable without sacrificing the experience
“Many of the campsites in this study apply dynamic or seasonal pricing, meaning a pitch in late May or early September can cost considerably less than the same spot in late July or August. If school holiday dates are not a constraint, travelling in the shoulder season is one of the most reliable ways to reduce the overall cost of a trip.”
You can read the full research here: https://www.idealo.co.uk/magazine/lifestyle-leisure/uks-best-coastal-campsites
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