Our second trip in the caravan this was following a shake down trip. So effectively this was our first husband and wife trip. Rather surprisingly this was without ‘crossed words’ or any significant dramas.
We had chosen to find a site not to far from home, a location that allowed us to have some ‘chill out’ time and also a couple of attractions without entrance fees.
So having joined the Camping and Caravanning Club, we picked the Ashbourne site.
Booking was easy made online using the online service via the club site. On arrival we were disappointed to discover that we couldn’t use the free night offer we had received as a gift for joining the club.
The site was clean tidy and easy to pitch. Parking was in front of the pitch and while the road was wide enough for a caravan to pass. It made the site look ‘busy’.
We were happy to discover electricity, water, drainage and Elsan all within a few metres from our pitch. The showers and toilet had a cleaner visit them at least a couple of times
per day, and we never found them anything other than spotless. We never had to queue to use these facilities, however I suspect that during busy periods this may not always be the case.
I must admit that finding an advert for sausages on the back of a toilet door was a little off putting, and we never did make the trip to the butchers mentioned. The evenings were quiet and easy with no noise or disturbance. We found it very relaxing.
The onsite shop was small and offered newspapers, milk soft drinks, but little else … however I think pies etc were available on certain days….we never got to sample them.
Ashbourne is within easy travelling distance being about 4 miles away. The town is a nice place to browse the shops and eat drink etc. Food shopping provides a number of options. We took the Waitrose option, and enjoyed a barbecue back at the site.
The peak district is a delightful area to explore, with a wide number of vistas and views to enjoy, as well as nice towns and villages to explore.
During our visit the site was moderately busy, mainly with middle age campers, but as the site is within easy distance to Alton Towers, I am sure the site will benefit from being busy with visitors looking for the attraction of the towers.
Our trip was successful on many counts, and we are looking forward to revisiting this site maybe later in the year.
Overall Score 7 out of 10
Ashbourne Camping and Caravanning Club Site
Belper Road (A517)
Bradley
Nr Ashbourne
Derbyshire
DE6 3EN
Tel: 01335 370855 (No calls after 8pm please)