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Hi everyone, I'm quite new to caravaning in N.Ireland. I'm Scottish and Living in Cushendall/Cushendun area. I brought my caravan over when I moved here eight years ago and its hardly turned a wheel since.

I'm looking for some good sites to visit, probably with my grand kids. My daughter and her hubby have just bought an old caravan to try out at weekends.

I have by accident found a couple of sites,

1) Antrim I've been to three times with the kids and liked it.

2) Carfunnock once. I have never been able to get back on again, the last time I tried was in August but there was four pages of resevations!

Twice friends have came over from Scotland and we've toured down south. Donegal, Dublin, Galway, ring of Kerry, Cork, and places in between.

Some of the sites were quite good and clean. However the majority were hardly passable and a couple were daylight robbery, with smelly dirty toilets etc.you might expect in the third world. Some of these site ownwers should stop and say to themselves, would I want my shower or toilet in my house to be like this.

Any way back to the point, I would appreciate it if someone could give me details of some half decent sites in N.I and Donegal even close to me. I have read in in some of the topics some names of sites mentioned, but I've no idea where they are.

Thanks Frank

Thanks folks this'll get me looking at maps and site reviews

Frank

Have you have searched the  and read the reviews etc for the sites in those areas?

Cheers  Ratty

Hi Frank

Welcome to the world of caravaning in NI..

I can recommend this brouchure

Caravaning which should give you a good idea location wise were most of the sites are in Northern Ireland. 

I can personnally recommend Drumaheglis, nice tidy, friendly site.. You should be able to get into it most weekends and during the summer if you avoid the main caravan dates here.  That would be 12th July week, North West 200 weekend (16h May weekend), Airshow Weekend (1st weeken in Sept), May bank holiday weekend (though the one at the end of the month is less busy).  You can off course get in these weekends if you book early January but it may already be too late.

Carnfunnock is a good if a little cramped site.  Again busy for the popular weekends, but now they require full payment up front for all bookings it may be easier to get a few weekends booked.

Ballyness is a lovely quiet site, not a lot to do on site, more of a base but excellent facilites.  Again you need to book early an d during the summer I think it is a minimum of 5 nights.

Benone Tourist Complex is a very busy but friendly site, close to the beach which our kids love as they can walk there in a few minutes to surf (surf is pretty good). On site facilites are ok, a bit busy and sandy in high season, there is a small pool and play equipment for younger children.. Tip.. when booking ask that you are not put in pitches facing toilet facilities, these pitches are very tight and are a thoroughfare to the toilets!!

I hope some of these will be of help to you, because we have so few sites here early booking is essential..

Wendy

In addition to the sites mentioned already, there's the Forest Parks of Castlewellan & Tollymore (Down), Gosford (Armagh), Glenariff (Antrim) and Drum Manor (Tyrone) http://www.forestserviceni.gov.uk/index/activities/caravanning-and-camping-in-northern-ireland-forests.htm . They haven't kids facilities as such, and can be a bit basic, but the forests themselves make up for that.

Then theres the excellent Rushin House http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=6773 in West Fermanagh and the Delamont C&CC site http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=3816 near Downpatrick, Down. Both have lots of kids stuff either on site or nearby.

Another site in South Down, a bit like Carnfunnock in ways, is Kilbroney Park http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=4576 .

This is a good page in general for sites in the South of Ireland http://www.camping-ireland.ie/ but it doesn't have Sleepy Hollows http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=4815 in Donegal, which gets good reviews.

As has already been said, you need to book early because there are so few quality sites here.

Tramore Beach at Rosbeg in Donegal has views to die for, facilities not the best but passable. OH comes from there, he was born at the hotel.

Anne