Advertisement
Reviews of Balloch O Dee Campsite
|
|
|
|
Balloch O Dee Campsite
Kirkcowan
Newton Stewart
Dumfries and Galloway (Browse area)
DG8 0ET
Tel: 07551070270 or 01671830708
Visit their website Check Digital TV coverage See Weather Forecast
   
|
Pitches: 5 caravans 40 tents plus indoor accommodation
Open: 01/03/2024 to 31/10/2024
01/03/2025 to 31/10/2025
Rating: 
|
 Tent Pitches |
 Caravan Pitches |
 Motorhome Pitches |
 Small Campervans |
 Glamping Units |
 Holiday Homes for Hire |
 No Statics for Sale |
 No Seasonal Pitches |
 Electric Hookups |
 Hardstanding Pitches |
 No Fully Serviced Pitches |
 Show Full Facilities |
| Who's it for |
 Families Welcome |
 Not Members Only |
 Rallies Welcome |
 Not Naturist Site |
 Dogs Welcome |
 No Dogs Allowed |
 Groups Welcome |
 Motorbikers Welcome |
| Facilities |
 Toilet Facilities |
 Hot Showers |
 Washing Up |
 No Bathroom |
 No Baby Changing |
 No Laundry |
 Drinking Water |
 Disabled Friendly |
 Chemical Disposal |
 No Battery Charging |
 No Gas Exchange |
 Recycling Facilities |
 Kitchen Facilities |
 Freezer / Fridge |
 Motorhome Point |
 Wifi Access |
 Shop <5 miles |
 Bar <5 miles |
 Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway <5 miles |
| Activities |
 No Playground |
 No TV Room |
 No Games Room |
 No Evening Ents |
 Fishing <1 mile |
 No Wild Swimming |
 No Indoor Pool |
 No Outdoor Pool |
 Horse Riding On Site |
 Cycle Hire <5 miles |
 Golf <5 miles |
 No Tennis |
 Beach <10 miles |
 Watersports <5 miles |
 Boat Launch / Mooring <5 miles |
| Other Features |
 No Sea Views |
 Not Working Farm |
 Campfires Allowed |
|
 No Waterside Pitches |
 Public Transport <5 miles |
 Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access |
|
Reviews:
43 in total, now showing 21 to 30
Previous 10
Next 10
|
|
Jump to Page
1
2
3
4
5
|
Write your own Review to win an Outdoor Revolution Screenhouse 4 and £150!
If you've ever visited this campsite please submit a review for your chance to win! Each month one lucky person will have their review picked at random and will win an Outdoor Revolution Screenhouse 4 worth £299 AND £150 of Amazon vouchers. Leave as many reviews as you can for more chances - it only takes a few minutes
|
| Date of Visit: September 2014 |
Unit: Trailer Tent |
Rating:
| Rating Breakdown: |
Location:
| Facilities:
| Customer Service:
|
Value for money:
| Child friendliness:
| Overall:
|
|
| Reviewer: TearDrop Camper |
1 review from this member |
|
 How refreshing, instead of the usual 'camp here, don't do this, don't do that, . ' I received a simple 'Welcome to Balloch o Dee, find a spot you like and get yourself settled in' as I pulled into the yard.
A real farm atmosphere with chickens, turkeys, ducks, dogs and horses all wandering around along with a few free range campers.
Toilets/Showers are always clean even though they can be quite busy at times, showers were hot at any time of day and there isn't the dreaded 'closed from 11-12 for cleaning'.
The views are outstanding, I challenge anyone to get bored of waking up to the view of the fells and the distant mountains. Sunrises and Moonrises over the fells have to be seen.
The owners are friendly and helpful, they give you all the privacy you need but are never far away should you need some help or information. They have perfected the fine art of not having a load of rules, but still ensuring everyone's needs are respected - no rules, just a few 'guidelines for harmonious living.
Not sure about the surrounding area - I managed to spend all my time on site apart from an odd trip to the shops. Nearest shop is about 4 miles away in Kircowan, nearest supermarket is 8 miles. You wouldn't want your peace and quiet shattered by nearby shops anyway.
This site has just become my de-stressing hideaway. Kids running around having a great time, I can let my dog roam free (now that he's chilled out about poultry) so long as I clean up any deposits he leaves, and a quiet beer around the campfire in the evening. PERFECT! 
|
|
| Date of Visit: September 2014 |
Unit: Tent |
Rating:
| Rating Breakdown: |
Location:
| Facilities:
| Customer Service:
|
Value for money:
| | Overall:
|
|
| Reviewer: Alan-2001 |
1 review from this member |
|
First things first: This site might not be for you. If you prefer the regimentation of a CCC site, where the warden literally paces out the 6 metres between units, everyone lines up in perfect rows, and you are constantly inundated with signs telling you what you're NOT allowed to do, then you might not like it at Balloch O'Dee.
For the rest of us, however, I think this is as close to a perfect camping experience as you can get.
After our warm welcome, we pitched exactly where we felt like, with a fantastic view, nowhere near anyone else, with a nice firepit & barbecue right in front of the tent. It was extremely gratifying to be treated like responsible adults, trusted not to burn down the entire camp site.
Firewood is available to purchase on site, at a reasonable £5 per bag. Apparently you can forage for wood in the adjacent forest too.
As mentioned in many other reviews, the toilet block facilities are exceptionally fitted out and spotlessly clean. There is a book exchange in there too. Head torches are a must for any nocturnal visits because there is no electric lighting - the block is lit by candles at night, which really adds to the cosy atmosphere. Water was hot & plentiful when I used the shower, but as there are only 2 toilet cubicles & 2 showers, there can sometimes be a queue at peak times in the morning.
If you're camping, I would strongly advise taking a full contingent of rock pegs with you (as I always do). Perhaps we were unlucky, but the ground under our pitch was extremely rocky.
Ponies, dogs, ducks, turkeys and countless chickens roam free on the site, and if you're lucky you can help yourself to free range eggs in the morning. There are also fenced-in areas and hutches full of cute rabbits for the kids (and grown-up kids) to play with.
If you're thinking of staying at this site, make sure you read the 'Camp Ethos' section on their website before you go.
All in all, we had a perfect weekend and are looking forward to returning, whether it's in our tent or in one of the bothies. Massively recommended.
|
|
| Date of Visit: September 2014 |
Unit: Tent |
Rating:
| Rating Breakdown: |
Location:
| Facilities:
 | Customer Service:
|
Value for money:
| Child friendliness:
| Overall:
|
|
| Reviewer: Sonjabuk |
4 reviews from this member |
|
A lovely homely and friendly site. Very child friendly, in fact very people friendly.
Rules? What rules? Basically you can pitch where you want on the the two fields. One field has EHU and the other does not.
Horse and birds roam free, you may find they come inside your unit for a visit!
The overall site cleanliness is excellent, toilet block is cleaned daily. It is lit at night by candles and fairy lights - very cosy.
Highly recommend if you want a chilled out, relaxed time away from it all. Not for you if you want pubs, on site entertainment - you make your own. The stars at night are amazing on a clear night, bring either binoculars or telescope.
|
|
| Date of Visit: July 2014 |
Unit: Tent |
Rating:
| Rating Breakdown: |
Location:
| Facilities:
| Customer Service:
|
Value for money:
| Child friendliness:
| Overall:
|
|
| Reviewer: Laws69 |
3 reviews from this member |
|
When you arrive at Balloch O Dee you are greeted with a hand painted sign which reads 'Pull in pitch up and chill out'
This sums up the site, on arrival you are not bombarded with a list of rules and you can pitch up where you wish. There is plenty of space and the owners don't over fill the site.
There are numerous fire pits and BBQ's both stone and portable which we took full advantage of.
The site is a lovely location with open views of the hills, fell side and woodland. Pony's and chickens freely roam round the site and the owners offer free pony rides for kids. There are also petting pens with rabbits.
The facilities are great, the toilet block is candle lit at night and there are many nice touches which show the owners really care.
It would be an advantage to be self sufficient as the nearest shop was twenty minutes away as Newton Stewart, here you find an Aldi and Sainsbury amongst others.
We stayed four nights with a 6 and 10 year old boys who loved the site, there is no playground but plenty of space to roam and use their imaginations, though they did enjoy the trampoline.
The surrounding coastal is stunning and Finlay's ice cream farm at Gatehouse of Fleet is worth a trip and the adventure playground was a real treat for the kids.
In summary Balloch O Dee is what camping is all about, stunning scenery, peace and quiet, freedom and good company. Nobody abused the lack of rules and the owners ethos is spot on. This was the best camping trip we have had, even the weather was fantastic. Can't wait to return.
|
|
| Date of Visit: July 2014 |
Unit: Touring Caravan |
Rating:
| Rating Breakdown: |
Location:
| Facilities:
| Customer Service:
|
Value for money:
| Child friendliness:
| Overall:
|
|
| Reviewer: Cossy69 |
2 reviews from this member |
|
We couldn't fault this site at all. It is one of the most peaceful sites we have stayed at. Very laid back friendly owners.
Loved waking up to Shetland pony and 2 foals asleep at our awning door.
We would recommend this to anyone and we will definitely return.
We didn't use facilities as we were in caravan but they were spotless.
|
|
Advertisement
|
| Date of Visit: July 2014 |
Unit: Motorhome |
Rating:
| Rating Breakdown: |
Location:
| Facilities:
| Customer Service:
|
Value for money:
| Child friendliness:
| Overall:
|
|
| Reviewer: Tigertalis |
1 review from this member |
|
Absolutely fantastic site.
As other reviews have mentioned, there isn't a reception - which all adds to the very chilled, laid back, friendly atmosphere of the site.
Between the free pony rides, rabbits and puppies to play with, not to mention the trampoline - kids will absolutely love this campsite.
Adults will love the peace and quiet, and you can't beat sitting round the campfire at night.
The facilities were ideal too, everything you need.
It is a 20 min drive to the nearest shop - so bring supplies with you. But that all adds to the peace, quiet, and stunning scenery.
|
|
| Date of Visit: October 2013 |
Unit: Tent |
Rating:
| Rating Breakdown: |
Location:
 | Facilities:
| Customer Service:
|
Value for money:
| | Overall:
|
|
| Reviewer: Sroot |
1 review from this member |
|
If you like a campsite with a nice shower/toilet block - this is superb
If you like a campsite with lots of space between pitches - this is superb
If you like a campsite where you can have a camp fire - this is superb
If you like a campsite near a local pub - this is **NOT** the site you're looking for :-)
This is a small campsite (by number of pitches, actually very large but they keep a lot of space between them all), very informal (no reception area) but very well set out and welcoming. There were a couple of horses grazing around the field, some chickens too.
PS - When I say the shower/toilet block is superb, you need to see it to believe it. The showers were set to a decently hot temperature and had plenty of water pressure. The shower here was better than the hotel I was in later in the week.
|
|
| Date of Visit: September 2013 |
Unit: Other |
Rating:
| Rating Breakdown: |
Location:
| Facilities:
| Customer Service:
|
Value for money:
| Child friendliness:
| Overall:
|
|
| Reviewer: NeillLeeds |
1 review from this member |
|
We Spent a Fantastic weekend here in the Bothy with Friends. The owners were both welcoming and helpful upon our arrival. It felt like we were family as soon as we drove in. The bothy was amazing and slept 6 of us very easily. The beds were as comfy as at home. Loved the way it was decorated and accessorised throughout. It felt like home in a way. We were left to our own devices but someone was on hand the minute we required any help. We had a lovely BBQ area where we stayed up chatting and drinking around the fire until the early hours. It is a lovely peaceful site with some lovely animals wandering around. The bathroom facilities were the best we had seen at any other Campsite. The scenes of the clear night sky were fascinating with full views of the Milky way. We have booked again for 2014 and this time we are bringing more people. The Camp site is a lovely area both in and around with amazing views and some lovely coastal towns are only a short drive away.
Thank you for a great time see you again in July
|
|
| Date of Visit: May 2013 |
Unit: Trailer Tent |
Rating:
| Rating Breakdown: |
Location:
| Facilities:
| Customer Service:
|
Value for money:
| Child friendliness:
| Overall:
|
|
| Reviewer: Happybunny |
7 reviews from this member |
|
Just spent a week here in our folding camper (with EHU). 2 adults and two primary age children.
We've all had a good time. Nice atmosphere on the site, and the fact that it is never allowed to become overcrowded really does make a difference. This is a genuine situation, as we know that people were turned away at a site density well under half what many sites would allow.
We loved the candlelit toilet block with its many quirky touches as well as excellent showers. The trampoline was an unexpected bonus, and very much enjoyed by the children, as was watching the chickens, and collecting and eating their eggs.
We had use of a fire pit and had several evening fires using waste wood we gathered from a clear-felled area - the owner advised us where to go for free wood, even though he had logs for sale.
The peace on this site does come partially from it being a fair way from anywhere, with the nearest shop being in Newton Stewart, about 20 minutes away, but there are decent shops there. (Butchers etc, plus Sainsburys and Aldi. ) Half an hour to Glen Trool or Kirroughtree, maybe 40 minutes to Stranraer, 1h20m or so to Ayr.
Very pleasant half day walk from the site up the fell which dominates the skyline, then looping back round to the site through the forest.
Overall, a site with a great feel and helpful owner. Well worth a visit.
|
|
| Date of Visit: May 2013 |
Unit: Tent |
Rating:
| Rating Breakdown: |
Location:
| Facilities:
| Customer Service:
|
Value for money:
| | Overall:
|
|
| Reviewer: Cinderhills |
2 reviews from this member |
|
Balloch O Dee seems off the beaten track: the approach road creates the feeling you're miles from anywhere but there are plenty of small towns nearby for stocking up on food and fuel. The site is also really well placed for visiting a range of local attractions. It is a truly stunning setting, with views to the hills and a real feeling of tranquillity. Although there were a number of families with small children on the EHU field (and what a fantastic place for kids: ponies, chickens, space, friendly dogs), we felt completely undisturbed by anything other than birdsong. Fire pits were really appreciated (and widely used), as were the warm showers and the heated ablutions block. Some really nice touches gave a real feeling that the owners care about the quality of your stay.
Site facilities gets a 9/10, as there are only two toilets and two showers. An inevitable demand at peak times! But a really great site to which we will look forward to returning.
|
|
Previous
43 Reviews in total, now showing 21 to 30
Next
|
Write a Review of this Site to Win an Outdoor Revolution Prize and £150
 |
Common Questions
Is Balloch O Dee Campsite child friendly? YES, it accepts children View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Balloch O Dee Campsite? There is a shop within 5 miles View all facilities
Is Balloch O Dee Campsite dog friendly? YES View all facilities
Other Sites Near Newton Stewart Other sites within 10 miles - All Sites in Dumfries and Galloway
Latest News, Discounts and Competitions see all...
| Follow us on Facebook! |
 |
You can now follow UKCampsite.co.uk on Facebook! Keep abreast of the latest news and updates much more easily.
Simply click here then click on the Like button! |
|
All reviews and comments are the personal opinion of the review author only , and as such do not represent the view of the UK Camp Site.co.uk.
The facilities shown on this website are a guide only, and you should check with the campsite direct before making any booking. The UKCampsite.co.uk will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions
|
7654 Visitors online !
Free UKCampsite.co.uk Window Sticker - Recommend to Friend - Add a Missing Campsite
[Message Forums]
[Caravan Sites & Camping]
[Company Listings]
[Features / Advice]
[Virtual Brochure]
[Shop!]
[Reception]
[Competitions]
[Caravans & Motorhomes For Sale]
[Event Diary]
[Contact Us]
[Tent Reviews]
Please note we are not responsible for the content of external sites & any reviews represent the author's personal view only. Please report any error here. You may view our privacy and cookie policy and terms and conditions here. All copyrights & other intellectual property rights in the design and content of this web site are reserved to the UKCampsite.co.uk © 1999 - 2024 |
Advertisement
|
|
|
