Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 17.02.45Campervans are great for wild camping, especially in Scotland. But many people will also want to use campsites as they travel. Whether you plan ahead or you like to book campsites as you travel, it’s useful to have a campsite app on your smartphone or tablet.

Here we take a closer look at five useful campsite apps.

5 phone apps for finding a campsite

Siteseeker

Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 16.04.32Available for IOS and Android, this app is created by the Camping and Caravanning Club and lists the club’s 1,600 UK sites. You need to be a member to see all of the certified sites.

The sites are divided into seven large areas and include three types: Club sites, forest sites and certified sites (these are private sites but available to club members).

Features include, a filter results by location, price and on-site facilities; lots of site information, including photos, facilities, prices and booking options; an interactive map showing “sites nearby”. it can also be used online and offline and there is a list of useful kit for campers.

It has a lot to offer but you do need to be a member to access many of the information about the sites and the layout and navigation does not look very modern compared to others.

See Siteseeker app

Sites UK

512x512bbThere’s a lite version that is free or a version for 79p. I am not sure what the difference is between the lite and the paid for version even after checking out both.

This is a very searchable app for use with IOS (Apple products). You can search by county, a place name, postcode, current location, map view and “favourites”.

When you search you access the campsite you are interested in and this takes you to a screen with very basic info and a link to the campsite’s website.

This is a useful app but it would be nice to see more details and info about the campsites actually as part of the app.

See Sites Lite

Campmate app

Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 13.03.14The new Campmate app has been created by campsite search and review website, Campsites.co.uk. It is free to download from iTunes and works with iOS 9.0 or later on an iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

The app currently lists 660 campsites in around 10 different areas.

It’s a good looking app and very easy to use and navigate around. There are useful headers to categories, such as Popular Destinations, Types of Holiday, Types of Accommodation. Any sites you have recently viewed pop up at the bottom of the screen.

There are different ways to pick the right campsite for you. You could be looking for campsites in an area you already have identified, or considering the type of holiday you might enjoy, such as glamping, kids activity, adult only, and then choose a campsite accordingly.

There’s a section called “campsites near me” which is excellent if you have ended up somewhere and do not have a place to stay overnight. It uses your location via GPS on the mobile gadget.

There is a lot of information about each campsite and many helpful tips and details. You can also make an enquiry straight from the listing by phone or email.

I think there should be more campsite listed in Scotland as it is currently weighted towards the south of England but I am presuming this will grow as more campsites sign up.

See Campmate app

AA Caravanning and Camping Guide app

imgresYou can download this app for Android and IOS gadgets. The AA Caravan & Camping Guide app features more than 850 recommended and inspected campsites in Scotland, England and Wales, from fields, forests and moors to lakes and coastal regions.

Campsites have been awarded an AA rating by a professional AA inspector. Entries include a detailed description, price, images, telephone numbers and website addresses and more.

There are filter options such as location and also “Inspire Me”, which I really like.

See AA Caravanning and Camping Guide app

WikiCamps UK

imgresYou need to pay 79p to access this app. It can be used on Android and IOS gadgets.

WikiCamps is a crowdsourced database of campsites, caravan parks, backpacker hostels, day stops and more.

This means the sites are added, modified and shared by users like you.

There are lots of filters and site details that are recommended by actual campers and caravan/campervan users, as well as a good map location feature.

See WikiCamps UK