Motorcycle camping: why the forest is biker-friendly

For many bikers, a road trip is a chance to get away from distractions and technology - and that’s also the philosophy of Camping in the Forest. Our back-to-basics sites are set in the heart of some of the UK’s most beautiful forests, where campers can reconnect with the outdoors, spend time with friends, and relax. 

Back in the 1960s the Camping and Caravanning Club was famous for never turning a biker away. Fifty years later we’re still welcoming two-wheeled campers, and Camping in the Forest sites are a great place to take a break on a motorcycle touring holiday. Bikers are welcome on all of our campsites. 

Some campsites aren’t keen on groups but we love to welcome groups of all sizes to camp with us in the forest - so if you’re touring with mates, there’ll be no problem pitching up together. And if you’re organising a really big run or special event, four of our sites have rally fields - just get ten or more friends together and call the site for a chat about your plans. And you’ll be able to park your bike next to your tent for extra peace of mind.

Maybe you’ve never tried touring on your motorcycle but it’s your New Year Resolution to give it a go in 2017? Here are our top tips:

• You don’t need a great big gnarly bike to go on a tour. Nathan Millward rode home from Australia on a 100cc moped called Dorothy.  Bruce Smart rode round the world on a Suzuki GSX-R1000.  You really can tour on almost anything.
• You don’t need to ride round the world on your first outing. Plan a shakedown run to your nearest Camping in the Forest site and make sure you know how to put the tent up.
• Buy or borrow good gear.  Size is more important than weight - it’s best if your tent is narrower than your bars. Check out the Club magazine’s review of three great biker tents here. 
• Get some good-quality dry bags to pack your kit in. This is Britain, after all, and even if the sun is shining when you set out it might not be tomorrow.
• Make room for something that makes you happy. Maybe that’s the means to make really good coffee in the morning, a folding chair, or a really comfortable pair of socks to put on at the end of the ride.
• Don’t forget a side-stand puck to stop your bike from falling over. Yes, you can drain a can, stomp on it, and use that, but a puck is just so much easier.
• Get a good atlas and choose the wiggly roads. RiDE magazine editor Simon Weir has written two great guides to the best biker routes in Britain, so if you need some inspiration ask Santa if he can pop one under your tree. 

Eleven CITF sites are equipped with toilet blocks and so especially suitable for bikers. Here’s our guide to nearby biker attractions:

• Our biker-friendly New Forest sites - Hollands Wood, Ashurst,Holmsley, Roundhill and Ocknell - are perfectly placed for a visit to the Sammy Miller museum in New Milton. The museum houses one of the largest collections of rare and race bikes in the world, and has tea rooms, craft shops and a children’s play area. Beaulieu National Motor Museum showcases hundreds of cars with the oldest dating back to 1875. 
• Camp at Postern Hill in Wiltshire if you’re heading for Calne Bike Meet or fancy exploring the prehistoric monuments of Avebury and Silbury Hill.
• Pitch up at Glenmore in the Cairngorms for Thunder in the Glens the UK’s biggest event for Harley Davidson fans. In 2017 the rally will take place from 25 to 28 August.
• If you’ve got the touring bug, why not take part in the National Rally of Scotland, a navigational event held every September that will take you through some of the most stunning scenery in the UK?Cashel and Cobleland are both close to the final checkpoint, Suie Lodge near Crianlarich.
• Our Bracelands site is in the heart of the Wye Valley, home to one of our favourite biking roads - the A466 through Tintern. Stop at the Old Station Café for a restorative cake break!
• Beddgelert is set in the heart of the bikers’ paradise of Snowdonia. Relax on site, let the narrow-gauge heritage railway take the strain for the day - or take a road trip to Llangynog, about an hour away, and build your skills on the Mick Extance Experience Ultimate Off Road Day. 

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This blog was written by Sheila Kiggins
Sheila is a Camping and Caravanning Club Reporter. She loves getting out and about with her three-legged dog Shakey, meeting Club members and bringing stories back for the magazine.