I dropped by their campsite 2 days ago.
It looks very good, and with lots of room for the time of the year. Some fixed tents and you can bring your own.
There isn’t a whole lot of accommodation on Alderney; the Bray Hotel seems perpetually full.
You land, 20 min walk into “town”, get a lunch (food always comes first), rent an e-bike for 12 quid, ride to the campsite (maybe 15 mins). Wonderful!
They claim the sunset from the campsite is better than on Santorini!
I might go next week.
that sounds tempting enough, not sure for next week, but I’ll keep that in mind
The campsite has no booking. They say: just turn up
I’ve just had a most pleasant camping experience at Alderney on their campsite.
This is half of it
and this is the other half
All the fixed tents were booked; more of that later…
Here is my tent, set up under a huge sand dune to keep the wind off
More details in the camping equipment thread.
A cheap e-bike rented from the (the only) bike rental shop is great for Alderney. You would probably not buy a £1.5k bike for yourself (good ones start at ~5k) but it is good enough.
Views from the top of the dune, and you get a great sunset view from there
The pub bench was really handy
but actually there is a fridge, microwave, and there is hot water in the nicely done toilet block. And a small shop with a few bits.
Endless choice of other beaches
£8/night per person if you bring your own tent.
I asked one of the residents why there were about 15 fixed tents but none “available”. He said the locals just rent them permanently, which is both really unfair and obviously stupid unless you have money to burn, at £40/night. I suspect the same goes on on the Scilly Isles (Garrison campsite) which has the same problem, and at other places; the locals treat them as beech huts which nowadays are very expensive.
Supermarkets (a couple I think) were found to be open on a Sunday which for Alderney is amazing!
Airport reports on our airport database.
We should try to do a EuroGA camping fly-in
Thanks for the report @Peter. Can’t be at 2 different places at the same time (yet), but would love to go there.
And yes, the EuroGA camping fly-in idea is great
PS
Though my flying season schedule is pretty much set, assuming a free date, count me in.
An overnight trip at this campsite is an very appealing to us, either by air or by boat, but the little kid would need a passport so don’t count on us this summer
Edit : we could visit Alderney until Sep 30 with just an ID card if we don’t stay overnight (ie book a same day return boat ticket) with a 4h30 drive each way
Remember the Channel Islands are zero PN/PPR etc. Just a flight plan and the Alderney/Guernsey GAR form (carry 2 printed copies, since one is put in a box on the wall and the other handed to the little security man on leaving).
Only Brits have the 12hr UK GAR PN.
Jersey does require the Gendec to be sent in advance (before departure). JAC will remind you of that. I have heard that Guersey now also want this. Last time (last summer) they (the ASG guy) were happy to just take the piece of paper from me after arrival and put on the fax machine), but apparently they (at least the authorities) actually want it before arrival.
That is still excellent, given that you have to do the flight plan before flying
You also get excellent ATC. Approach control (there is LPV in both directions) by Guernsey.
I did another camping expedition to Alderney earlier this week.
Great as ever. The campsite is going on a sort of partial close on 15 Sep and is closing fully at the end of Sep.
After that a lot of other stuff will start to shut down, but it will remain excellent as ever for fly-ins Overnight accommodation remains available; the Braye Hotel for £200/night (rather a lot!) and I have a great contact at half that which is not on airb&b or booking.com