Independent Campsite Reviews

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Note from Webmaster: There are numerous reviews for this site with basically a single complaint: that the management vigorously enforce their rules about being quiet, and generally respecting other campers. There are also numerous reviews praising these same qualities. Please read the statement by the management team below, and consider what it means for you before you book

We have stayed at this site twice now. Once when I was 18 (1999) with a group of ALL girls and once last year just me and the boyfriend.

Site is lovely, nice and clean, no complaints about the facilities at all. Best campsite I've been to.

Staff were very straight to the point and maybe a little intimidating.

The rules are supposed to be strict but last year when we were there, we ended up pitching our tent in the corner thinking we would keep out of everyone’s way and could just sit and chat in our tent. Then a guy and his teenage son pulled up, decided to blast music out their car while they put up the tent which was a lot closer than it was supposed to be!!! Then when it was lights out time (yes 11 is a bit early but we had a long drive) all we could hear was them talking, and not even quietly. For once I wish these supposedly strict people could have had a word with them. Maybe not as strict as people make out!

Booked for the Spring Bank Hol here with some trepidation but found this was one of the nicest camp sites I've ever been to. The camping field has wonderful views and it isn't difficult to find a pitch that is more or less level. Pitches at the top of the field are perfectly level and have the best views. The ball pitch is adjacent to this field so no problem with kids not being able to play footie by the tent. The toilets and showers are immaculately clean, even the prefab building is perfectly maintained. The main shower block is only a short distance away so why do people complain that it is miles? Who wants to sleep right next to a toilet block anyway? The park is superb with a great range of equipment and it is sensible that it closes at 9 when younger kids go to bed as otherwise there'd be complaints about rowdy teenagers frequenting it. We ate at The Star pub one night just five mins walk from the campsite and it was very acceptable so good if you don't want to drive. We didn't come here to go to Alton Towers ; don't think that is all that there is round here. Dovedale is only 15 mins drive. Visit the National Trust property at Ilam. There's loads to do within a few minutes' drive. The staff here were all very friendly, courteous and helpful. Is it too strict? If you don't know what to expect on arrival you may think so and it may not be the place to come in a largeish group if you like to stay up late. No-one came to tell us off at any time during our stay (except people in the next tent because four of us were talking quietly inside our tent at half past eleven) but then we kept quieter than we usually would and probably went to bed an hour or so earlier than our usual 2pm. I'd definitely come back here again.

Having spent one night at the Star camping site, I can see why they get so many bad reviews, and it is a real shame, as the park is kept very nice and in the end rules are rules so don't go if they are going to upset you.

On the other hand having travelled for 3 hours to reach the site to meet up with our friends that were already camping there and arriving at 9am we were told we could not go on the site even on foot to let them know we had arrived, we could not get a mobile signal so had no way of contacting our friends. The rules state no admissions before 12pm, OK but we were not arriving with a tent we were staying in our friends tent, all we wanted to do was drop a couple of things off at their tent and then get straight off to Alton Towers for the day returning that evening for a 1 night stay (in our friends tent) that we had booked and paid to do. (At no time of the booking were we told we could not even step foot on the site till after 12pm.) But no! The gentleman on the gate would not even listen to us, he just kept repeating "No admissions before 12" In the end we managed to get our friends attention through the tree's from the very busy road and off we went for a fantastic day, on arriving back at 8pm you would not have believed the difference in the gate keeper it was as if he was a different person, shame it's not a full day issue with him.

We understand rules and regulations as we camp quite a lot and have never had a problem, but surely occasionally in certain circumstances these can be relaxed a little if only for 10 minutes i would have thought. A real shame for the site!

We stayed at the Star originally for 4 nights at the end of July and enjoyed it so much booked another 2 nights. The site is lovely , well maintained with excellent parent and child facilities in the toilet block. Yes there are rules but none which had any effect whatsoever upon our enjoyment. In fact it was lovely to have such quiet surroundings.

We went with the intention of visiting both Alton Towers and Drayton Manor with our 2 and 7 year olds. We therefore wanted quiet nights as had early mornings so were not affected by the rules. We were grateful that the playground closed at 9pm as this ensured our children had to come in - no argument. The playground is excellent by the way.

Booking in was quick and easy. We did at first find leveling the caravan difficult due to the slope which most of the touring field has but were given bricks to aid this issue. The main problem was the long length of our van anyway. With regards to electric hook up we had no problem. We found however that our electric cable was not quite long enough to reach the hook up but the staff straight away gave us a longer cable. On both issues they could not have been more helpful.

The location is fantastic for visiting the local area with a visit to Matlock Bath most recommended. The only difficulty we found was the absence of a supermarket or even well stocked local store nearby. After a busy day it would have been nice to have this easy access but when you visit the area you will see it would not be that easy to find somewhere to locate such a store as the area is rural and very beautiful.

Our family would all recommend the Star.

Good job I didn't read this forum.

Star Bank has now been acquired by the camping and caravan club who have put their own management team in.

Great Site, ideal for Alton towers, only 5 minutes down the road.

Staff very helpful and considerate, when we entered they discussed where we would like to go on the site. As we had children they put us next to the childrens play area. Plenty of space, clean toilets and great play ground, nearly as good as Alton Towers.

Will go back again, this time with some blocks of wood to go under stabilisers. Due to the slope, one end didn't quite reach the ground, ended up using the spare wheel under a leg.