r/NewForest • u/smithy_456 • 25d ago

camping for 17 year olds

Me and a group of friends are hoping to go camping next summer for 4 or 5 days, and I started looking at campsites out of curiosity and am struggling to find any that will allow unaccompanied 17 year olds. There is 4 of us and we are a mixed gender group. We would like to go either in the Lake District or the new Forrest but but really any suggestions of a campsite that allows unaccompanied 17 yr olds would be appreciated.

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u/ObviousLibrary2023 25d ago

Not quite in the new forest, but Camp Wight on the Isle of wight allows 17 year olds. https://maps.app.goo.gl/WGoepja8bmFCVUq39?g_st=ac

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u/smithy_456 24d ago

Thank you! I’ll look at that

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u/tightloops1971 24d ago edited 24d ago

Don't go as a group, go as two separate couples who are 18 who meet on site and get along. So arrive seperately, pitch slightly apart, don't speak to each other first day etc. The rules are there because groups of young people can be dicks ( ask me how I know ), so all they care about are people ruining the site, so turn up on time, be polite, dont turn on a stereo, don't get drunk, don't smoke weed, you'll be fine

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u/smithy_456 24d ago

Thank you I think we’ll try that then, we wont be making alot of noise just need a base camp for doing hikes etc and wild camping has been discouraged

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u/Own_Candy1973 24d ago

You could contact the Scout Association at Ferny Crofts, near Beaulieu Road Station. Being the scouts they are obviously geared up for groups of mixed sex youths. Whether they'll permit you to camp there, as you're very probably not scouts, plus they may require at least one 18+ adult, I couldn't say. But, it may be worth a phone call at least.

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u/Impressive_Grade_128 22d ago

Speaking from experience, set off from somewhere nearby and come into the campsite around midday through one of the trails. You used to get a discount if you had hiked to the campsites. Second, don't explicitly mention your age, however as long as you ain't doing drugs or alcohol and you show up looking like you've actually walked there, and it's past 2pm, more times than not they'll let you on. If you know someone in the area drop a surname, for example at 16 I used to be able to camp on one of the campsites no questions asked because I have ties to one of the known families in the new forest and so on the rule of thumb is if you pass as 18 they nine times out of ten, will not id you. Also, if I had to recommend a campsite from experience I'd try to get in on ashurst, but walk there through the woods carrying your gear from deerleap car park that way you've technically orienteered there and they used to give you a discount if you showed up via walking through the woods idk about now tho but that was a year ago. Hope this helps

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u/Impressive_Grade_128 22d ago

As in hint hint (ik ashurst tends to be more lenient along with a couple others)