Shell island safe?

[HarryMann]

Anyone with views on leaving stuff whilst away from Shell Island for a day out touring. Safe, secure to leave stuff ?

Also shower block there, all good, good enough ???

Thanks

[T'Onion]

Clive , depends when you go really , in the kids holidays and weekends it not so good ,busy , noisy and not so clean (toilets etc) ,but week days out of the kids holidays should be cool. Its a HUGE site so security is not that good , so I would not leave anything laying around that you wouldn't be happy losing hope that helps , there are other sites around that area which look nicer

[ghost123uk]

During the busy season I believe it is known as "Chav Island". We have been there twice, the first time it was pretty much out of season and we enjoyed it, the second time it was mid summer and busy = it was horrid (for us anyway) noisy, litter, chavs, crowded camping, we would not go back unless out of season.

[Ian Hulley]

Last time we went (2005) they were in the middle of redeveloping the showers (there were always LONG queues before) but now they had introduced larger outside showers (supposedly for washing sand off the little ones) ... led to some interesting scenes I can tell you !! The toilet block 'up at the top' was revolting with faeces wiped up the cubical walls ... and that was in the 'Ladies'

Since then I believe they've got rid of Acorn Ridge which was (I believe) some kind of respite care holiday camp for Liverpool's teenagers and seemed to be where most of the trouble came from, drug-taking was rife and as Mark says you never left anything unsecure that you wanted to see again.

Shame really as it's a beautiful place.

[Cruz]

I have only ever been during bank holidays with plenty of friends and found it fine even after hearing hysterical talk of Hell Island

It all depends where you camp. We go nearer the harbour rather than the dunes. Facilities are fine, beach is lovely, views are awesome

I would go there any time of the year

[dirtygertie]

Having had all of our wetsuits and bodyboards nicked from our camping area several years ago (we had a gazebo up with a windbreak around it and they were within this area) I wouldn't leave anything nickable out while I left the site (we were only on the beach).

The staff couldn't have cared less - nor could the police

[supergalaxy]

I used to go to Shell Island in the mid sixties (Yes I really am that old) It sounds like the lovely quiet place I knew back then has gone right down the tubes.
There was 1 single loo for the whole island back then. Ces't la vie........

[HarryMann]

Thanks very much for all your comments, that's given us something to think about over a campfire before we commit... looking at cae-du as well now.

[Cruz]

Personally I never leave anything out at any campsite. But that's just me as I am suspicious of you all

[Ian Hulley]

I am suspicious of you all

None taken !

[HarryMann]

Personally I never leave anything out at any campsite. But that's just me as I am suspicious of you all

Sensible. Trouble is Cruz, that isn't always possible, when into a 3-stop event over a week or so, with both touring and laning (one or two being pretty serious stuff) whilst camped somewhere, one doesn't want the shed, the sink and the carpet all on board, all the time... apart from the weight, moving loads, you've got the time it takes to get re-packed securely every time theres an 'off 'occurring!

[B.J]

Me and the family attempted to enter the Shell(suit) Island last year but couldn't get in as it was packed solid. The security bloke said they had 2500 pitches there?? I'm glad they weren't more accommodating. Looked filthy.

[boatdog]

is this the same shell island i go to? i take the camper four times a year, for the last four years and its the best campsite ever! as with all campsites if you go the same day as the nutters it wont be enjoyable, but they have realy clamped down now, no camping within 20 metres of another tent all new toilet blocks around the site, the main toilets and showers have been made bigger, extra shower block etc, i always camp down in the dunes as far as you can get and never had a problem the main fields tend to be fuller, i also take my own toilet and shower so i dont have to walk to showers. the beach is one of the best i know of, i kite buggy so having 6 miles of near empty beach is a bonus, i would recomend shell island to anyone hand on heart, but i know from years of camping bad things happen, i camped on anglesey and we had a group of "liverpool people" next to us that sat up unti 6 in the morning chatting very loudly, but would go back there as it was them not the campsites fault. couple of years ago on august bank hols at shell the toilets did get trashed but the next day they were cleaned, not shell islands fault but the animals that used them.
they have a roving quad bike now that litter picks all day and wardens patroling all music off at 11pm etc but as said avoid bank holidays as it gets full by saterday lunch time, and as far as i know its 800 pitches over 300 acres, ranging from grass fields to woodland to sand dunes. as with all camping just be careful what you leave in your tent. thinking bout it i should say its as bad as everyone says so i get more room to myself lol should point out i do 6 day stop overs usually arrive tuesday so the weekend crowd has gone and i get pick of the best spots. but remember the road floods with the tide so check on the website for tide times. rant over happy camping

[boatdog]

would just mention though it gets a bit windy at shell (hence kite buggy etc) so when choosing your camp spot dont be tempted to camp on the front end of hill overlooking the beach as your tent may not be there when you wake up! always camp in a more sheltered area incase the weather changes in the night, was there last august bank holiday and during the night it got a bit breezy, next morning about half the tents were in the skips, owning a camper has its advantages some times.

[JamesT25]

would also like to chime in regarding shell island, I have been in both capacities as a lager drinking holiday and with couples and kids. I have never seen any trouble. There are the occasional group of idiots but they all get told to shut-up or sod off and they no longer accept large same sex groups.

as for leaving anything out I am not sure what else they can do some people are just dirty thieves and you cant tell by looking who to let in and not.

rant over with all i can say is ive been in peak and off peak and enjoyed it every time. Now the weather at shell island, that's what you cant choose normally it involves being wind-swept and sunburnt!!!