If you are looking for somewhere to go camping near St Austell in Cornwall we can recommend Little Winnick touring park in Pentewan. It’s family-friendly, dog-friendly and incredibly close to some of Cornwall’s top attractions. In fact, there aren’t many boxes it doesn’t tick. Oh, and did I mention the coffee and cocktails?
Read on to find out more about Little Winnick and why we enjoyed our stay at this family-friendly campsite in St Austell, Cornwall.
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About Little Winnick
This award-winning campsite in Pentewan is family run and has great facilities. There are pitches for tents, camper vans, motorhomes and caravans.
The location on the South Cornwall coast is superb – more on that in a bit.
We stayed during the summer of 2020 so things were a bit different to usual. But to be very honest, this site is perfectly set up for social distancing. We felt safe and relaxed throughout our seven day stay.
What you can expect during COVID-19
We received lots of information from Little Winnick before we arrived. Check in and check out times were fixed and the site’s shop and reception were open at specific times. The play park and dish washing area were open but the laundry, accessible bathroom and family bathrooms were closed.
Every pitch at Little Winnack is marked out so there was no need to leave extra space as this comes as standard. It appeared that the site was close to capacity the whole week we were there but it didn’t fell crowded.
The shower block and the way it was maintained was ideal for campers in 2020. Here’s why:
- it was easy to socially distance from other people because there was plenty of space inside
- there were lots of showers, toilet cubicles and sinks, so we never had to queue
- there was hand gel at the entrance
- the block was being cleaned at least three times a day with a three hour deep clean in the afternoons.
We couldn’t fault the procedures in place.
Read more about the campsites we visited in the South West of England in the summer of 2020.
Pitches at Little Winnick
Little Winnick has grass and hard standing pitches with and without electric hook up. There are 90 pitches in total and every one is clearly marked out with numbers and bollards.
In between there are trees and bushes so you don’t feel packed in.
You pick the exact pitch you stay on when you book and so can choose whether you are close to the shower block/playground/an open space.
There is some noise from the B3273 the runs the length of the site. So if you are sensitive to traffic noise then try to book a pitch along the back edge of the site (pitches 1 to 12 or 39 to 51). Although it wouldn’t be possible to escape the noise altogether.
Facilities at this campsite near St Austell
Little Winnick has a small shop in its reception area that sells cakes, snacks, milk, bread, bacon, eggs and other essential groceries. Milk comes from Milk & More – I had to explain real milk bottles to the kids.
For larger supermarkets head to St Austell where there’s an Asda and Tescos.
The toilet and shower block is at the centre of the site. It’s a great modern facility with plenty of showers, toilets and a few cubicles with sinks and toilets – all free to use. There are a couple of hair dryers too.
The block also has a family bathroom with bath and an accessible bathroom, as well as laundry and washing up area.
There are plenty of water points, waste disposal drains and bins dotted around the site.
The kids enjoyed playing on the playground but were equally content scooting around the campsite road. This is a one way system so we felt confident for the girls to do this, even though some drivers ignored the speed restrictions on site.
Is there WiFi?
Yes. This is available through Club WiFi and had good coverage across the site from our experience. The WiFi aerial is on the shower block, so if you are really desperate to stay connected pitch near it.
Data useage is unlimited and you get the best deal for packages over a number of days rather than hours.
Is Little Winnick dog-friendly?
Yes! Dogs are very welcome at no extra change. Just add them to your booking.
Up to three dogs are allowed per pitch. There’s a large field for exercising them at the end of the site.
Find more dog-friendly accommodation and holidays in the UK
Visiting food vans
Throughout the week the site is visited by food and drink vans offering everything from Cornish tea, barista coffee and luxury hot chocolate to fish and chips, and cocktails and waffles.
The vans park next to the shower block at the centre of the site.
Things to do while camping near St Austell
We had loads of options for days out and beaches to visit while camping near St Austell.
Pentewan Beach is a half hour walk away and Par, Carne and Penfarrow Beaches are within half an hour’s drive. Carne and Penfarrow are National Trust beaches with car parks and toilets. They are also dog-friendly.
During our week we visited The Eden Project, The Lost Gardens of Heligan and Charlestown, which is a World Heritage Site with tall ships and a ship wreak museum.
The Cornish Seal Sanctuary at Gweek (a dog-friendly day out), and picturesque Cornish harbour towns of Fowey and Mevagissey are also very close by.
Little Winnick is right on the Pentewan Valley Trail and there’s a bus stop outside. If you want to hire bikes you can find Pentewan Cycle Hire down the road in Pentewan.
The cycle path follows the river.
Read my full guide to things to do in St Austell with kids.
Our Little Winnick review
We had a brilliant week camping near St Austell and wouldn’t hesitate to book Little Winnick touring park again.
This is a lovely, family-friendly campsite in a great location. It’s ideal for families looking for a camping holiday where they can make their own entertainment and enjoy the local area.
The only down sides we found during our stay were the noise from the road (we only noticed it in our awning, not in our camper van) and some people driving too fast around the campsite. There were a lot of kids and not everyone moderated their speed. We were pitched at a junction so probably witnessed this more than most.
If you’re looking for a campsite near St Austell in Cornwall then here’s where to find out more about availability and prices at Little Winnick.
Looking for more Cornwall campsite suggestions? Read my posts about caravan sites in Cornwall or family holiday parks in Cornwall.
If you’re on Pinterest and looking for camping near St Austell why not save this Little Winnick review.
