Team RDR
New Member
Hello All,
Well, we've just returned from Darlington PP. Our trip was 5 days 4 nights, on an electric site #205 which is located across the lane from the comfort station (last site available when I was booking). With showers and laundry facilities closed this year (COVID), it wasn't a bad location and had very minimal noise. Our site, 205 was quite large in comparison to other campsites we've been to at other parks. We didn't have high hopes for this park as its so close to the GTA (just outside Oshawa) but we were pleasantly surprised with the size of the sites, the park and the general cleanliness of the overall camping side of the park.
However, the one main reason that I will never go back to Darlington, the TRAIN that rolls through seemingly every 30 minutes with horn blasts (two long, one short and one more long) at all hours of day or night. This will be the One definitive factor for me never to return to Darlington PP.
Yes, we could hear the 401 from the Hilltop campsite area where we were, but it was like background noise and we could tune it out for the most part.
The day-use area (which includes the beach area) was Very "Trashy" despite the efforts of the disgruntled & rude park staff that we encountered who were wandering around picking up the larger garbage items that were abundant in the day-use area.
The Day-Use area was Full (up to 80% Capacity, as per current COVID park policies) of large Family groups that were gathering together each and every day it seemed like.
Charcoal & fuel BBQ's, Tents, Suntops, hundreds of folding lawn chairs, portable radios and even "professional chaffing dishes" took up so much space by these many, many families that came in from the City for the day, that it was hard to find just a small piece of grass to put our blanket down to watch the kiddos swim in the lake.
If the train noise wasn't there at all hours, I might go back and camp. But the noise just reminds me that we're way too close to the city for my preferences.
All I know is, it's another Park that is now checked off our large list of Ontario Provincial Parks we are trying to visit and experience.
This is just my opinion and experience of Darlington.
Maybe you'll have a better experience if you go? Or, maybe you've had a great experience there already?
Happy Camping!
Cheers,
R&R
Well, we've just returned from Darlington PP. Our trip was 5 days 4 nights, on an electric site #205 which is located across the lane from the comfort station (last site available when I was booking). With showers and laundry facilities closed this year (COVID), it wasn't a bad location and had very minimal noise. Our site, 205 was quite large in comparison to other campsites we've been to at other parks. We didn't have high hopes for this park as its so close to the GTA (just outside Oshawa) but we were pleasantly surprised with the size of the sites, the park and the general cleanliness of the overall camping side of the park.
However, the one main reason that I will never go back to Darlington, the TRAIN that rolls through seemingly every 30 minutes with horn blasts (two long, one short and one more long) at all hours of day or night. This will be the One definitive factor for me never to return to Darlington PP.
Yes, we could hear the 401 from the Hilltop campsite area where we were, but it was like background noise and we could tune it out for the most part.
The day-use area (which includes the beach area) was Very "Trashy" despite the efforts of the disgruntled & rude park staff that we encountered who were wandering around picking up the larger garbage items that were abundant in the day-use area.
The Day-Use area was Full (up to 80% Capacity, as per current COVID park policies) of large Family groups that were gathering together each and every day it seemed like.
Charcoal & fuel BBQ's, Tents, Suntops, hundreds of folding lawn chairs, portable radios and even "professional chaffing dishes" took up so much space by these many, many families that came in from the City for the day, that it was hard to find just a small piece of grass to put our blanket down to watch the kiddos swim in the lake.
If the train noise wasn't there at all hours, I might go back and camp. But the noise just reminds me that we're way too close to the city for my preferences.
All I know is, it's another Park that is now checked off our large list of Ontario Provincial Parks we are trying to visit and experience.
This is just my opinion and experience of Darlington.
Maybe you'll have a better experience if you go? Or, maybe you've had a great experience there already?
Happy Camping!
Cheers,
R&R
