UK Campsites.. A Personal View

[Langtoftlad]

i assume thats for one person?

Yup, as posted.
Why should I pay for two, and extra for the dog - as most commercial sites seem to expect?

 

[Barryh]

The worst thing (for me) is having to book up any places where I might like to stay, it's like planning a military operation to have a couple of weeks away.. (some C&CC THS don't need booking).

So much easier to wander to the area you fancy and just select an aire or campsite ad hoc. Then move on after a day or two (or three)..

Booking is not compulsory. There’s nothing stopping you wandering to an any area in the UK that you fancy and then finding somewhere to stay. Your choice of campsite, CL/CS, pub car park or whatever. Whether there is space is something you take a punt on, as you do abroad, but there are people on here with 5 van sites who will probably tell you they often have space. Pre-booking sites becomes a self fulfilling prophecy of sites with no spare pitches.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Only got our new van last December so apart from the one night in Germany when driving it back we have only been on UK sites.
Joined both clubs and have visited their sites 5 or 6 times and have not found a bad site or bad wardens everyone has been friendly
Been on some commercial sites and apart from one where the pitch was to steep to set up on (they then offered us a better pitch) they have all been good.
One site had issues when a twat left their dog in the van while they had gone out for an hour and it kept barking but they were told about it next day!!

Cannot understand all these people whining about UK sites, if there not for you don’t go…

 

[Brains]

We had people from all over Europe stay on our site in the North East of England. Predominately the Dutch who came on the Ferry to Newcastle. Some stayed one night before setting off on a tour of Scotland or whatever and some stayed much longer. We had a good few returnees, but you would tend to find that a good majority of “foreigners” just wanted to do the UK and once they had been that was it. We once had a group of a dozen or so Dutch vans who were a religious group. Early on a Sunday morning they held an open air service, complete with lustily sung hymns, which went down well with our native and probably hungover campers.

I think you have hit a nail on the head.
You would tend to find that a good majority of “foreigners” just wanted to do the UK and once they had been that was it
However the rest of western Europe all are happy to go back again and again.

Whilst due to our location France gets forced re-visits, we have been there more times than I can count, but the same applies to Germany. Holland, Italy. Switzerland, Austria, Spain etc. etc. all of which we have been to on multiple holidays, OK so for some the weather tends to be better, but it's also they have tend to have nicer camping facilities than we do in the UK

 

[maison]

Why do we get jobsworths in Britain telling us where to park and how to park?

They can't argue it's necessary because it's not on every site and it never happens in France and Spain. That's really the only thing I don't like about British sites (apart from the weather of course)

I normally agree with most of your posts but here we differ.

If you have ever seen a fire spread between caravans/motorhomes I don’t think you would quibble.

I do agree that some “rules” are stupid. “You must pitch with your vehicle facing in the direction that we state”. No consideration given to British/Continental hab door layouts.

What winds me up is sites that interpret the 6m separation rule rigidly between units side to side, then only separate then by about one metre end on.

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[LesW]

Whether there is space is something you take a punt on

I've tried this, and failed miserably, not something I'd repeat.

 

[glenn2926]

Grass is too short!!

And too green. .

 

[Littlewheels]

If by large clubs your mean the C&MC and the CCC, then this is not the case. There are somewhere between 6-7000 recognised campsites in the UK. The Clubs account for 5% of sites at most.

Really, not according to the stats of both, they represent alone about 4000 sites including CLs and CSs which is considerably more than 5%.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I normally agree with most of your posts but here we differ.

If you have ever seen a fire spread between caravans/motorhomes I don’t think you would quibble.

I do agree that some “rules” are stupid. “You must pitch with your vehicle facing in the direction that we state”. No consideration given to British/Continental hab door layouts.

What winds me up is sites that interpret the 6m separation rule rigidly between units side to side, then only separate then by about one metre end on.

No I think we agree, my "where" comment was aimed at them telling us what pitch to park on, I've got no problem with the 6m rule

 

[Flairy]

I’ve been camping caravaning and motorhoming since 1965 ,the last time was at a Morris leisure site beautiful the grass was so well kept no chipping out of place,the toilets could be the Ritz .what a shame when they said go to pitch13 park facing in your a continental van.so we did ,I almost turned round and went home,if we’d gone back a few days later they wouldn’t even acknowledge they seen us before.The manger walked past I said to him do you realise you try very hard not to know anybody or make eye contact he didn’t ,lovely place £40 a night every facility but souless what a shame.we have been going on the continent since 1974 we rang Bad konigshofen because they get very busy they said course we’ll find you a place you’ve been before 3 years ago ,this is normal and very welcoming ,I’ve given up with caravan club sites ,if I could only go in the UK I would give up.

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[Spriddler]

I stayed on a CAMC site for 4 days a couple of weeks ago whilst attending a nearby festival. The main area of the grass pitch was almost devoid of grass and mostly bare hard packed soil, perhaps where annexes/ground sheets had been. The adjacent pitch was the same but unoccupied. I wasn't using an annexe and suggested to the warden that I could park, still on the pitch but other than 'to the peg' to give the worn area some sunlight and a chance to recover. He was more than happy with that.

 

[Barryh]

I think you have hit a nail on the head.
You would tend to find that a good majority of “foreigners” just wanted to do the UK and once they had been that was it
However the rest of western Europe all are happy to go back again and again.

Whilst due to our location France gets forced re-visits, we have been there more times than I can count, but the same applies to Germany. Holland, Italy. Switzerland, Austria, Spain etc. etc. all of which we have been to on multiple holidays, OK so for some the weather tends to be better, but it's also they have tend to have nicer camping facilities than we do in the UK

I don’t think it’s as simple as nicer campsites or indeed better weather, but a campsite like many other things always looks and feels better when the weather is good.

When you cross to Europe, depending on available time, the possibilities are endless because there are so many countries. Different languages, culture, food, architecture, geology and yes usually better weather. Surely this is what you travel for, not “better” campsites.

When you cross to the UK, you are mainly limited to the geographically small mainland. Your average foreign traveller on our site with a few weeks holiday might do Scotland, the Lakes, perhaps Wales and Devon/Cornwall and circle back round for the ferry home. Once they had done that, they were content that the UK was done. Nothing to do with quality or cost of sites. I know this from speaking to them.

 

[Barryh]

Really, not according to the stats of both, they represent alone about 4000 sites including CLs and CSs which is considerably more than 5%.

Yes really, CL/CS’s are independent businesses not owned or managed by either of the Clubs. They operate under the Clubs exemption nothing more. In the same way that Funster sites do.

 

[Littlewheels]

Yes really, CL/CS’s are independent businesses not owned or managed by either of the Clubs. They operate under the Clubs exemption nothing more. In the same way that Funster sites do.

They are non the less counted in the listings as the listings that recognise the number of sites in the U.K. state quite clearly that many sites are small 5 pitch ones. l stated that the large clubs have a monopoly and since there are none larger than the two my view remains the same.

 

[Barryh]

They are non the less counted in the listings as the listings that recognise the number of sites in the U.K. state quite clearly that many sites are small 5 pitch ones. l stated that the large clubs have a monopoly and since there are none larger than the two my view remains the same.

Which is of course your prerogative

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[Shrimp]

We have used CS campsites for the last month and most have been way too expensive, the cheaper ones are pretty rough.
Last night we slept amongst left over building rubble, on a CS.
Tonight we are parked on an Aire-like CS that is backed onto a shed full of Pigs that stink of p…ss!
Tomorrow we are moving. Hopefully it will be quieter and a bit more fragrant.
Roll on getting back to France.

 

[Landy Andy]

So regulated, so regimented...


View attachment 545301

Moreton-in-Marsh CAMC this afternoon... £16.22 per night*


*solo, no addition for Kerry, VAT discount applied.

Stayed there last weekend. Certain bits for awning, other areas no awning, park this way to post, face that way round. All typical English stuff.

 

[Barryh]

Which is of course your prerogative

Littlewheels Sorry that sounds a bit arsey, let’s agree to disagree

 

[138go]

We have used CS campsites for the last month and most have been way too expensive, the cheaper ones are pretty rough.
Last night we slept amongst left over building rubble, on a CS.
Tonight we are parked on an Aire-like CS that is backed onto a shed full of Pigs that stink of p…ss!
Tomorrow we are moving. Hopefully it will be quieter and a bit more fragrant.
Roll on getting back to France.

We joined both clubs but now we're just in the C&MHC. We found the CS sites like you describe, whereas the CLs tend to be lovely. We've just had a holiday on the south coast and the sites were really nice. We called ahead to get a pitch, as we were making it up as we went along. We like the cheap sites and we generally paid less than £10. They weren't rough at all.

 

[TDub49]

Apples and pears being compared here? France - 114 people per square kilometre. UK - 272 (with the biggest "crush" in England). The demographics and operating conditions are very different as are local politics. Until recently, camping (and motor homing) in the UK has been seen as the cheap option for people who can't afford to go abroad. It will take a lot of catching up to achieve the nirvana that many posters seem to think we could have but I wonder how many will be willing to pay a realistic price for privilege

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[Beltie]

Stayed there last weekend. Certain bits for awning, other areas no awning, park this way to post, face that way round. All typical English stuff.

I don't understand your comment about awnings. Moreton-in-Marsh has varying sized pitches, some big enough for an awning, some not. All are clearly identified. What's the problem with that?

I've used C&MC sites extensively over the years in both continental and UK 'vans and have never been told which way round to face. If the warden did instruct you otherwise, then I'd be inclined to complain to the club. I've just spent several days on the St Agnes Beacon site and suggested to the warden that if I moved over a bit, the 'van behind me would have a better view and I'd have more space. His response was "Yeah fine just carry on"

 

[Jim]

Seems so many are hung up on the actual campsite and its facilities. I'm never visiting a campsite, I'm visiting an area, I don't really care if the shop is stocked, the loos are clean or if the warden is a nutter, I spend very little or no time there. If I wanted to spend time on a campsite I might as well stay at home.

 

[Rusticrogers]

I think a lot of instances when people are reminiscing of past times of campsites in France or Spain are often, probably subconsciously, just remembering the weather and how everything is just so much nicer and more comfortable when the sun is shining. The UK is tiny in comparison to France and Spain and the window of opportunity ( summer) is so short. We have a reasonably high standard of living here to, so people need to paid accordingly. I don’t think the OP is comparing apples to apples in this instance.
An old coal bunker with a 1950’s chain flush toilet at the base of the Pyrenees in July or the same in Rhonda in Wales in July? I know which one I’d remember for being the least inviting!

 

[Landy Andy]

I don't understand your comment about awnings. Moreton-in-Marsh has varying sized pitches, some big enough for an awning, some not. All are clearly identified. What's the problem with that?

ALL the pitches there are big enough for my van and wind out awning, as they are big enough for a caravan and car parked along side it. But they choose to control it without sensible reason. Why not “this is your area, do as you wish in it“.

 

[Beltie]

I thought roll out canopies were allowed on non-awning pitches.

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[TheBig1]

I am deeply involved in the camping & caravanning club, both locally and regionally. This last season has thrown up multiple new challenges for the club and affected camping right down to the grass roots level

Last year, in an attempt to help the situation, the government decreed that "pop-up" campsites could open for up to 56 days rather than the usual 28. This caused a mass influx of new campers into the countryside who had no respect for the environment. The waste disposal side of the those sites was pretty non existent. Now the environmental lobby are using it as evidence to try and block ALL rallies in excess of 50 units and trying to get many long established sites in areas of SSI shut down permanently

This has a direct knock on effect to the clubs with exemption certificates from natural England. I am already aware of multiple club areas and other groups who have applied for holiday rallies for next year being blocked by councils. If you think this year was bad for campsites, "you aint seen nothing yet" as the saying goes. Our whole way of camping within the UK is being challenged because of a few very irresponsible land owners cashing in

 

[DuxDeluxe]

So regulated, so regimented...


View attachment 545301

Moreton-in-Marsh CAMC this afternoon... £16.22 per night*


*solo, no addition for Kerry, VAT discount applied.

I was going to say….. that is Moreton in Marsh. Nice place and great staff

 

[cyberyacht]

So far this year, I've spent 12 nights on 6 C&CC sites, 1 THS, 3 nights wilding, and the remaining stops on my travels at 14 CL's. I have all my own facilities so resent paying OTT for parking and a few facilities I don't need. Nearly all have been booked a matter of days ahead. However, because of the nature of the UK, it does require a fair bit of research for alternatives whilst "over there" one really can 'wing it'. Campsites in the UK are, on the whole, pretty soul less, CAMC, in particular, having all the variety of a McDonalds.

 

[Catpirate]

Hi I am a member of both clubs and have used their sites as well as private sites this year. Personally I dislike "regimented" "site layouts. However in terms of how my MoHo is parked (mine being a continental model) I have found site staff to be understanding and have allowed me to park nose in. This was not the case about 10 years ago and is a welcome change. I have enjoyed my time in the UK this last couple of years and have seen lots of our pleasant island from Cornwall to Scotland and have not met a jobsworth that i couldn't bring round to my point of view.

 

[haganap]

I have no idea where you lot go. You must be the sort that see empty supermarket shelves and can't fill up with fuel. And someone said campsites in France are not there to line their own pockets but support the community. I nearly fell of my chair with laughter. These are the same campsites whereby the owners take you cash and then wave when you leave giving you the finger when they can't see you.

I've stayed in some glorious UK campsites and I've stayed in some Glorious Eurpean campsites. I've also stayed in some hovels here and across the water in France, Germancy, Switzerland, Holland, Prague, Belgium oh and Italy. I've stayed on sites abroad so dangerous I have been unable to open my garage door because they parked the van too close to me. I stayed in a campsite in Wales that the kids on the site used my van as a goal post.

But, I have wheels, If I don't like it, I get in, switch the key and I drive off. simple as that really,

Is UK bashing just a trendy thing now days?

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