Which Club?

[Vanman]

Planning ahead for next year and thinking about UK based sites and which club membership would be best for cheap / good camp site access.

The type of sites that we’ll be looking for are –

UK, Seaside/Lakes/Cornwall/Snowdonia/Scotland/Wales, Good 3G reception, PVC friendly with EHU and toilet disposal point. They should also have a pub with good beer and food within ½ mile and be reasonably quiet. Wi-fi would be a bonus.

We don’t mind being lined up and having a few rules and regs … so long as there isn’t piped music and an exercise hour!

Thanks

PS Having spent a fortune on pre-van magazines and no doubt another fortune on pre-trip furniture and fittings, I was hoping to limit us to ONE club in the first year!

 

[Vanman]

Not quite -
1 & 3 Non members sometimes welcome but not always. It varies from stalag to stalag.
2 Non members welcome a lot more often than the CC would have you believe

Thanks for the correction although to be honest in my eyes I'm either welcome or I'm not. I'm not going to ring up to book with my fingers crossed it'll be ok. It's their loss

 

[wigster]

Am having a no shit Sherlock moment ,happens now and again

 

[pseward152]

I found the caravan club to be very snobby full of rules and regulations so I gave them a Miss this year and can't see me joining again

 

[Vanman]

OK – I have the answer to the question – Which Club? But before I reveal all there are a couple of Government Health warnings –

These results are based on a very small sample of trips and may not be representative of other UK locations. Most of the research was done using data from searchforsites.co.uk with a little cross referencing on UKcampsite.co.uk. I only included in the results sites that have EHU, Toilets and showers.

OK on to the results. I researched four trips, to the Eden Project, Barmouth, Applecross and Windermere. The number and type of sites available within a 5 or 6 mile radius were as follows.

While looking at the maps and websites a couple of things became clear. There are far more Independent sites with full facilities than either of the clubs. The club sites tend to be spread thinner and further from the action - on the edge of things rather than close to popular tourist spots. The C&CC club sites are often huge and cater more for families with on-site bars and restaurants. The CC sites are a bit smaller and cater more for adults. The Independents cover the whole spectrum. The CL/CS’s tend to have less amenities, but there are many more of them.

So, the bottom line(s). If you are the type of person who likes to be part of a club, to meet up with other club members and benefit from news letters and money off deals then the C&CC probably has the edge – so long as you don’t mind massive sites, out of town. The CC probably edges it if you don’t travel with kids. However. If you want to be closest to the action and have the widest choice of sites then Independent sites is the way forward.

And the winner is, well HERE of course. You have a club with members everywhere, rallies and access to tons of resources

If you are more into wild camping, Britstops etc. then it may be worth joining the Motor Caravanners club too. They don’t have their own sites, but they do have discounts and organise rallies.

I'm off for a lie down now!

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[Deleted member 29692]

Motor Caravanners club too. They don’t have their own sites,

Oh, but they do.

They have their own CL networks and also their Nightstops network which I believe is similar to Britstops.

https://themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk/index.php?page=CL Sites Information

All their sites are open to non-members as far as I know.

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Hey, life's for living!
Forget about the boring CC and C&CC.
Grab yourself an Easyjet or Ryanair flight - take along someone nice and join the Mile High Club, much more fun.
They even do a nice line in windscreen stickers.

 

[Vanman]

Oh, but they do.

They have their own CL networks and also their Nightstops network which I believe is similar to Britstops.

https://themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk/index.php?page=CL Sites Information

All their sites are open to non-members as far as I know.

I almost edited my post to incorporate yours, then thought that wasn't really fair

Their sites don't appear to be rich in facilities so probably wouldn't have met my other criteria.

 

[denisejoe]

Don't know which CCC sites you were looking at but I've never seen a bar or restaurant on any of them.

Denise

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Don't know which CCC sites you were looking at but I've never seen a bar or restaurant on any of them.

Denise

That would be a nightmare.

You wouldn't be able to have a pint within 6 metres of anyone else having a pint

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[Vanman]

Don't know which CCC sites you were looking at but I've never seen a bar or restaurant on any of them.

Denise

I don't just make stuff up you know!

Well I only found 2 sites and this Windermere one does.

Worth Noting

The on site bar/family room serves food and beverages in the evening (limited opening November to April). Caravan Holiday Homes available for puchase.

 

[denisejoe]

Vanman - wasn't suggesting for one moment that you'd made it up but I've never noticed that but then again I've never looked at going to Windermere! We tend to stay in the South as we only go away for weekends and short breaks in the UK. Anything longer and we go to France.

Denise