Why do people worry so much about how nice a campsite is? (3 Viewers)

[HKF]

I like a nice site because if it's not a nice site I may as well stay at home, where it is nice. Also, we work from our MH so want a nice place to work in.

 

[MR BLO]

Why not make the campsite the destination if it has what you are looking for ? Why would you rather stay at home ? Why the criticism of other peoples choices.
With the British weather especially in the colder months (although that looks like it includes July now), campsite choice could be decided on something as fickle as how muddy will it get - I.e. is there hard standing or not. And with kids in tow, the decision is also not purely about destination. So it’s Friday and we are at a loose end for the weekend. Do I want to park in a field and traipse around somewhere like Sutton with the risk of kids bored off their tits and on tech all weekend, like they would be at home or do I say feck the expense and go to somewhere on a trading estate like Love at Shrewsbury where kids have pool, hot tub and a ready made bicycle race track around the site roads. I know which the kids will enjoy more and where Mrs Blo and I will see more time relaxing.
And I’ve been on a Fun rally or two. Not for the destination but for what’s on offer. So moral should be each to their own. And btw sometimes I enjoy a lay-by just as much as the FLT brigade, which is only slightly less than a dogger would.

 

[bobnick]

When we know our destination we are aiming for the night we search for the best site we can find (well used to)

 

[meanders]

I only recollect once overnighting in a layby, and that was in Ireland. If we go to a site, it's usually for convenience of location. I use two in Cornwall most years as they are very convenient when visiting family. Doubletrees Farm at St Blazey and Stream Valley (Formerly known as Bone Valley) at Heamoor, Penzance. The former is a larger site with great views across Carlyon Bay and has nice showers, washup facility and always a lovely welcome. Easy accxess to buses etc, but I usually hire a care from Beech Motors in St Austell if staying a few days. The other is much smaller but has everything you could possibly need although if you want a shower and it's busy you might have to wait. It's a ten minute walk to either my brother Ejaydee or regular bus into Penzance and beyond. Lovely cake shop on the route to the bus stop.

Other than that in the last five years we have used mainly pubs, or CL's but did spend a few days at Brighton CAMC as it is so accessible by bike, walking or bus to the marina, seafront and town plus we needed to use the laundry room after a couple of weeks slumming it with Britstops and cheap CL's. .

.

 

[Billmyl]

You been to the nudist beach again…..

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[Millcourt]

So ,Jim, the consensus of your survey, sorry question, so far seems to be,
flatten Jasmine as a campsite, tarmac it over, make it into an 'aire', park up quadruple the number of MH's and charge a third of the price.

You would be packed every night, when are you selling shares?

………and the Caravan & Motorhome Cub site next door would be stuffed!

 

[Old Gibber]

Ever camped in Yosemite National Park in the US? You certainly can't pull up in a layby for the night, the many rangers make sure of that. It takes well over an hour to get into Yosemite on either of the roads in, if the traffic is light. There are 3 camp grounds within Yosemite. All three are fully booked for the season within 15 minutes of the campground website opening for the season.

Sometimes if you want to go to the best places and see the best sights, you need to book.

 

[Dolmen]

Ever camped in Yosemite National Park in the US? You certainly can't pull up in a layby for the night, the many rangers make sure of that. It takes well over an hour to get into Yosemite on either of the roads in, if the traffic is light. There are 3 camp grounds within Yosemite. All three are fully booked for the season within 15 minutes of the campground website opening for the season.

Sometimes if you want to go to the best places and see the best sights, you need to book.

We were there a couple of weeks ago, never mind camping, you had to book and reserve a pass for the day you wanted to go just to get the car in, sold out in minutes and when we arrived we had to circle around twice as the car parks were closed off as already full. Having said that, wouldn’t have missed it, amazing place.

 

[Pocket Rocket]

The site (or aire) matters a lot to us and we definitely choose where we stay on the basis of it being:

• quiet (avoiding noise from people, tvs, roads etc)
• green (grass, trees, birds, wildlife)

I love the peace and tranquility of a small site, sitting in the evening listening to the birds, surrounded by greenery.

Location is also important - good quality hiking and cycling from the site.

We like staying somewhere for a few days rather than moving on every day, so the quality of the site or aire is an essential part of our enjoyment.

Good job we’re all different

 

[Jim]

Why the criticism of other peoples choices.

People are saying what they prefer or asking questions about what others do. I can't see anyone being overly critical of others choices. If you question someone's choice or say that their choice is not for you, that's not being critical, it's a discussion.

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[Chasnam]

We have just spent 3 days on a small cs near Wantage to enable Naomi to walk the ridgeway . First time in 2 years we usually wild camp or britstops in UK ,airs if abroad .
Really enjoyed it quirky horse box ablutions but well done , money in box at entrance , good pub in village all we really needed extra was better weather.
Chasnam

 

[Dolmen]

We have just spent 3 days on a small cs near Wantage to enable Naomi to walk the ridgeway . First time in 2 years we usually wild camp or britstops in UK ,airs if abroad .
Really enjoyed it quirky horse box ablutions but well done , money in box at entrance , good pub in village all we really needed extra was better weather.
Chasnam

I am also looking to walk a section of the Ridgeway in that area, can I ask, did you stay at Bagmere farm and was the field stable enough for wet weather?

 

[Chasnam]

I am also looking to walk a section of the Ridgeway in that area, can I ask, did you stay at Bagmere farm and was the field stable enough for wet weather?

Yes that's where we stayed it was wet last week but no problems for a 6m pvc with 4 season tyres.
Chasnam

 

[beerdrinker1]

Never tried the pubs. Those that I inquired into were no longer allowing it so we found it not worth being a member of the pub sites system.

Hi Dorwyn,
I'd persevere with Pub stopovers if I was you,
I started over 10 years ago, and apart from looking forward to club get togalethers, these are my preferred stops,
Over 10 yrs I've stayed at many cracking pubs and only found 1 I wouldn't return to ( and that was just this year !)
Most are very welcoming to us, a pint or two and or a meal is all that's expected in return ! I've met some lovely folk, had delicious meals ( which i would have had to cook for myself !! ) and, of course, many good pints of hand pumped real ale,
A lot of them are now regular stopovers for me,
Ken

 

[Dolmen]

Yes that's where we stayed it was wet last week but no problems for a 6m pvc with 4 season tyres.
Chasnam

Many thanks for getting back

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[Chasnam]

Many thanks for getting back

Hope you have a good walk , Naomi really enjoyed it
Chasnam

 

[Jerrywh]

In 35 years of using a motorhome, I have never pulled up on a site, just to visit the site. Sites get visited because of where they are. Near the beach I want to sit on, the lakes I want to walk around or the town I want to eat in.

OK, if there is a nice site and a poor site in a location I want to visit, then of course I'll choose the nice site every time. And if the site I do choose happens to have some nice facilities, then great, but I'm really not that fussed.

Some people appear to have the campsite as their destination, but given that, I'd rather stay at home.

I don't think anyone makes decisions for only one single reason, do they?

Always different factors to bear in mind.

 

[gwyntaxi]

In 35 years of using a motorhome, I have never pulled up on a site, just to visit the site. Sites get visited because of where they are. Near the beach I want to sit on, the lakes I want to walk around or the town I want to eat in.

OK, if there is a nice site and a poor site in a location I want to visit, then of course I'll choose the nice site every time. And if the site I do choose happens to have some nice facilities, then great, but I'm really not that fussed.

Some people appear to have the campsite as their destination, but given that, I'd rather stay at home.

Couldn’t agree more.....

 

[StephandJohn]

Our first decision is 'where do we want to be'. Then price (don't mind paying as long as they're not extortionally over the top and we'll stay for one night then maybe.
After that don't mind scruffy, no facilities etc as long as we feel safe. We've stayed on some really rather grotty sites and in the end found them charming and easy to be in.

 

[gus-lopez]

Also you have to deal with your poos at the toilet block sooner or later so you might as well just take them there in the first place

Buy a simploo. No need to go near any toilets.

In this day and age any site refurbing their facilities needs to be installing heated floors in individual bathrooms as a minimum.

In our van I shower ,shave & clean teeth using next to no water so leaving all the hot to be wasted by the wife. Why do i want "heated floors"?

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[Dave and Jan]

Never tried the pubs. Those that I inquired into were no longer allowing it so we found it not worth being a member of the pub sites system.

Pubs are ok but can be an expensive way to camp. By the time you’ve had say a starter, main course and a couple of beers each it’s £70+ for a couple often with average food. We do it but not too often.

 

[TheMachMan]

The site we stay on is important to us, so we choose the nicest nearest the area we want to visit. Don’t fancy staying anywhere that’s not very nice.
Happy to stay in a car park, Aire, campsite etc as long as it’s nice. It’s part of our adventure.

 

[elwyn horton]

My IBS!
Can be a problem in a confined space, if you get my drift, so a loo is always welcome, with or without a seat.

 

[Dinosaur]

Never used a big site in over 25 years motorhoming always used cl 's, to us its only a base ,if its nice its an added bonus

 

[Ducatian]

I wanted to visit a specific site for Christmas/New Years because of the fun events going on. So do a lot of other people as it's fully booked up so will have to wait 'till next year . . . .

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[Tonks]

Pubs are ok but can be an expensive way to camp. By the time you’ve had say a starter, main course and a couple of beers each it’s £70+ for a couple often with average food. We do it but not too often.

That's definitely true. However, for those of us who mostly travel solo, pubs can be a very cost effective way of stopping in some nice places. The last one I did was after I'd been at an event all day. I was tired and it was very pleasant to just arrive. Park up. Go in for a nice hot meal someone else had cooked, and then go back to the van and pretty much straight to bed. A slowish start the next morning, with a short walk along the nearby canal, and then headed for home.

So it's very much - as has been shown by lots of folk in this thread - horses for courses. And that can vary even for the same person, depending on what you're doing, where you're going, when, for how long, with whom etc etc!

 

[MichaelT]

Pubs are ok but can be an expensive way to camp. By the time you’ve had say a starter, main course and a couple of beers each it’s £70+ for a couple often with average food. We do it but not too often.

Same here, we stopped at a pub on way home in March by time we had a couple of beers and just main course it was 60 odd quid.

 

[Dave and Jan]

Same here, we stopped at a pub on way home in March by time we had a couple of beers and just main course it was 60 odd quid.

Last one we stayed at was on the way to Newhaven for the ferry. We got hit with a 10% service charge on top of the bill. Staying in their car park for the night it was a bit awkward to object or question it. Not sure if that’s their standard practice or because we were staying there?

 

[meanders]

It's time 'service charges' were banned. It's misrepresentation. You can't do it it in any other field.

 

[Tony50]

Never tried the pubs. Those that I inquired into were no longer allowing it so we found it not worth being a member of the pub sites system.

I just walk into any pub if the carpark looks safe and big enough and ask if I can stay the night , I always use the said pubs, never been refused yet,one we did stay was near Middleton Cheney, Banbury,carpark next to grave yard so, I attempted to scare the wife about ghosts she slept sound, I woke up thinking Zombies were surrounded the motorhome !!

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