Are some Caravan Club CL's losing the plot?

[Firefox]

I just saw the CL site Woodhouse Farm in Powys featured in MMM magazine recently:

Check out the spec:

Facilities: Chemical Loo disposal point and water only

Prices: £18.00 inc EHU and two adults. Children £2.50 extra each, Dogs £2.50 extra each

They must be having a laugh here. A lone camper with two dogs is going to pay £23.00 a night for a patch of grass in a field. No toilets, no showers, zilch. What makes me laugh even more is that this was a featured review site in MMM :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:Surely they would feature sites which are likely to be of interest. I can't imagine many would be interested at these prices!!

 

[Tbear]

Plus they have paid for membership of CC. Fools and their money!

 

[plattypus]

That has got to be the biggest rip off ever Firefox. We spent 3 nights at a C&CC certificated site near
Aysgarth we thought that was bad £12 pn for a field!!!!! nothing else, water was a spring 300 yds down road.
Lets try and stick to Wilding eh? but not always possible.
Plattypus

 

[MartianTom]

That has got to be the biggest rip off ever Firefox. We spent 3 nights at a C&CC certificated site near
Aysgarth we thought that was bad £12 pn for a field!!!!! nothing else, water was a spring 300 yds down road.
Lets try and stick to Wilding eh? but not always possible.
Plattypus

I belong to the C&CC and have stayed on some top notch sites with full facilities for £12 a night - but then there's only me!

I've had sites quote £28 per night for one person! Dream on...

The site I went to in Southwold wanted £15 a night, without EHU. No point in my spending that money for nothing, so I spent a couple of nights in side-roads near the pier (loos) for free and didn't have a problem.

 

[Firefox]

Too true... This a CL remember, with no facilities, not even a full CC site.

Bizarrely the electric hook up costs £9.00 a night. The pitch without is £9.00 but that is still £14.00 a night with the two dogs. Even a 2kW heater run for 18 hours would only use £4.00 or so of juice. It's tricky to see how the figures are made up.

Perhaps they got their fingers burned by campers running three 2Kw heaters for 18 hours

 

[cooljules]

I just saw the CL site Woodhouse Farm in Powys featured in MMM magazine recently:

Check out the spec:

Facilities: Chemical Loo disposal point and water only

Prices: £18.00 inc EHU and two adults. Children £2.50 extra each, Dogs £2.50 extra each

They must be having a laugh here. A lone camper with two dogs is going to pay £23.00 a night for a patch of grass in a field. No toilets, no showers, zilch. What makes me laugh even more is that this was a featured review site in MMM :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:Surely they would feature sites which are likely to be of interest. I can't imagine many would be interested at these prices!!

ouch.

i have noticed, most of the sites, the price includes 2 people, plus extras for dogs. not really ideal for the average WC person.

a place near me is 14quid a night for a tent. seen another place a fiver.

 

[kangooroo]

I've seen a few like this. The priciest I've found was £26 but it did include a loo but still a daft price.

The best was a C&CC-listed CL just a few miles away where we had a car, my van, tent, 2-hookups, clean but cold shower and loo for £10 between us - and didn't need to be a member of the C&CC (or CC).

 

[John H]

Are some CLs losing the plot? Well, it all depends on whether there are enough idiots out there willing to pay these ridculous prices and the answer to that is often "yes". We are currently in Cornwall and there are plenty of private caravan sites doing very good deals in the off-season - for example, £6.50 per night inc EHC and heated shower room/hot water washing up and laundry facilities etc - yet just dowen the road from these you can find CLs that charge £10 or £15 per night for a space in a field and those CLs are often full. There's nowt so queer as folk and as long as it doesn't affect the bargains available elsewhere then let the fools be parted from their money, I say.

 

[MartianTom]

'twixt Canterbury and Folkestone

This here's a lovely, peaceful, friendly, small CC site. Water and hook-up only (plus waste disposal), but in a beautiful village location, near a food-serving pub. I paid £8 for the night with EHU.

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/kent/14138-twixt-canterbury-folkestone.html

I wonder if some of these sites.... no, scrub that.... I'm sure some of these sites are cashing in on local authority clamp-downs and parking restrictions - and general local hostility, depending on the area.

 

[Higgy]

It seems as though the Authorities are trying to clamp down on illegal overnight
camping but only have the bottle to pick on the lone Camper Van.

We should do like some other Camping Fraternity that turn up en-bloc where the
aforesaid Council need to apply for a Court Order to get rid. This can take up to
10 years or so it seems in the news.

I pay all my taxes for the car. camper and house and feel that it is my right to
stay the odd night in a place that does not cause offence or annoyance.

We are not Dogging: Racing around; Ghetto Blasting; Littering; just chilling
out with perhaps a Burger or nice Rib Eye, a glass of wine or pint of beer.

Then people ask me why I want to emigrate to NZ (Not Utopia I know)

Grrrrrrrr only in the UK.

Pilgrim Fathers site £11 per night 2 adults, 1 child, 1 dog ehu and shower,
pub with real ale at the entrance. Pucker place.

 

[Rubbertramp]

I just saw the CL site Woodhouse Farm in Powys featured in MMM magazine recently:

Check out the spec:

Facilities: Chemical Loo disposal point and water only

Prices: £18.00 inc EHU and two adults. Children £2.50 extra each, Dogs £2.50 extra each

They must be having a laugh here. A lone camper with two dogs is going to pay £23.00 a night for a patch of grass in a field. No toilets, no showers, zilch. What makes me laugh even more is that this was a featured review site in MMM :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:Surely they would feature sites which are likely to be of interest. I can't imagine many would be interested at these prices!!

At the other end of the scale I would recommend this Caravan club CL: Gubbins Hole Farm near Marsh Gibbon, Bicester. £8.00 a night including electric, toilet, washbasin, Chemical disposal and lovely views across the fields. Stopped for a total of two weeks....lovely people!

The good ones are still out there.

 

[MartianTom]

It seems as though the Authorities are trying to clamp down on illegal overnight
camping but only have the bottle to pick on the lone Camper Van.

We should do like some other Camping Fraternity that turn up en-bloc where the
aforesaid Council need to apply for a Court Order to get rid. This can take up to
10 years or so it seems in the news.

I pay all my taxes for the car. camper and house and feel that it is my right to
stay the odd night in a place that does not cause offence or annoyance.

We are not Dogging: Racing around; Ghetto Blasting; Littering; just chilling
out with perhaps a Burger or nice Rib Eye, a glass of wine or pint of beer.

Then people ask me why I want to emigrate to NZ (Not Utopia I know)

Grrrrrrrr only in the UK.

Pilgrim Fathers site £11 per night 2 adults, 1 child, 1 dog ehu and shower,
pub with real ale at the entrance. Pucker place.

Hear hear! Coincidentally, I had a visit from the police and the local council Parking Enforcement Officer today regarding my complaints about the boy racers who congregate opposite here EVERY NIGHT, who make loads of noise and mess EVERY NIGHT and who disturb people's evening/sleeping EVERY NIGHT. I was assured that things were being done, but that the main solution - putting a barrier up at the car park - will not happen as it is uneconomic, and penalises other car park users. Ha ha... cue my spiel about how the complaint of ONE local resident can lead to the recent prohibition of motorhomes overnighting at a local quiet spot. They admitted it seemed like an unfair approach, but said that the motorhome 'problem' was far easier to deal with, whereas the boy racer issue is more complex. Que?

I'd like to extend an open invitation to all site members (particularly to any, like me, who've been affected by the Marine Crescent prohibition) to Neptune Car Park, Herne Bay on any Friday or Saturday night - come to that, any night at all. Perhaps enough of us could block the car park and stop the boy racers in their tracks - and highlight the inconsistency of the council's approach to these matters, and in their definition of a 'problem'. Peaceful, tidy campers wanting a quiet night? Ban 'em. Noisy gits in bangers? erm... we'll look into it...

Room for 50 easily. Pubs and take-aways nearby!

Power to the people, eh? And a decent, quiet night's sleep! :wacko:

 

[Byronic]

It seems as though the Authorities are trying to clamp down on illegal overnight
camping but only have the bottle to pick on the lone Camper Van.

We should do like some other Camping Fraternity that turn up en-bloc where the
aforesaid Council need to apply for a Court Order to get rid. This can take up to
10 years or so it seems in the news.

I pay all my taxes for the car. camper and house and feel that it is my right to
stay the odd night in a place that does not cause offence or annoyance.

We are not Dogging: Racing around; Ghetto Blasting; Littering; just chilling
out with perhaps a Burger or nice Rib Eye, a glass of wine or pint of beer.

Then people ask me why I want to emigrate to NZ (Not Utopia I know)[QUOTE}


And that is part of the problem, we are stigmatised by our perceived association with as you put it the "Alternative Camping Fraternity". This gives Mr. and Mrs. Offended and Annoyed all the excuses they need to complain to the Authorities, and the greedier CL/Campsite owners all the excuses they need to try and force you into their sites and charge like raging bulls. The fact that Motorcaravanning has become much more popular in recent years has meant that there's a lot more wildcamping for Mr.&Mrs.O&A to get worked up about. In recent years even in NZ, there has been some backlash against wildcamping ie more popularity + more wildcamping= more offence and annoyance.

Some years ago when I left NZ the £ was worth NZ$3.50 now it's worth about NZ$2.00..... now that really Offends and Annoys me when I return for a holiday!

 

[Rubbertramp]

Hear hear! Coincidentally, I had a visit from the police and the local council Parking Enforcement Officer today regarding my complaints about the boy racers who congregate opposite here EVERY NIGHT, who make loads of noise and mess EVERY NIGHT and who disturb people's evening/sleeping EVERY NIGHT. I was assured that things were being done, but that the main solution - putting a barrier up at the car park - will not happen as it is uneconomic, and penalises other car park users. Ha ha... cue my spiel about how the complaint of ONE local resident can lead to the recent prohibition of motorhomes overnighting at a local quiet spot. They admitted it seemed like an unfair approach, but said that the motorhome 'problem' was far easier to deal with, whereas the boy racer issue is more complex. Que?

I'd like to extend an open invitation to all site members (particularly to any, like me, who've been affected by the Marine Crescent prohibition) to Neptune Car Park, Herne Bay on any Friday or Saturday night - come to that, any night at all. Perhaps enough of us could block the car park and stop the boy racers in their tracks - and highlight the inconsistency of the council's approach to these matters, and in their definition of a 'problem'. Peaceful, tidy campers wanting a quiet night? Ban 'em. Noisy gits in bangers? erm... we'll look into it...

Room for 50 easily. Pubs and take-aways nearby!

Power to the people, eh? And a decent, quiet night's sleep! :wacko:

If you can name a date in December or January Tom....I'll be there....Damned good idea.
I've been following your adventures with western "civilisation" and think you deserve as much support as you can get. :idea: In fact there is a thread where a Christmas meet is being discussed and no-one can seem to agree on a venue......Two birds with one stone?

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums...-meetup-xmas-party-somewhere-central-ish.html

 

[jogguk]

Are some CLs losing the plot? Well, it all depends on whether there are enough idiots out there willing to pay these ridculous prices and the answer to that is often "yes". We are currently in Cornwall and there are plenty of private caravan sites doing very good deals in the off-season - for example, £6.50 per night inc EHC and heated shower room/hot water washing up and laundry facilities etc - yet just dowen the road from these you can find CLs that charge £10 or £15 per night for a space in a field and those CLs are often full. There's nowt so queer as folk and as long as it doesn't affect the bargains available elsewhere then let the fools be parted from their money, I say.

Yeh, You got to look around, I found two good farm sites in Cornwall only £5 per person, dogs free, free hot showers (oldish but very clean) and fantastic views. Did struggle getting close enough to the CDP to empty my tanks though, which was why on a site:lol-053: Called: Pennycrocker Farm just outside Boscastle.,lots of space pup tents free also, highly recommend:wave: Hate to think what the CC site would have cost Between Tintagel and Boscatle.

John

 

[forbern]

The Deepings caravan park. Market Deeping


We have just spent two nights here. being seniors, and going mid-week, we got it for £6 per night!!! including electric, water clean toilets, and showers. Disposal points. The site is clean, well kept, and welcoming. We shall stay there agin if we are in the area.:bow:

 

[MartianTom]

If you can name a date in December or January Tom....I'll be there....Damned good idea.
I've been following your adventures with western "civilisation" and think you deserve as much support as you can get. :idea: In fact there is a thread where a Christmas meet is being discussed and no-one can seem to agree on a venue......Two birds with one stone?

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums...-meetup-xmas-party-somewhere-central-ish.html

Thanks, mate. Anytime at all, really. The banger-boys are there every night. It's funny, but there was a 37-footer parked up there the other night, slap bang in the middle of the car park, and they didn't know what to make of it. It was such a pain for them, because it was in their favourite doughnut-spinning area!

I'll post Jules a link. Xmas would be great. Cheers.

 

[Deleted member 2636]

I belong to the C&CC and have stayed on some top notch sites with full facilities for £12 a night - but then there's only me!

I've had sites quote £28 per night for one person! Dream on...

The site I went to in Southwold wanted £15 a night, without EHU. No point in my spending that money for nothing, so I spent a couple of nights in side-roads near the pier (loos) for free and didn't have a problem.

My bold - you were lucky that the "thought" Police didn't spot you. Southwold is deader than a dead thing these days during the Winter as is Aldeburgh. The "wild campers" really didn't cause any problems and did bring a small amount of extra income into the towns.

 

[MartianTom]

My bold - you were lucky that the "thought" Police didn't spot you. Southwold is deader than a dead thing these days during the Winter as is Aldeburgh. The "wild campers" really didn't cause any problems and did bring a small amount of extra income into the towns.

Well, the other funny thing was that one or two of the locals I spoke to basically said 'Good luck to you.' I also noticed a few MHs overnighting in a car park along the harbour road where there were prohibition signs. People may not agree with me, but I don't think that sets a good example. It was kind of like a blatant defiance, which is the kind of thing that gets people's goat - especially in a conservative town like Southwold. I parked inconspicuously, in quiet side streets. I always try to choose spots, too, that are shielded by hedges, trees or walls (i.e. not bang in the centre of someone's window view).

The other thing is... just because a motorhome or camper is parked in a side road, it doesn't mean there's anyone living/sleeping in it. Plenty of people I know park theirs on the road outside their house because they don't have a garage or driveway. I think there's a double standard in operation in the heads of these 'thought' police. It's ok to PARK your vehicle overnight - just not ok to BE INSIDE it overnight. Aesthetically, motorhomes and campers look a lot nicer than many of the other agressive, macho monsters people drive around in - yet they can park where they like, when they like, and no one takes a blind bit of notice. The average family saloon nowadays wouldn't have looked out of place in a war zone a few years ago!

 

[Northerner]

I just saw the CL site Woodhouse Farm in Powys featured in MMM magazine recently:

Check out the spec:

Facilities: Chemical Loo disposal point and water only

Prices: £18.00 inc EHU and two adults. Children £2.50 extra each, Dogs £2.50 extra each

They must be having a laugh here. A lone camper with two dogs is going to pay £23.00 a night for a patch of grass in a field. No toilets, no showers, zilch. What makes me laugh even more is that this was a featured review site in MMM :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:Surely they would feature sites which are likely to be of interest. I can't imagine many would be interested at these prices!!

Someone hasn't been reading an article properly or MMM has got it totally wrong. Woodhouse Farm is not a Caravan Club CL, it is a Camping and Caravan Club CS. Its prices appear at first glance to be on the high side, but only if you need electricity. I suspect that the owner may have had people taking the mick, as many do, by leaving heaters etc. on all day on the presumption that "I've paid for it so I'm going to use it".

Its prices for the main season from March to October are actually £13 per night including EHU and two adults. If you do not require EHU the charge is reduced to £8 per night - hardly the rip off being implied in the original post.

Oddly, for the winter season, the prices rise slightly, being £18 per night including EHU but if no EHU is required there is a huge drop of £9 leaving a total of the same amount.

The main anomaly of this site is the extra cost of EHU but I can understand why, in winter, it is much higher than in summer and energy costs have risen enormously over the last year.

The site looks lovely and I for one do not think that £8 a night from March to October is unreasonable.

It has a website for anyone doubting my figures: Camping Mid Wales. Woodhouse Farm's Camping and Caravanning Club Certificated Site.