Best club

Harrytherid

Harrytherid

Full Member
Posts
391
Likes
386
What is the best club to belong to for an inveterate wild camper? I have quit subscribing to caravan and motorhome club and wish to join another with more enlightened views on wild camping.
 
Depends what you want from a club.

Best for me could be worst for you.
 
Strictly wild. Never had a significant problem doing it but when in CMC I tried to get into the Baltic wharf Site at Bristol well off season but was sent away as full and would not let me fill and empty as would not "encourage wild camping" but was told of a good spot to wild camp by the warden. Talk bout double standards. Fortunately I found the water I wanted at Cribbs Causeway. However the club did have useful special offers for equipment, ferries etc. and my current insurers insist on club membership to get the best price, can't imagine why but there you are; and a nice magazine, printed or on line.
 
C&CC as they have some sites where you can use all the facilities for a small fee to empty waste, have a shower, do laundry etc. I like their sites as well when not wilding and the THSs and DA meets are good value.
CaMC are anti-wildcamping but they do have a lot more CL sites around so can be handy if a site is needed.
I belong to both but if I had to drop one it would be CaMC.
I've been trying for years to get a pitch at Baltic Wharf but it's always full.
 
We have been with the motorcaravaners club for well over
25 years and have been satisfied with the facilities.

Dezi. :giggle:
 
We belong to both clubs because it gives us maximum flexibility. For example, we have just returned home (s Wales) from a trip to Orkney. On the trip we used CAMC, C&CC for a service stop, pub stops, Wilding, a motorcaravanners club CS, even a new CAMPRA aire ie whatever suited our needs at the time.
Nearer home, we have a favourite location which offers THSs in the summer and CAMC in the winter. (Guess where)

BTW, CAMC are stuffy but they do have the best showers - no push buttons.

So, to answer the OP, it's all down to individual needs. We'll stick with both big clubs for now.
 
The double members must have money to burn, we don't. Someone a few months ago came up with a club that was to do with wild campers I think but I can not find the notes I kept on it. Maybe I will remember where soon enough.
 
I think unless you are actually going to stay on any sites I'd save your money, we have 100% wild camped since 2006 with no problems getting water or emptying the loo, I would happily pay a reasonable fee to make use of campsite facilities though if some sort of scheme was available.

I'm sure a couple of years ago I saw a list of sites which allowed none residents to use them but I don't recall where that was.
 
I recently spent three nights at the caravan and motorhomes Garlieston site. This was our last stop over of a trip lasting 3 weeks. Previously we had stayed at three CCC sites including Braithwaite Village in the Lake District which was the best site I have ever stayed in to date, and two independent sites.
Anyway I went to the office to pay for my three nights with a figure in mind. When I got there the figure was £3 more. I asked why the difference and was told there was a £1 per night surcharge for EHU. I asked do you have any non EHU pitches on this site, I was told that all pitches come with EHU.
I pointed out I have a two solar panels, two batteries and offered not to plug into the EHU. I was told that was not an option.
So I paid the amount requested only to note there was no mention of this surcharge in my receipt. I asked why is this not itemised separately only to be told its not their policy to do so. So when fuel prices drop will they remove this £1 charge, I very much doubt it.
So they don’t have any pitches without EHU, you are forced to use their EHU and they do what no one else had done charge extra for the privilege.
What about folk with diesel only combi boilers, they heat their vans and their water with their own diesel.
So to answer the question who are the better of the two clubs, well it’s not the C&MC, that’s for sure.
I have absolutely no time for them, but my wife likes their sites.:mad:
 
peejay said:
CCClub do a 'service stop-off' scheme where you can fill up, dump waste and have a shower but its £7.65 :unsure:

Service Stop-Off Points - The Camping and Caravanning Club

For just £7.65, Camping and Caravanning Club members can stop-off and use on-site facilities at a limited number of Club Sites without a booking. Find the list of eligible campsites here.
www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

Pete
Click to expand...
Thanks Pete, a bit more than I thought but still not too bad once a week maybe.

Uploaded as an icon on my telling bone for future use.
 
Harrytherid said:
The double members must have money to burn, we don't. Someone a few months ago came up with a club that was to do with wild campers I think but I can not find the notes I kept on it. Maybe I will remember where soon enough.
Click to expand...
Money to burn?
Well for us in the know there are quite a few advantages of being a member of both clubs. Far cheaper ferry cost, discounts in many shops (Go outdoors for one) discounts on visitor attractions etc. Also stayed on some lovely sites for just £10 a night with a toilet and hot shower.
Many places in Wales you would struggle to find a wild camp (Pembrokeshire, Snowdonia) but many CL's and CS's. I really can't see the point in driving 30 miles out or your way just to find a 'free ' wild camp site and spend £10 in fuel to pass many sites payed site for just £10 a night
So money to burn? Absolutely not, in fact the contrary.
 
Harrytherid said:
Strictly wild. Never had a significant problem doing it but when in CMC I tried to get into the Baltic wharf Site at Bristol well off season but was sent away as full and would not let me fill and empty as would not "encourage wild camping" but was told of a good spot to wild camp by the warden. Talk bout double standards. Fortunately I found the water I wanted at Cribbs Causeway. However the club did have useful special offers for equipment, ferries etc. and my current insurers insist on club membership to get the best price, can't imagine why but there you are; and a nice magazine, printed or on line.
Click to expand...
As others have mentioned, the Camping and Caravanning Club permit 'service stop offs' as some of their sites (currently 51 nationwide). For about £8, you can use most of the facilities for up to three hours -- more than long enough to pump and dump and take a shower. Both the CCC and CMC have networks of certified sites/locations that can provide somewhere to stay in anti-motorhome regions (like the Lake District and Cornwall) -- although with prices around £20, many aren't cheap. The rules of this site don't permit me to explicitly mention a 'competing' service that (for an annual fee) provide a list of businesses that have signed up to their scheme and are happy for you to overnight with no strings attached.
 
welshbeekeeper said:
Money to burn?
Well for us in the know there are quite a few advantages of being a member of both clubs. Far cheaper ferry cost, discounts in many shops (Go outdoors for one) discounts on visitor attractions etc. Also stayed on some lovely sites for just £10 a night with a toilet and hot shower.
Many places in Wales you would struggle to find a wild camp (Pembrokeshire, Snowdonia) but many CL's and CS's. I really can't see the point in driving 30 miles out or your way just to find a 'free ' wild camp site and spend £10 in fuel to pass many sites payed site for just £10 a night
So money to burn? Absolutely not, in fact the contrary.
Click to expand...
I suppose it depends on what you want from a wild camping place but Wales for us is really good, certainly no worse than England, not as good as Scotland though, we do need to go there more often but I hate driving on busy roads, so we normally head north, and we always drive past sites, not on cost grounds but on ve vant to be alone..

These are just the ones on maps.me, I do have more on the TomTom.

Screenshot_20220629-111358_MAPSME.jpg
 
Fisherman said:
I recently spent three nights at the caravan and motorhomes Garlieston site. This was our last stop over of a trip lasting 3 weeks. Previously we had stayed at three CCC sites including Braithwaite Village in the Lake District which was the best site I have ever stayed in to date, and two independent sites.
Anyway I went to the office to pay for my three nights with a figure in mind. When I got there the figure was £3 more. I asked why the difference and was told there was a £1 per night surcharge for EHU. I asked do you have any non EHU pitches on this site, I was told that all pitches come with EHU.
I pointed out I have a two solar panels, two batteries and offered not to plug into the EHU. I was told that was not an option.
So I paid the amount requested only to note there was no mention of this surcharge in my receipt. I asked why is this not itemised separately only to be told its not their policy to do so. So when fuel prices drop will they remove this £1 charge, I very much doubt it.
So they don’t have any pitches without EHU, you are forced to use their EHU and they do what no one else had done charge extra for the privilege.
What about folk with diesel only combi boilers, they heat their vans and their water with their own diesel.
So to answer the question who are the better of the two clubs, well it’s not the C&MC, that’s for sure.
I have absolutely no time for them, but my wife likes their sites.:mad:
Click to expand...
We stayed at the same site last week (the club site that is, not the CL behind it) because SWMBO had some laundry to catch up on. I had booked online 2 days before and the price quoted was as listed on their website and was the price we paid. No mention on a surcharge.

BTW isn't Garlieston a lovely place - a real backwater. The pub does stopovers too.
 
Rejoined the caravan and motorhome club last september purley for the CLs which suit us perfectly. Been away a month now and exclusively used the CL network. Brilliant. Cheap as chips also if you check out the none EHU sites.
 
number14 said:
We stayed at the same site last week (the club site that is, not the CL behind it) because SWMBO had some laundry to catch up on. I had booked online 2 days before and the price quoted was as listed on their website and was the price we paid. No mention on a surcharge.

BTW isn't Garlieston a lovely place - a real backwater. The pub does stopovers too.
Click to expand...
Yes that’s because you booked only two days before. I had booked in February prior to this supplement being applied. What annoyed me is they claim to be making a loss from EHU due to the cost of leccy. Well I offered not to use it for a reduced price and they would not agree. Also most of their sites have no or few non EHU pitches unlike the CCC who have them on all of their sites. No other sites applied this levy. If they are charging a levy it should be clearly shown on the receipt not hidden out of view. Yes Galveston itself was lovely and the local pub excellent And I noted they do stop overs when inside for a coffee.
 
peejay said:
CCClub do a 'service stop-off' scheme where you can fill up, dump waste and have a shower but its £7.65 :unsure:

Service Stop-Off Points - The Camping and Caravanning Club

For just £7.65, Camping and Caravanning Club members can stop-off and use on-site facilities at a limited number of Club Sites without a booking. Find the list of eligible campsites here.
www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

Pete
Click to expand...
This is only available to CCC members. I used this prior to covid and had to show my card.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top