campsite prices

[mikejay]

Not really been on a campsite for around 6 years as we wild camp but was looking to go to one over the christmas hols one with stuff for the kids to do and the adults can have a few drinks just as a relaxing treat but now i know why i stopped using sites they are like £20-£30 a night and thats in low season crazy think i will stick to wilding

Mike

 

[barryd]

Its shocking isnt it. CL's are a lot cheaper and you might get one near a pub. We are thinking of going to the Isle of Wight for Christmas as they do a ferry and campsite deal which seems good value. I cant decide though as I hate campsites generally.

 

[derekfaeberwick]

That's the thing, it's not the 'off' season. Christmas is a nice little earner for those who choose to open for it, and though it's not my scene, if I was to work Christmas I'd expect a very good return for my labours.

 

[mikejay]

Its shocking isnt it. CL's are a lot cheaper and you might get one near a pub. We are thinking of going to the Isle of Wight for Christmas as they do a ferry and campsite deal which seems good value. I cant decide though as I hate campsites generally.

yeah i was only looking at the big sites because its wet and cold now and would be nice for the kids if they had somewhere to go and play problem with cl's they have nothing for the kids dont get me wrong i hate the big sites and would rather be wildcamping somewhere but then i would have 2 lads fighting in the van

Mike

 

[bigboack]

2 lads fighting.

2 lads fighting, Reminds me when i took my 2 nephews away they started fighting so i threw them out in the rain, They came back in after 5mins and never fought agin for a week. If they had it would have been 10 mins before letting them in,

 

[Funnymunny]

I wish i could rent my house out for what they charge for a small patch of ground per night on some of these sites.
I think it is daylight robbery and wont pay that sort of money i much prefer to jump on a ferry and use French aires.

 

[mikejay]

Lol Bigboack they have had that done before i know what you mean Funnymunny prices are crazy no wonder i see so many vans wildcamping these days.

Mike

 

[ajs]

i hate the big sites and would rather be wildcamping somewhere
but then i would have 2 lads fighting in the van

Mike

drop em off on the motorway with a bag of marbles each...
pickem up on the way home

regards
aj

 

[bevo]

campsites

just booked a campsite for a week next june in torbay, £60! whew expensive or what

 

[Firefox]

My friends were charged £18 a night for 2 people and a small tent last August at a Caravan club site (no hook up). Needless to say I wildcamped in the access road in the van.

I hate the Caravan Club, they are real rip off merchants and so unfriendly too. They tacitly oppose things like aires and wildcamping facilities in order that they can rip more people off with their rubbish, unfriendly sites and extortionate charges. The only good thing about the CC is their CL sites which are better value, and nothing really to do with the CC, except the owners have used them to apply for a 5 pitch license.

 

[maingate]

Camping ripoff

This was taken at a Camping and Caravan Club Affiliated site in Scotland in August.

This private site had a big C & CC sign and had been passed as suitable by the Camping and Caravan Club.

There was no hookup with the tent (not like the vans and caravans) so I presume there would have been another charge on top for electricity.

Some motorhomers complain of a bias against them in favour of caravans. So where does that leave the tenters?

Well and truly at the bottom of the pile.

 

[Firefox]

Yep, some tenters have the little consumer units you can stake in the ground so might appreciate a hook up thrown in for those prices. I guess they think the tenters will make more use of the toilets and showers so jack up the prices.

The CC has always been very anti tents. At one time they didn't even allow motorhomes Now some of their sites have the little rip-off separate "tent fields" to milk the market as much as they can.

 

[John H]

I agree with all those who have complained about the rip-offs (especially the CC - apart from the CLs) but there are deals to be done if you search for them.

We spent two months this summer in Scotland and stayed at 6 sites inbetween wildcamping (the laundry needed doing!). In Aberdeenshire the County-owned sites are good value (we paid £9 per night including hook-up, showers etc - and the washing machine was £1) - and this was in July/August - the peak season. It is a couple of quid cheaper in the off-season. Similarly, on Skye we were charged £10 per night. The most expensive was one of the "cheaper" CC sites at Kinlochewe, where we reluctantly forked out £14 (I hate the bloody CC).

More recently, in October/November, we toured Cornwall and stayed at three sites which do good winter deals for stays of a week - £5 a night at Tregarton Park, £8 a night at Lower Polladras and £7 a night at Dolbeare (all with hook up, showers etc and all have their own websites).

Of course, I would rather be wildcamping or using the wonderful Aires system over the Channel but we really ought to see the grandchildren sometime. Happy travels.

 

[BedfordMJ]

Aberlady seems very family friendly £5 per child! I'm glad i've not got kids but if I had I would go elsewhere. For that price i'd want breakfast in bed and free ale.

 

[grasscutter]

I have no objection to site owners making a profit. This is the name of the game if you are in business. However I absolutely deplore the use of price per person and charging for infants. A pitch is a pitch is a pitch!!!!! What does it matter if there are two adults or two adults and two children. The cost of a few sheets of toilet paper and some hot water seems to come at a price.
Glad I got that off my chest.

 

[Tigatigatiger]

Yep, some tenters have the little consumer units you can stake in the ground so might appreciate a hook up thrown in for those prices. I guess they think the tenters will make more use of the toilets and showers so jack up the prices.

The CC has always been very anti tents. At one time they didn't even allow motorhomes Now some of their sites have the little rip-off separate "tent fields" to milk the market as much as they can.

My stepson sleeps in a "pup" tent on our pitch at CC sites, we don't pay anymore for that, seen loads of-mostly teenage boys doing the self same thing. At his age he needs his own space, plus we can't do with the mess or the smell.

 

[Deleted member 967]

The only good thing about the CC is their CL sites which are better value, and nothing really to do with the CC, except the owners have used them to apply for a 5 pitch license.

The CL owner is tied to a set of rules issued by the CC. One of which is that only members can use the site. This also applies to the C&CC network

This is not in the legislation but a club rule. They have to be inspected by site assessors at least once per year and some of these are real jobs-worths often doing spot inspections mid season to try to catch operators out. See the list published each month of sites that are no longer exempted the ones with CB behind are ones that have breached the clubs rules.

There are 8 other organisation able to issue exemptions for 5 van sites but the big two have a stranglehold and are consulted by DEFRA. Yes the big two will oppose anything that will effect their monopoly.

The Motor Caravaner's Club do not require membership to use their 5 van sites. DEFRA try to insist on members only when they issue a new group with a paragraph 5 exemption. They quote that it is a condition. Unless you know the Act and challenge them on the matter, as I have done for 2 of those clubs, they make applicants conform to standards laid down by the big two.

 

[urbtaf]

Does anyone else remember many years ago, when many sites just charged for the pitch! The only restriction I remember is a limit on the number of people, to stop 20 squeezing into a van and just paying for 1 pitch. Once you got your pitch you did what you wanted (within reason)
I gave up the caravan about 20 years ago when I called into a site in north yorkshire, Aug bank holiday weekend, cant remember the exact prices, but on entering the reception was informed the there was a 50% surcharge for the bank holiday, then that it was £1.50 a day for the dog +50%. I then told him my wife was driving up later to join us, his face lit up, thats an extra car then (dont remember how much) but no doubt +50%.
But what really did it was he asked if I wanted to rent a shower block key at £1 a day!! I remember my 6 year old daughter saying, as we walked back to the car "Im going to tell mummy that you used the naughty word"
Back in the 4WD legacy I drove through his little white and red sticks over his flower bed and still wanted to flatten his campsite sign, but Id calmed down a bit by then.
We spent a great night about 2 miles down the road on a grass verge near a pub. The kids thought it was a great adventure. Not been on a 'posh' site since, easier with a van than a caravan.
As had been said,the big clubs are driving the site business along some american maximise the profits line. But in the long run that sort of attitude could destroy the very thing that supports them.