Cumbrian Coast to welcome motorhomes

barge1914

Full Member
Posts
1,927
Likes
3,271
I’ve been up to my ears on this one. Back in October CAMpRA prepared a report Cumbrian Coastal Tour for motorhomes. I’ve been in touch with the authorities in Cumbria ever since. I joined a zoom meeting on Friday with Cumbria Tourism, Lake District National Park, Copeland and Allerdale Councils.

They are establishing such a touring route, trying to get council car parks to accept motorhomes overnight, trying to encourage local businesses, pubs, sports clubs, village halls etc. to accommodate motorhomes.

They see this as compatible with the desire to attract motorhome tourists and spread out the problematic over-concentration in the Central Lakes across more parts of Cumbria, and to stimulate growth in the often neglected coastal area. (Except South Lakeland DC who really don’t seem to like us).

I saw today that LDNP are proposing a webinar in a week or two to encourage farmers to set up pop-up campsites this year to help absorb the deluge of campers they are expecting.

Pity so few other areas are being so positive.

Anyway, one reason for posting this here is to say CAMpRA could do with some more active members in North West England as it is one of the most under-represented parts of the country in our membership. Despite it being one of the most receptive areas to what we are trying to achieve. There’s much to do here, but as yet only one person doing it...me...and I don’t even live in the NW (but I did once upon a time).
If you feel you can help please make contact.

We also have proposed touring routes linking Cumbria and Northumbria, and up the West Pennines.

The main object of these tours is not an end in their own right, they give a framework to give councils a raison d’etre for provision of Moho facilities. The Tours being a marketable Tourism product they can see benefits for themselves that they don’t always see when presented with random requests for Aires for what some perceive to be motorised vagrants.

A perhaps hidden agenda is that by concentrating on main areas our quiet remote Wildcamping hidey-holes may get left alone.
 
Whilst not being a member of CAMpRA I have independently approached my local authority, Barrow in Furness, and forwarded links from the CAMpRA resource library. I’ve also contacted two local organisations on Walney, where I live, and had a negative from one and no response from the other.

This post has, I think, made my mind up to get more involved and join the forum.

Cheers

H
 
Whilst not being a member of CAMpRA I have independently approached my local authority, Barrow in Furness, and forwarded links from the CAMpRA resource library. I’ve also contacted two local organisations on Walney, where I live, and had a negative from one and no response from the other.

This post has, I think, made my mind up to get more involved and join the forum.

Cheers

H
Pity you haven’t had more response from Barrow. Deputy leader of the Council Lee Roberts is definitely on side. And has a lady working on finding places, both Council Car parks and local pubs and other small businesses for Mohos to stay. Including on Walney.
 
We are members of Campra Ian, if we can help we are here.
Hi Ral. Good to hear from you. I’m afraid I’ve been a bit quiet on here for a while, been more or less full time on CAMpRA stuff for the last 4 months. Been getting hardly any support from NW members, so delighted to hear from you. Are you on the CAMpRA forum? If not do register. Have a look on the website under documents. You’ll find report on the Cumbrian Coastal Tour (and Northern Link and West Pennine Tours as well). In the itinerary are lots of small businesses I’ve emailed about setting up Aires, more than I can chase up. If you want to get involved in any way send me a PM. A lot to do but some needs keeping under wraps for a while.
 
I read that the Government are pushing councils to relax planning rules to provide safe space for staycationers and allow farmer's to open space for campers.
That’s quite true. Their actual guidance to councils concerns them not enforcing seasonal limitations on campsite opening. Unfortunately that does nothing for peak season capacity which is the main problem. Some councils such as High Peak give a wider interpretation and say they won’t enforce against them exceeding their permitted capacity, but unless gov actually adds this to their guidance I doubt many sites will stick their necks out.
I had a discussion today with Lake District Farming Officer. I’m told they are only pursuing pop-up sites for tents. Unfortunately NFU insurance only covers tents, and they lose their grant subsidies for any land used by caravans and motorhomes, whereas 30 tents is ok.
I doubt they’ll do much for the impecunious young people, students, young couples, unemployed etc who were parking on the verges, car parks and in the woods. The farmers are expecting to be able to charge £30 per night per tent, because of the demand they say they can get away with it.
 
Pity you haven’t had more response from Barrow. Deputy leader of the Council Lee Roberts is definitely on side. And has a lady working on finding places, both Council Car parks and local pubs and other small businesses for Mohos to stay. Including on Walney.

Yes, I think the lass is called Daisy Nichol. I’ve exchanged a couple of emails with her concerning this stuff. I’d love to think Barrow-In-Furness would waken up to the opportunity it is sitting on. We’ve had height barriers and boulders placed in a couple of places on Walney and we’ve lost access to the north end beach above Earnse Bay after the road washed out last winter.

I’ll get going again and see what’s moving, or not.

Cheers

H
 
Extra motorhome places may be needed even more in the Lakes, especially around Keswick if it is true. The CCC insists on a minimum stay of 5 nights on their Club Sites. OK for Caravans I suppose. Someone reckons this is not new in high season in the Lakes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2cv
Yes, I think the lass is called Daisy Nichol. I’ve exchanged a couple of emails with her concerning this stuff. I’d love to think Barrow-In-Furness would waken up to the opportunity it is sitting on. We’ve had height barriers and boulders placed in a couple of places on Walney and we’ve lost access to the north end beach above Earnse Bay after the road washed out last winter.

I’ll get going again and see what’s moving, or not.

Cheers

H
Does well to compare notes. I’ve not come across Daisy. Sandra Baines is the lady delegated with coordinating Barrow’s efforts. She’s trying to set something up on Walney, with services too, if they can find a suitable spot for them.
 
Extra motorhome places may be needed even more in the Lakes, especially around Keswick if it is true. The CCC insists on a minimum stay of 5 nights on their Club Sites. OK for Caravans I suppose. Someone reckons this is not new in high season in the Lakes.
More spaces for mohos needed, but I doubt they will provide them. LDNP is concentrating on dispersal to less crowded areas.
 

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top