The Luxury of a Campsite.

[antiquesam]

I've just spent a week wildcamping but turned up here at the Ravenglass C&CC site for three nights and what luxury to be sharing the facilities with four other units and being able to go for a day walking the Fells and be able to have a good shower, chuck the muddy kit into a washer and trot down the 400 yards to the dog friendly pub for a little R&R. The cost 11.20 quid a night. That beats paying good money to park in a car park to me.
I am a sinner and ask for forgiveness for this post.

 

[Obanboy666]

I've just spent a week wildcamping but turned up here at the Ravenglass C&CC site for three nights and what luxury to be sharing the facilities with four other units and being able to go for a day walking the Fells and be able to have a good shower, chuck the muddy kit into a washer and trot down the 400 yards to the dog friendly pub for a little R&R. The cost 11.20 quid a night. That beats paying good money to park in a car park to me.
I am a sinner and ask for forgiveness for this post.

Agree 100%, Especially Ravensglass out of season.
I noticed recently that the C&CC Eskdale site is now private and not part of the C&CC setup, that's 2 Cumbrian club sites they have lost as Troutbeck also went private last year.

 

[campervanannie]

I think most of us are closet campsite users I certainly use them as there are times like you say when needs must and it's great to pitch up and breath out and relax.

 

[Deleted member 9849]

I think most of us are closet campsite users I certainly use them as there are times like you say when needs must and it's great to pitch up and breath out and relax.

I too am a closet campsite user(good description)and I think most of us on here appreciate the comfort and luxury of a campsite.However there are times when it is great just to wild camp and have the facility to do so.That's why many members seek to achieve 12v electrical independence by fitting solar and huge leisure battery banks.

I must admit it's good to stop on a campsite periodically to sort out fresh/waste/black water and catch up with the laundry.

 

[campervanannie]

They are also useful when you want to just drink more than that one glass of wine or beer, Sue ( Daisymini ) and I when traveling together find a site when feel the need to have a lot more than the one glass lol

 

[Nesting Zombie]

I've just spent a week wildcamping but turned up here at the Ravenglass C&CC site for three nights and what luxury to be sharing the facilities with four other units and being able to go for a day walking the Fells and be able to have a good shower, chuck the muddy kit into a washer and trot down the 400 yards to the dog friendly pub for a little R&R. The cost 11.20 quid a night. That beats paying good money to park in a car park to me.
I am a sinner and ask for forgiveness for this post.

Hi ya,
Yep with you on that,
Its funny as I was talking to someone just last night about this, I am a Full time Livaboard that has taken the opportunity to travel in The Nest for around 2 years now, & I have used Camp sites for my 'Pit Stop Dump n Fill' Once every 15days (Say twice a month & budget around the £30 mark PCM for the convenience, Until recently) on average over this time, & I Make no secret of this. The cost I've found changes Dramatically Both Geographically & For the time of year But I have always thought its worthwhile & an 'Almost' necessary welcomed break, Doing this Often as (WakK44 says) gives the chance for a Bit of vehicle Maintenance & a Dam good clean, Catch up on Clothes Washing, Have Proper UN interrupted Rest & is a BRILLIANT opportunity to Meet up with Friends, & Some sites (like the one I'm on RIGHT NOW) has Entertainment Mainly in the form of watching other Site users Chase bits of there Awnings across the site in this Horrendous & Relentless Wind & Rain we are experiencing at the moment & slipping on the Sodden Grass as a result.

 

[Moonraker 2]

Good for you.
I have sung the praises of the c&cc on this site, often against the "bah humbug large vans in rows" brigade. Actually, I don't find the c&cc a friendly club and wrote a letter to the magazine to say so. I find that they are mainly the "we keep ourselves to ourselves" type.
However!
That does not mean the sites are not worth using....I like the club because you pay as a single user, not per unit. I get a senior discount and off season I get all those lovely facilities for a bit more than a car park fee. Some of the bigger sites you can park in the farthest field and feel like you are wild camping, with foxes, deer and all manor of wild animals coming around the site.
A good post, and please don't be a closet site user....be proud that you are smart enough to take advantage of what's available.

 

[Deleted member 5816]

Walk along the road at the site entrance about 3/4 mile or so is a Roman Bath House I have walked along there many times when it used to be called The Walls Caravan site many years ago
Its worth a visit to Muncaster Castle and a trip on Old Ratty.

Alf

I've just spent a week wildcamping but turned up here at the Ravenglass C&CC site for three nights and what luxury to be sharing the facilities with four other units and being able to go for a day walking the Fells and be able to have a good shower, chuck the muddy kit into a washer and trot down the 400 yards to the dog friendly pub for a little R&R. The cost 11.20 quid a night. That beats paying good money to park in a car park to me.
I am a sinner and ask for forgiveness for this post.

 

[Wooie1958]

Is Ravenglass C&CC still a franchise ( fairly young couple ) ? I remember they wanted £1 extra per night if you wanted TV hook up :mad2:

 

[Robmac]

Is Ravenglass C&CC still a franchise ( fairly young couple ) ? I remember they wanted £1 extra per night if you wanted TV hook up :mad2:

Carry on Camping - Pound! - YouTube

 

[malagaoth]

C&CC sites off season are a real bargain especially if you qualify for the 25% old persons discount although if the weather is bad you often have to pay for a hard stand and that means paying for electric which bumps up the cost.

I was a little peeved recently at Clitherow the weather had been horrible and the 'hard stands' (and I use the term very loosely) were almost ankle deep in mud - still had to pay the hard stand suppliment though! - new hard stands going in as I speak though

 

[antiquesam]

Walk along the road at the site entrance about 3/4 mile or so is a Roman Bath House I have walked along there many times when it used to be called The Walls Caravan site many years ago
Its worth a visit to Muncaster Castle and a trip on Old Ratty.

Alf

Unfortunately the train isn't working weekdays yet but I passed the Roman Baths on my way up Muncasterr Fell and down to Eskdale Green. At that point it would have been nice to get the train back rather than do the 5 mile hike.

 

[antiquesam]

Is Ravenglass C&CC still a franchise ( fairly young couple ) ? I remember they wanted £1 extra per night if you wanted TV hook up :mad2:

No it is run by the club. The couple running it retiring this year and have bought a Hymer to wildcamp.

 

[Channa]

And you are all answering the reasons councils don't see need for aires ...Just an observation you understand

Channa

 

[jann]

Luxury for me is using my own shower!!

 

[Nesting Zombie]

And you are all answering the reasons councils don't see need for aires ...Just an observation you understand

Channa

Hi ya Channa,

I don't think that using a Campsite once every 15 days or so is a reason for councils Not to see the need for Aries !. What about the other 14 Days or so !

 

[alcam]

Hi ya Channa,

I don't think that using a Campsite once every 15 days or so is a reason for councils Not to see the need for Aries !. What about the other 14 Days or so !

You are assuming that councils understand [or give a f**k] how many of us operate !

 

[Channa]

Hi ya Channa,

I don't think that using a Campsite once every 15 days or so is a reason for councils Not to see the need for Aries !. What about the other 14 Days or so !

Hi NZ by your own admission and others you use CL's or CS's ...Surely that sends to a council the message there is provision. ? Unless of course people are wanting to take advantage of that mystical word "free" ?.

Forgive me but I know of no local authority with a registered charity number ! When people say we are prepared to pay then the services are already there. ?


Under the current climate without getting involved with politics , It is pretty obvious to me Local Authority struggles to meet the needs of the local ratepayers cuts in every direction....So the notion a LA is going to provide a solution to which there already is one I would suggest is not going to happen. Even moreso when the majority of Wllders have the means to pay, and that means is already provided for by CL's etc...

Channa

 

[barryd]

I think we need to be honest why we dont like campsites and / or prefer wilding.

Ive thought about it and for me the reason to avoid campsites is this.

1. Cost
2. Rules and regs
3. Too many people (and especially kids)

Im not fussed about location as we have a scooter but the biggie for me is number 3 and number 1. One of the best and most laid back weeks we had in the van was on a campsite off the beaten track in the Dordogne. We just happened to come across it out on the bike. It was mid September and just a week or two before it closed. Had a huge swimming pool and its own lake. €11 ACSI so cheap as chips, totally laid back owner, no problem wearing shorts in the pool, park where you like and finally virtually no other guests apart from a couple of Brit Tuggers and a couple of Dutch motorhomes all of which we parked miles from.

Now that ticked all my boxes above so yeah, perfect. The same place in mid July or August I would imagine would have been hell on earth (for me).

Same reason I like CL's I guess. Never more than 5 vans, usually cheap and generally plenty of space or smaller out of the way quiet aires.

I guess what I am trying to say is wild spot, aire, CL or site if it fits the above criteria it doesnt really matter which.

 

[antiquesam]

Hi NZ by your own admission and others you use CL's or CS's ...Surely that sends to a council the message there is provision. ? Unless of course people are wanting to take advantage of that mystical word "free" ?.

Forgive me but I know of no local authority with a registered charity number ! When people say we are prepared to pay then the services are already there. ?


Under the current climate without getting involved with politics , It is pretty obvious to me Local Authority struggles to meet the needs of the local ratepayers cuts in every direction....So the notion a LA is going to provide a solution to which there already is one I would suggest is not going to happen. Even moreso when the majority of Wllders have the means to pay, and that means is already provided for by CL's etc...

Channa

As I said at the start. I am a sinner, certainly in your eyes, but I really don't care. We are all allowed a little luxury sometime and whatever we do won't change the attitude of LA's unless they see something in it for them or theirs.