Camping and Caravanning Club (1 Viewer)

Bushtrekker

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A few weeks ago I asked for people's opinions of this and the Caravan Club and opinions seemed to be mixed. Last week we joined the C&CC at a temporary holiday site in Weymouth, so here are my thoughts which might help other new people to decide.

Membership costs £40 if you pay by direct debit and we stayed for four nights on the Weymouth site, then two nights at another THS at Burton Bradstock, which is still running if you are in the area. We found people friendly and helpful, willing to share information and not at all cliquey, although most were there with their own organisations.

Membership is reasonable, especially as our first four nights cost £7.25 per night and the other two £8.50 as we had an extra adult. This made a total of £46 for six nights, plus membership, so all together we paid £86 on a peak week when to use sites would have cost £28-30 per night.

The facilities were basic, just water, a chemical disposal point and a skip for rubbish, but that's all we wanted as we aren't into big noisy sites with clubs etc. It's not just a money saving exercise though, by leaving the motorhome on a site with others, we were able to catch the bus into Weymouth, knowing that it was safe and avoiding parking fees.

I was amazed at just how many of these temporary holiday sites there are around the Country and also discovered that Hendra, near Newquay, which cost us about £20 a night last time out, is on the list, with two rallies in September.

I'm not really a club person, but this is one worth joining, as they also now control the Forest Holidays sites.
 
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I can only second all that's been said. We have also used the DA meets for a stopover on the way somewhere, I live Kent and do a few here and often people stopover on the way for a channel crossing.
 

GJH

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We joined the C&CC in March last year and then opted to pay an extra £6 pa to join the Motor Caravan Section. We've been to several meets organised by the Northern Area MCS and to a couple of THSs organised by DAs and always been warmly welcomed. At some events it was obvious that many attendees were well known to each other and get together regularly but not once have we been treated as outsiders.

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Jul 1, 2010
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We also joined the C&CC MH section last year, did our first rallies at Beamish then Stanhope this year and can only echo your comments, very friendly welcoming group of like minded folks.


We joined the C&CC in March last year and then opted to pay an extra £6 pa to join the Motor Caravan Section. We've been to several meets organised by the Northern Area MCS and to a couple of THSs organised by DAs and always been warmly welcomed. At some events it was obvious that many attendees were well known to each other and get together regularly but not once have we been treated as outsiders.
 

JockandRita

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We like the "free and easy" idea of just turning up at these THS, unlike the CC where you have to pre-book for their rallies.

We just wish we had joined the C&CC years ago. :Doh:

Cheers,

Jock & Rita.
 

GJH

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We like the "free and easy" idea of just turning up at these THS, unlike the CC where you have to pre-book for their rallies.

We just wish we had joined the C&CC years ago. :Doh:

Cheers,

Jock & Rita.
Yes, we have been put off CC rallies for that reason as well.

We also joined the C&CC MH section last year, did our first rallies at Beamish then Stanhope this year and can only echo your comments, very friendly welcoming group of like minded folks.
We nearly went to Beamish but it clashed with something else. Catch you one day ::bigsmile:

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Bushtrekker

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We liked the informality.

I was expecting a regimented approach, istead of which we were made very welcome apart from the people next to us when we arrived. My vehicle is 19 feet long, so it's easy to judge 20 feet between units and I parked that distance away from a new Hymer, only to see Mrs 'Load of Money' shoot over to the organisers tent, then come back looking p****d off, at which point my daughter asked if there was a problem, to be asked if we would mind parking farther away.

The following day I spoke to the organisers, who told me that they were happy with my original parking and that the couple had turned up a day early and the farmer had allowed them to stay in the yard until the site was ready the following day.

I'm not anti social and don't start my engine until I can see most people are up, but I have to admit I did a quick circuit round theie MH when leaving to wake them up at 10am::bigsmile:
 

Jaws

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After our god awful experiences with the CC we fought shy of venturing any further in to any sort of national club for several years

As there was a pos we would be 'doing' Scotland this year Woman and I thought and talked long and hard and decided to give the CCC a go..

All I can say is, for every terrible, off putting, downright miserable events ( oft caused by a pathetic lack of basic human skills by those employed by the CC ) we were submitted to by the CC, the CCC has equalled in great service, common sense and, welll, basically 'being human'

We got back our joining fee ( effectively ) when we was given a big discount + £100 cash back on the motorhome insurance this year after quoting our membership number :thumb:
 

icantremember

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I was expecting a regimented approach, istead of which we were made very welcome apart from the people next to us when we arrived. My vehicle is 19 feet long, so it's easy to judge 20 feet between units and I parked that distance away from a new Hymer, only to see Mrs 'Load of Money' shoot over to the organisers tent, then come back looking p****d off, at which point my daughter asked if there was a problem, to be asked if we would mind parking farther away.

The following day I spoke to the organisers, who told me that they were happy with my original parking and that the couple had turned up a day early and the farmer had allowed them to stay in the yard until the site was ready the following day.

[HI]I'm not anti social and don't start my engine until I can see most people are up, but I have to admit I did a quick circuit round theie MH when leaving to wake them up at 10am[/HI]::bigsmile:

I recon they would have been prime candidates for a few slices of bread on their roof the previous evening......loads of gulls around there :winky:::bigsmile:

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mikebeaches

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Another C&CC supporter here! :thumb:

Like others, we think the informality of the rallies and the fact you can just turn up without pre-booking (at most) is excellent. And very good value too, especially during peak holiday periods.

Like the reductions for over 55s on club sites too.

Cheers, Mike
 

paulmold

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This year we joined the CC after a lapse of some 15 years during which we've been members of the C&CC (we still are) for the simple reason that it gives us a wider range of sites - there always seems to be a lack of C&CC sites in areas we want to go. When we were with the CC years ago we attended loads of rallies but always felt left out of the cliques. We've never rallied with the C&CC but have used the THS's a lot and we too love the fact that you can just turn up. As for site wardens/managers, we find the majority of C&CC are friendlier but we have come across the 'jobworths' on a few sites but at least they do seem to walk round the site and chat whereas the CC ones rarely are seen out of their offices except to mow the grass.
 

Janine

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We love the Folk Dance & Song Group meets with the C & CC.

We can play music all day and night surrounded by people who don't mind, perform and watch performers in the village hall next door every evening, enjoy an American Supper, and generally chew the fat with other musicians.

All for about £7.50 per night for two of us!

Biggest bonus though - most of the other musicians are at least 20 years older than us and call us the 'youngsters' :ROFLMAO:

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JockandRita

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We didn't join the C&CC until shortly after becoming MH'ers (previously tuggers for 16 years).
The idea was to increase the number of "safe havens" around the UK for overnighting, ie, CL/s, CS's as well as sites, as Rita isn't keen on "proper wild camping".
The THS came as a welcome bonus, which we knew nothing about until we joined.

I feel that the CC is more caravan biased, whereas the C&CC seem to cater for all.

BTW, the CC wardens at Craigie Gardens site in Ayr, have removed the fresh filler hose at the MH point...............and now sell 2 x different lengths of food grade hose with connector, to fill up with. Crafty bu##ers. :winky:

Cheers,

Jock.
 

movan

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Agree with all the praise. I intend to use it a lot more in the future. My motorhome insurance was also a very competitive quote from them... :Smile:
 

Loujess

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We have just joined the C&CC after dropping out of the CC, but, I must say, I don't find the site book as user friendly as the CC book. Do I just need more practice? We need a site near London Road, Carlisle, on Thursday but might just wild camp near the cattle market. Any suggestions? Polite of course. :roflmto:
Ivy

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We rally with the Devon and Cornwall M H S , Great bunch of people:thumb:

Also used to Rally with the D&C CC , we had an 89 G Reg Pilote then, got a feeling we werent all that welcome at times, with such an old Vehicle. But Hey Ho!

We also like the fact you can just turn up, used it a lot for the Tamar DA meets
Never been to Hendra tho it's only 8 miles up the road from us.
 

2dogs

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Question on c&cc listed sites,
do you get a reduction in normal site fees if a member?

Cheers
2dogs

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Jul 1, 2010
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Yes, we have been put off CC rallies for that reason as well.


We nearly went to Beamish but it clashed with something else. Catch you one day ::bigsmile:

Look forward to it Graham, if they do Beamish again I'd thoroughly recommend it, brilliant venue with acres of room, discount on admission and for meals at local pub the Shepherd and Shepherdess a leisurely 5 minute walk away. :thumb::thumb:
 

mikebeaches

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Question on c&cc listed sites,
do you get a reduction in normal site fees if a member?

Cheers
2dogs

By 'listed', I assume you mean - not C&CC's own sites, but other commercial sites that are described as 'listed'.

If that's the case, then I believe the answer is no... unless anybody knows different.

Mike
 

FULL TIMER

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I have to say that I prefer the C&CC had a nasty experience once in Hunstanton, I was delivering leaflets in the area in connection with the motorcaravan/caravan trade and saw a caravan club meet going on so pulled over and started handing leaflets out within 2 -3 minutes a right jobsworth ran over and turfed me of the site. It's not as if I wasn't a member either, I have been a member of both for years mainly for the caravan insurance when we had that but also for the CL / CS sites, never actually been to any rallies apart from the one mentioned above that was enough to put me off, never even stayed on a club site as they all seem to expensive for my needs. now we have the motorhome I will probaly not renew with the caravan club as we no longer need thier insurance, although the CL sites might be missed. At the moment I'am staying on a local C&CC certified site that my mate owns just outside Norwich and it suits us down to the ground even has a shower /toilet and free to use washing machine normal price inc hookup £10 per night very handy for me as I shoot and metal detect in the area

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billy

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We booked a week at the C&CC site at Winchcomb last week but the week before we were due to go i checked my booking and discovered i had booked a pitch without electric hookup.
I contacted the C&CC and pointed out my mistake i was told the site was fully booked and there were no pitches left with hookup.
The kind lady in the booking office contacted the site on my behalf and the wardens managed to find me a pitch with hookup.
When we arrived and booked in one of the wardens even filled my fresh water tank up for me.:thumb:
I can say all the staff were very friendly and helpfull.

The only problem we had it rained all week:cry:
 

GJH

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We have just joined the C&CC after dropping out of the CC, but, I must say, [HI]I don't find the site book as user friendly as the CC book.[/HI] Do I just need more practice? We need a site near London Road, Carlisle, on Thursday but might just wild camp near the cattle market. Any suggestions? Polite of course. :roflmto:
Ivy

I think it's just different, Ivy. Takes a bit of getting used to. The Out & About section of the monthly magazine is great though - much better than CC, especially as they now publish details of rallies only on-line (puts me off trying to book one even more than before).
 
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We have been members of both clubs for the best part of 20 years since the kids were young and we had either tents or folding campers. We have used cert and listed sites and never had any problems though we generally use the main club sites. We have come across some great site managers and teams - and been helped on more than one occasion by some, but like others who have replied to this interesting post, we have also met a few jobsworths. Which does beg the question: why volunteer to take up this sort of job if you don't like people!

Maybe some are frustrated traffic wardens......thankfully they are in the minority. Overall I like the guaranteed quality and condition of the sites in both clubs and yes, the online systems could be more user friendly, but my main criticism - which applies to the CC - is that they ought to apply an upfront deposit charge for all bookings; that would soon stop people block booking a full calendar of weekends and then not turning up. C & CC have always charged a booking deposit.::bigsmile:

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