What is considered expensive? (1 Viewer)

[Gordon-G]

hello again everyone. While still new at this and not quite up for wild camping yet, I was wondering what is the "average" price for an overnight pitch? My wife and I were planning a weekend away to join a couple of friends at a site in East Lothian in February, and when we looked at the price for a serviced pitch it was nearly a hundred pounds for three nights! in February! We stayed at Scone Palace in September and I'm sure it wasn't even half that. Is this expensive or am I just being overly thrifty?

 

[Janine]

Horses for courses, I'm afraid!

Serviced pitches are more expensive as they have water and drainage on each pitch. Do they not have just EHU pitches?

 

[Gordon-G]

Sorry that's what I meant, they do have 'premium' pitches which are even more expensive, the basic pitch has electric hook up :-o

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[Deleted member 29692]

Depends who you ask.

People who prefer to use things other than campsites might say that a tenner is scandalously expensive.

Dedicated campsite users and club members willl tell you 30 quid a night is becoming par for the course.

Either way if you think £100 for three nights is a lot it's probably best if you don't look at what a site somewhere like Lake Garda will cost you in the summer holidays

 

[hilldweller]

nearly a hundred pounds for three nights! in February!

That's pushing it.

You won't a better pitch than C&CC Bowness on Windermere and that just cost us £18 a night.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Britstops/pub stops are still our preferred option in the UK. We usually eat out when we're away so the money we spend in the pub would in all likelihood be spent anyway.

I think the best campsite in the country is Lyndon Top where a pitch for the night will cost you an eye watering £7

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[Derbyshire wanderer]

I agree that is a lot of money and generally we would only pay such fees if we wanted to be in the area in particular rather than the site facilities.
We travel with full water etc so often only use the site facilities for top ups and toilet emptying every three days. You are paying for many things that you will not use.
CL and CS sites will give much better value and most will have hook up, fresh water and black waste disposal as well a rubbish bins.
As for the wilding, we do it often as you will get some great spots and will have the saves night fees available for spending in the local area.
Many pubs will let you park for free if you are intending to have a few beers or some food and their car park will usually be covered by cctv to give you some piece of mind.
We have found quite a few harbours in little coastal villages that are safe and quiet.

 

[pappajohn]

Unfortunately, as long as folks are willing to pay the price then the owner will continue to charge it.
I certainly wouldn't pay it and there are other, cheaper, sites

 

[Langtoftlad]

Location location location.
Sometimes you have pay to be where you want to be...
However, when looking for a site, always keep in mind you have all the facilities you need onboard, so why pay twice?

Sometimes booking a site is easy but you'll pay for that convenience.

I'm fairly new to this but I'm not biased against any particular type of site/location. Commercial, club, cl, pubstop (my favorite) or layby.

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[Chris]

I think £100 for 3 nights is expensive for what you get in this country.

It's the way things are going though especially in some of the more popular club sites.

I used to like using the Chertsey C&C site but I can't always bring myself to pay what they want.

Yes I have paid much, much more in Spain in July/ August but at least there you get sun, sea, sand and sangria.

 

[WillH]

Location, facilities, season, bank holidays, it costs what it cost as long as people will pay it. If the camper won't pay then the campsite goes under or they reduce the price.

 

[Gordon-G]

The money isn't that much of an issue to be honest if it's a good site, although I don't think I'd pay any more than they are asking. We used to look at statics here thinking it was a nice place but having stayed in C&CC sites at half the price at a more hospitable time of year I just thought it was a bit steep.

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[Janine]

It is expensive by my standards, too. Is it a privately-owned site?

Folks like to moan about CC & C&CC sites but, on the whole, they are better value. When we were in Scotland last year, we were surprised to find that the local councils owned some pretty respectable sites but they weren't cheap!

 

[CWH]

What else does the site offer you for your money? - perhaps there are other facilities for free (or for a fee!) - I see one in the area has a bar, pool, children's play area etc

 

[laneside]

It really is taking the proverbial when a family can stay in a Travel Lodge for similar money.

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[Chris]

It really is taking the proverbial when a family can stay in a Travel Lodge for similar money.

Not for 3 nights I don't think.

 

[Chris]

When we are only going somewhere about 100 miles away for one night I often compare the cost of a site and diesel and travelling by car and staying at a hotel.

For one night the car/ hotel thing is usually cheaper.

 

[Gordon-G]

To be honest I haven't been there for a number of years and I understand the clubhouse that they had with a gym, bar and so on burned down a short time ago, they look like it's been rebuilt so maybe that's where the money is going?

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[EX51SSS]

Not for 3 nights I don't think.

If booked in advance, it is cheaper at travelodges but depending where one wants to go. Single nights when offers on from £19 per room.

 

[gus-lopez]

Not for 3 nights I don't think.

isn't it still 30 quid /night?

 

[EX51SSS]

isn't it still 30 quid /night?

And then some

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[Kool Kroozer]

Its why we tend to wild it, stayed on a site a couple of weeks ago - first one for ages - best part of £25, conditions were apalling, it was only when we left the next morning we discovered a nice little pull in drive into some woodlands which would have done the trick and saved some money... We have been so dissapointed with sites in this country its why we wild it, you pay for a pitch and dont know who you will be next to or who may come and pitch next to you, wilding it you can just move. You pays your money and takes the choice - i would rather keep me money an make me own choices ta !

 

[chaser]

We are currently in the sol e mar hotel, albufara b&b all you can eat, new bedclothes and towels every day, £25 aday for the two of us. Makes you think .

 

[Kingham]

I agree with all of the comments so far, but for me the most pertinent is from @Janine.. Horses for courses !

If you go away lots, then cheaper may be better, but if you only get away a few times a year, you may be able to afford more.

One of my favourite local(ish) sites is Link Removed, but at £50 per night peak, I would only go there once or twice a year for a few nights as a special treat.
There were always a few regulars, who obviously could afford paying those fees more regularly than me.

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[Stealaway]

when we looked at the price for a serviced pitch

Why do you feel the need for a camp site nevermind a serviced pitch. You have a motor home not a caravan.
In fact in my view, if you want to spend time on sites you don't want a motor home, a caravan would be so much better.
A motor home is fully loaded and designed to be fully independant from sites. All you need is a car park / layby and a supply of water / toilet waste once week - sorted!

 

[Gordon-G]

As I said in my original post we are meeting a couple of friends at this site. We are beginners at the motorhome thing and would like to take a while getting in to it, one of our pairs of friends will be in a touring caravan so a site is the option. I didn't know there was a "thing" about using a site, or did I get the wrong impression?

 

[Clarky]

Paid £92 for three nights in August as members on a CC site.
That was the same as we spent on aires for a month in France a few weeks before.

Richard.

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[Kingham]

....I didn't know there was a "thing" about using a site, or did I get the wrong impression?

We are all different and have different needs, but you have to expect when posting on an open forum, that there will be diverse answers, sometimes contrary to our own norms.
When the kids came away with us, we would head for big commercial sites, with swimming pools etc and would go back, year after year for them to meet up with their caravanning friends.
If me and the missus got away by ourselves for a few days, we would head for CLs or more exclusive sites.
When I get my new van in April and start solo touring, the only criteria will be for my dog to be welcome, so I may visit commercial sites, or CLs and CSs, or I may decide to follow @Stealaway and not mix with any of you lot

 

[Chris]

isn't it still 30 quid /night?

I don't think it is at weekends

 

[buttons]

isn't it still 30 quid /night?

I have stayed in a few but not yet found a night for thirty quid. The last time was one night a couple of weeks ago and thought 63 pounds was good without breakfast.