Do you prebook CLs/CS or just turn up? (1 Viewer)

Stagman

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Hello All
We will be touring the south west from the 2nd week in June and want to try to keep costs down as much as possible. This will mean minimising CC and CCC overnights (even though we are members of both clubs) and instead looking for wild camp opportunities and CLs and CS sites.
Our only experience of trying to book one of these was in sussex and the lady was very snotty as we only wanted one night in the school holidays.
We wondered if anyone here finds they can just ring ahead during the day and secure a site or if you really need to book well ahead. We plan to tour until the schools break up and then head home.
We have found a number of car parks to overnight in but not enough.
We would like to support the small sites but if they are going to be like that lady then we won't.

Many thanks in advance
 

scotjimland

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We wondered if anyone here finds they can just ring ahead during the day and secure a site or if you really need to book well ahead. We plan to tour until the schools break up and then head home.

Bit of both.. if we know where we are going I like to book ahead.. Never had an issue with booking one or two nights.. otherwise we phone ahead on the day.. but often as not the 'farmer' is out working so you only get an answering machine.. so it's just turn up and hope for the best..

CLs without EHU are the best bet.. they are seldom full.. and usually much cheaper.. and often cheaper than 24hr car parks.. (which I don't use )
 

GJH

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we are members of both clubs
As an alternative why not try what we do and look at the availability of rallies and (especially) THSs in the area you are going to. Last year we had 3 weeks in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk using C&CC THSs and 4 weeks in Stow on the Wold/Ross on Wye/Monmouth/Bath/Bristol/Great Malvern/Hereford using C&CC and MCC rallies and THSs. None of them needed to be booked in advance.

We tend to use such sites mainly but when we do use CLs normally book in advance. It all depends though - the last one we used (Bourton in the Water FC) doesn't have advance booking.

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SandraL

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We have found a few 5 van sites locked with combination padlock. A phone call usually gives us the number. We try to ring in advance as if owner not answering phone or living on site we would be unable to gain access. This is the minority of sites though. Other reason to ring is to check there is space and what are ground conditions, especially if it has been wet recently.
 

CWH

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As you're able to wildcamp and looking at one-night-stands, don't forget about BritStops - they can be very useful! (Unusual to get EHU but often have fresh water, grey dump, and sometimes they offer a loo where you can empty the black waste. Occasionally they have 'all' facilities.)

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John & Joan

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For the first time, we have twice found this year the CL or CS we wanted to go to, was fully booked and couldn't take us. Some want payment in advance now, also due to the number of no shows.
 

laneside

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If you are members of the Camping and Caravan club then do as GJHbsays and look at the THS in the monthly magazine they really are brilliant. My avatar was taken at one near Oxford where we were parked in a deer park, they really are brilliant and always run by total enthusiasts
 
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I agree with @laneside and @GJH - we have just come back from 3 nights stay on a THS in beadnell. No hookup but fresh water and black waste emptying and a really brilliant location all for ÂŁ8.00 a night. Really friendly and helpful stewards too. You can find details of ones in the area you are looking at in the back of the C&CC magazine in their Out and About section.

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Stagman

Stagman

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I agree with @laneside and @GJH - we have just come back from 3 nights stay on a THS in beadnell. No hookup but fresh water and black waste emptying and a really brilliant location all for ÂŁ8.00 a night. Really friendly and helpful stewards too. You can find details of ones in the area you are looking at in the back of the C&CC magazine in their Out and About section.
Thanks. Yes we have put together a list of the THS but presumed they may be full by the time we decide we would be in that particular area. Some only put landline phone numbers indicating that once at the THS they would not be contactable.
We really want to be as free as possible to decide where to go and this worked well for us in Scotland but the sites were cheaper and of course the wildcamping plentiful.
 
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Stagman

Stagman

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As you're able to wildcamp and looking at one-night-stands, don't forget about BritStops - they can be very useful! (Unusual to get EHU but often have fresh water, grey dump, and sometimes they offer a loo where you can empty the black waste. Occasionally they have 'all' facilities.)
We didnt renew Britstops this year as found it was 95% of the time pubs. A couple we stayed at were very noisy late into the night plus we felt we should spend money there, even though we were not pressured to. A couple of pints and 2 glasses of wine and we are paying campsite prices.
 
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Stagman

Stagman

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We have found a few 5 van sites locked with combination padlock. A phone call usually gives us the number. We try to ring in advance as if owner not answering phone or living on site we would be unable to gain access. This is the minority of sites though. Other reason to ring is to check there is space and what are ground conditions, especially if it has been wet recently.
Yes happy to ring ahead that morning or afternoon before to check there would be space. Just dont want to be booking it all now and posting off cheques.

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Stagman

Stagman

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Bit of both.. if we know where we are going I like to book ahead.. Never had an issue with booking one or two nights.. otherwise we phone ahead on the day.. but often as not the 'farmer' is out working so you only get an answering machine.. so it's just turn up and hope for the best..

CLs without EHU are the best bet.. they are seldom full.. and usually much cheaper.. and often cheaper than 24hr car parks.. (which I don't use )
Cheers thats useful to know
 
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Stagman

Stagman

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As an alternative why not try what we do and look at the availability of rallies and (especially) THSs in the area you are going to. Last year we had 3 weeks in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk using C&CC THSs and 4 weeks in Stow on the Wold/Ross on Wye/Monmouth/Bath/Bristol/Great Malvern/Hereford using C&CC and MCC rallies and THSs. None of them needed to be booked in advance.

We tend to use such sites mainly but when we do use CLs normally book in advance. It all depends though - the last one we used (Bourton in the Water FC) doesn't have advance booking.
So you literally turned up at the gate then for the THS?
 

GJH

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Thanks. Yes we have put together a list of the THS but presumed they may be full by the time we decide we would be in that particular area. Some only put landline phone numbers indicating that once at the THS they would not be contactable.
We really want to be as free as possible to decide where to go and this worked well for us in Scotland but the sites were cheaper and of course the wildcamping plentiful.
We've only had a problem with a THS once, when we couldn't find a pitch that was level enough and on firm ground. We simply moved on to another THS.
Normally the ones that are at risk of becoming full have a mobile number and advise checking in their notes.
As you are going in June (i.e. outside school holidays) I should have thought you would be OK.
We are off to Parley Glade in about 3 weeks, intending to stop at Lower Brailes on the way down and Derbyshire on the way back to break the journeys and haven't even thought about booking :)
So you literally turned up at the gate then for the THS?
Just saw this post before clicking the button :) Yes, just turn up, receive a friendly welcome and pitch where advised by the stewards (y)

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Apr 9, 2015
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We didn't need to book in advance either - there was probably something in the region of 100 units there, with plenty of room for more. Also not everyone stays for the full duration of the THS so unless it specifies that you must book ahead - I wouldn't worry about it too much. They'd find a spot for you (y)
 
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Silly me, assumed THS were available only in peak/busy holiday periods for e.g. cheap family holidays.

We're also doing a similar trip to you @Stagman so very interested in this info.

I'll now go and review the C&CC magazine (y)

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CWH

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We didnt renew Britstops this year as found it was 95% of the time pubs. A couple we stayed at were very noisy late into the night plus we felt we should spend money there, even though we were not pressured to. A couple of pints and 2 glasses of wine and we are paying campsite prices.
I agree, most are pubs. But we've found a couple of nice ones - a craft centre and a farm shop - that nicely break up our (regular) journey from the north-east to the south-west. And there have been a few reviews on here of others in the SW - eg a vinery, a cider farm .....
 

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