Has golden age of motorhoming passed?

[activecampers]

Blimey!

Since 2005 we've had >2000 nights away in campervans, mostly in Europe, with some aires, some overnighting, some sites, lots of ACSI - and yes, a fair few campsites. Had some time in UK mostly at rallies, festivals and small sites, but deffo the minority. Most we've ever paid is £40 in peak season in peak places abroad - but most of the smaller sites or off peak £15-25.
We just need overnighting, don't really use facilities or entertainment. Just water/waste.

Looking at UK now for a few nights in July in UK- and finding prices are up to £60 a night!

Since when has that happened?! Have we been blinded to UK prices by going overseas?!

 

[xsparks]

I guess if they look at the price of a modern van you can probably afford whatever they charge.

 

[Quackers]

Use more of the 5 van type sites dotted around the country, no need to pay £60 a night.

 

[Figaro]

Supply and demand I suppose, plenty of sites in europe charge close to £100 pn for a prime waterside pitch in July / August.
I wouldn't pay it but some do

 

[BooBooKing]

Many CL's are charging between £25 and £30 a night this year-even for out of season. The days of cheap breaks are over!!

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[Two on Tour]

I nearly had heart failure when I had to pay 8€ in France last year !!!

 

[Quackers]

Many CL's are charging between £25 and £30 a night this year-even for out of season. The days of cheap breaks are over!!

Have a look on Searchforsites, plenty of good value Cls around. I know of one in Old Sodbury (Bristol/Bath) that charges no where near the prices you are quoting, and Funster friendly.

 

[pagey]

I think if I could not go to europe twice a year in the van a would give it up

 

[busbuddy]

July/august is silly season

 

[suavecarve]

Have a look on Searchforsites, plenty of good value Cls around. I know of one in Old Sodbury (Bristol/Bath) that charges no where near the prices you are quoting, and Funster friendly.

I ve stayed on one around there somewhere, had a huge field, THE best experience of getting rid of black water, really nice owners but the absolute peace and quiet was ruined in the middle of the night by the bleeding deer munching on the grass . Luckily the supply of fresh chicken, duck and goose eggs negated the munching deer but we did have to walk to one of the 2 nearby pubs which we noted were on a really extensive cycle network.



2 months and counting til we go again.

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[Simon Meadwell]

We have been looking for next weekend some prices for two nights over £70.

 

[Mikeco]

The Camping Club THS sites are not too bad, have booked the Exmouth one in June and it’s £15 a night for a patch of grass on a rugby field.

 

[Lenny HB]

Makes even more sense to hop across the channel even if it's only for a week or two.

 

[Wingingit#1]

Everyones bills are going up , do you think running a site is not facing the same increase in costs ?
If you wanna pay spanish pitch prices then first you have to get there .

 

[activecampers]

Bonkers isn't it.
Think part of it is we used UK campsites at the start, then most travels were europe, so didn't really notice any minor increases.
With the amount of campervanning we've done, we are mixing it up with backpacking and motorbike tent camping this year so were trying to keep van in UK. May well change those plans now
(Though saying that, ferry was £300 for the motorbike lol - oh I remember the <£40 open returns on Sea France!)

Think I'm getting old!

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[Langtoftlad]

...and here we go again.
UK = extortionate
EU = free/cheap

Just come back from Moffat CCC...
£12.90 per night for a full service site within a walking distance of the town... What's not to like.

VFM prices are out there.

 

[GMLS]

Blimey!

Since 2005 we've had >2000 nights away in campervans, mostly in Europe, with some aires, some overnighting, some sites, lots of ACSI - and yes, a fair few campsites. Had some time in UK mostly at rallies, festivals and small sites, but deffo the minority. Most we've ever paid is £40 in peak season in peak places abroad - but most of the smaller sites or off peak £15-25.
We just need overnighting, don't really use facilities or entertainment. Just water/waste.

Looking at UK now for a few nights in July in UK- and finding prices are up to £60 a night!

Since when has that happened?! Have we been blinded to UK prices by going overseas?!

You don't need to spend anything like that with a bit of creativity, flexibility and the use of CL/CS sites, forum rallies, lower key music festivals where you can often stay an extra night before or after, Britstops, and the odd wild camp.

 

[Oldrat]

Has Golden age of campervanning passed?​

We have only used a campsite a couple of nights in the last four years.


So in answer to your question … No, not for us

 

[activecampers]

Everyones bills are going up , do you think running a site is not facing the same increase in costs ?
If you wanna pay spanish pitch prices then first you have to get there .

Of course, just we've not noticed these prices going up until we looked today,.
But £50+ for a night parking and facilities we don't use, we'll certainly reconsider our usage patterns.

Maybe it was just the area we were looking (coast for bodyboarding in the summer) - but even so.

Not members of CC or C&CC - never fitted around where we've wanted to go - and when we've used them before its just been a soggy field Maybe we could explore this more. (We do use rallies and other events, so thread relates to commercial sites)

 

[activecampers]

I ve stayed on one around there somewhere, had a huge field, THE best experience of getting rid of black water, really nice owners but the absolute peace and quiet was ruined in the middle of the night by the bleeding deer munching on the grass . Luckily the supply of fresh chicken, duck and goose eggs negated the munching deer but we did have to walk to one of the 2 nearby pubs which we noted were on a really extensive cycle network.



2 months and counting til we go again.

Where was that?

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[TheAleMan]

I just wouldn’t pay it - the end

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

...and here we go again.
UK = extortionate
EU = free/cheap

Just come back from Moffat CCC...
£12.90 per night for a full service site within a walking distance of the town... What's not to like.

VFM prices are out there.

But you could have spent £300 on the tunnel and £300 in fuel and you could have got a pitch for a few €
Think of the money you would have saved

 

[suavecarve]

Where was that?

Its a "little" place near Old Sodbury

Woodside Field Motorhome Park, Old Sodbury, Bristol

Woodside Field Motorhome Park, Old Sodbury. CL site hidden away in South Gloucestershire surronded by hedges and a small woodland area.

www.woodsidefield.co.uk

If you speak with Quackers he lives next door. (and may own the site)

Numerous funsters use this site and the proof of the pudding is the amount of revisits. I will be on number 3 in April and I dont do UK camping and he has only been open 2 years.

Trust me, and several others, you really cant go wrong.

 

[2x2camper]

I was talking to a CS owner today who is currently upgrading the electric bollards on his site. He is in a quandary as to what to install as the cost is significant. The only certainty will be they will have a max of 10amp trips and he is installing mini meters even if he does charge per unit at first. He is also toying with the idea of one's that accept coins.

He quoted one unit last year of using £20 of electric per day. His current pich cost is £20 per night, it was £13 2 years ago when we were last there.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

I just wouldn’t pay it - the end

Bloody Cheapskate

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[suavecarve]

But you could have spent £300 on the tunnel and £300 in fuel and you could have got a pitch for a few €
Think of the money you would have saved

Think of the money you save on the wine you bring back hidden under the duvet

 

[seasideBill]

Quite a bit of it is greed courtesy of the so-called ‘staycation boom’. UK member & independent campsites were suddenly presented with the opportunity to get away with inflated prices and went for it. Demand has continued at high levels so no pressure to reduce prices and energy prices haven’t helped. To their shame, organisations like CMC haven’t offered any price incentives to members and are often as, if not more expensive than independents. I generally tour continental Europe in April - June/July and expect to pay an average of about €18 and tops of about €23 for ACSI sites with facilities. Not too many places in the UK at those prices at any time of year outside the CL/CS network.

 

[activecampers]

Think of the money you save on the wine you bring back hidden under the duvet

Last trip

 

[activecampers]

Its a "little" place near Old Sodbury

Woodside Field Motorhome Park, Old Sodbury, Bristol

Woodside Field Motorhome Park, Old Sodbury. CL site hidden away in South Gloucestershire surronded by hedges and a small woodland area.

www.woodsidefield.co.uk

If you speak with Quackers he lives next door. (and may own the site)

Numerous funsters use this site and the proof of the pudding is the amount of revisits. I will be on number 3 in April and I dont do UK camping and he has only been open 2 years.

Trust me, and several others, you really cant go wrong.

Thanks. Thought it may've been - its pencilled in for their rally - its not that far from us

 

[TheAleMan]

Bloody Cheapskate

60 sobs a night mate..that’s a good sesh down the pub.

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