A daft question, I know.

[Two Teckels]

Help, please!
We haven’t had our Cali very long but did manage to organise a few trips to some camp sites run by the Camping & Caravan Club before the Coronavirus crisis set in. We’re now trying to complete a booking at the Caravan & Motorhome Club’s site at Grange Over Sands, but the only options for our vehicle’s description are as follows:
Caravan; Motorhome; Trailer Tent.
I’m inclined to select “motorhome”, even though it’s not really an accurate description but that’s a small fry matter
Then the length of the vehicle is required (that’s fine), followed by the number of axles... for which the options are 1 or 2. I appreciate that this last question may well be related to motorhomes and it may be vital that such information needs to be known (God knows, but I’m not interested) but I‘m just wondering what everyone else does when completing the online forms? Is it just accepted practice to treat a Cali as though it were a motorhome with 2 axles (or do you write “1”?) for this purpose?
Many thanks from a novice.

 

[WelshGas]

Help, please!
We haven’t had our Cali very long but did manage to organise a few trips to some camp sites run by the Camping & Caravan Club before the Coronavirus crisis set in. We’re now trying to complete a booking at the Caravan & Motorhome Club’s site at Grange Over Sands, but the only options for our vehicle’s description are as follows:
Caravan; Motorhome; Trailer Tent.
I’m inclined to select “motorhome”, even though it’s not really an accurate description but that’s a small fry matter
Then the length of the vehicle is required (that’s fine), followed by the number of axles... for which the options are 1 or 2. I appreciate that this last question may well be related to motorhomes and it may be vital that such information needs to be known (God knows, but I’m not interested) but I‘m just wondering what everyone else does when completing the online forms? Is it just accepted practice to treat a Cali as though it were a motorhome with 2 axles (or do you write “1”?) for this purpose?
Many thanks from a novice.

Every motorised vehicle has got 2 axles minimim so I would have thought they are referring to the number of rear axles on a Motorhome or axles on a caravan, as such vehicles normally have a larger turning circle.

 

[An-j]

I have booked for the first time with Motorhome club as well. I put in my registration somewhere and it comes up as ‘motorcaravan, 2 axles. California’ on the my bookings page?

thinking about it, my van type might have been put in by the club staff when I phoned up to book a (now cancelled) European break?

As @WelshGas says - surely all motorhomes have 2 axles so perhaps it is referring to the rear axle? But they know my van is a California and have said 2, so I’m not sure........

 

[GrannyJen]

I always book as motorhome, 1 axle, 4.95m long. The 2 axle refers primarily to caravans but can also apply to some motorhomes.

 

[Two Teckels]

Every motorised vehicle has got 2 axles minimim so I would have thought they are referring to the number of rear axles on a Motorhome or axles on a caravan, as such vehicles normally have a larger turning circle.

Many thanks, WelshGas.
I did think it was more of a motorhome related question and not at all relevant to our Cali. So, given that the fields on the booking form are mandatory, do you think it’s “accepted practice” to tick the motorhome option and state that it has one (rear) axle? This seems logical since there’s no real alternative. I suppose I‘m just wondering what everyone else does... looking for a bit of reassurance, really.
Thanks.

 

[Two Teckels]

I always book as motorhome, 1 axle, 4.95m long. The 2 axle refers primarily to caravans but can also apply to some motorhomes.

Thanks very much, GrannyJen. I’ll go with that.

 

[Elly Swanson]

Don’t use them very often now but I always put Motorhome with 2 axles.

The lack of a campervan option really shows their current customer focus. I feel there’s been a big change in attitude since they changed their name to Caravan & Motorhome Club. Seems like they just love those big whites! First they got shot of tents, now . . . .

 

[larrylamb]

Don’t use them very often now but I always put Motorhome with 2 axles.

The lack of a campervan option really shows their current customer focus. I feel there’s been a big change in attitude since they changed their name to Caravan & Motorhome Club. Seems like they just love those big whites! First they got shot of tents, now . . . .

I think that's being picky. Why complicate things? They have 3 simple definitions, all you have to do is add your Reg and vehicle length. It's done to accomodate all types in the most efficient way.
I usually add the length of the bike rack just in case we take bikes.
As for the name change etc. they are just moving with the times.

 

[Calimili]

Unless the have developed a Segway type of Cali, when i look at it, it certainly has two axles, one for the rear wheels, and one for the front wheels.
The question is more pertinent to caravan, as twin axle caravan are usually much longer than single axle ones. Manouverability of single vs twin axle vs motorhome may also be a factor for assigning the appropriate pitch, the same goes for tents being the easiest.
Why should a Cali not be considered a Motorhome?
In Germany for example, if a vehicle has a fixed kitchen and bed it can be registered and consequently taxed and insured as a "Wohnmobile" , i.e. a Motorhome.
So I'd book as 6m (incl. Bike rack) motorhome, 2 axles

 

[Elly Swanson]

I think that's being picky. Why complicate things? They have 3 simple definitions, all you have to do is add your Reg and vehicle length. It's done to accomodate all types in the most efficient way.
I usually add the length of the bike rack just in case we take bikes.
As for the name change etc. they are just moving with the times.

They don’t check, and we were never challenged over the amount of axles when I used to put 1.

 

[larrylamb]

They don’t check, and we were never challenged over the amount of axles when I used to put 1.

I would guess there will be some checking pre arrival or on booking. For example, certain sites might only have 10 pitches suitable for 7m units, perhaps it gets flagged up if 20 people with 7m units try to book a pitch??

 

[Elly Swanson]

I would guess there will be some checking pre arrival or on booking. For example, certain sites might only have 10 pitches suitable for 7m units, perhaps it gets flagged up if 20 people with 7m units try to book a pitch??

I should have said they’ve never checked the axles, it’s the length they’re interested in as most C&MC have different pitch sizes and offer you pitches accordingly.

 

[2into1]

They don’t check, and we were never challenged over the amount of axles when I used to put 1.

We've agreed above, the correct answer is 1, so why would they have challenged you?

 

[WelshGas]

Don’t use them very often now but I always put Motorhome with 2 axles.

The lack of a campervan option really shows their current customer focus. I feel there’s been a big change in attitude since they changed their name to Caravan & Motorhome Club. Seems like they just love those big whites! First they got shot of tents, now . . . .

Have they got shot of tents?
Only certain sites have ever accepted tents and that is generally down to the Local Authority licensing conditions. They still had them at Freshwater East pre C19.

 

[Elly Swanson]

We've agreed above, the correct answer is 1, so why would they have challenged you?

For the last couple of years I've put 2 and they haven't challenged that either.

 

[Calimili]

For the last couple of years I've put 2 and they haven't challenged that either.

Some passes and motorways charge by the number of axles. It would be interesting to see if people show up in a Cali and say 1 axle if the get away with it...

 

[Elly Swanson]

Have they got shot of tents?
Only certain sites have ever accepted tents and that is generally down to the Local Authority licensing conditions. They still had them at Freshwater East pre C19.

Only a very few take tents now. At Castleton, Peak District, some years ago it was because there was a greater demand for vehicles, even though they always had a lot of packpackers. They turned their grass tent area into some hard standings.

Personally I like the more casual ambience of a site with a mix of tents and vehicles but I think there's a lot of vehicle owners in the UK who don't want to be around tents anymore. I'm in a lot of Facebook groups for camping and there's definitely a "them and us" attitude developing amongst some owners of caravans and mohos. I've unjoined a couple of groups recently that are being particularly hostile and irrational saying things like " how can you wash, go to the loo, or even heat water if you don't have fixed facilities in your van or moho?"

Some even saying we shouldn't be allowed in campervans at the moment as we can't keep clean! I had a discussion recently with someone who insisted I could only be washing my hands in cold water inspite of the fact that I explained that the boiled water I use will be hotter than what comes through her system.

Another person said that tents & campervans would just encourage tourism and spread the virus. When I asked if she considered herself in her touring caravan a tourist or did she think of it as a second home, they didn't respond & neither did anyone else even though there were dozens of comments beforehand.

 

[Elly Swanson]

Have they got shot of tents?
Only certain sites have ever accepted tents and that is generally down to the Local Authority licensing conditions. They still had them at Freshwater East pre C19.

Fresh Water East still has a lot of grass and have indeed kept tent pitches, which is good to see as they get a lotof people backpacking the Pembrokeshire way. As does their site near St David's.

 

[Elly Swanson]

Only a very few take tents now. At Castleton, Peak District, some years ago it was because there was a greater demand for vehicles, even though they always had a lot of packpackers. They turned their grass tent area into some hard standings.

Personally I like the more casual ambience of a site with a mix of tents and vehicles but I think there's a lot of vehicle owners in the UK who don't want to be around tents anymore. I'm in a lot of Facebook groups for camping and there's definitely a "them and us" attitude developing amongst some owners of caravans and mohos. I've unjoined a couple of groups recently that are being particularly hostile and irrational saying things like " how can you wash, go to the loo, or even heat water if you don't have fixed facilities in your van or moho?"

Some even saying we shouldn't be allowed in campervans at the moment as we can't keep clean! I had a discussion recently with someone who insisted I could only be washing my hands in cold water inspite of the fact that I explained that the boiled water I use will be hotter than what comes through her system.

Another person said that tents & campervans would just encourage tourism and spread the virus. When I asked if she considered herself in her touring caravan a tourist or did she think of it as a second home, they didn't respond & neither did anyone else even though there were dozens of comments beforehand.

Sorry guys, that got a bit lockdown ranty. calmed down now

 

[Velma's Dad]

Only a very few take tents now. At Castleton, Peak District, some years ago it was because there was a greater demand for vehicles, even though they always had a lot of packpackers. They turned their grass tent area into some hard standings.

Personally I like the more casual ambience of a site with a mix of tents and vehicles but I think there's a lot of vehicle owners in the UK who don't want to be around tents anymore. I'm in a lot of Facebook groups for camping and there's definitely a "them and us" attitude developing amongst some owners of caravans and mohos. I've unjoined a couple of groups recently that are being particularly hostile and irrational saying things like " how can you wash, go to the loo, or even heat water if you don't have fixed facilities in your van or moho?"

Some even saying we shouldn't be allowed in campervans at the moment as we can't keep clean! I had a discussion recently with someone who insisted I could only be washing my hands in cold water inspite of the fact that I explained that the boiled water I use will be hotter than what comes through her system.

Another person said that tents & campervans would just encourage tourism and spread the virus. When I asked if she considered herself in her touring caravan a tourist or did she think of it as a second home, they didn't respond & neither did anyone else even though there were dozens of comments beforehand.

Sounds like a lot of people who should get out more...