Apps and Cheddar

[apforrest]

Hi folk

So we finally have our van, picked it up last Saturday and loving it.

We're down at Cheddar Gorge on Saturday and liked the idea of staying somewhere for our first night in the van. However, I'm struggling to work out where and what is appropriate etc. I've got the park4night and Campercontact apps but either I'm missing how to work them properly or they're showing few options. There is Petruth Paddocks, but it's £60+ for the night out of season which feels steep.

Any suggestions on how to do this? Where is okay to stay? Which apps/sites are good to use? Know anywhere specific in Cheddar or on the way back to Bristol?

Thanks

 

[colintfcolintf]

There’s a few sites at Cheddar. We stayed at one smaller next to a big site last September. Was less than £60 from memory. It was a short walk to the centre. We walked past a Sainsburys from memory, but the name escapes me, sorry.

 

[colintfcolintf]

A quick Google, and Cheddar Bridge looks like the one…

 

[apforrest]

Ah Cheddar Bridge looked good but it’s adults only. We have kids. Out of interest, what search terms do you use?

Also, what is the etiquette/unspoken rules for pulling up on a road side/car park for the night?

 

[dspuk]

We have stayed twice at the Chedder CMC site and it’s a great little site. Kids no issue. Close to town, walkable. The CCC one is ok, nicer views, but a drive away and down some painful narrow roads.

Join both clubs. Easy to use, good standardised quality and training and reasonably priced sites.

Outside the NC500 we mainly just use their sites for ease.

Park for night and sleeping in Pub car parks is not for us.

 

[Perfectos]

Ah Cheddar Bridge looked good but it’s adults only. We have kids. Out of interest, what search terms do you use?

Also, what is the etiquette/unspoken rules for pulling up on a road side/car park for the night?

I Have stayed at petruth , I can’t believe it’s £60 a night ,
it’s basically a field with Pre fab type A toilet block.
the water froze in the toilet block when I stayed there in 2018 (october) for six nights £39 per night , electric pitch, which was strong enough. The site was virtually empty.
I think they get busy during summer and can be rowdy.

it’s well positioned to walk into cheddar, it’s family run by a farmer, the staff are lovely, but it’s not worth £60 IMO.

funnily enough there is a lay-by immediately outside the site which would be used for overnight stays for free! Edit (Labourham way)

CMC site is very close and easy walk to cheddar. (Looked nice)

Edit: Cheddar Caravan Club - Google search

Several nice friendly pubs in cheddar, possible Brit stop style op?

try ringing Petruth and discussing length of stay etc , see if they will offer a discount ?
if not look closer to Bristol / Weston etc !
Cheddar can be quite out of main Season and limited appeal to kids, presumably half term will be busy , out of season evening entertainment / meal options are best at a couple of the local pubs. (One offered discount for People staying at Petruth) , very friendly and good home made food options, we took card / board etc games and stayed for quite a while at pub during the evening before returning back to the Van.

try one of the apps, quick search turns up Watersmeet farm campsite, on 3 acres of flat easily accessible ground just off A38, 8 mins from M5
report back to help others

see photo, (par for night app) there are loads of campsites in around the area.
best of luck

 

[colintfcolintf]

Ah Cheddar Bridge looked good but it’s adults only. We have kids. Out of interest, what search terms do you use?

Also, what is the etiquette/unspoken rules for pulling up on a road side/car park for the night?

I just used Google

the Riverside Inn does pub stopovers. You could ask when booking a table if you could stay in the carpark overnight

 

[CaliforniaSeb]

There is a fantastic Thai restaurant in Cheddar (Zen Thai) ; you will need to book. It is in the tourist shopping bit right by where you would park for the gorge. Cheddar is only 20 minutes from Wells which is a lovely medieval City. We have stayed at the Cheddar and Caravan Motorhome Club site. It is very nice but not walking distance to Cheddar.

 

[colintfcolintf]

There is a fantastic Thai restaurant in Cheddar (Zen Thai) ; you will need to book. It is in the tourist shopping bit right by where you would park for the gorge. Cheddar is only 20 minutes from Wells which is a lovely medieval City. We have stayed at the Cheddar and Caravan Motorhome Club site. It is very nice but not walking distance to Cheddar.

That Thai is fantastic, it's where we ate when we stayed at Cheddar.
You'll have to book, and if you are very lucky there may be a table this weekend, but best book a few weeks in advance from experiecne

Can you still stay overnight in the car park next to the Riverside Inn ??

 

[apforrest]

Thanks all! We booked a table at Riverside Inn and they’re happy for us to use their car park over night. Will let you know how it goes.

 

[colintfcolintf]

You must forward plan, book at campsite there and try the Thai sometime

 

[chockswahay]

Thanks all! We booked a table at Riverside Inn and they’re happy for us to use their car park over night. Will let you know how it goes.

Yup, another example of what this club is good for…….. enjoy!

 

[Celia Vanchez]

Yup, another example of what this club is good for…….. enjoy!

How was it? ?

 

[Groovygrandma]

living Just 4 miles from Cheddar, I can recommend the Bath Arms pub for food, which is in the village of Cheddar, rather than the gorge. if you have kids, there is a great leisure centre with a fab pool at the Kings of Wessex Leisure centre, and the reservoir is lovely to walk or cycle around (2.4 miles), with lots of sailing boats, ducks and birds to spy. Alternatively, drive up the gorge (nice walk through Velvet Bottom to Charterhouse on LHS) to Priddy for lunch at the Queen Victoria, another walk through the forestry commission land at Stock Hill, then down the hill past Ebor gorge (better in summertime - a bit mucky in winter) - lovely views across the levels to Glastonbury - then left towards Wells ( fabulous market town and cathedral). Could head back to Cheddar via Wedmore (which is a quirky village with some lovely dress shops, artesan stores, shoe shops and cafes - and a few nice pubs). finally, Cheddar is lovely in the evening when all the visitors have gone. Take a walk up the gorge and enjoy the splendour of the so called highest inland cliffs in England. P.s. if you want to see the caves during the day they are amazing but very expensive, especially for a family. Should be done once in a lifetime though! Enjoy!

 

[apforrest]

Saturday night happened and it was a great time. The Riverside Inn pub was very accommodating and for our first outing in the van, it felt very authentic to the rock up and crash over feel. I was unsure how logistically it would work out being a family of 5, but with the 3 kids sharing the wide Beach Camper bed, and me and my wife up in the popup, it was cosy but not a squeeze. Success.

 

[colintfcolintf]

Saturday night happened and it was a great time. The Riverside Inn pub was very accommodating and for our first outing in the van, it felt very authentic to the rock up and crash over feel. I was unsure how logistically it would work out being a family of 5, but with the 3 kids sharing the wide Beach Camper bed, and me and my wife up in the popup, it was cosy but not a squeeze. Success.

I’m pleased to hear it all went well

 

[Perfectos]

Wookey hole caves are worth a visit