Campsite Rant

[sidepod]

I'm not one for reviews, posting or reading but I'm going to make an exception.

Hurley Riverside Park.

I've met some wardens with attitude before but this place takes it to a new level.
I've read some funny rules before but, parking the wrong way round on your pitch? Really? Get a grip!!
I do object to being shouted at from the partrol vehicle!!

I would've felt happier if they'd posted a sign at the gate. "We couldn't give a toss, just give us your money".

Sadly just another case of Location,location,fcuk the customers.

Pod.

 

[NZCol]

You could apply this to most CC sites, the Brora site was epic - the guy must have retired from a career in NCP car parks. Culminated in him accosting a late arrival and escorting them off the site, some poor Austrian family. Beautiful site, cracking location however didn't appreciate being shouted at wrestling a screaming cold toddler out the shower 2 minutes after it was supposed to be cleaned and being asked if I could read.

 

[MattBW]

My GF stayed at a site ran by a thai lady who just screamed and shouted at everyone working and the customers. They were welcomed with a big aggressively delivered list of things they must do and some they must not do. She said it was a shame because the site was beautiful but the manager really did her best to undermine that. I keep meaning to find out the site name so I can warn people away.

 

[WelshGas]

Some campsites have rules relating to parking vehicles facing outwards to the road so that it is easier and safer to drive forward in case of an emergency, or just normal use, onto the access road rather than reversing out of your pitch.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

6/10, not enough capitalisation and requires more exclamation marks. Good use of misspelt profanity though possibly a trademark infringement.

 

[Freeley]

The only time I got moaned at was on the CC site at Windermere, where every time the warden saw me he made a sarcastic remark about not being parked straight enough. He was lucky at least I was the right way around!


Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[GrannyJen]

Caravan club "which way should I park" make for epic forum threads on their site.There is almost one every week with the sergeant majors V the anarchists battling it out as to who is right and who is wrong.

It's supposed to ensure that no two entrances are facing each other and a 6m gap between vans is adhered to, which brings us neatly to the offside corner to the peg: rule.

Of course CC wardens often do not realise that the Cali is a continental van, so if we park conventionally we are staring into someone else caravan.

If you want rules and regimentation go to a CC site. I don't mind that and I just love parking to the peg as directed. It's so fulfilling when Mrs Curtain-twitcher next door goes marching of to the warder to ask him to berate me for parking the right way round which means I'm staring at them as I eat my pot noodle.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

Someone bought us some CC vouchers as a present. Any recommendations for a CC site where we might be allowed to enjoy our visit?

 

[MattBW]

Some campsites have rules relating to parking vehicles facing outwards to the road so that it is easier and safer to drive forward in case of an emergency, or just normal use, onto the access road rather than reversing out of your pitch.

My work has a reverse parking rule on every site for that very reason, it reduces accidents apparently as most accidents in car parks are reversing out of spaces. I guess the same logic applies to campsites.

The cali has the door on the drivers side which is a little unusual and may cause issues at some hard standings I guess.

 

[Californiaman]

I always ask if they care which way around we park and I've almost always been given a choice. When I've not had a choice, the wardens have had a well thought out reason - most recently at Bladon Chains near Blenheim where it had been very wet and they were worried about people getting off the grass and so requested driving wheels to be nearest the tarmac road (they even gave me some plastic things to put under the wheels for grip).

We've pretty much always have had good experiences on CC sites.

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

If you want excellent shower/toilet facilities, good sized pitches, a relatively quiet experience and safe place for kids, but a highly regimented rule laden experience then go Caravan Club. As a family we've spent hundreds of nights at CC sites, mostly with trailer tent, then caravan and now Cali, and only once in all the years did we get "noisy neighbours".

If you want to take pot luck with one of the independent sites, then good luck. They are normally expensive, prone to over crowding and can be extremely noisy, with variable quality facilities, but offer lower regimented experience. Just take a look at the reviews on the UK campsite website, but I'm sure we've all experienced it.

That said if I go "locally" with the kids we alway stay at "known quantity" independent grass field type sites without electrics, because that's what we prefer. There are some cracking independent sites - you just need to know which ones they are .

However if my wife comes as well she will insist on CC. It's horses for courses as they say.

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

When we stayed at Sutton-on-Sea caravan club site a few years ago, theyhad a sign up in the toilets saying "Where are your children? Whose holiday are they ruining right now". Priceless!!

 

[Yelekreb]

Here's some previous rants (including my own): http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/which-way-round-to-park-in-caravan-sites.5545/#post-48270

 

[Skylark2.0]

I'm not one for reviews, posting or reading but I'm going to make an exception.

Hurley Riverside Park.

I've met some wardens with attitude before but this place takes it to a new level.
I've read some funny rules before but, parking the wrong way round on your pitch? Really? Get a grip!!
I do object to being shouted at from the partrol vehicle!!

I would've felt happier if they'd posted a sign at the gate. "We couldn't give a toss, just give us your money".

Sadly just another case of Location,location,fcuk the customers.

Pod.

Apparently it's so you can be towed off if you break down.
I must confess to have track record of reversing over the pesky pegs. At least when I replant them they are in the right place though

 

[GrannyJen]

Apparently it's so you can be towed off if you break down.
I must confess to have track record of reversing over the pesky pegs. At least when I replant them they are in the right place though

I just take the peg out before I park, plonk the vehicle where I want it, then replace the peg to the rear offside. Saves a lot of hassle.

 

[Max-Felix]

We were members many years ago t3 camper) and the sites were certainly very peaceful, neat and tidy etc.

Years later we visited a CC site having pre booked for our trailer tent.

Oh, the looks of horror when we arrived with our matt green ex-military soft top khaki canvas Land Rover towing the tiniest, most basic cheapo trailer tent imaginable complete with 2 year old.

The warden came running out...No tents!*$! Only to be totally gutted when we unfolded the thing with a smile.

For some strange reason we decided to stay an extra night only to be told clearly there were no pitches free as fully booked.

Embarrassingly for the old boy and his fishwife we overheard them chatting to new (caravaning) arrivals the next morning..."...of course we have spaces, please come in..."

I cannot quite recall our comments as we trundled out in the old truck later that same morning...!

 

[Nick CB]

years ago I had great pleasure in joining the CC. All they require is a photo of the inside if you are not on their list of vans. I had an ex British Rail troop carrier, bought it off a new age juggler, it was painted bright red! The look on the faces of the wardens was fantastic as I applied the air brakes. We heard comments such as " well you'll have to let them in, they're members" the looks we got were amazing as if we were members of the Mafia.
I like fishing and have a telescopic fishing rod. Early one morning as I walked out of the site to go fishing I was suddenly surrounded by armed policemen. Yes the wardens had dialled 999 because that idiot in a new age van was carrying a shot gun. And me a JP as well. Such fun!
As a post script. Those intelligent members who were brave enough to ask to look inside were amazed to see a complete IKEA layout fit for a maisonette.

 

[Shaun]

Our CC membership hasn't been renewed this year, whilst I fully understand that rules are needed I couldn't cope with being accosted by wardens almost every weekend for one misdemeanour or another.
They don't even apply thei own rules consistently.
The final straw was being told I couldn't use my new Jormax windbreaker.
Windbreaks are not allowed I was told, the week after, I got my club mag and guess what , lots of nice photos of sites /caravans with windbreakers.
The CC must be a godsend to local sign makers , my particular favorite was one I saw at their Buxton site.
" No Cycling past the toilet block "

 

[GrannyJen]

The best one was their own promotional video beamed on nationwide TV.

Go here >>

18 seconds into it and extolling the virtues of Longleat CC site you have a nice video shot of all the happy children playing cricket in the middle of the road 5 yards from caravans, in total disobedience of one of the cardinal rules "No ball games allowed near parked units or on the approach roads".....

 

[andyinluton]

That video also shows kids enjoying themselves on a CC site. That is also against the rules as I understand it.

 

[WelshGas]

The Caravan Club rules are reasonable and sensible.
http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/uk-holidays/club-sites/club-site-rules

Any officious wardens are best dealt with by asking them to get in contact with the Head of Membership and ask them to adjudicate as their seems to be a difference of opinion regarding implementation of the Clubs Rules. Silence, because if they are deemed to be at fault then bang goes their little sinecure. I've personally never had a problem, even when we had the 5 kids and our 7 berth caravan, very large awning etc. Rules can be used to your advantage.

 

[DavidofHook]

We met a Caravan Club charmer when we were staying on a very exposed site in Devon. In accordance with best practice I set the van up with the door facing away from the wind. The roof was up, the wind was howling, the rain driving against the van, and we were inside nice and warm when this man appeared and told us to move the van to face the opposite direction " in case there was a fire". I actually thought that he was joking at first, in the pouring rain with only about seven units on the site! I said no. He got very annoyed and said that he " had my name " which I knew already.
He buzzed off in the end, he was getting very wet, and I later met him the loo where we had a heart to heart and he apologised.
I am no longer a member of the Caravan Club!

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

Just spent a cracking couple of nights at Incleborough fields, Norfolk. The wardens were great. They were even all right when I apologised for burning two rectangles in the pitch with the disposable bbq's .

It's all down to people at the end of the day.

 

[MattBW]

So far in a year of membership with camping and caravan club I've not had a bad exprience. Sounds like we joined the right club.

 

[Shaun]

Just spent a cracking couple of nights at Incleborough fields, Norfolk. The wardens were great. They were even all right when I apologised for burning two rectangles in the pitch with the disposable bbq's .

It's all down to people at the end of the day.

They will have noted your membership number , and you will probably get a letter berating you for your missdemeanor , then you will be placed on the three strikes and out blacklist.
Lets hope your right