The beach and Caravan club:

[Rich20]

There is an article in this months CMC magazine about site Health and Safety. It explains why pitching correctly is important so that there is an adequate fire break between units. It also allows each unit to have enough space to enjoy their pitch. The rules are there to help us so I join knowing this.

 

[Jay586]

I used to mystery ship the CCC. The 6m rule was one of the criteria that the wardens were assessed on. Saying that, there is a temporary rally site over the road from my current house & they are packed in like sardines. So it's all down to the individual sites, I suppose...

 

[GrannyJen]

To those who thought my tongue in cheek remark of parking to the peg was in condemnation of the "overbearing" rules of the CAMC, please go further back into this thread to see my own views.

Both the CC and C and CAMC are campsite chains. They have a formula for running their club sites. Arriving on a site it's predictable. The rules are known.

Personally I really don't give a damn about all the so-called rules and hassle. If I stop on one it's because it suits me and I put up with the bits I don't like. It's a predictable product, which I like, I know what I am going to find, and if you don't like it then there are loads of alternatives. You don't have to stay there.

However, if John Cleese ever wanted to make "Fawlty camping", my goodness the material he could find

 

[Max-Felix]

However, if John Cleese ever wanted to make "Fawlty camping", my goodness the material he could find

Too true, more than one Caravan Club warden reminds me of some horrible amalgamation of Basil, The Major, Lord Melbury and even a couple of The Germans (in earlier "you started it..." occupations) all rolled into one...

 

[GrannyJen]

No different to an increasing number of Commercial sites who have a concrete slab/paving stones or gravel to park on so ensuring the units are spaced out and to aid those who cannot seem to grasp the concept of considerate parking and you then have full use of the pitch area you have booked. All the Club sites I've been on just request that you park parallel to the road/pitch marker post line and presume you have the capability to do so.

As far as voting is concerned, just like in Parliament you vote for Local Area Representatives who sit on the Membership Committees.

In fact I'm glad these Clubs do have certain Standards. At least I know what to expect. I may not agree with all the rules but I've made the decision to join and so I will honour my contract with them.

Yes, they have their own definition of a Campervan/Motorhome and as it is a Club they can call the shots.
If you object to any of the rules/regulations then you can always write to head office and complain.

Five minutes spent on the "club together" forum of CAMC will prove just how far removed the "regional committee's" are to the touring members. The heart of the CAMC is still the rally's and the Committee structure still reflects that. Anyone watching that lamentable "caravanner of the year" programme would see just how it is still focussed on the rally-type activities.

I was part of that forum for two years and in that time almost every week there was an issue raised where a large numbers of members asked for a response from Grimstead towers and never got one. The deafening silence from Grimstead to it's members was a permanently current talking point.

The CAMC, in my view, is best viewed as a business running some lovely camp-sites, pulling together and overseeing a network of over 2,000 members only CL's, negotiating offers with lots of people connected with Caravanning (and now motor homing )and offering a predictable product that like any other business competes with others offering similar.

Me personally, whatever the eccentricities and lists of rules, I find spending £47 (or whatever it is these days) on membership to be a pretty good deal, especially as I use the M6 toll a lot. Finding a decent CL in just the right location almost pays for the membership alone. Whatever else I might find I do know that a clean, warm shower and toilet block is the norm on a club site, as is a clean, well laid-out site.

 

[Blackberry]

You've forgot to mention precise parking, rear offside, to the peg .....

I had the warden say this to me in Cornwall. That does not work with the Cali. Front offside to the peg due to the awning on the drivers side. He wasn't happy and was over in minutes to check.....

 

[GrannyJen]

I had the warden say this to me in Cornwall. That does not work with the Cali. Front offside to the peg due to the awning on the drivers side. He wasn't happy and was over in minutes to check.....

I was at the site near Oban. I was allocated a corner pitch that was a bit "short" but quite wide. I explained my door was on the "continental" side and was told "park however you wish".

I did. I parked sideways

 

[ArunAlec]

I was at the site near Oban. I was allocated a corner pitch that was a bit "short" but quite wide. I explained my door was on the "continental" side and was told "park however you wish".

I did. I parked sideways

I had a similar experience. I was on a private site which had been booked by the C&MC for a weekend rally. The rally organising team turned up the night before and proceeded to set out the pitches in readiness. Next day I returned after a walk to find my Cali and toilet tent looking somewhat out of place, sideways on and about 15ft out of line with the precision parked row of caravans.
Having said that they were a lovely crowd and I've since joined the club!
Access to the network of CLs and the quality of Club Sites far outweighs the negatives.

 

[maui2512]

You've forgot to mention precise parking, rear offside, to the peg .....

argh, don't get me started...I camped at the Kelvedon Hatch site in Essex recently, on my own with 3 kids, and after I'd set up my attached tent and was sitting down for a well deserved cuppa the warden cycled over and shook his head and told me I was going to have to move it as it was too close to the next tent...having an hour before told me exactly where to park...the issue was that I'd forgotten the bedroom section of the tent overhangs the back of the Cali and was encroaching on the next pitch. Having almost burst into tears on him and then reluctantly starting to de-camp, he then returned 20 mins later to let me know he'd had second thoughts and perhaps I could stay after all if the next door neighbours okayed it I think if i'd been argumentative with him he'd have enforced the rule but I sighed, looked crestfallen, conceded defeat and that somehow helped...
All the neighbouring tent owners were standing ready for mutiny and to help out thankfully...they were as peed off at the rules as I was!! Having said that, it was actually a very nice site and very well kept...

 

[Max-Felix]

Mentioned this before but...

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 all were fully booked.

Embarrassingly for the old boy and his fishwife we overheard them chatting to new (caravanning) 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...!

 

[WelshGas]

argh, don't get me started...I camped at the Kelvedon Hatch site in Essex recently, on my own with 3 kids, and after I'd set up my attached tent and was sitting down for a well deserved cuppa the warden cycled over and shook his head and told me I was going to have to move it as it was too close to the next tent...having an hour before told me exactly where to park...the issue was that I'd forgotten the bedroom section of the tent overhangs the back of the Cali and was encroaching on the next pitch. Having almost burst into tears on him and then reluctantly starting to de-camp, he then returned 20 mins later to let me know he'd had second thoughts and perhaps I could stay after all if the next door neighbours okayed it I think if i'd been argumentative with him he'd have enforced the rule but I sighed, looked crestfallen, conceded defeat and that somehow helped...
All the neighbouring tent owners were standing ready for mutiny and to help out thankfully...they were as peed off at the rules as I was!! Having said that, it was actually a very nice site and very well kept...

I know it can be frustrating, but what would you have said if the next door neighbours, whose pitch you had encroached on, had complained? They had every right to do so.

 

[maui2512]

I know it can be frustrating, but what would you have said if the next door neighbours, whose pitch you had encroached on, had complained? They had every right to do so.

oh gosh, yes, I know - there are rules for a reason...it was the fact that he'd actually been watching me pitch up on my own but waited until the very last minute to say something...I totally get the rules, and am always exceedingly rule-abiding... in fact I like that they keep the rules around noise, boundaries, etc as it makes for a much more harmonious place. There is just sometimes a complete lack of openness to finding a compromise solution to a problem, and almost (at least it seemed to me) glee at being absolutely rigid to rules...

 

[Digger]

I know it can be frustrating, but what would you have said if the next door neighbours, whose pitch you had encroached on, had complained? They had every right to do so.

In another light hearted thread some complain of people walking across their pitch. We cannot have it all ways.
As WG correctly points out all have same rights and to be honest on a commercial site I like rules and to be able to know in advance the sort of site I will be visiting. Both the main clubs have their rules and it is our choice to visit or not. The great thing about a Cali is it gives us freedom to chose and ability to wander.

 

[Meoncoast]

Give me rules any day - Go to a large site with NO rules and unless you are spending your stay under the influence yourself of legal or illegal substances you will soon stop picking at sites rules. A large seaside site in North Wales comes to mind a few years ago. We saw:- to name a few issues

• Large out of control fire pits
• fireworks
• Drunken youths
• Out of control dogs
• Out of control kids
• Unclean toilets and shower
• Rave music until first light
• Cars returning at speed at night
• Shouting

However even this site now has rules

 

[Jay586]

Give me rules any day - Go to a large site with NO rules and unless you are spending your stay under the influence yourself of legal or illegal substances you will soon stop picking at sites rules. A large seaside site in North Wales comes to mind a few years ago. We saw:- to name a few issues

• Large out of control fire pits
• fireworks
• Drunken youths
• Out of control dogs
• Out of control kids
• Unclean toilets and shower
• Rave music until first light
• Cars returning at speed at night
• Shouting

However even this site now has rules

Where was this, as I live in this area, intrigued? (-:

 

[Meoncoast]

Where was this, as I live in this area, intrigued? (-:

do not feel I should name as this was many years ago and they now have rules

 

[Mr & Mrs B]

I was at the site near Oban. I was allocated a corner pitch that was a bit "short" but quite wide. I explained my door was on the "continental" side and was told "park however you wish".

I did. I parked sideways

We've stayed on several CMC sites since we've had Cali and not had any problems about which way to pitch. Our last site was Start Bay and as we arrived late on a Friday evening there were only a couple of sloping pitches left. The Warden told us we could pitch forwards, backwards, sideways and anywhere between the peg and the end of the fence - making a huge area for us to find a levelish spot. There are good and bad at all sites - both Club and private,

 

[MattBW]

I had my first experience of the CMC on Sunday visiting my folks in their caravan with the beach. Some site near Chatsworth house. Very organised full to bursting with caravans but very quiet.

Extremely friendly staff, were happy to let us visit for the day for free, literally everyone i spoke to was saying hello and good afternoon. Smiles all round. The other residents were all friendly too. Pleasant experience

 

[Rich20]

We have just come back from a commercial site in North Cornwall. I get that it is the summer holidays and kids want to play etc, but it was the adults that peed me off. They think it is acceptable to talk loudly in their awnings till the early hours or have Eastenders blaring out of the caravan with the door open. No staff or wardens around doing checks so had to put up with it. Total lack of manners and respect. Looking forward to staying on a disciplined site with wardens who care.

 

[flying banana]

I had the same thing with that site in york. What's your club number. I don't have one. oh sorry we are shut for refurbishment.

 

[flying banana]

I hate the caravan clubs..I stayed at Dunnet head and it was sing.charged us 35 quid to stay next to a 60mph road. clean toilets do not make a good camp

 

[WelshGas]

I hate the caravan clubs. what a bunch of ignorant arrogant sad ....hard not to swear.....I stayed at Dunnet head and it was poo.charged us 35 quid to stay next to a 60mph road. clean toilets do not make a good camp

As I am a member of both the main clubs I could take that personally, but I realise you have a problem and so I will ignore it and hope the therapy eventually works.

 

[leightonjthomas]

We've stayed at many sites in England, Wales and Scotland and the huge majority of them have been excellent- welcoming staff, friendly neighbours and some great locations. And yes, at our age, we do appreciate clean toilets, hot water and feeling safe and comfortable at night. Generally speaking, apart from the occasional frustration or disappointment, you know what you're getting.

 

[Meoncoast]

what a bunch of ignorant arrogant sad ....hard not to swear.....I stayed at Dunnet head and it was poo.charged us 35 quid to stay next to a 60mph road. clean toilets do not make a good camp

The 60 mile an hour road at Dunnet head was not an issue when we were at Dunnet site. As I am a happy member of both clubs I must be viewed by you as part of that bunch - so if you feel that way do not moan just use the type of site you are happy with.

 

[flying banana]

it was for me lorries thundering past . hi speed motorbikes. really really noisy in a canvas top. was like being on that farm on the m62 from 6am onward.