Camping and caravan club

[kevin hawkins]

We are already members of the caravan club and find their sites excellent. However, due to their popularity we do sometimes experience problems getting onto their sites. As we only have an Autosleeper Transit van with a portable toilet, good showers and toilets are a must. We have been thinking of joining the Camping and Caravan club to give us another option when we cannot get on the Caravan Club sites. Unfortunately, we have had some not so good reports on their sites. What do members who use their sites think? Over to you.

Kath and Kevin Hawkins *-)

[enodreven]

Hi,

 

I think the CC&C are fine and worth joining.

 

However, I would suggest you use the search facility on places like the Ukcampsite web site and be prepared to use privately owned sites, as I found in our first year that as we had joined the main clubs we tended to always aim one of there sites discounting the privately owned ones

 

But when you start searching around, there are hundreds of really great non club sites out there that you can add to your listings, and where you may be able to find what you are looking for.

 

Hope that helps

[Neil Hunt]

Hi

 

The Caravan Club would not have us as members ten years ago as we had a self built van with no cooker, and just a fixed bed and portaloo. (The bed was much more comfortable than our current Autosleeper.)

 

The C&CC did have us as members and we used and enjoyed their sites, we did join CC this year and have found the sites we have stayed on much the same as the other club's. We have had occasional difficulty booking with the CC too. Would have liked to have stayed at Baltic Wharf in October but all booked up.

 

Speaking to someone at the CC site at Brean who told it is always worth ringing the site direct to see of there are vacancies, they had in fact done this and found a cancellation space at BW.

[malc d]

I would be interested to hear what the " not so good " reports were.

 

We've been with the C&CC for many years and normally use their sites exclusively when staying in the UK and I don't recall any problems.

 

Some people say they have been told where to 'pitch' when they would prefer to decide for themselves, but that has rarely happened to us.

Fortunately now we can go in low season so I don't know what it's like in high season.

 

Facilities have always been clean and sites well kept.

 

The only thing that I don't like, and I understand from others that it also happens in the Caravan Club, is that they can be a bit 'anti' if you haven't booked. Touring at will, it seems, is frowned upon.

 

As I say, it would be interesting to know what bad reports you have had.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[casey]

Hi Kath & Kevin

Been a member of c&cc for about 3 years, have only been on one of thier sites ( Moffat ) and compared to a cc site it was a dive !! you have to pay a deposit on booking ( which i agree with ) and they have a min stay. Having said that i like thier choice of overseas rallies and i have found thier ferry prices to be cheaper. Prefer cc sites though when you can get on them.

will remain in both for now.

casey.

[Stuart]

We have been in both for many years and not had any problems to speak of with either.

 

As a general rule, the CC ones are posibly a bit more "finished", tarmac roads rather than hardcore maybe.

 

Our experience is that _usually_, CC wardens ask you to pitch where you want and then let know where you are, C &CC tend to give you a pitch to go to. Others may say different.

 

On one occasion we asked for a different one and were told OK.

 

HTH

 

Stuart

[malc d]

casey - 2010-10-24 8:30 PM

 

Hi Kath & Kevin

Been a member of c&cc for about 3 years, have only been on one of thier sites ( Moffat ) and compared to a cc site it was a dive !! you have to pay a deposit on booking ( which i agree with ) and they have a min stay. Having said that i like thier choice of overseas rallies and i have found thier ferry prices to be cheaper. Prefer cc sites though when you can get on them.

will remain in both for now.

casey.

 

 

I have often stayed on a CC&C site for one night and have never heard of the minimum stay.

Does that only apply to bookings ?

 

( I've never booked a site ).

 

 

 

[duffers]

we were members of both for many years, but since we now rarely use the van in the uk have allowed membership to lapse

CC first because we were fed up with their attitude to motorhomes

then C&CC

both clubs seem to prefer caravans - they tend to stay longer so less admin work overall

C&CC had minimum booking periods - longer for the popular sites eg Keswick

 

Moffat was always a popular stopover on our way North - sorry to hear it's lost its way

 

 

[Solwaybuggier]

Duffers, we are members of both clubs, tend to use CC ones more and generally find they are more "predictable" in standards. But we have found Moffat one of the better C&CC sites - so don't be put off. (We tend to go off season - may be different when busy?)

[duffers]

Solwaybuggier - 2010-10-24 9:34 PM

 

Duffers, we are members of both clubs, tend to use CC ones more and generally find they are more "predictable" in standards. But we have found Moffat one of the better C&CC sites - so don't be put off. (We tend to go off season - may be different when busy?)

 

 

thanks

[Brian Kirby]

Not really much to choose between the two.  Newer sites, or those with recently refurbished facilities, are inevitably pleasanter than those in need of refurbishment, but then all things have their cycles and campsite facilities blocks are no exception. 

Both clubs suffer badly from weekend "bed blockers" that mean you can't get a full week at a popular sites unless you book weeks, even months, ahead.  Midweek stays are much easier.  Just go to an unpopular site for the weekend! 

Belonging to both broadens scope, but both seem to favour the same locations, so where you find the one, the other will usually have a site within a few miles.

Neither has many sites within walking distance of towns, both tending to assume you'll park your tent (C&CC only), trailer tent, or caravan, on site, and then gallivant off in your car.  This can be a bit of a fag with a 'van, necessitating trips out to stock up - assuming you can get a pitch for long enough to need to stock up!  So, turning necessity into virtue, moving to that unpopular site for the weekend can have an unexpected advantage!  :-D

[kevin hawkins]

thanks for all the people who have taken the time and trouble to reply

kevin and kath :-D

[Solwaybuggier]

Of course the other benefit of belonging to both is a wider choice of CLs/CSs - they were originally why we joined, although we've also nearly recouped the CC membership fee this year on their "Great Day Out" vouchers.

[Poppy]

Well Moffat is a personal favourite of ours but I have to say its very basic in comparison to the CC.The facilities are always clean and useable though.

[Usinmyknaus]

We have belonged to both the CC and CCC for the three and a half years we have had our MH. We have used a number of club sites and our general perception is that CC site pitches and faclities tend to be a little better quality and tidier than the CCC's.

 

A critical difference we find is that on CC club-owned sites we have always been allowed to choose our own pitch whilst I can recall only one occasion when a CCC warden has not told me exactly where he/she wants me to park and that has been non-negotiable and therefore, usually, annoying.

 

Similarly, our overall impression is that we have always been received as customers by CC wardens whilst on several occasions we felt that CCC wardens viewed us as an inconvenience. Basically, we sometimes find the "Friendy Club" monicker a misnomer.

 

We usually find that CCC sites have space when all the CC ones we are looking at are showing as full on-line and I expect that is because a lump-sum deposit deters the "bed-blocking" as Brian topically decribes it.

 

It probably no longer matters to anyone these days but in general I would say that by and large customers on CC sites tend to be more middle-class and older whilst the CCC's have a higher proportion of working class and younger customers. Similarly, background noise levels have tended to be higher on CCC sites than the CC's. (But both have gone quiet by the time set in the rules.)

 

The CC sites we stayed on which allow tents tend to separate them from motorhomes whilst CCC's seem to mix them in.

 

The bulk of our UK touring has been in the over-populated South East of England so our experiences may not be typical.

 

We intend to maintain membership of both clubs.

 

Bob

[mondo]

We were members of both but let the C&CC membership lapse due to ..in our outlook the CC being a better option...better sites and friendlier wardens.We found the CC sites you could pick your own pitch but the C&CC they put you where they decided..On the Sandringham C&CC site we were put under the trees and when we asked to move we were asked why so I said 'er indoors doesn't like being in the trees she likes to be in the open..You can get a bit of the UKs meagre sunlight that way!! and it seemed we'd asked to move the pyramids!!! we did get moved eventually

 

Both have their own idiosyncrasies peculiar to each..but CC for us..then again we have been on some really great private sites..Stepping Stones at Banbury and Wytton Lakes in Huntingdon spring to mind!!

[malc d]

There is bound to be a difference between people on CC and CC&C sites.

 

CC&C includes people with tents, so there are a lot of younger families on site who may not have the spare cash, or the inclination, to buy a caravan.

 

CC sites used to be exclusively caravanners.

 

When I started camping, more years ago than I care to think, I always distinguished between the two by saying that the Caravan Club members were the ones who wore a tie on holiday.

 

;-)

[mel wood]

kevin hawkins - 2010-10-24 8:12 PM

 

We are already members of the caravan club and find their sites excellent. However, due to their popularity we do sometimes experience problems getting onto their sites. As we only have an Autosleeper Transit van with a portable toilet, good showers and toilets are a must. We have been thinking of joining the Camping and Caravan club to give us another option when we cannot get on the Caravan Club sites. Unfortunately, we have had some not so good reports on their sites. What do members who use their sites think? Over to you.

Kath and Kevin Hawkins *-)

 

Hi Kevin,

 

If you go to the threads

"Not having to book at campsites"

"Which club to join?"

you should find some useful information.

 

(I submitted some posts on both sites and rather than repeat comments I would just state here that we find it worthwhile being in both clubs.)

[Rocci]

I am a long-standing member of C&CC (>25years), having owned Trailer tents, caravans and now MH. Joined CC a few years ago and regularly use both clubs. CC sites tend to be more predictable, not surprising since only catering for wheeled units, therefore pitches are often "fixed" and hardstanding. C&CC sites have to tackle the logistics of different types of unit and are more likely to need to manage their pitching (especially on grass). Many of the sites appear more "natural" because of this.

We have found it useful to belong to both clubs especially when visiting Scotland which we do frequently. :-D

[Rowan Lee]

Thing I really hate about C&CC sites is the push button one temperature suits all showers. I had partially solved the problem by using a removable cable tie behind the pipes and round the button, but the refurbished showers now have the push button set into the wall and I haven't worked out a suitable wedge for these yet. But I have never found an unfriendly site, and being shown to a pitch saves us from having to make a decision ourselves, a process which it seems is becoming more and more difficult!

[Brambles]

So will we all now be at risk of legionaires descease with these one temp showers as the water will never be hot enough in the shower head to kill any bacteria. Hmmmm! food for thought although maybe an over reaction on my part. Bacteria in shower heads and hoses is a serious issue for Hotels with 'safe' temperature settings.

[Neil Hunt]

Forgot to add earlier that the CC magazine has a bit more substance than the C&CC's.

 

The latter mainly, snippetts, adverts, press releases as news and puffs to the 'friendly club, whereas the former does occasionally have something solid and worth reading, plus their archive of information.

 

Did not join either for the magazine of course.

[tonyishuk]

As members of either club you have a right to complain about wardens attitudes, etc.

 

Fortunately for a lot of companies, (all sizes and shapes), the English as a nation are either too inhibited (or lazy) to express any opinion to those seen to be in authority.

 

A Good "Bitch", "Whine", or complaint does sometimes move mountains, If there are enough of them aimed in the right place.

 

10 penny worth !

 

Rgds

 

 

 

[chas]

There are many reasons why I enjoy being a member of the CCC. First you do not have to pay for an EHU if you do not want it, which applys to many motorhomers, unless there are only EHU pitches left.

 

Also there is a generous discount for people over 55yrs in low-mid season. Members also only pay per person with no pitch fee, unless its one of those hugh tents that seem so popular today.

 

They have a vast range of C.L sites and holiday rallys with no booking required at many. The list goes on and on, and with todays motorhomes having decent bathrooms, who cares if some, and only some are not as plush as some of the CC toilet blocks. Each to their own of course, but with camping costs rising all the time, its nice to keep the costs down, which can go towards filling the fuel tank

[pepe63xnotuse]

I would echo Braunston's comments(reply no1)about using ukcampsite's site search.. :-)

We're members of both the CC and the C&CC but more often than not,we end up using sites found via their search... *-)