cost goes up

[duetto owner]

its not just diesel going up now £1.40-142 a litre round here but popped into a c&cc site wanted to stay one night was asked for £33. Will wild camp in a quiet spot.

 

hotel / BB stays starting to look more attractive as many campers getting priced out of the market.

[Brock]

Since starting motorhoming in the mid 90's, my mileage had reduced by 37% but my fuel bills have risen by 68% and the cost of new motorhomes has risen by 43%. Surprisingly, insurance has hardly risen. Servicing costs have almost doubled. Excluding campsite fees, my motorhoming costs would be 61% higher now. My income has risen by 90% so motorhoming is still costing less in comparison to what I earn. However, costs are not capped but my earnings are unlikely to rise again.

 

When I retire, the figures get much worse because my income would be only 30% more than in the mid 90's.

 

I excluded camp site fees because my figures suggest that these have only risen 20% which seems low.

 

Unfortunately, my personal value for money has not risen in line with costs. Therefore, whilst I was quite happy to spend the equivalent of my annual salary on a new motorhome in the 90's, I am unwilling now even though I can more easily afford to do so. When I look at prices, I still wear my head from twenty years or so ago!

 

We are considering giving up motorhoming [doubt we will though] and start travelling on rail cards out of peak times and staying in hotels or similar. I reckon we can get 10 weeks away for the cost of motorhoming.

[rupert123]

duetto owner - 2011-05-01 8:47 AM

 

its not just diesel going up now £1.40-142 a litre round here but popped into a c&cc site wanted to stay one night was asked for £33. Will wild camp in a quiet spot.

 

hotel / BB stays starting to look more attractive as many campers getting priced out of the market.

 

I assume you do not belong to the club as no club site I know of charges that much for a couple and a van. Why not join one of main clubs then you can use the system of CL's for, on average less than a third of that. So called 'wild camping' just continues to get M/H a bad name in both UK and Europe.

[Mel B]

Rupert, you're gonna fall off that soap-box of yours one of these days and hurt yourself! (lol)

[Syd]

I was in Ruperts camp until last year in Germany when by accident and BAD planning we wild camped with our caravan on three occasions. I have to say that the welcome that we received from the locals was very good so providing wild camping is carried out with care then it would appear to be very welcome in Germany at least

[Barryd999]

CL sites are stil good value. Im off to one on the coast next week for a week or so. £6 a night. Cant complain at that.

 

Wild camping is great if you pick your spots carefully. Its perfectly legal in many countries and providing you clear up, dont bunch loads of vans together and park considerately then I dont see why its a problem. After all the whole point of a motorhome is freedom. You have your own facilities so paying £33 for a campsite seems crazy to me.

[BGD]

Wild camping is perfectly OK in most areas of Spain.........at least in our experience over the past 4 years.

 

It's perfectly legal here to park overnight and sleep inside your MH in Spain anywhere that other vehicle can park overnight......but if you start getting out the chairs, the awning, the BBQ and spreading yourselves all over the pavement than the law here says you're "Camping", not simply "parked"......and you could be moved on if in a sensitive location.

 

But usual rules of common sense, courtesy and respect for the environment and locals apply.

[rupert123]

Mel B - 2011-05-01 8:36 PM

 

Rupert, you're gonna fall off that soap-box of yours one of these days and hurt yourself! (lol)

 

Sorry I cannot help it if you do not like the truth and will continue to say this as, no doubt, you will continue with your view, no problem with that. While I have no doubt that lots camp in free places without causing any problems and are carefull about where they stop this is not, unfortunatly true of the majority. If anyone bothers to open their eyes they can see and hear evidence of this all over europe and closer to home in the Outer Hebrides. How many, even on here, I wonder bother to find out if they are trespassing on private land. It may go unoticed but often not. It may well be legal in some countries but still causes problems especially when groups congregate. Many places in the south of France are virtually no go areas now because of un thinking people in big white vans, it effects all of us so I for one will continue to speak against it. Sorry to original poster about change of topic and will say no more on subject on this thread.

[arthur49]

Hope this is not too off-topic, but Rupert mentioned the Outer Hebrides. We have camped here off-site quite a lot because there used to be little or no choice of sites. Last Sept/Oct we stayed on a crofters field on Barra for several nights for £5/night. Only facility was a water tap (and a fantastic view). Happy to spend a few pounds to support the local fragile economy. We went to watch the planes landing and taking off on the sands at Barra airport. In the terminal toilets some motorhomers used to - maybe still do? - abuse the facility and, for instance, wash their underwear in the toilet sinks and do full body washes. It was abuse of the machair here that meant it was fenced off two years ago.

At Kildonan on South Uist, we camped one night on the machair. We first checked with Lochboisdale Tourist Office. We spoke to a local walking up the track, a crofter working on the machair, and also the residents of last bungalow en route. All enthusiastically said no problem as long as we try to stick to the tracks, which we did, and don't leave anything behind - what a fantastic evening and night. Next morning, we half-filled a black bag with rubbish - general mess not necessarily left by motorhomes - and took it away with us.

We spent a night at a picnic spot at Solas on North Uist. We arrived just as the only occupant, a motorhome, was leaving. We could clearly see where he had emptied his grey water. It does not matter what I (or anyone else) thinks about the effect this might or might not have on the environment, the fact remains we are told not to do it by locals and tourist office staff. That's a very reasonable stance for them to take for the privilege of enjoying their spectacular islands.

Wherever we went we were enthusiastically welcomed. Strangers waved.

We stayed on site a lot more than off site. If you do decide to free camp please be considerate.

 

Arthur

[terryW]

rupert123 - 2011-05-01 11:45 AM

duetto owner - 2011-05-01 8:47 AMits not just diesel going up now £1.40-142 a litre round here but popped into a c&cc site wanted to stay one night was asked for £33. Will wild camp in a quiet spot.hotel / BB stays starting to look more attractive as many campers getting priced out of the market.

I assume you do not belong to the club as no club site I know of charges that much for a couple and a van. Why not join one of main clubs then you can use the system of CL's for, on average less than a third of that. So called 'wild camping' just continues to get M/H a bad name in both UK and Europe.

 

Sorry Rupert, I don't normally like to post a negative reply but I would direct you to Hillhead caravan Club site in August.

 

MH plus two is £31.50 for a member.

 

With regards to CCC sites I cannot comment as in protest over their booking system I voted with my feet last October.

 

[BGD]

One option, if you only want to stay on sites and don't like wild-camping (which is of course free), is maybe to consider those sites which take the "ACSI" discount card.

 

Not too many of them in Britain (yet?), but there really are enormous numbers of them across the rest of mainland Europe.

 

Motorhome plus two people, including electricity, fresh water, showers, waste water dump, toilet cassette waste disposal, etc, all for just 11,or 13, or 15 euros per night (depending upon site).

So that's roughly 9 to 13 quid in euro-land.

Usually the ACSI discount rate isn't available in peak July & August time, but the ACSI book tells you for each site when it is valid......which in most cases is for most of the reat of the calendar year.

 

Many of these "ACSI" sites are in prime locations, right on beach-fronts etc, or in wonderful scenic forests or national parks, or very close to big historic cities with public transport links close by.

 

We've used many many of these sites across Spain, Portugal and Southern France....often using one every 3 or 4 nights in between wild camping as we tour around, in order to top up batteries, dump waste and refill with fresh water.

I think the the ACSI discount scheme is excellent value for money.

 

Just a thought............

[rupert123]

terryW - 2011-05-02 2:16 PM

rupert123 - 2011-05-01 11:45 AM

duetto owner - 2011-05-01 8:47 AMits not just diesel going up now £1.40-142 a litre round here but popped into a c&cc site wanted to stay one night was asked for £33. Will wild camp in a quiet spot.hotel / BB stays starting to look more attractive as many campers getting priced out of the market.

I assume you do not belong to the club as no club site I know of charges that much for a couple and a van. Why not join one of main clubs then you can use the system of CL's for, on average less than a third of that. So called 'wild camping' just continues to get M/H a bad name in both UK and Europe.

 

Sorry Rupert, I don't normally like to post a negative reply but I would direct you to Hillhead caravan Club site in August.

 

MH plus two is £31.50 for a member.

 

With regards to CCC sites I cannot comment as in protest over their booking system I voted with my feet last October.

Yep would agree that is steep and a price I would never pay. In my own defence though the original post was made on 1 May so my answer was in response to this date.

[Clive]

Out of interest what we refer to as "Wild camping" or a one night stopover in a quiet spot is built into French law as a right. Conversely it is illegal to do this anywhere in Portugal. (We were chased out along with dozens of others once in Portugal from what we thought was an official place by the Police)

Britain doesn,t like it because we don,t have much land and everybody wants to make a bomb out of us. For example, overnighting in French motorway services is free (should you want to do this!) but just try this in the UK..

Germany seem to have a similar attitude to France although my experience there is limited to the Caravan Salon at Dussledorf, having "done" this show we run back to France.

It was easier in the "good old days" when there we much fewer motorhomes. (We started in 1972)

 

C.

 

[Mel B]

rupert123 - 2011-05-02 10:25 AM

 

Mel B - 2011-05-01 8:36 PM

 

Rupert, you're gonna fall off that soap-box of yours one of these days and hurt yourself! (lol)

 

Sorry I cannot help it if you do not like the truth and will continue to say this as, no doubt, you will continue with your view, no problem with that.

 

I don't have a problem with you having your view either chuck, it just gets a bit monotonous when you bang on against it all the time at every opportunity and in this case diverting the thread - but I note that you did apologise to the OP though for doing so. :-D

[Guest Tracker]

rupert123 - 2011-05-02 10:25 AM

Sorry I cannot help it if you do not like the truth and will continue to say this as, no doubt, you will continue with your view, no problem with that.

 

Sorry to original poster about change of topic and will say no more on subject on this thread.

 

 

Ah but Henry dear chap it ain't the truth is it - it's just your own opinion formulated from your own experiences - so why not just say so and stop alienating half the forum!

 

But then again you are not going to say any more on the subject - are you?

 

There is no right or wrong - sites - aires - or wild - it's all camping so why can't we all just live and let live?

 

It's not asking that much - is it?

[rupert123]

Mel B - 2011-05-03 7:03 PM

 

rupert123 - 2011-05-02 10:25 AM

 

Mel B - 2011-05-01 8:36 PM

 

Rupert, you're gonna fall off that soap-box of yours one of these days and hurt yourself! (lol)

 

Sorry I cannot help it if you do not like the truth and will continue to say this as, no doubt, you will continue with your view, no problem with that.

 

I don't have a problem with you having your view either chuck, it just gets a bit monotonous when you bang on against it all the time at every opportunity and in this case diverting the thread - but I note that you did apologise to the OP though for doing so. :-D

 

What,s a chuck? All I can think of is throwing something, a piece of steak or a thing that holds work on a lathe. Not sure if you are insulting me or not here.

[Big Momma]

The most expensive CC site fee I could find on the whole network was £27pn for Motorhome & 2 Adults in High Season.

 

I am going to the CC site at St. Davids in Wales at the end of May, the Half Term holiday so again High season prices.....£14.20pn, not bad in my book.

 

Other than Scotland I hear little of people 'Wild Camping' in England. Although in Europe it is a common and acceptable practice.

[ChrisK5]

I know how you feel we have just booked 2 nights with the CC club at their york site at a cost of £31.00 per night and that is just a basic pitch not a full service pitch, dont know how much that would cost.

 

[Mel B]

rupert123 - 2011-05-03 9:15 PM

 

Mel B - 2011-05-03 7:03 PM

 

I don't have a problem with you having your view either chuck, it just gets a bit monotonous when you bang on against it all the time at every opportunity and in this case diverting the thread - but I note that you did apologise to the OP though for doing so. :-D

 

What,s a chuck? All I can think of is throwing something, a piece of steak or a thing that holds work on a lathe. Not sure if you are insulting me or not here.

 

Believe me Rupert, if I was insulting you, you'd know about it! :D A 'chuck' is also a chicken which is used as a term of endearment, don't tell me you have never heard of Hilda Ogden (Coronation Street fame) who was always calling people chuck? 8-)

[lennyhb]

Barryd999 - 2011-05-02 12:02 AM

 

CL sites are stil good value. Im off to one on the coast next week for a week or so. £6 a night. Cant complain at that.

 

Wild camping is great if you pick your spots carefully. Its perfectly legal in many countries and providing you clear up, dont bunch loads of vans together and park considerately then I dont see why its a problem. After all the whole point of a motorhome is freedom. You have your own facilities so paying £33 for a campsite seems crazy to me.

 

Some CL's are good value but not always a couple of weeks ago on the way the Scotland (yes I know the only good thing to come out of Scotland is the road south had to go to keep the boss happy) decided to go to Liverpool for a day found a CL near a station at Moels near Birkinhead £15 a night no reduction for not using mains even though you could not pitch within a 100 ft of an outlet as the fiels was soggy, did have a shower & loo but not fit for human use.

By contrast stayed at an excellent CL in the Lake Disrict on the way back for 3 nights at £4 a night.

Whilst in Scotland wild camped for all but 2 nights which were spent on the Glen Nevis camp site which would put any grotty Caravan Club site to shame for £13.80 a night.

[terryW]

Yep would agree that is steep and a price I would never pay. In my own defence though the original post was made on 1 May so my answer was in response to this date.

 

Nor me normally, the only reason I know is that I'm using two free night vouchers to visit an elderly relative in the area in August.

 

[rupert123]

Mel B - 2011-05-03 10:01 PM

 

rupert123 - 2011-05-03 9:15 PM

 

Mel B - 2011-05-03 7:03 PM

 

I don't have a problem with you having your view either chuck, it just gets a bit monotonous when you bang on against it all the time at every opportunity and in this case diverting the thread - but I note that you did apologise to the OP though for doing so. :-D

 

What,s a chuck? All I can think of is throwing something, a piece of steak or a thing that holds work on a lathe. Not sure if you are insulting me or not here.

 

Believe me Rupert, if I was insulting you, you'd know about it! :D A 'chuck' is also a chicken which is used as a term of endearment, don't tell me you have never heard of Hilda Ogden (Coronation Street fame) who was always calling people chuck? 8-)

 

Ah! One of those strange northern expressions then, thats anywhere north of the Watford gap, (lol) . Have a good friend who comes from somewhere up their, Newcastle I think its called, have trouble understanding him at times, calls his wife 'pet' which drives her mad.

[mikemoss]

Some site fees are indeed getting completely out of hand. The Caravan Club wanted £43 per night for the privilege of parking on a small piece of gravel at their Looe site on April 8. They claimed it was 'high season' (presumably because a school somewhere else in the country was on holiday).

 

Admittedly this was for four adults, with the per-person charge raising the overall rate considerably. Why? Does one adult really consume £8.50's worth of extra water, waste bin space, electricity etc each and every night? Of course not.

 

In nine nights of touring around Cornwall, staying at a different site each night, the next most expensive was still less than half the price the CC wanted - and this from a 'club' supposedly providing benefits for members in return for their subscriptions.

 

Having said all that, travelling with two friends effectively halved the cost of fuel and certainly reduced the cost of each night's stay. We still managed to spend an average of just over £100 a day without going to any great excesses.

 

 

 

 

[747]

rupert123 - 2011-05-03 10:58 PM

 

Mel B - 2011-05-03 10:01 PM

 

rupert123 - 2011-05-03 9:15 PM

 

Mel B - 2011-05-03 7:03 PM

 

I don't have a problem with you having your view either chuck, it just gets a bit monotonous when you bang on against it all the time at every opportunity and in this case diverting the thread - but I note that you did apologise to the OP though for doing so. :-D

 

What,s a chuck? All I can think of is throwing something, a piece of steak or a thing that holds work on a lathe. Not sure if you are insulting me or not here.

 

Believe me Rupert, if I was insulting you, you'd know about it! :D A 'chuck' is also a chicken which is used as a term of endearment, don't tell me you have never heard of Hilda Ogden (Coronation Street fame) who was always calling people chuck? 8-)

 

Ah! One of those strange northern expressions then, thats anywhere north of the Watford gap, (lol) . Have a good friend who comes from somewhere up their, Newcastle I think its called, have trouble understanding him at times, calls his wife 'pet' which drives her mad.

 

 

I find it difficult to believe you have a friend Rupert, let alone a Northern one. :D

 

Terms of endearment are quite common with the friendly Northern folk, although I am struggling to think of one to confer on you. :'(