Poppy Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 When we were on the continent we never pre booked sites, just turned up and it was never a problem.We were in lowish season and usually turned up by 2 p.m at the latest.Can you do that in Britain, even in low season? opinions please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 During the week maybe, but now camping has become fashionable the weekends are often booked up*-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Hit and miss I would imagine. Commercial sites - no experience, CC sites in busy place like The Lakes you've no chance at weekends but I'd say yes midweek. Depends what and where and when you're after.... Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Poppy - 2011-07-15 7:58 PM When we were on the continent we never pre booked sites, just turned up and it was never a problem.We were in lowish season and usually turned up by 2 p.m at the latest.Can you do that in Britain, even in low season? opinions please. Outside of bank holidays and school holidays not a problem, although I do see people posting about CC and C&CC club sites being booked up but we don't usualy stay at these. Must admit that nowadays we do tend to phone ahead when we know generaly the area we want to stop, so that might be around 4pm say, or if we intead arriving late at a site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Poppy - 2011-07-15 7:58 PM When we were on the continent we never pre booked sites, just turned up and it was never a problem.We were in lowish season and usually turned up by 2 p.m at the latest.Can you do that in Britain, even in low season? opinions please. Yes you can still do it. I've just returned from 4 weeks wandering around Scotland ( low season) - used about 9 sites - and didn't book anything. But, as Pelmetman says it's best not to move at weekends. Have never booked a site anywhere since I started camping- if I had to, I would think about packing it in. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlowie Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Yes, still possible (and preferable) B-) Outside school holidays - CC sites are notorious for being booked up at weekends pretty much all year round, (I blame those bloody 'staycationers'), but during the week pitches are usually available. Use CL/CS for weekends, or commercial sites if you want the facilities. Anywhere you like during the week, really. During school holidays - Commercial sites and most CC/CCC sites are a no-no. Your best bet will be CCC Temporary Holiday Sites, they are just brilliant! The only drawback is you have to go where the sites are, and when they are on, but the locations are usually so lovely that you will want to go back again. The above assumes you belong to both clubs, but, as a camper wishing to tour in Britain, why would you not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I'm guessing you meant to say in your OP " even in high season" I'm sure you can with a couple of caveats, a lot of CL's listed state pre-booking advised, or essential. Another irksome thing you can find is people dumping their caravan at CL's all week, just to use at a weekend so denying the pitch to anyone else in the week ( presumably paying the fee's for the entire week), grumpy wardens at CC / CCC sites if you dare to turn up around evening meal times ( our experience more than once ) We like to go off with very little idea of where we may end up that day, if that's your style we find the UK too restrictive, I'm sure others may disagree, but if only we had a system of Aires everyone would benefit, oh well not likely to happen :'( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Three years ago we just turned up at the CCC campsite midweek nr Barnard Castle our 1st and only time on a CCC campsite and was greeted with " have you booked ? " no just passing said I ,but would like to stop for one night. After a long sigh and a bit of tut tutting we were told it may be possible , but would have been better if we had booked in advance . We were then shown to a pitch on an almost empty site and had I not had a " free " voucher for an overnight site I would have said just forget it I will find somewhere else to stop. We have stopped at numerous sites in France mainly ASCI / CC by just turning up and greeted with a smile and the courtisy you would expect from someone happy to have your custom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Best bet for just "turning up" is CSs or CLs. We're in the CCC but don't use Club sites, just CSs. But even those can sometimes be full at popular weekends, so if you wanted to make a lifestyle of "impulse touring," you'd probably be wise to join both clubs & keep both their books in the van, next to your mobile phone. Then at least you can phone ahead on the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Tony Jones - 2011-07-16 9:53 AM keep both their books in the van, next to your mobile phone. Then at least you can phone ahead on the day. Before we "gave up" on the UK we spent many fruitless and frustrating times doing as Tony suggests ringing CLS / CS, either no answer, no mobile signal where we happened to pull up, or no sorry were full. The plumb sites, one near us for example is booked months ahead. I'm sure part of the problem is the fact that the CL network has been for many years restricted to 5 vans and yet there has been an explosion in the number of touring caravans and motor-homes in particular since we started out in the mid 60s. The other hassle for us motor-homers is there is unlikely to be a drive over grey waste point, the CCC in particular have been very slow on this, as I said before possible to do what you suggest, but with far more hassle than you would have experienced in Europe, what a pity though. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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