wow

[yello]

The days of the central loo block have gone

I hope not. I really hope there is still a place for the cheap basic campsite.

Ime, the more expensive ones are exactly the ones I don't want to stay at since they usually cater for families and, therefore, kids.

 

[CopperBrompton]

I think you are confusing it with the Caravan Club.

Ah, I think you're right. Sorry, as you were.

 

[Mark_Robson]

We've just come back from fifteen days touring in the north of England and mostly paid £10 per night for varying facilities. One large site in Siloth kept us waiting for twenty minutes while the warden finished a repair in the toilets then took out a table of rates and a calculator and managed to conjure up £23 for one night for a two man tent. We politely told him where to stuff it and found another site for £10 (Tanglewood) just down the road. They try and justify it by pointing out all the facilities that we don't want such as swimming pool, games rooms, club, bar etc. I don't see why they can't have a basic rate that doesn't include the use of these facilities. Apart from the obvious complication of policing it of course.

That wasn't Stanwix Park by any chance was it?

 

[Riding in Circles]

The most I have ever paid is £8

 

[Crankarm]

I recommend joining the Camping and Caravanning Club

http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/

It was originally a cyclist camping club so is very cycle friendly, membership gets you a decent discount and updates on all the new sites.

It might be a good idea but the thought of joining an organisation with caravanning in the title turns me cold .

 

[toekneep]

That wasn't Stanwix Park by any chance was it?

That's the one. I should also point out that it was recommended by the TIC staff after I pointed out that we didn't like big sprawling sites with leisure facilities.

 

[Riding in Circles]

It might be a good idea but the thought of joining an organisation with caravanning in the title turns me cold .

Cranky, you have never been the kind of person to not cut off your nose to spite your face so I would expect nothing less, however those that cycle tour and camp can make their own choices, it has saved me a lot of money over the years and given me access to a huge number of sites, they have always been secure, clean and well maintained with basic facilities and friendly staff, in the last 5 years I have not stayed on a non club site in this country as I have always found a convenient one, as I say I have never paid more that £8, on some sites they have squeezed me in in high season and refused payment, on others I have paid as little as £3 a night and I get free nights as part of a loyalty scheme as well.

 

[doog]

£15 will get you a B&B 250 yards from Bournemouth seafront in a nice part of town

Kind of puts things into perspective

 

[Arch]

I hope not. I really hope there is still a place for the cheap basic campsite.

Ime, the more expensive ones are exactly the ones I don't want to stay at since they usually cater for families and, therefore, kids.

A friend of mine said that in France he'd always prefer to find a 2* site rather than a 3*, because all you get extra at a 3* is stuff you don't want if you're a basic camper and you pay more, and there are usually lots of kids.

 

[Arch]

Oh, and we recently used a camping and caravanning site - to park a car for a fortnight while we were abroad. Very obliging owner, only wanted a fiver a week, as opposed to the £80 a week at the port. We parked up and rode the 8 miles into Portsmouth.

That site was basically just a field, so more suited for caravans and motorhomes with toilets/showers etc.

One chap there apparently, stays there over summer, and sets off in September to drive to Morocco for the winter. In his 80's.