On Monday evening I spent a couple of hours doing the two things I hate most about caravanning in the UK - planning and booking a short break.

First off, I try to find a site en route to our destination area (The Dales) for two nights but I'm forced to stray well off the most direct route ending up at St Neots C&CC. We've been there before when the site was flooded and said we'd go back one day to have a better look around so it's not a complete disaster. £25 non-returnable deposit paid and a further £25.20 to pay on arrival - kerching!.

Next stop a small private site at Howden, East Yorkshire for three nights so we can visit friends and relatives whom we haven't seen for three years. £75 paid up front by bank transfer - kerching!

Next, try to find a suitable club site anywhere in the Dales that can take us over the weekend? Forget it. So we end up at Barnard Castle C&CC (again!) for three nights paying another £25 deposit with a further £55 due on arrival - kerching!

At this point I lost the will to live so I will have to play it by ear once we get to t'North.

If I asked them nicely do you think Randa or Motters would do the planning for me in future? They do seem to enjoy it.

Randa's your man.
We planned 6 or 7 sites for our 5 weeks away at present.
Initial idea was a route taking in 6 or 7 areas and a short list of sites in each to drop in and if we liked one stay.
Eventually I realised that site availability, even looking months in advance was an issue, so gave up, decided on 4 and booked them all in advance.
The saving grace is we have been allocated 3 lovely pitches so far and with booking early paid euro 14-20 a night.

Colin

We've only had to book two sites on our 17 site trip. Brighton C and MH Club site for two nights as the Dieppe ferry was leaving at 10 am and we also wished to have an up to date look at Brighton. That cost about £49 a night. Enough said.

Then we had to book the Dieppe site in advance because we had to put a French destination address for Mrs Cat. That was 14 or 16 euros a night, can't remember now.

All the others including the 3 or 4 we added as we went, we just arrived, mostly before lunch and the most we have paid is 18 euros (we think) where the best was 14 euros. There was also the deal of 2 weeks for 1 at Pont du Gard so that worked out at only 12 euros a night.

We've just been in touch with Julie and Neil Grafo who are currently doing an extended Devon and Cornwall trip. They have just been refused entry and turned away from a C and MH Club site because according the the jobs worths, not the book, they were an hour too early.

Randa

To me, I think the C and MH Club are reacting to its vast number of campervan owners. Let's not forget that the majority of wardens now use campervans.

As you say Julie, it's nice to turn up before lunch to set up the caravan and then if you wish, you can go out in the afternoon whereas camper vanners park in a lay-by etc for most of the day, do the necessary shopping and turn up at the campsite at around 5pm by which time all the good spots have been taken.

Therefore we caravanners need re-educating and re-training.

Randa

https://www.campingcard.co.uk/france/upp...-claire-113364/

Yes, that facility has been outside the gates of the Camping Sainte-Claire site for a number of years now. I don't know if the campsite is privately owned or not but "the owner" is very proud of his campsite/garden which has won many awards. It also has splendid views of the countryside and a very long cycle path (ex railway line).

As it is easily accessible to the motorway and has a number of large supermarkets about 5 minutes down the road, I suspect that he or the council didn't wish to attract heavyweight overnighters onto the lawns of the campsite. Those that are let in are placed on hard standings.

Randa

I'm putting my neck on the block for the second time today, so here goes.
I am in favour of a depart by and arrive after time system. For a very small minority of sites it is needed due to site access. Whilst pitch maintenance may not take up 2 hours, I'd expect a good proportion of this time could be spent in cleaning shower blocks etc.
No system is perfect, but a leave before and arrive after lunch timing would sound realistic and reasonable.
What I do find unacceptable is changing systems mid season, for that there is no excuse or reason, just a sign of bad management.

Colin