As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
Purely a matter of personal choice. The advantage is a few more sites you can visit at discount prices, but still not necessarily cheaper than commercial sites. They are usually of a more consistent quality, but again not necessarily better than some commercial ones. If you are a Club member you can sometimes get discounts on ferry fares if you go abroad. Camping and Caravan Club have seniors discount on membership, not sure whether CMHC does as we are C&CC members.
Both clubs have small sites which are owned and run by individuals such as farmers. Called Certificated Locations (CLs) which are Caravan Club and Certificated Sites (CSs) which are Camping and Caravanning Club. Far more CLs than CSs. The majority have electric hook up (EHU), some have loos and showers. They are usually about £20-£25 per night. Some have EHU included, some have some EHU, e.g. 10 units per day and you pay for any more at a set rate which can vary. We use them for preference. They vary from lovely to barely acceptable. Most have reviews on here.
I stayed at a C&CC club site in 2007/8 and when I checked in, I was informed I might as well join the club as the nightly non-member fee for 7 nights I had to pay was sufficient for the annual membership fee.
I usually stayed at one of their club sites every year, sometimes more.
Going forward, I shall try and stay at a C&CC club site first before I look for non-club sites as I qualify for their concession rate being 60 this year.
I joined CAMC when I got my van in 2021. I don't use their sites much, however, there are sites at locations where I would return, so I decided to keep my membership.
I know what to expect when I arrive at a C&CC club site, with good facilities and on-site wardens 24/7. The onl issue I might have is lack of mobile phone signal and poor on-site Wi-Fi as I need a good internet connection for work even when I am out and about camping.
Facilities at CAMC club sites varied. Some has not facilities except for a motorhome service point, fresh water and a Chemical Disposal Point; as in no shower or flushing toilet, and no washing facilities. So do read the site description carefully.
For personal safety concerns, being on my own with just a dog for company, I prefer to stay at larger club or independent sites.
Each to their own and all that.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by steve mx on 23/1/2025
What does it cost and what are the stand out benefits of joining caravan and camping club or similar
The advantage is you get to join a regiment and told where to site the caravan, you get to be told to be in an orderly line, told when to use the amenities etc. LOL!
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
Join both - then either rejoin both, one or neither next year. You’ll need to stay on a Club site at least 4 times, maybe 5, to make it financially worthwhile.
Few Club sites located where we want to go, so we largely stay at independent sites (much cheaper & just as good, by our criteria - but everyone has different needs). If we’re going to an area that we know nothing about, we’ll stay at a club site to save time faffing about trying to choose somewhere for 2 nights.
Quote: Originally posted by steve mx on 23/1/2025
What does it cost and what are the stand out benefits of joining caravan and camping club or similar
The advantage is you get to join a regiment and told where to site the caravan, you get to be told to be in an orderly line, told when to use the amenities etc. LOL!
Which is exactly why we use CLs/CSs. Nobody tells you what to do. Mind you, on the rare occasions when we stay at Burford Club site we have never been told how to pitch or when to use the facilities.
Quote: Originally posted by steve mx on 23/1/2025
What does it cost and what are the stand out benefits of joining caravan and camping club or similar
The advantage is you get to join a regiment and told where to site the caravan, you get to be told to be in an orderly line, told when to use the amenities etc. LOL!
I prefer to have some rules than no rules.
Facilities are closed when they are being cleaned at regular times which are clearly displayed, that should be understandable.
My nightmare is to go to a festive with no rules on the proximity of your camping neighbours, or late night parties with loud music and singing, or rowdy children playing games and kicking their balls and knocking over your furniture or worse, burning BBQs, etc. etc...
Rules are fine as long as I know them upfront, and are enforced by site wardens/staff and not just paying lip service and nowhere to be seen when there are issues to be addressed.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by steve mx on 23/1/2025
What does it cost and what are the stand out benefits of joining caravan and camping club or similar
The advantage is you get to join a regiment and told where to site the caravan, you get to be told to be in an orderly line, told when to use the amenities etc. LOL!
Not so on a lot of C&CC sites. We wouldn't go there if they were like that. I have heard that CAMC sites tend to be like that but I haven't used one in decades so I can't be sure. We like sites where we can set up our caravan how we like and any way round, which is one reason why we usually avoid hard standings. It's not difficult to find C&CC sites that suit us, and the CSs are usually perfect for that, as are many of their bigger sites.
Yes they do close toilet blocks for cleaning at fixed times, but there are usually other blocks that are open when one is closed. We are usually off site by then anyway as we like to get out and about.
Never been told where to pitch on a CAMC site in 7 years I've been a member! On arrival, if a choice of vacant pitches available, they tell you to go find the pitch you want, then let them know where you pitched so they can take it off the vacant list.
Only restriction on CAMC sites with pitching is unit must align with the marker posts, car one side, awning the other of unit, which ensures correct spacing between pitches for fire safety and privacy - had a numpty next to me last year who pitched so close I almost stepped out of my car into his awning! - Wardens quickly told him to re-pitch CORRECTLY! And that pitching restriction I am all in favour of and grateful for, free range numpties are a menace! Not all sites are straight regimented pitches in a grid pattern of roads, in fact I've never stayed on one like that! The ones I've used had meandering roads and varying distances between pitches to suit the lie of the land.
CAMC toilet/showers have a fixed time for routine cleaning, it's clearly posted on the facility, so easy not to clash with it!
I've stayed on private sites that are FAR more regimented! - Pitch allocated on booking with no choice etc., and truly regimented rows of pitches!
I am definitely in favour of correct spacing between units but not keen on having to align with posts. I've only ever been on one C&CC site like that. I have always been given a choice of several pitches, but that may be because we usually arrive on a Monday when sites are rarely anywhere near full. When we arrive on a C&CC site we are usually met by a warden on a bike who then gets us to follow them round as they point out vacant pitches along the way. I think the only time I have been allocated a specific pitch was on a commercial site, not a Club one.
I go to C&CC Salisbury Club site regularly, usually over the Easter weekend, arriving on Thursday shortly after 13:00h, departing on Tuesday.
During the check-in process, I would normally be given the option to choose where I would like to stay, which was on a hard-standing pitch close to the main facilities block.
When I was still a tenter in 2015, I was given a grass pitch close to their smaller facilities block that was not in use. However, they gave me a key to their disable toilet with a shower instead.
I like that site as they always seem to have nice wardens since I started going there in 2010.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Been a member of the Caravan Club since 1982. Used to like reading the magazine but seems to have lost its relevance over the last few years. We have seldom stayed on club sites which are sometimes over-regimented and run by some jobsworths but that aside the quality is consistent. We have used and still use CL sites as a preference - largely populated by sensible people. We have used their ferry booking services in the past but now use Brittany Ferries exclusively unless going via Diver - we are 'club' members with BF. We use caravan club for touring insurance whilst abroad - not the cheapest but always excellent when needed ( others will disagree!) and we use the their caravan insurance most of the time time - again not the cheapest but when needed was excellent.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Members
via mobile 23/1/2025 at 9:58am
