Just looked at Sandy Balls and yes. Agree its bl**dy expensive. My quote 2 adults 2 teenagers & dog in a large caravan came in at £896 !! but I stand by my comments - they are not all like that including the ones I mentioned in high season.
I would just move on from Sandy Balls & look elsewhere.
------------- Steve
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Agree fully about the prices of caravan and camping site prices. It used to be a very cheap holiday for families, but sadly not now.
Ive looked at several sites in Cornwall and a good few of them were way over the 50 quid mark and thats for a simple site,ehu,and a pool. No club or anything like that. We have 4 kids ranging from 18 down to 10 and a dog. We even saw one near Newquay that came in at £78 a night, i cant remember the name off the top of my head, but its quite a popular one, Im sure Ive read about people recommending it.
So, with the price in mind, weve decided to have a seasonal pitch at the site we went to last year. It would work out at £34.50 a night, but weve paid £700 and can go as much as we want between 1st April and 31st Oct! Even if we just have 3 weeks in the van, its paid for its self!! But were planning to go loads and really get our moneys worth.
Rach
------------- Smile, it makes "em wonder what youve been doing!
.As for the caravan club of which we used to be members,try booking any of the sites after they put up the new season internet bookings and you will be lucky to get in so why be a member?.
I have just checked the CC website and there is availability at the site in Looe at £35 a night for 2 adults and 2 children. There may well be other sites available.
Peak season Family Pitch (2+2) £27.25 a night or large pitch £29.25 a night. Add £4 a night for ehu.
Not bad for July/Aug in Cornwall - unless of course you join the UKCS Meet and it's even better value at £160 for a week with hook up for all the family and up to 2 dogs. No pool but there's a great beach 5 mins walk away
------------- Keely :-))
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Markis42 have you considered Whitefield Forest http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=6722 on the Isle of Wight? We're planning on going May Half-term. They don't have lots of facilities but what they do have look to be a good standard. Obviously ferry would up the price but would still be significantly cheaper I would have thought, Loads for kids to do on IOW, quite a few attractions take Tesco vouchers too if you have those.
Yes! it's all madness especially English sites in August. Luckily we'll probably have our main summer holiday in the beginning of July in England as the english schools are still in and the scottish schools are on holiday. Infact the further south we'll go the cheaper it usually gets Not fair, I know, for the majority of you. However, if you search carefully, there are sites out there that are reasonable, eg. £15 p.n. in high season and luckily if you don't crave too many on site facilities it's very possible to get cheaper. Maybe worthwhile asking about discounts for longer stays, eg. 7 nights for the price of 6 etc. Good luck.
I completely agree that the prices have rocketed. As my husband is a teacher, we have no option to go in the school holidays with our two kids, and we are simply being priced out of popular areas such as Devon and Cornwall. We tend to head for Pembrokeshire or Scotland these days, but even Pembrokeshires prices have gone up dramatically. The last time we tried a CCC certificated site, but it got very crowded and was full of people who seemed to have no idea of campsite etiquette, in particular letting their kids roam noisily around the campsite until nearly midnight. So I can definitely see the attraction of paying for a warden controlled site, but they are just beyond our budget.
So it is back to Scotland for us this year. Yes, it costs us more in petrol, but it is less crowded and we save on the pitch costs over a two week camping trip.
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Most of this topic has been covered, but I'd like to make one comment. I like places where they charge for the shower. My view is that people don't value things if they don't pay for them and they abuse them. It's a bit like going to an all you can eat buffet, people seem to go mad and gorge themselves to get their money's worth.
If I go to a campsite where they charge 50p for the showers, there is never a queue, people get in, have a shower and get out, no doing their laundry (in the shower) or taking half an hour.
You see for me, and it's maybe because I live in Scotland and wild camping is possible virtually everywhere, I think that I'd may as well wild camp than pay for a site and then pay an additional charge for the showers! I don't see the point in charging for a shower; surely everyone washing and they pay to stay on a campsite because they get use of toilets and a shower?
there is an alternative answer here of course (already mentioned by some) .............. just don't head to the places that EVERYONE goes. Look at different areas to go and be a bit different. Don't head for Cornwall/Devon
Great Britain has some wonderful place to see and visit - so the weather may be a bit rubbish a lot of the time but there are plenty of places to see and loads of things to do all over the country (countries)
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: Rip Off Britain?
Not fair, I know, for the majority of you. However, if you search carefully, there are sites out there that are reasonable, eg. £15 p.n. in high season and luckily if you don't crave too many on site facilities it's very possible to get cheaper. Maybe worthwhile asking about discounts for longer stays, eg. 7 nights for the price of 6 etc. Good luck.
