Filling my Fresh water tank.
I have just telephoned my local Caravan and Motorhome club site as I am going on the road on Tuesday and I need somewhere to top up my fresh water.
I explained that I am a member and that I didn't want to stay (although I HAVE stayed on numerous occasions); I just needed to fill up with fresh water. I am more than willing to pay for the convenience.
I was told 'no' that they did not offer that facility. I was also told that if that is what I needed, I needed to go to a CCC Site where they do 'cater for things like that'.
I am not going to get all upset about this but I WILL ask Why? Especially as 'The other club' offer it as a service.
Why is this not available from my own club?
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Good question to which you will get lots of different answers no doubt.
It does seem a bit daft that as you are willing to pay and are a member.
This service isn't allowed on C&MC sites. The other club of course is the friendly club so have worked out (easily) that some of their members would like this service so they have it on offer at some but not all of their sites.
Have you tried contacting the club to ask them why they don't offer this service?
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As a member it should be a complimentary service to you. It'll cost next to nothing but will be priceless in goodwill. Shortsighted & morally miserly
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On arrival at a site "driver" goes to office and asks if they can have a look round to see if they would like to come and visit, " My OH has difficulty walking can we drive round?" ten minutes later warden finds said "looking round member" servicing his vehicle facilities on a water point away from site office view, and yes it happens, before any one Jumps
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If I had either of these options I would not have to ask for an alternative facility would I?
I cannot top up on the first night given that I will be staying in a 'wild' spot and it is impossible to top up at home.
Forgive me if I find no your post really unhelpful.
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Grey water is surely not a problem for wild camping (nor on most CLs and some sites). As for other facilities, I believe they are called "bush toilets" in South Africa.
I can fully understand somebody not being able to fill up at home, for example, somebody living in a flat with a storage location with no water. Seems a reasonable request to me.
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Interestingly, this is also a very real problem for boats ( those which live on moorings and prefer to anchor rather than stay in a marina).
Even if you are happy to dinghy ashore with 10 litre containers, there are now very few places with publicly accessible taps. The only practical solution is often to pay for 'short term berthing' which generally means 4 hrs, and includes use of EHU and showers. Cost is usually £5 to £10. This seems very similar to what C&CC offer ?
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absolutely spot on, Rocky.
'servicing the van' (fresh and waste) should be part of the membership fee.
as you say, so easy to be negative and hack members off, but just as easy (given the will) to make life a little bit easier.
with the club demographic changing (towards MHs) i would be nice to see a bit of innovative, forward thinking.....
....and then i woke up....
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....but, surely, no problem if they are members?
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Wild mode for a night or two? Save the waste and get rid of it when I visit a recognised site which is where I am on my way to.
HD, I am heading for Devon but overnighting at a MHStop in Reading on the way. No chance of getting fresh water before I get there and Canterbury Park and Ride is just a bit too far out of the way.xxxx
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No problem tomyou perhaps BB.
There is a lot of 'wild camping' near to Brighton and other areas with a CC site I believe. So it would be OK for you if the warden stopped work, opened the barrier to a stream of motorhomes to service their vehicle whilst, of course keeping an eye on them to ensure that they left promply. Makes no sense to me BB.
If folk want this service join the C&CC and pay their going rate on those sites were they offer the facility. If one wishes to wild camp (and I have done so) one should make suitable provisions and not rely on others to put themselves out. There is no harm in asking but accept that the answer is 'no'.
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arty, as we've had the inevitible 'go elsewhere' (must be the most oft trotted out line on CT) and you've mentioned the CC might not be 'meeting your requirements' i would be tempted to ditch it and have the C&CC in your pocket as back up.
as caravanners dont require this service its hardly likely that the Caravan Club (with or without a new logo) will understand what youre talking about.
good luck.
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I have known the odd warden or two to help out but then again its Scotland and wild camping is a bit more tolerated here. Most harbors up here have water taps and chemical toilet emptying points free of charge. Shame you live so far away artyboo
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http://wildcamping.moonfruit.com/pub-stopovers/4563550207
Arty, this is a link to pub stopovers....many have water/waste....and good food
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This country is not very well set up for caravan and Motorhome touring. Sites have to be pre-booked a lot of the time, there are not many aires, parking is difficult for motohomes and nearly impossible for caravans, wild camping is restricted, the country is too crowded.
We were touring the Lot Valley in France and it seemed that every small town had a Motorhome service point.
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I don't agree with this assertion.
If the OP is unable to find the service he requires there is always the possibility of purchasing large bottles from a supermarket.
Another consideration is many motorhomes do not have sufficient free loading capacity to cope with large quantities of water.
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Why does everyone assume it is just because of wild camping that motorhomer owners would like to be able to pop in to a Club site just to use the service point? When it comes to discharging waste and wanting water, very few CL/CS have handy facilities to cater for motorhomes and it can be especially difficult to use these for the less able and tiresome for others. It would cost nothing for the Club to allow members to use a service point, it may even provide a supplementary income stream.
peedee
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.....but isnt part of the issue that 'camping requirements' are changing?...surely, this is exactly what the Club's formal embracing of MH into its name is all about......understanding the needs of the fastest expanding element of the membership.....
perhaps changes like........smaller, cheaper 'stopover' pitches....decent MHSPs in places that dont affect the flow of the site....ability to 'drop in' to use the MHSP as part of the membership (for a usage fee, or an annual add on to the membership fee so as not to upset some sections of the membership who cant make use of this 'service')...
the OP is a member of the club that has, readily available, the infrastructure in question. to deny a member access to this (even for possibly a small £2 fee) and to trot out the (now ever more popular line) 'go elsewhere' reflects poorly on the club and supports pretty much everything in Rocky's post about the narrow mindedness regularly displayed on CT.
is the issue that caravanners 'just cant see why' a service like this would be so useful?
....after all, it is still, to very many, 'the Caravan Club'.....
I even think CCC have it wrong.....£7 odd is way too expensive for their 'offering'.....they should have a simple fill/dump option at around £2.
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