Rowntree Park York - has it been flooded recently

TigersJools
TigersJools Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited November 2023 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Hi all 

Has anyone been to Rowntree Park over the last few weeks and has it been affected by flooding? We are due to go in 10 days or so.  Last year we managed one day of a six day break before the site was shut.  We go every November and have only had two bookings disrupted by flooding in about 20 years.

Thanks 

Jools 

Comments

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2023 #2

    This is the place to go for current updates and warnings.

    The club will be using this up to date info. to make those important informed decisions we need. Things can change in minutes so what was relevent last week is of no help really. 

    https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/location?location=YORK

    The up to the minute flooding map is the best visual check!

    https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/target-area/122FWF710?v=map&lyr=mv,ts,tw,ta&fid=flood.122FWF710&ext=-1.18158,53.910446,-1.024808,53.988971

    Ypu can have a flood alert warning on your phone using the above, too!

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited November 2023 #3

    You can also use the "before you travel" section of this website, or better still phone the site.

    JK

  • K Brown
    K Brown Forum Participant Posts: 33
    edited November 2023 #4

    The “before you travel” is not the best starting point. The Environment Agency via the met Office website gives current information. As is so often the case the Caravan Club is behind the curve. The last time the “before you travel” section was updated was a couple of days ago. In changing times a lot can happen in that time scale.

  • Martatin
    Martatin Forum Participant Posts: 306
    edited November 2023 #5

    At Rowntree today. Water levels are dropping on river so expecting to be ok for this week. 

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2023 #6

    Sorry, fat fingers duplicated the post!

     

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2023 #7

    For the very latest flood warnings and alerts! Follow the on page instructions and use YO23 1JQ as the postcode.


    https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited November 2023 #8

    That's told me then!

    I'd imagine though that speaking to the onsite staff is most up to date information you can get

    JK

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,027 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2023 #9

    I’d agree JK, but the frequency of being able to get an answer if phoning a Club Site direct does vary greatly. We tried to get through umpteen times last year to Ferry Meadows, always phoning at what we though a reasonable time, but we never got a response. Turns out phone was linked to entry gate🤷‍♀️ 

    Using Environment agency flooding data is best first port of call (pun intended😁). YRP is likely to remain under an alert most of Winter now, doesn’t always flood though, all depends on what rainfall hits its feeder rivers. 

  • K Brown
    K Brown Forum Participant Posts: 33
    edited November 2023 #10

    Jk

    I’m sorry if my reply came across as a criticism of your advice, that was not my intention at all. I just trying to say that the most up to date information regarding floods comes from the EA.

    Apologies again - and let’s hope that YRP does not have to be evacuated this winter.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2023 #11

    I’m sure site staff will always have that weather eye (pun intended) on the river immediately outside the site but it’s all about knowing what’s happening further up the watershed. As for the Ouse/Foss is concerned, that’s a huge area. The alerts and warnings provided by EA come as a result of this data and escalate from an alert through to a warning and on to a severe warning (imminent chance of a flooding) for very specific and localised areas in ‘danger’ of flooding.

    If where and when a flood does happens this can then also be monitored via their app. Hopefully all will have heeded the prior alerts and warnings. When we were there once the staff during an alert they were very busy acting upon the situation and assisting those on site. One warden  told me they couldn’t believe that some had gone out for the day even during such a warning. The suggestion had been remain close, contactable and sober just in case. I guess some of us members need to take some responsibility ourselves and act upon advice regardless where it comes from. Luckily it never went above a warning during our stay and all exit routes from site remained relatively dry.

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited November 2023 #12

    No offence taken K. The site staff would have the info from the EA also.

    JK

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2023 #13

    The Gov.website is showing flood warning right now for the Rowntree area! Hopefullly it won’t happen!

  • Goldie146
    Goldie146 Club Member Posts: 2,448 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2023 #14

    Yesterday I saw a post on Facebook, more or less complaining that the site was being evacuated because of imminent flooding. The writer seemed surprised. 

  • John Snowball
    John Snowball Forum Participant Posts: 30
    edited November 2023 #15

    This picture was on 3 Nov 23. River level at 3.5 m on the Viking recorder and the site remained open although the park next door was closed. Today the River is expected to peak at 4.01m at 6 pm and fall through the night.

    The flood gates are at the bottom of Clementhorpe on the junction with Terry Avenue near to where the picture was taken. The Environment Agency controls the gates and notifies the site wardens in good time if they are to be closed, as access to and from the site is through these gates. There is no emergency access through the gate at the top of the site anymore. The Wardens will phone everyone on site to vacate if needed within 4 hours. 

    Not sure if the site is open now.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited November 2023 #16

    Have just seen a post on another forum where the poster has had their booking at the Rowantree site for the weekend  cancelled by the wardens because the roads are flooded.

  • stuartandjune
    stuartandjune Forum Participant Posts: 1
    edited December 2023 #17

    We arrived  1250 Friday 7th for our booked 5 nights only to be told the site was closing due to the environmental agency just phoning to tell them to shut the site and us and the queue behind us where all turned away we where also told that all on site would have to leave by tea time as the flood barriers would be in place later that day. Swift drive up the A64 and got booked in at Beechwood and I must say Andy the warden ( sorry site manager ) was the most helpful and very pleasant wardens there is.  However as Rowntree was put in a state of closure WHY was there only ONE warden on his own to cancel your booking AND try to stop units coming in whilst others where trying to exit. Uter chaos. 

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2023 #18

    I guess that the order from the Environment Agency came and the staff on duty at that time had to deal with it immediately. These things are fluid, please excuse the pun, and I’m sure they are doing their best, they have to act on the advice given in the moment given by those, we hope, who know best!

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,297 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2023 #19

    Seems a bit odd that they are still accepting bookings for next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, given the amount of rain expected this weekend.🤔

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2023 #20

    It flabbergasts me that some folk cannot grasp the idea that site staff are not responsible for the weather or making the flood alert calls and the subsequent direction to evacuate specific areas of the riversides.  They, the staff, only have access to the data constantly gathered by the Environment Agency and the warnings issued by them. All staff will have is the up to the minute alerts provided to the general public of which we members also have access to. 

    From my recollection, the site has two sets of wardens but some folk don’t understand that doesn’t mean that all four wardens will be on duty or even on site 24/7/52. Those warnings are escalated with the knowledge of what is happening way up stream in the Pennines, not just the level of water immediately outside of the site itself. We have been to York on numerous occasions when the river has appeared to be brimming but no alerts at all have been forthcoming because the data has suggested it not necessary.

    I’m sure the staff will take all the advice and direction from those who know far better than us and they will then act accordingly to evacuate , to open or remain open.

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited December 2023 #21

    We don't get flabbergasted anymore mickyundecided.

    Oh, Chatsworth was evacuated yesterday I believe.

    JK

  • latebird
    latebird Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited December 2023 #22

    Member living nearby to Rowntree Park.

    The river Ouse is still very high (4.2m) and with more heavy rain due overnight in the Dales which will take around 24 hours to reach York the short term outlook would appear not very good. Also the site with the river at this height I should think will take a while to recover.

    River Derwent in East Yorkshire is also very high and as a consequence the road at Stamford Bridge on the York to Bridlington road closed today because of flooding.

  • Ernie S
    Ernie S Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited December 2023 #23

    We arrived at York Beechwood a couple of days ago and during the afternoon a steady stream of caravans and motorhomes pitched up, all evacuated from Roundtree, which had closed again due to a flood warning.  In York yesterday the rivers were high and due to rise.  The flood warning is currently in place for the next couple of days.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2023 #24

    First we called it Global Warming, then Climate Change and now the new phrase on the block is Climate Chaos. What a state generally we are making of our World. ☹️

  • ClubMemberAE2FD80CDD
    ClubMemberAE2FD80CDD Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited December 2023 #25

    We had our Rowntree booking cancelled 2 days prior to our arrival date (14/12/23), appreciate there's little that can be done with the weather and if the river floods, it floods, but we were told we'd receive a refund for the amount already paid, and we're yet to receive it.

    Has anyone else who had their booking cancelled last minute been refunded yet? I also can't see the booking in my past bookings area online so assume it's been deleted/removed from my account as part of the cancellation...

      

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,190 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2023 #26

    Club refunds are not swift from what I read. Plus it's the Christmas break. I'd be contacting them next week to find out it's whereabouts. Ought to be refunded to the card, like others do, almost instantly. 

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,425 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2023 #27

    From recall I think there was a time limit specified somewhere in a previous thread but I can't recall what it was or if it was working days or not.

  • ClubMemberAE2FD80CDD
    ClubMemberAE2FD80CDD Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited January 2 #28

    It turns out from chatting to the Club customer services that some banks seem to set the refund against the original purchase date so the Club had made the refund but it was appearing next to the date of purchase (in the Summer) rather than the date it was cancelled confusingly, but it all turned out to have been actioned fairly swiftly.