Chatsworth Site Closing
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At least you have still got two out of three @hostahousey Our favourites were Marazion, Nunnykirk and Bromyard Downs, all gone☹️
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I have also given up touring, although I miss it really badly. In my case it was due to retirement and having to cut my purse strings. The cost of running and maintaining a large motorhome and paying increasing site fees just got to a point where I decided it was a luxury I could no longer afford.
Anyway, it is hard to summarise my ideal site, but the thing I always hated more than anything else was sites where I felt closed in or claustrophobic or where the site was just too noisy and busy. I loved the sites which were not surrounded by trees and which had large pitches and where one did not feel on top of one's neighbours. I can't reproduce my entire review of Chatsworth here, but it was pretty blunt. Have in mind though that it was in 2014 so that's 11 years ago now. My "super" pitch was just terrible, very dirty and the drain blocked with leaves, which I spent a good half-hour clearing out myself. The site was unbelievably noisy and very full. It was warm when I was there and TVs and radios, not to mention barking dogs, were prevalent. I also foudn the palaver of gaining access a real pain - but perhaps that is different now. It was just an awful experience and as much as I like Chatsworth House I just never once thought about going back to the site. I might have just been unlucky.
I liked to be near a town or city or near a good bus route or train station, so that tended to limit my choices. Favourites sites include: Littlehampton, White Water, Beechwood, Black Horse Farm, Ayr, Abbey Wood, Dalecares, Forfar, Seacroft, Brora, White House Beach. I would inlcude Bridlington but with the priviso that I was on the new section. The older part was too cramped. Stonehaven is lovely but can also feel rather "busy". I've been to many other sites, in my 36 years of motorhoming, almost always Caravan Club sites. Many were wonderful, but not ranked in my favourites due their remoteness. In addition some sites more convenient for facilites I leave out as I did not find the site congenial. Rowntree, Edinburgh and Chatsworth come into that category. The advantages of Baltic Wharf were enough to forgive the awfulness of the site. If I had to pick a favourite site it would be White Water in Stockton. Some may think this an odd choice in an industrial landscape, but I found so many places to go from there, without my van, some lovely walks as well, and after the refurbishment which occurred a good number of years ago now I think, it had huge pitches many with nice hedges surrounding them. I loved it there and could easily walk into Stockton along the river for a coffee in Costa. Oh Happy Days!0 -
@Graydjames You might be surprised to learn that I completely agree with you regarding White Water Park. It is well designed and as you say its handy to get around from by public transport or even on a bike. So the best of two worlds. I think perhaps where we differ is that if a site (for me)is in the right location I am inclined to overlook any perceived disadvantages. I think I also understand that when you have sites in urban places you won't get as much space simply because land is at a premium and usually very expensive to buy or lease so anyone developing a site would want to make maximum use of the area. What we don't know is how sites like Chatsworth would be developed now rather than say 40 years ago? Obviously a bit academic for both of us now albeit for different reasons.
David
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We only went to places we wanted to visit, or needed to visit, but as Chatsworth House was never on that list we never went to the site in question there.
We had no favourite UK sites at all. Campsites were just useful places to stay. No more or less than that. When we ferried four children to and from university we stayed at sites nearby. When they lived in shared houses without spare bedrooms we stayed at sites nearby too. When we used ferries from Dover and Harwich we found overnight sites there. When we wanted to see the rose garden at Mottisfont abbey, the historic ships at Portsmouth, to climb Cader Idris, to look for a house near Penrith, to go to the theatre at Stratford, or to see a certain exhibition in London we found sites there. If friends were going somewhere we went to meet them. We neither liked the sites we used nor disliked them. We never chose a campsite and then wondered what there was nearby. We had no favourite sites at all and there were none we particularly liked or disliked. They were simply useful caravan parking lots .
Frankly if the Chatsworth estate is asking an arm and a leg to renew the lease on the site there, then the Club should walk away. There will be plenty of other places in that area to stay. Shed no tears.1 -
We visited Chatsworth earlier this year and as we drove down the heavily pot holed road and only having the choice of a couple of pitches as it was full,we selected a pitch as you exited the site on the left.I at first didn't like it,it just felt I was outside the actual camping area.But after a walk to one of the nearest village and returning to our van now in lovely evening sun compared to the rest of the site in shade,my views slowly began to change.
The next day we did the house and the amazing gardens ,returning again to our sunny pitch,I could see why this site was so popular.
Would I go again? Difficult one,lovely situated in the park,but expensive,and you can only visit the house so many times.Would I want to lose it ,no.
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I happen to agree with @Graydjames about Chatsworth. We went sometime in the early 1990s and hated it yet we love the Peak District. Whilst working we nearly always headed to the area straight after work on Friday, returning home late Sunday. We tended to use the Buxton site as it was more central to our walking or biking activities but had no problems going to Castleton, Blackshaw or Carsington if needs be.
The fact we only went the once to Chatsworth speaks volumes in itself.
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and I hated the site (referencing Chatsworth)
The advantages of Baltic Wharf were enough to forgive the awfulness of the site.
@Graydjames Perhaps we’ve just been lucky. We have stayed at a considerable number of CAMC sites during our 20 year membership, including Chatsworth and Baltic Wharf (those two multiple times) and although we liked some more than others, didn’t hate or find any that could be described as awful.
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You sound like you are ticking me off for using those emboldened words.
So be it.
These things are relative. If I went to a site and could not wait to get away, then that to me was a site I must have hated. Chatsworth was one such.
Baltic Wharf was unbelievably cramped and shoe-horned 50 odd pitches into a tiny area, many of them not segregated in any way, so that people encroached onto your space all the time. The absolute worst part was that courtyard area ajacent to the flats - to the right as you entered. I only had to spend one night in there, before I was able to move, but if I had not been able to move I'd have left. As I have now said three times, the advantages of the site outweighed these disadvantages in this particular case, and I visted the site numerous times, but I certainly stand by my description of the site itself, in isolation, as awful.
Some people are more laid back than others and do not allow negatives to get them down; their views may be expressed in less blunt terms. We are all different and I freely admit that I am not among those who could be described as insouciant. Consequently, If I hated a site I said so just as, if I loved a site, I also said so, and often did as I can see from my reviews.
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You sound like you are ticking me off for using those
emboldenedwords.@Graydjames No, I wouldn’t do that, we are all entitled to our opinion. I bolded them as I like to be clear what I am referring to. Perhaps we are more laid back. We quite liked Baltic Wharf (visiting it at least 20 times) even the courtyard bit. We had family living in Bristol and could have stayed with them, but preferred to use the site.
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Chatsworth site hasn't changed much since my parents caravanned 40 years ago, and therin lies the problem.
Cars are now bigger, caravans are longer and wider and so are awnings. If theres a number of units on site of this description, then the place feels very over crowded and cramped.
The biggest problem though is the lack of investment from the Club, and understandably so given the Estates lack of commitment. Pitches are very rough, and the last time we went the only ones available were ankle deep in water, meaning we couldn't put up the awning. We booked for 7 nights and left after 4, it was so bad.
Access to the wider Chatsworth Estate is a bonus, but for us it simply is no longer an option. It would take a long term lease and a big investment from the Club to change our minds.
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Cars are now bigger, caravans are longer and wider and so are awnings. If theres a number of units on site of this description, then the place feels very over crowded and cramped.
Whilst the first part is definitely the case, I think that full / near full sites now seem less crowded than when we started 20 years ago. I believe this is due to the number of Motorhomes on site which can now equal or exceed the number of caravans. As they often don’t have cars or permanent awnings they have a much smaller footprint.
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Still haven't seen actual confirmation from the Club that the site is closing. It wasn't in the latest magazine unless I missed it nor has it been on here. We went at the end of November and even the wardens didn't know anything. It's only 40 minutes away for us and we go often. We shall miss it.
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@mbee1 The Club position seems to be that they are still in talks with the Chatsworth Estate, the outcome is far from clear. Given what happened to Bladon Chains it seems these large country eststes seem keen to take back control and in the case of Bladon Chains redevelope the sites into expensive holiday chalets.
David
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The 1st March is only a couple of months away and I would have thought if the Club was going to have a new lease it would have been sorted by now. The clock is ticking and with every day that goes by without news of its opening, the likelyhood is, it will close.
peedee
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This thread opened in August yet the "Club" remain silent. We've had a thread asking what our plans are for 2026 so what about those members that want to make a booking for Chatsworth?
It really is abysmal that the club can't/don't want to keep their MEMBERS informed.
If I had a booking there I'd cancel and find somewhere else that I can rely on being open.
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@Wherenext I assume the official line is as posted by Rowena up thread?"Chatsworth is bookable up to 1st March 2026. We are currently working with the Chatsworth Estate to extend our lease beyond this point." and that was later confirmed as the situation by the sites team. Whilst I agree that its frustrating not knowing the full story I imagine there are all sorts of talks going on behind the scenes? I suppose it might depend what the Estate wish to do with the site and what their time frame is. If they are not in a rush then we could have another Baltic Wharf situation where closure is on a rolling basis. I don't think I have seen it suggested anywhere that the Estste want to run it as a campsite? Having said that it would make a wonderful Motorhome Aire which could employ automatic payment on arrival. There might be a question on whether they would kep the facility block open in those circumstances?
David
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At the end of the day and, as @wherenext rightly says, this is a members club and one would have thought that a regular update ought to have been made. Even if it was only to say "discussions are still ongoing". To hear nothing official doesn't make the Club look good to members and there is so much speculation of what might happen to the site.
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Experience of how the Club communicates with its members over the years of membership seems to suggest they don't tend to comment, apart from discussions are ongoing, until they have something concreate to say? Even the comment that I highlighted in my post could give false hope as the optimists amongst us might see it as a positive when the final result could be the opposite?
David
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The OP was in reference to a booking after the site is shown as closed. They had not been informed that they no longer had a booking. It would be interesting to know if the club has now informed anyone with bookings after the 1st March. If they haven’t there could we’ll be folk out there who are blissfully unaware they will no longer be going.
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Totally agree. I'm a little hit and miss with this forum and went for months without looking at it. Whilst I get the Club magazine I only usually browse through it. The Club are quick to email rubbish through most months so you would think it would be easy enough for them to email those with a booking at particular site, especially if it's about a site where a member has a booking.
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@mbee1 I've posted this before that while the club does post emails through most months if people find these emails rubbish then they do have the option to stop receiving these emails completely.
However it's equally fair to point out that where bookings are affected, for example through floods or price changes then the club does contact members.
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does that mean Chatsworth will remain open until 13th of Sept or that the discussions will continue until then please?
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I’m afraid your edit has confused the issue, Rowena.
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Still a bit confused @Rowena You write bookings are available.
I can see that you can now book until September on the site page, however are the bookings guaranteed, or is it similar to Baltic Wharf in that the estate might terminate before September. I’m looking to make a booking but would prefer to go elsewhere if it’s uncertain.
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As usual members are being kept in the dark. So the site is now available until 13 September? Is the Club hoping the lease will be renewed permanently? Will it close in September? At the end of the day this is a members club and we should be kept more informed in my opinion.
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Commercial confidentiality has to be taken into account and that can preclude info being shared.
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@mbee1 I imagine all those questions that you have asked are all being discussed by the Club. Also as TW says discussions between the Club and the Estate will be private and probably not in the Club's or it's mebers best interest to be shared until firm arrangements are in place? I suspect much will hinge on what plans the Estate have for the land taken up by the campsite? Perhaps a better deal may mean the site is operated by the Club for longer but if that doesn't match what the Estate want to use the space for who knows?
David
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This is a very popular site and 'a nice little earner' for the club and I imagine the club will be doing its utmost to keep it open as long as possible and as @DavidKlyne says all those questions will have been asked and discussed but apart from saying 'ongoing discussions' over and over that's all the club can say due to commercial confidentiality as @Tinwheeler posts as well.
Perosnally I don't get or understand this 'we as members should be kept more informed'. I buy from various service providers and shops, some of which I pay to be a member of, or a pay a subscription for, and really all I need informing about is the price I have to pay to buy their membership/subscription and their services and costs after that.
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