Camping Club?
We joined the CARAVAN Club more than 30 years ago. I recently noticed that it is now a 44% Motorhome Club. More puzzling is that without any say in the matter, we are now members of a Caravan & Camping Club. How did that happen?
Doesn't really affect us too much - we are retired and can go out and abouit when sites are quieter but I do feel sorry for those members who have to go out at weekends or during school holidays when pressure on shower/toilet facilities is already causing
problems on some sites. By definition, most if not all campers will look to use the facilities.
Comments
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This is the Caravan Club - ie trailer caravans, motor caravans, folding caravans. Now a few tents are included. What's the problem? Open your mind and welcome all. Do you really want to deny others the chance to enjoy the hobby?
There's always the Camping and Caravanning Club to try but vanning has become a victim of its own success with sites much fuller than back in 'the good old days'. It's evolution, embrace it.
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Well said, TW. And overseas I share sites with people in tree houses, pods, tents, yurts, new build Romany caravans, and log cabins too. Welcome all. I'm glad this Club is shaking off its stuffy image.
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We have been members, on and off for the last 30 years as well PRO. During those 30 years, we started with a camper van, then a small caravan, then took advantage of the tiny number of tent pitches as we saved for another caravan, then caravanned again,
and now holiday with both a caravan and a MH. Caravan Club has certainly made us welcome using whatever form of holiday accommodation we choose, and I for one have no issues with the odd pod or two, we call it progress, life moving on, adapting to needs and
wants. It's nothing new all these caravans on wheels, they just got a bit bigger and more popular, that's all.
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Pro, the way things are moving apace I think within less than a decade the need to change the name to a more inclusive one will be obvious as I think Motorhomes will be in the majority.
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share sites with people in tree houses, pods, tents, yurts, new build Romany caravans, and log cabins too.
Whatever next? Will we see people turning up in a converted double-deck bus for their Summer Holiday?
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share sites with people in tree houses, pods, tents, yurts, new build Romany caravans, and log cabins too.
Whatever next? Will we see people turning up in a converted double-deck bus for their Summer Holiday?
And singing as they go.
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A DD bus, converted would be my dream tourer. And I know just the Club Site to take it on as well. They have defibrillators now though!
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"There's always the Camping and Caravanning Club to try"
Remember that it used to be the CAMPING Club of Great Britain ...... caravans were added later
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I agree with the op......it's the Caravan Club. Perfectly happy with motorhomes, but they shouldn't be allowing tents, pods etc.
They put too much strain on the already often inadequate toilet / shower facilities and it's not what we signed up to.
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There is some concern regarding the entry level for "campers", the younger generation do not automatically have the towing class on their licence, so as time passes by and the older generation leave camping there will be a void to fill. Tents are the entry
level to attract younger people into camping, then perhaps into caravans and M/Hs. The cost of buying a good caravan or M/H is expensive. But for the club to flourish we need to attract the younger generation urgently......0 -
I see no reason to differentiate between caravans and motorhomes. Tents seem to be on sites where the conditions of running the site require it and as we started with a tent we see no problem.
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I agree with the op......it's the Caravan Club. Perfectly happy with motorhomes, but they shouldn't be allowing tents, pods etc.
They put too much strain on the already often inadequate toilet / shower facilities and it's not what we signed up to.
As a former camper, trust me, it isn't the campers who clog up the loos, it is all the dozens of tourers who have no wish to wet their bathrooms/ empty a pee pot that clog up the facilities. For us it was a necessity, for them a choice! We learned though,
and now bring our own loo even if we camp.Each to their own of course, but please don't blame the odd camper you come across. The facilities are always the furthest distance from the camping area as well. Quarter of a mile in the case of Wincanton Racecourse, but we coped, luckily our plumbing is
in good condition!0 -
Motorhomes are offically termed 'Motor Caravans' in legislation.
I understand the Club's Articles of Association were revised in 2013 to "broadened the
‘objects’
of The Club to give it the flexibility to develop new products and services in travel and leisure without them having to be tied to caravanning" with one of the objectives being, "carry out
or promote leisure and travel related services and products, including but not limited to caravanning and related pursuits."I think we have become a member of a travel and leisure club.
I was told some Local Authorities are unwilling to limit new sites to just caravans and want them to be open to other pursuits such as camping to embrace the wider society.
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The last site we were on had both caravans / motorhomes and tents.
During the week the toilet blocks were immaculate.
As the weekend approached, more tents arrived - families with children. The toilets were filthy.
Speaks for itself.
I speak as a former tent camper, but one who treated the facilities as I would my own. Unlike others, it seems.
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Sad that Ian. Mind you, we find you do get scruffs and unthinking dirty people in caravans and MHs as well, and not by any means all children! That's why we prefer our own facilities, you can't beat your own loo and shower!
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You are probably right Ian. Although most of the Club sites that allow tents only cater for a tiny number of tent pitches, in some instances only a couple, although some do allow more. But it is swings and roundabouts, small tent users probably will use
facilities, while those with big tents might have a dedicated toilet tent as well, we have seen a lot of these. Likewise, you will get a mix of vanners and MHers that will or won't use facilities. We happily stayed on a gorgeous site in Cornwall both camping
and in van, that had 32 pitches, shared out between vans and tents. That only had three loos and one shower in each block, but no one complained. In those days everyone just got on with things, you had a chat while queuing for shower, or timed it outside of
busy times!0 -
Slightly off topic......but why are we perfectly happy to chat while waiting for a loo or shower.......but would never dream of doing so while occupying the cubicle?
Just a thought.......
Can't be having a face to face chat in the cubicle, can we?!l
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I agree with Takethedogalong that on most sites the number of tents is very small and from what I have seen the take up is very poor. I suspect most tent campers simply do not expect the Caravan Club to take tents and on some sites they seem to get the bit
the club did not want for members and feel distinctly second class.0 -
I think it varies with location. At Morvich the take up is fairly high, with over half the 10 pitches occupied on most of the nights we spent their. In general it was small back pack tents, and had little impact on the facilities for the majority, as they were generally off early.
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Slightly off topic......but why are we perfectly happy to chat while waiting for a loo or shower.......but would never dream of doing so while occupying the cubicle?
Just a thought.......
i find it odd that those with modern vans and 'palatial' washrooms dont use them....and visit public toilet blocks instead.
i find it more odd that these folk are further prepared to stand around and queue for the privilege......
....and the. we can all have a nice chat while waiting...
.."oh Hi, what are you upto today?.."
"...Im just queuing here for a bit as we have a 'no solids policy' in our van...."
"....yes, we have a new van with a lovely shower, too, but we have a 'no water policy'....in it...."
"....looks like rain, hope theyre not too long in there...."
OK, im jesting but you know......
Mind how you go.....
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I can, to a degree, understand those that have "broom cupboard" washrooms using the block but when you have a large end bathroom I do wonder why they bothered with such a big van.
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I can, to a degree, understand those that have "broom cupboard" washrooms using the block but when you have a large end bathroom I do wonder why they bothered with such a big van.
CY, I'm no expert but I think it's called 'personal choice', i think folk choose what they like/prefer pay for it then enjoy it. Freaky I know but it seems to go that way. I also think that those who use the 'personal choice' thing tend not to take into
consideration what others think they should do. We live in a crazy world
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We have a 'broom cupboard' toilet / shower compartment and using the shower would soak everything.
If / when we get our next caravan, it will have an end bathroom and I will use the shower.....promise!
(Incidently, back on the wash room conversations, last year in France in a mixed sex facility, I remember sitting there listening to a French couple having a very vocal conversation over the partition. Distracted me from my reading, the noisy beggers!
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I can, to a degree, understand those that have "broom cupboard" washrooms using the block but when you have a large end bathroom I do wonder why they bothered with such a big van.
We have a good sized washroom and seperate shower on the van. The shower is generally used when on a no facility site. I usually go between 6.30 and 7am if I want to use the site shower. Why?
Somebody else cleans them!
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We usually use the site facilities on sites that have them, we use the van facilities on sites that don't and on CLs, as to the mix of tents caravans and motorhomes I couldn't care less. We have had all three over the years as our circumstances have changed and enjoyed them all.
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We have a 'broom cupboard' toilet / shower compartment and using the shower would soak everything.
If / when we get our next caravan, it will have an end bathroom and I will use the shower.....promise!
(Incidently, back on the wash room conversations, last year in France in a mixed sex facility, I remember sitting there listening to a French couple having a very vocal conversation over the partition. Distracted me from my reading, the noisy beggers!
)We also have a mixed sex facility in our van
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