Dorset - family site with storage?
Hi all,
We are newbie caravanners - we've just bought a 6 berth compass. We have 2 young children and live in Oxfordshire and our intention is to get the van towed down south and leave it down there (either pitched or in storage), so that it can provide us with a base for cheap, fun, family holidays.
We've spent some time looking at sites online and working out what might work best for us but I think it would be REALLY useful to have some advice from some experienced caravanners!
We want a Dorset site (to keep car time down with young ones!) which has showers/toilets/play areas for kids/perhaps a pool (not essential!) - places to eat/a shop and beach nearby/walking distance would be fantastic. We have seen sites where you can store onsite and they will move the van onto a pitch for you for the weeks you prebook for - this seems very cost effective and I wonder if its very common? If we could find this set up, that would be fantastic too.
Can anyone recommend anywhere that could fit our bill and perhaps offer storage? Or any storage sites that offer towing too? Longer term, we will probably tow ourselves between sites but will always leave the van 'down south'.
Any pearls of wisdom greatly appreciated!
thanks so much in advance 
Comments
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Hi, Club sites with storage you have to tow in and out so a commercial might be the best bet and only we can think of although there will be more is Wareham Forest Holiday site it has a pool in summer time and the site is open all year round. If you google sites with storage in Dorset might be a good start for you and welcome to Club Together.
We know Dorset very well and have had storage on one site and then ended up with a seasonal on the same site, that could be alternative solution for you, the site we used a few years ago does not have a play area on hence the suggestion of a commercial site maybe a preferred option for you.
Hope this helps.
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Bagwell Farm Touring Park at Weymouth has a certain amount of storage. It gets good reviews but I don't know it personally so this is not a recommendation. My own view would be get a towbar and electrics fitted to your car, store separately at a convenient storage yard in the area and tow the caravan yourself to try a number of sites in the county to see the sort of places you like before committing yourself to one.
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Birchwood is an excellent site very close to the Wareham Forest and Hunters Moon sites. They do storage but have no pool. I wonder if this area maybe too far inland.
https://www.birchwoodtouristpark.co.uk
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I don't know if this site would be suitable? http://www.davidklyne.co.uk/newlands_holidays_park.html
David
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A site we like near Wareham is Wareham Forest Holiday Park. They have a swimming pool and play areas - and they do storeage. There is a small shop on site. The biggest downside for us is that the toilet blocks are quite a walk from some pitches. However, as most caravans have their own toilet, it wasn't a major issue. Even emptying the toilet is straightforward: plenty of parking at the toilet block if you wish to put the cassette in the back of the car to get to the GDP.
There are full serviced pitches on site too (water and waste hook up as well as electric. We like the site and well worth a look if the area suits.
Here is a link: http://www.warehamforest.co.uk/storage
David
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Forgot about this, try the ukcampsite search.
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You could store here and get your caravan towed on to site if the facilities suit you, but perhaps ask them if they would tow to Newlands (mentioned in David's post above) which is a good family site, with pool, entertainment, etc. Although it's a good few years since we were at Newlands, my sister and her family have used our caravan on the site a couple of times in more recent times.
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Thankyou everyone for your time and the great
info! Much appreciated.
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Hi smudgemumbler, Welcome to Club Together and the Club and congratulations on buying your first caravan. I expect you will have lots of family adventures ahead and I'm looking forward to hearing how you all enjoy your caravanning holidays.
It might be worth considering Crossways Club Site. It's a beautiful woodland site, close to Weymouth, Dorchester and Poole and there's a pub adjacent to the site, serving good food. No pool but lots of family attractions just a short drive away.
More information on Club Site storage here.
Alternatively Wood Farm Caravan Park, one of our affiliated sites, has storage facilities and they do have a swimming pool! Best to contact the site directly.
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I'm wondering just how you would find out that the two sites Rowena mentions offer caravan storage. I can't find the information on either website.
On the site where we store our caravan the information is easily found on the 'Tariffs' page - where it is quite clear what it will cost on an annual basis or on a monthly basis.
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I’m pretty sure Wood Farm doesn’t do storage. The OP would need to ring them.
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I couldn't check last night Valda as I was on my phone and pdfs are a problem but on the pc this morning I've just looked at the "price" PDF and the sites are on there. Not immediately obvious to anyone unused to the system...I certainly wasn't. The searches are so convoluted.
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I've just looked at the Storage Fees 18 - 19 PDF which does show 'Wood Farm; but doesn't give prices - and suggests you contact the site direct -but the site website doesn't mention storage! I can't see that the PDF mentions the Crossways site though - unless it's known by another name.
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Hi ValDa, If you have a look on the storage page which I linked to in my post, there is the link to the PDF which shows Crossways listed under Southern England and Wood Farm listed under Affiliated Sites. As I mentioned in my post you do need to contact Wood Farm directly.
I will mention to the content team regarding the site listings not showing that they have storage options and see if there's anything they can do to make this clear.
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Have just looked in the site directory book and it lists storage at Crossways but a strange symbol for storage. There probably will be a waiting list for storage there was when we used it.
Also the site does not have a children's play area but a lot of areas to play in the woods. As site details says toilet blocks and shower blocks are separate, there are two of each and shower blocks are showers only.
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Suggest that you scan through the Dorset CL's in the club handbook. CL's are smaller and far cheaper than the big commercial sites, and many do offer storage too.
There was a time that CL's were very basic but in recent years they have caught up. Most are now offering Electric hook up, and quite a few with toilets etc. But your van will probably have all that you really need on board. Just look for the storage option.
TF
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There is also Smedmore Caravan Site near Wareham? They do storeage I think. I don't know the site personally, but it is a Club Affiliated Site. Just tried to get on their website, but seem to have problems with the 'Menu', so can't get on to check it out.
David
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I stayed there a few years ago. You do seem to have to travel a long way to do anything. The site from memory was exceptionally uneven with some units being excessively chocked up. It is a nice walk to the Bay which is great for Children. The chemical emptying point was along way from the site down the road near the house, with four on board that might be a chore.
A lovely area but you have to be prepared to travel and be good walkers, or pay the toll to get to the beach.
Ken
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Some pretty narrow roads down that part of Purbeck, as well.
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