London sites
Hi All,
I am based in Devon and my boy is doing "fire of London" this term at school he is wanting to see London this year so we are contemplating taking the van up to one of the 3 potential London sites so we can take day trips into London to visit the sites. We are newbies to vans, but I am doing the course in March and am taking several trips between now and August locally.
The sites I've been looking at are Crystal Palace, Abbey Wood and Wyatts Covert and was wondering if people have any experience or recommendations on these 3. How easy is it to get into central London, etc.?
There is 4 of us (2 kids - 1 will be nearly7 in August and a 4 year old). No dog, but will have an awning.
Many thanks for any suggestions or thoughts.
Phil.
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We used Abbey Woods several years ago with our kids when they were teenagers. It is a lovely site with very good facilities. The train station is about 10 mins walk from the site. We bought travel cards that lasted the week. These covered us for the train journeys & the underground. We went into London every day but one, when we went to Greenwich. It was a wonderful holiday.
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We liked Abbey Wood. Not that far into London towing and reasonably straightforward leaving the M25 at the south side of the Dartford Crossing. Good transport links into central London on the train, a short walk to the station, then 30 minutes to London Bridge. Reasonably priced with a pay as you go Oyster Card, which can also be used on the tube within the same daily price cap, so you know the maximum it will cost you before you start. Also works on the buses, although that has a separate cap limit. Sorry but I have no idea about the charges for kids, or if they have a junior version, however perhaps the TFL web site might be of help. LINK HERE
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I haven't used the London sites but as I also live in the SW I'd opt for Crystal Palace via Croydon as It's probably the easiest to access from the west. I have a friend in the area, the local parks are good to visit if you want a break from central London.
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We like Abbey Wood and were there a couple of years ago. I suspect access is a little easier than Crystal Palace but coming from Devon it will be a longer journey. The advantage of both London sites is that once there you don't have to rely on the car. A nice trip to do from Abbey Wood is to take the bus or train to Greenwich (the bus drops you off a bit nearer) where you can take the Thames Clipper into Central London. The boys will see all the famous landmarks from the river including Tower Bridge. They may also like to visit the Cutty Sark at Greenwich. There is so much to do and see in London.
David
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Never used any of sites, but London attractions can be quite expensive, so my tip is to go online and look at getting reduced up front tickets for some visits, and if you collect them, Tesco points can be used to triple value for some attractions. We got two into Hampton Court Palace, and Tower of London for nothing using Tesco points.
Just in case you want to bring your children’s history of London and Fire into 20th Century, the National Fire Service Memorial is by St Paul’s Cathedral. Have a lovely time
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We've stayed at both - prefer Abbey Wood as slightly greener, less like a car park and easier access for us coming from the north. However, we do like the bus journey on the number 3 to Oxford Circus from Crystal Palace.
We bought passes for tube/bus for the week and traveled all over. I suspect coming from the South West, Crystal Palace would be better for you.
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Phil, I would have thought that as someone new to caravans, who still feels the need to do a training course, you will find that access to Crystal Palace via the South Circular road, and to Abbey Wood via the M25, is rather a baptism of fire.
From where you are in Devon Wyatts Covert is the easiest of the three to reach. The wardens there will advise you of parking at tube stations to go into London. And leave the awning at home - there are very few pitches at that site where you can use it.
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We like Abbey Wood with its superb train connection into London but it is the wrong side of London if you are coming from the West.
We did not like Crystal Palace which is mostly rows of hard standing with no grass to speak off and you need to tow through a lot of crowded London streets. The bus route into the centre looked a bit dodgy to us if you wanted to return late at night.
Wyatts Covert is easy to each from the motorway but is small and very crowded but we were happy there. It is a bit of a drive to the station but there is a good service once there.
Henley Four Oaks is a nice site but it may be a bit far out if you want to make several journeys into London.
If you are in the other club then Chertsey and Walton on Thames are worth considering.
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Dont know the London roads too well, but we approach from the north. We are experienced towers, and the journey to Crystal Palace was still a bit of a nightmare. Quite a long trek into centre of London by bus also. Site was fine, however.
Wyatts Covert suited us because of whee we wished to visit (Kew, for the National Archive) but probably wouldnt use for central London.
Not stopped at Abbey Wood.
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I can see you are looking at just 3 sites for London,but would Alderstead Heath be worth a mention.If you travel via M3 or A3 you will aim for the M25 J8 to follow site arrival instructions.Doing this avoids the bottle necks you get at Heathrow,
It is a couple of miles to the railway stations Coulsdon or Merstham which the latter does have a station car park.
If you are in the other Club,their Horsley site is accessible from the A3. Just not sure if you need sites open all year.
Again in the other Club has the busy Chertsey but again you will have to drive to Weybridge for the trains.
Abbey Wood is a short 5-10 min walk from site to station,and on the same line as Greenwich which the kids should like.Also it is a lovely site.
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Many thanks for your thoughts. Some good suggestions and thoughts.
I agree about Crystal Palace and looking at the proposed directions I can understand.
Abbey Wood seems ok. Travel up A303, M3, M25 and onto the A2. Years gone by for work I had to on several occasions drive up to Purfleet. Like the idea of the grass and play area if we want to stay on site for a day. Also got camping pods so am trying to entice the in-laws down
.Wyatts Covert as you say is closer, but not much there so would need to travel around. Thanks for the other sites suggested they all look interesting and I will take a look at them.
Also good thought about getting the oyster card sorted before. Will do.
Thanks again.
Phil.
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Phil
If you decide to to go to Abbey Wood I have an alternative route to the site from the M25 which I found much easier than the "official" route in the site directory. Have a look here http://www.davidklyne.co.uk/abbey_wood_cc_site.html
David
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I'm from Cornwall so I can appreciate your dilemma. We stayed at Crystal Palace for 5 nights last July and thought it was a lovely site. We approached it from the west, off the M4 and around the south circular as described in the instructions. I frequently drive around parts of London and was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to tow along that route as it's pretty well signposted. If you can familiarise the route in advance using Google Earth and use your sat nav intelligently, you should be OK. The number 3 bus service from Crystal Palace to the Trafalgar Square area is frequent, if a little long but very convenient as the bus stop is a short walk from the site entrance
I've also stayed at Abbey Wood but its a bit more of a trek from the west. However, using the train to access the city from there is easy. Consult the TfL website for all your London transport travel info and get Oyster cards in advance.
Enjoy your trip
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Crystal Palace site is about three quarters of a mile walk from CP railway station - trains either go to London Bridge or are part of the 'London Overground' system - both options give access to the tube for reaching most places in central London and Docklands/Greenwich.
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Just thought I would add, as someone who lives in London (about 5 miles for Crystal Palace) that towing or driving on the main routes is not a problem, if Artics, Buses & Coaches use the roads every day then wheres the problem.
I personally find trying to get to somewhere like Henley Four Oaks more of a challenge when you have no choice but to use the tiny roads these types of destination have as through routes. Only thing to remember, like any major town is choose the time you pass through carefully
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