How do you search for a CL?

Longtimecaravanner
Longtimecaravanner Forum Participant Posts: 642
edited August 2019 in Certificated Locations #1

I usually search for a CL by looking under UK Holidays and then search by map which is extremely user unfriendly. However someone on FaceBook has mentioned looking for a CL within 20 miles of Retford. I know I can look at Find a CL and then type in the town name of Retford for example but how can I name a distance from that town? She says that she is doing it from the app and I only use a laptop but does anyone know if I can do it on there?

Comments

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #2

    Can UKCampsite.co.uk help you?

     The campsite search facility there offers a search by map option - what they call Method 3. If you click on their map roughly where you think Retford is it shows almost all the campsites in that area - from both the Clubs and the non Club sites too. Your CL might be there. 

  • DaveandVicki
    DaveandVicki Forum Participant Posts: 192
    edited August 2019 #3

    From Search Map.

    Put in location Retford, click show Certificated Locations and then click search.

    Comes up as 37 locations within 20 miles of "Retford" in list form. Zoom in on the map.

    Some good locations there. Skybarn Farm is highly recommended if you can get in.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited August 2019 #4

    If I wanted a CL near Retford I open google maps and search for a CL near Retford. I can see which is the nearest if that is important. I don't use many  CLs but I find that quick and easy. On a PC I often take easy route of typing a place name or postcode in a google search. A link will come up for google maps and I click that and then type the search 'CL near ........'

  • DaveandVicki
    DaveandVicki Forum Participant Posts: 192
    edited August 2019 #5

    I think from the above method 20 miles is the default and can not be changed.

    Cannot remember if you could change distance on the app as it was soon discarded as hopeless.

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited August 2019 #6

    If I use the CAMC website, UK Holidays, Certificated Locations then click the green 'search & book a CL' button, then put Nottinghamshire in the county field, then Retford in the town field, both from the drop down lists, it gives 6 CLs.

    If I use the app on my phone and put in within 25 miles, the default, it gives 5 CLs.

    On the website I understand the list of 6 is nearest at the top, furthest at the bottom. If I open the bottom it will give snapshots of the next nearest to that one which may be outwith 25 miles.

    I use google maps as my first call when using a laptop as you don't need to sign in. Put in a town, then use the 'nearby' button and type 'Certificated Locations' which often brings up a larger range.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,035 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2019 #7

    Since the dreaded update to website a few years ago, searching for a CL doesn’t seem quite as easy in some ways as it used to be. However, a bit of practice and playing around comes up with various methods. Here is a link to all the towns listed under Nottinghamshire, including Retford. From this you can search town by town. If you click onto a given CL, then scroll down to the bottom, it will also show you further CLs a stated distance away, and these may link into another county. So it is possible to hop out certain distances from a given destination! (I hope this makes sense!)

    https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/certificated-locations/england/nottinghamshire/

    In effect you are searching by County. However, not every CL is listed entirely accurate, and you might get an oddity in a neighbouring county!

    Phew!🤔😁

  • Longtimecaravanner
    Longtimecaravanner Forum Participant Posts: 642
    edited August 2019 #8

    Thanks everyone. It would appear that on the website the default as suggested is 20 miles but on the app you can vary the distance. Just interested to know how as I am not actually looking for one at present.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited August 2019 #9

    It must be me, but I have no problem on my computer looking for a CL in a particular area using the Search by Map facility. I tick CLs & select the nearest town I'm interested in. Then I click on one of those that comes up and right click and then select "open link in new tab". The CL appears in the new tab & I then view it. As tda says there are then 4 choices at the foot of that page of other CLs close by, or I return to the map and repeat process on another CL shown, until I find one that suits. Simples wink

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited August 2019 #10

    ET, I tried to do that but couldn't get any CLs to appear on the Google Map of the town I chose. In the search box do you just type in CLs near "town", or what?

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited August 2019 #11

    I just type 'Cl near chester' but although that is the method that I use I notice that it misses many as, if I am not mistaken there is one near Mickle   Trafford. Is it PearTree Farm?

  • DaveandVicki
    DaveandVicki Forum Participant Posts: 192
    edited August 2019 #12

    Actually Method 2 seems to be the easiest if searching by town, then resetting distance.

    It's no good searching by County with towns like Retford as within 20 miles there are 4 Counties. I know because I did the 4 counties run when working there. tongue-out

  • Longtimecaravanner
    Longtimecaravanner Forum Participant Posts: 642
    edited September 2019 #13

    Yes Nellie, I have to say that I have not usually put a town in as quite often when touring about I am not sure of exactly which town is where. I would have liked it, if having zoomed in on the country map and picked out a cl to look at the details, when I closed those details it went back to the zoomed in area I was looking at rather than back to the map of the whole country. I am being picky.

    I really only got interested in the subject through reading the post of FB which said she looked at a 25 miles radius of Retford and I could not see how she did it as on the website it says 20.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #14

    If I'm looking I  click on the county, then a possible town. If I spot a CL that might be ok I click on the map link on the actual CL page to see where it is etc. I tend not to use the map until this point and I also look at the others nearby if needed which does give actual distances from the search point (bottom of the page.)

    Looks like we all have our own ways of searching!

  • cabcar
    cabcar Forum Participant Posts: 25
    edited September 2019 #15

    What is the use of the app? If you haven't got the site directory to hand just the sites location map, you find a numbered lozenge in the area you like ,check the app no lozenge reference (perhaps its just me).

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited September 2019 #16

    It might have been once in a time, ET, but there's nowt there now according to the Site Directory, as far a s i can see.

    Thanks will try that method though.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited September 2019 #17

    If you pick a CL on the map then click on it and it's name & description will appear. Right click on the name and a new tab will open with the site and all it's details. The map will still be available to go back to, in the area that you selected in it's original tab. You can use the new tab to look at other sites listed near the selected one or just close it and choose another CL on the map. You can open out or close down the map to whatever distance from your chosen area as much as you like. With the map at small scale, ie large area, the CLs are bunched together. Opening up the map results in individual CLs coming to the fore. Hope that this makes sense,

  • Longtimecaravanner
    Longtimecaravanner Forum Participant Posts: 642
    edited September 2019 #18

    Nellie you are a genius. I have always left clicked on the site name and therefore lost the map. Thank you so much.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited September 2019 #19

    My pleasure, but you really need to thank brue for the tip as I got it from her.wink

    Passing on tips like this is just what this forum is great for.

  • CholseyGrange
    CholseyGrange Forum Participant Posts: 289
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    edited September 2019 #20

    Do NOT rely on the map provided by the Club.  It can 'point' to the wrong CL entirely.

    I was informed yesterday by a fellow CL owner that guests turned up at his CL convinced they had made a booking, to find that in fact they were booked into a rival CL 1/4 mile away.

    The two CLs both appear on the CAMC map, but there positions are juxtaposed.

    I assume that there has been a clerical error either by the Adviser or at HQ.  

    I am assuming that HQ relies on Postal Codes - which as we all know can cover a vast area in rural locations.

    If the Club adopted a more accurate / modern format such as www.what3words.com it might alleviate such issues.

     

    Ted Howard-Jones
    Farm Entrance Location
    https://w3w.co/hounded.swinging.collapsed
    Cholsey Grange CL - Caravan Site

    www.cholseygrange.co.uk 

     

     

     

  • dunelm
    dunelm Forum Participant Posts: 373
    edited September 2019 #21

    The easy way I find a CL is to look in the Handbook and a road atlas . 

    Eg: two weeks ago I wanted to see if there was a suitable CL between Wells and Longleat. I looked at the handbook for Wells, didn't find anything suitable, looked at the map and saw that Frome was on route so looked in the handbook and found just what I needed. I then phoned and made a booking. 

    It was simple and quick.

  • redface
    redface Forum Participant Posts: 1,701
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    edited September 2019 #22

    Why not use the club map, find your desired destination, look at the nearest serial numbers and then look them up in the book?

    Works for me.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited September 2019 #23

    The problem there, redface is that some of the CL's are wrongly placed on the map, where as the site directory does at least have the locations relative to a large town. If you add the new site to the appropriate place in the SD  you can then reference them on line.