CAMpRA and the National Trust
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Both the CAMC website and the 'sites' app currently have Stourhead @ £21 and KL @ £20, NT linked pages have Stourhead at £30 and KL at £22 for next year.
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When you arrive at the booking page, the prices I quoted were the minimum...one night, one person.
Now this is really odd....
for the remainder of 2021, Changing the number of occupants makes no difference, so it's a straight nightly charge..KL is £20.
however, from 2021, not only does the pitch price rise to £22 but this is now for a pitch and one adult....2 adults makes it £30.
£8 for extra adults, £4 for children over 5.
2 adults, 2 children £38 a night for a CL!
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It would appear that Kingston Lacy sometimes have minimum stays of 2 nights. Currently the price for next week is £20/night with no minimum stay.
Checking for the prices for next April, the fee seems to be £22 including 1 adult, additional adults at £8 each.
Dogs seem to be charged at £1.50 per night each with a maximum of 2.
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If the price includes entry like Stourhead, I don’t suppose they will have any problem filling it, with non NT members. The cost of a day family ticket is £45. Therefore, even if it is a minimum two nights on certain dates, the cost of the site would only be £15.50 a night for a family of four.
Not going to encourage them to join the NT though.
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Yes, it's £22 with one adult...but increases by £8 for every extra adult (hence the £30 for the std two adult night) plus another £4 for every child.
'normally' CLs just have a rate for the van on the pitch...
this looks like a real rip off considering the lack of any sort of facilities, other than those already afforded by your NT membership or non-members 'pay extra on the day'...
this gets even better...
at Stourhead...not only do you have to pay for all adults and children on the pitch but ALSO your dogs! £1.50 each, maximum of 2.
so, our single night for mum, dad, two kids and two dogs... now £49 for the pitch.
anyone who knows Stourhead will be aware that is nothing more than a tiny row of 'aire-type' parking at the rear of the car park....just the sort of simple overnight stopping that's been discussed in some earlier threads...parking that most who've used this type before would expect to cost around £12-£15 tops...not £49!
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"If the price includes entry like Stourhead...." you reckon, Steve?...
doesnt do a lot for existing members who, in fairness, might feel they're entitled to a discount on the pitch over non members, rather than non members getting free entry.....
sorry, pricing structure totally skewed...
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Yes it has spacing, but it's just a 'close as possible' row of vans...it's tucked away at the bottom left of the photo...nice gravel row.
agreed it's location, location, location but £50 a night for a young family when, perhaps you're already members of both CC and NT....?
even for a couple it's £38 a night, that's so far off beam for the physical offering, a large car parking space on a bit of gravel.M
Moderator comment: sentence removed
I showed OH these prices and, surprisingly enough, we won't be using these, despite having a great time at KL for £20
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We really miss Wincanton Site in Stourhead area. Like the CAMC, the NT is undergoing a few changes at the moment, and not all good. We were very disappointed over a decision that has been made at Clumber Park around the Walled Garden last time I visited. Suffice it to say it’s not somewhere I can easily take my Mum now. Only time we visited an NT campsite, with a view to staying, we got our vehicle stuck, so that turned into a couple of nights in a nice pub instead. They wanted stupid money for a mud bath. Scenic mind you🤣
I was was interested on the basis of the NT opening their car parks overnight, say 6pm to 9am, when properties are closed. One night stopover for a nominal £5🤷♀️, no access to properties. There are lots of places that could take this, and make a bit of extra income. Charlecote, Baddesley Clinton, Montacute, Coughton Court........all close to major roads. Lots of others as well.
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TDDA, your last para is exactly how I saw the simple provision of overnighting, making use of under used resources, win, win...NT and even council car parks with a bit of imaginative white lining would be possible...
MH access to KL is easy as are most NT sites...it just takes a bit of thinking and the will....perhaps there's the issue?
a few fivers they wouldn't normally get?
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They could do it easily to be honest. Like many of the Britstops, you book and pay up front, sort out any particular security needs, maybe even committing to being locked in car park overnight if needed via coded locks, so entry and exit is controlled. That way numbers are limited, so folks just park sensibly.
We are very wary of urban car parks in UK, so not likely to use unless we know area well. We have stayed overnight for a couple of pound in Stratford Leisure Centre car park, and it was fine, but others we know are not. I wouldn’t recommend anyone tries our town centre car park, you’d wake up with no wheels, possibly a Banksy paint job, and a police helicopter overhead!😂
(off topic but before I forget. Any MH visitors to South Yorks/ Peak District area. We had a meal in The Strines Inn, which is out in the gorgeous moorlands between A57 and the A616.(what3words idea.hope.scores) Had a conversation with staff, they have a large not very busy car park, so a meal in the pub and you are probably ok after asking to overnight in the car park. Scenery is stunning, food is good, pub very nice, also has residential rooms.👍Might be a bit of a challenge for really big MHs coming in from A616 side because of a couple of hairpin bends and steep inclines. It’s an adventure in the dark!😁)
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I'm not a member of NT or owner of a motor caravan, but looking at the pricing structure I get the feeling of, "we did try that idea but it was not successful".
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If you want an overnight pitch for £5 then you could try Stump Cross Caverns in the Yorkshire Dales
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I wouldn’t object to £15 to £20, you are after all very conveniently placed for visiting the properties. If they gave a members discount, those prices would be realistic, given they are already getting a substantial annual membership fee. It does seem most odd to penalise loyal members of 40 plus years.☹️
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Re the National Trust..
One of my favourite spots in this part of Cornwall is the estate at Antony House, especially around the estuary, and the woodland walk in Spring which few visitors find. The bottom car park on the right below the house could easily take a few motorhomes overnight if the Trust so wished.
But to instal piped fresh water and drainage, a septic tank for sewage and a drive over grid, then pay to have it emptied regularly, pay for waste and re cycling collections, and probably pay someone to go down there every evening to collect money from those who somehow failed to see the car park machine ….that’s going to mean charging more than the fiver a night which was mentioned earlier.
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Depends how you look at it. If the NT’s market is non members wanting to visit the property, it’s a bargain. Entrance for a family at Stourhead is £45 and £16 for a single Adult and the site fee is inclusive of entry. It just seems a bit unfair for existing members. If we went we would almost certainly spend money in the cafe and farm shop, so they would benefit in that area. It’s never going to happen unless they offer a decent members discount however.
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Thanks for this mazdamiss👍
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I am warming to the idea already!!! I probably wouldn't use the NT as a stop over but could well do to visit one of there properties. If the nightly fee included entry it would indeed be a bargain. As far as existing members are concerned they perhaps need to make representation to the NT as it is just possible they have not realised how many of their members have caravans or motorhomes. Once they understand that they should make an adjustment?
David
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...nor me....where did you spot that Steve?
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