York Rowntree Park
Hi All,
We're booked into YRP from this Thursday for 3 nights. Today, we rang the site for some general information on the area, but we were told that because of a flood warning from the Environment Agency the site could close & have to evacuate on Friday. Obviously there's nothing we do about the weather but we're annoyed that the site said we can't have a refund of our deposit unless the site actually closes. We said we were travelling a fair distance & didn't want to make such a long journey just for one night. But the site would not budge and said we'd have to take our chances or cancel and lose our deposit and the chance of our holiday. I'm not blaming the site staff because they're obviously just doing want the club management tell them.
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Have you rung CAMC direct?
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This up to the minute, well almost, government flood warning website may offer a bit of an insight into what is happening at Roundtree Park and what can be expected . I guess this is what informs all affected parties in the area. Information about the situation higher in the Penine/Ouse watershed will also determine the warnings issued and not just those river levels in York itself.
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No, I don’t think HQ have extra info but they are the ones who make the rules by which the site staff operate and, if you wish to cancel, will be the final arbiters as to whether the deposit can be refunded.
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No drama. Ask to switch to the other York site - there are current vacancies.
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Taxi ?
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Agree with TW, I would contact HQ and insist on speaking to someone who can make a sensible decision for you. YRP is notorious for flooding, and it’s quite common for the site to be evacuated at short notice. The Gov.UK website is showing that a flood alert is active, with flooding expected, as of today, and our area still has very full rivers, with more rain expected.
Here is up to date link FB, YRP is clearly in an area of concern.
Beechwood Grange is no substitute for YRP. It’s out by a very busy ring road, notorious for slow moving traffic, and a long walk into the City Centre. I notice you have a MH, so even if you did decide to drive in, you need to park very carefully as you might not get in through some of the city gates, and parking charges are very high. Only other thing to do would be to drive to one of P&R centres, park up and go in by bus. Not what you want I am guessing. Good luck with putting a strong case for a full refund to HQ, if a Government website warning isn’t good enough, then frankly, what is🤷♀️
Be good if you chose to report back on what happens, help others in a similar situation. Site staff can only advise, the decision has to come from HQ. It’s always touch and go booking YRP at certain times.
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I think the issue here is that the site "could" closed not will be closed. As long as the site is available normal T&C's apply. I fully agree that its not a very satisfactory position for the OP to be in. He could leave home on the Friday knowing at point of departure the site was open but by the time he gets there the site could be closed. The OP doesn't say whether he was offered Beechwood Grange as an alternative? They could of course be reserving pitches there for people having to evacuate from Rowntree Park? I agree that the OP should discuss it with HQ as they will be the only ones who can make a decision.
David
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There are 33 sites listed on UKCampsite within 5 miles of York. If one chucked me out I would drive to another. It doesn’t strike me as the biggest problem I have ever faced.
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I think most Members who book into YRP do so with a view to simply parking up, and a 10 minute stroll into the city centre though ET. This is very much it’s unique selling point, and possibly why it can command quite high pitch prices. Even we, the most dedicated of cheap pitch locators acknowledge this is YRPs USP, and even we don’t drive off site when we go there. BG is ok if you don’t have a dog, don’t mind standing traffic and might want to visit Castle Howard, further up the A64, but YRP remains by far the easiest place to sleep in if on a mini city break. If you like cycling, or a decent walk, there’s a nice site at Nether Poppleton, but then who’s going to look after your bike while you go in Minster, or spend hours in Museums. I’ve tried it, and it’s a horrible place to cycle round is the inner city, death on the roads, and zombie tourists everywhere else. And no way would I leave my multi thousand pound ebike shackled to a railing. It’s not cheap to park anything in York either, they are currently considering £20 per day I think, that’s if you can find an empty bay.
Rowntree Park itself remains closed at the moment. Guessing the river walkway will be filthy as well.
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I’d be livid if we were ‘chucked’ out but that is not the case at all in these circumstances. The site is a gem in our opinion when conditions are good but all the club is trying to do is protect folk and their property safe, they have to take the lead from the local authorities and flood agency. It’s built on a flood plain, the latest flood protection measures actually increase the chances of flooding around the park area, that’s the whole idea, to save locals and their properties. I’m sure permission these days to allow a camp site to be built there would not be allowed today. I’m sure everyone who books this site are aware of the ‘risks’ and possible outcomes and work with the T&Cs currently in place. We really need to take some responsibility for the part we must play in making our own informed decisions given the information available to us. That’s what we do.
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We’ve made an informed decision since deposits were introduced. We simply don’t book YRP any more. It’s not as busy and booked up as it used to be, if we are desperate to visit York, we’ed check late availability. Last time I looked seriously, could have had a full week there pre Xmas.
Apart from weekends, lots of nights free currently. (None awning pitches) Just spotted fee for one night coming in at £58.50 for a couple! Cheaper for us to commute🤷♀️
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Talking to a fellow member recently, a motorhomer of the old ilk, he suggested they had returned to what he called ‘off roading’ (just turning up on the day) which negates any need for a deposit. Now I understand this won’t be easy at weekends at YRP but according to bookings on various other sites it now seems much easier to do than in past years. Not for all I understand but many sites may now be available to those of us willing to adopt this old practice. Once on site you may even be able to extend your stay if so wished.
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That’s how we operate Micky, most of the time. Last couple of times we stayed at YRP (pre deposit) we were able to extend our stays. It’s a place we usually visit midweek anyway.
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I would suggest that the OP cancels if there is a flood warning.
contact CMAC head office and insist on a full refund. If there is a flood warning for just one night of a stay, surely that is in effect met office advice not to travel to a site right by the river. No matter what the site manager says.
It’s too far to travel for a three night stay when the holiday would be spoilt by worries about flooding.
That’s just my view, but if the Club refused a refund in these circumstances I would be very disappointed.
R
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I think that’s exactly what the club does do and suggests what ‘bookers’ should do, they take the lead from ‘those who know best’! After all, that’s what we would expect to happen and what does happen, we wouldn’t expect them to make it up and guess would we?
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It will be good to hear from fatbelly what he decided to do and the outcome of any phone call he made to HO.
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I see from your review that you went to YRP, FB. Care to update us on what was the deciding factor in sticking to your plans?
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Hi Guys,
Thanks for all your replies, they are much appreciated.
We've just got back from 3 great nights at YRP. The site was on a flood warning throughout but only a warning and no evacuation was needed. Rowntree Park next to the site is still closed due to flooding and there were ducks and swans swimming on the parks fields. The riverside walk outside the site is very mucky due to the receding flood waters. We chose YRP because of it great position so close to York centre. My wife is disabled and travelling on public transport or walking any distance is too much for her. The wardens were great and we will go back. We travelled on Friday and rang the site at 9am before left and was told it couldn't be guaranteed, but it was unlikely the site would have to evacuate. One last thing, the site has had to be evacuated 3 times since January 1st this year already due to flooding.
Once again thanks for all your replies and suggestions,
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Pleased you enjoyed the stay, we love it too despite the increasing chance of flooding it seems. It’s an informed risk well worth taking in our opinion. This is probably the most susceptible time of year and the chances seem to be increasing, possibly down to climate change. Spring it seems is coming earlier and earlier, we certainly haven’t had many frosty days at all this winter compared to those of my youth. Remember the saying ‘February Fill Dyke’. There are natures winners and losers mind in these changing weather patterns mind.
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Glad you made it, and that things went well FB, it’s a great site is YRP. It is par for the course that it suffers greatly from flooding and related closures, it’s just one of those York quirks😁 York floods all the time because of the Ouse and the Foss, and all the rivers that drain into the Ouse from up in the Dales.
Next time you visit, hopefully the Park will be available, and it’s a nice easy path down the side of the river for a walk, cycle, and if using a mobility scooter. You can actually cycle for miles on decent mostly traffic free pathways.
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