CL Site Bookings
Just after some general advise please if anyone can help, we are hoping to set off for a few weeks around Herefordshire, Shropshire and on Up to Anglesey and then work our way down the west Wales coast, we are aiming to leave just after the schools return after Easter.
We are hoping to use CL sites were possible, but not wanting to tie ourselves to much to a route and pre booked sites my question is on average how late can we leave booking CL sites ? and do CL sites in general have a minimum stay policy ?
Look forward to hearing from
Comments
-
I’m not sure it’s possible to answer your questions with specifics. Why not work out a rough plan with alternatives, look up those CLs now to check which ones suit, book the first one or two and then ring the others a few days ahead. You can bring plan B or plan C into play if necessary.
3 -
Agree. There are a few factors that might affect availability, not least the weather forecast. Dry and sunny will have a lot more folks out there.
Having said that, it is our chosen method of touring, not booking anything way in front. I would have a rough plan of where you we want to be be, what you want to see, and take a look at a few options along your route. You don’t have to stick purely to all CLs, you might want to consider some small private sites (there’s a growing list at the top of the UK section on here), there’s also something called Britstops that make good one or two night stopovers if they suit your needs. Use SearchforSites website to get an overall picture of your options along your route. Try and have a plan B, or C for each area, just in case things do get busy. Use the CL Bookings App as well to get a picture of how busy some CLs are, many on there have a bookings calendar that shows pitch availability. I will put on some links for you….
https://www.searchforsites.co.uk/
1 -
Very few CLs have a minimum number of nights stay, and at that time of the year the only place where there might be trouble booking a pitch is Anglesey, although there are plenty of choice over there. Once you have a plan perhaps you could then ask for recommendations for specific sites in the places you hope to stay. There are lots of CL users on here who would only be too pleased to help.
1 -
That crossed my mind too. The questioner says “campervan” and I don’t know what facilities he/she has on board. If they are limited I would do as Takethedogalong suggested - look at the whole variety of campsites available via Searchforsites rather than thinking that CLs are the only option. In Herefordshire alone there are over 100 sites of all types to choose from. So phone ahead a day or two in advance.
1 -
I have a CL in West Suffolk. For most of the year one night stays are no problem , I will not take one night bookings in advance for the summer or other holiday times, my reason is I could loose a weeks booking from a longer stay. But I will take them on the day , subject to space. To add over the past year M/homes have a poor record of no shows.
2 -
Interesting last sentence there wildemere. I've heard similar of a few local to me sites last summer.
JK
0 -
Thanks for your detailed reply Takethedogalong it is appreciated, we do have toilet and shower in the van so we can be flexible on were we stay , will take one board your suggestions and give a shout out if needed, main worry at moment it weather got a friend who has a pop up site in Cornwall he usually opens up at Easter but at the minute he can't set foot on the field so hoping for a drier March , looking like hard standing pitches might be in demand until things start to dry out
0 -
It’s wet, it’s very wet but at least our reservoirs are much fuller than last year. I’d find yourself a HS pitch if I were you. Perhaps it'll be drier for the trip you describe in your OP.
0 -
You are very welcome. Yes, it’s very wet all over at the moment, including here in South Yorks.
We did a great tour of Dumfries and Galloway in early June a couple of years ago. We hopped about all over the area, using a mix of Aire type stopovers, a very nice CL, and Forest Scotland Car parks, where you can stay overnight for the price of a car parking fee. The CL we used was £25 per night, but was chosen as somewhere to base for four days, so our dog would be safe, while we went cycling. We managed to average around £12.50 per night, and didn’t pre book anywhere before we set off. You do have to get to some of the stopovers early enough to bag a pitching space, but then there’s no “arrive by x o clock”, “depart by x o clock” policy at most of them, so it’s very relaxing. But you do get the odd outfit that tries things on, “forgets” to leave anything in the honesty boxes. Key is always have a Plan B, just in case. Our just in case was a high tide that swamped pitching spots (we were aware) so we simply moved on and pitched on Plan B. Scotland was brilliant touring like this, but we haven’t done Wales or Border areas around there. If one night stop overs are your thing, consider some of the pub stops, we have enjoyed each one we have done, with no problems at all. Research and good planning is the key👍😁
I’d add we don’t really have an issue with CLs and CS sites having a policy of no single night stays if they are busy sites, but don’t be put off by any that say this. A phone call or email might yield a good result if you ask. Most will have some single or double nights to fill at some point, and will be only too happy to have the income. We won’t use any that surcharge for a single night though.
1
