Quote: steamdrivenandy wrote in post #14

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I can't see how the new system improves matters for anyone except the CC, who no longer have to have the server capacity to deal with the annual mid-winter booking fest. It certainly keeps the block bookers on their toes at the start of every month to keep their bag of bookings up to date and they'll maybe miss the cut and thrust of 'annual booking day's. It does nothing to help those who want to book later and who don't want to engage in selfish overbooking.

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Exactly.

We're going to try this site on one our "one stop" tours this week

http://www.middlewoodfarm.com/touring

Seems to give us everything we want - pubs close by, beach close by and Robins Hood Bay close by

It depends on what sort of camping you want too. The C&C Club have plenty of temporary holiday sites that need no pre booking and are very cheap, less than a tenner in most cases however many are basic which requires own sanitation etc plus no EHU.
If you are prepared to put up a toilet tent and use a submersible pump shower and have a decent solar set up your worlds your oyster, no pre booking and loads of them. Not for everyone I know but it does make touring on the hoof possible and cheap.

Middlewood Farm nice site stayed there a few times in tent and van. Not as near to pubs or beach as you would think, both a good walk downhill. Handy for both Whitby and Scarborough
Hope you enjoy

What do I dislike most???? Probably when you're having a wash or a shower and the guy in the next cubicle is clearing his sinuses into the washbasin and/ or surrounding area.

My last site only catered for caravans with the door on the UK side! I had to turn the Puck around on soft gravel for my door to open onto my designated lawn. Another reason to use a grass site.

With a Puck that can be an issue, but with most Tourings
the 'lounge' is at the back and pitching with the nose in, leaves you with the same view as UK vans that have their lounge at the front. A large proportion of Tourings also have a dinette up front which allows a view the opposite way too.

We would never stay at Baltic Wharf again due to Mr and Mrs Jobsworth. We were told we had to park nose in only and doing this on heavy gravel without a mover is not fun. There attitude was take it or leave it. If we hadn't got an appointment in Bristol, I would of told them to shove it!
Chris

And then try and get it on a levelling ramp !

C&CC do have a £25 deposit, that is true. It is also refundable up to a certain number of days weeks before, can't remember, 30 days perhaps?
I had pre-booked 3 grass only sites (my preferred option) in February and then shortly after the C&CC sent out an email offering a discount on various grass only pitches, all of which I had already booked. I phoned up customer services hoping for some sympathy and they just told me to cancel my bookings at no cost and re-book using the discount code. Worked a treat.

Back to the original topic of dislike and that is the reduction in the number of grass only pitches available. I don't want to pitch my awning on a gravel hardstanding, I like grass under my feet. Neither do I want to spend £4 or £5 a night on electric hookup that I will barely use. I'm quite independant with my solar panel setup.
Some campsites are hard standing/EHU only, if you want that site you have to pay.

With a grass only pitch there is less chance of a jobsworth making you turn your left hand drive van round to match every body else as well.

Ray - I agree with the grass pitches comment. I'm finding that grass pitches are harder to find, they seem to be only offered to tents and campervans. Also farms for example with grass only don't tend to have a web site as they are not as commercial. When you can find a grass only site they seem to be a lot easier going with no extras to pay for.

We find that the more interesting campsites, which are generally grass only and often without EHU, are anti caravan, but seem to love an orange and white VW camper, because it's the epitome of cool camping. If you like these kind of sites and are happy to be without facilities (as we are), give them a call and tell them how your cute little Eriba has more in common with the VW than a twin axle monster caravan. The reaction is often favourable in our experience.

My biggest dislikes about caravan sites are the regimental lines of huge vans, hardstandings (in the warmer months) and all those rules. We camp in the Eriba as if we were in our old tent, albeit with a comfy bed, a loo and hot water !!

My pet hate? Adult males who will not use a urinal, but choose to stand in a W.C. cubicle to pee. If they lift the seat they pee on the floor in front of the pedestal so that your new holiday shorts/trousers risk getting wet hems, if they don't lift the seat .........

Oh! And people who feel it is obligatory to leave their nasal debris on the back of the cubicle door....

Gross, I know, but unpleasant facts of life.

Doug