we like it. Think it depends on how you use your camper. We tend to use it like a car, wandering around until late afternoon before trying to find somewhere to overnight. Mix of wildcamping and Britstops works for us.
Joined one year but it didn't suit our circumstances - we have to have EHU for the fridge, and we need a site that accepts dogs. We never found a site with both those options where we happened to be looking to stop, so we didn't even use it once. Also very thin on the ground where there are no pubs or farm shops or canals, which is where we tend to go. It's a great idea though, worth a try.
Joined Britstops about a year ago. Found it very useful as we travel quite a lot throughout the year. Plenty of 'stops' throughout the UK - many are at dog-friendly pubs and quite a few have EHU as well as 'watering' facilities. We would normally run the fridge on gas at night.
It's not a question of price with us although many are free - we usually have a pub meal etc, but more that they are often more convenient with easier access than campsites when just a single overnight stay is required.
Note there are other recent posts on this subject where others have objected to the £28 annual cost. We think it is good value if you intend to use them at least (say) 4 or 5 times a year. Britstops also send you (email) monthly updates. (We have also found MH friendly pubs who have allowed us to stay overnight on their car parks.) We never 'wild camp' btw.
------------- The older I get the better I used to be.
We joined about a couple of months ago but what with one thing & another we haven't got away yet, however we're planning Wales then ferry to south Ireland up the west coast into N I then ferry over to Scotland & then back into south England starting next week & will be using a few Britstops to test it out. Will let you know how it goes when we get back.
------------- It felt good......so I dun it! I'm not old I'm .........forgot what I was gonna say.
Please remember that NOW (September) is not the best time to join Britstops, as £30.50 including post and packing for the guide will become renewable in March 2017. So that in effect, you will only get half as much for your money. We have never joined but would think about it, in March next year.
We have used four this year, all very welcoming. Only problem for us was that two of the pubs were on major roads and traffic noise persisted most of the night, so sleep was intermittent.
As to the membership fee, well you have to remember the work put in to arranging the stops, monthly updates and a handbook of the highest quality.
I did not understand any of the new post made today. So am writing on this one, to get it onto page one, where if you so wish you can re post to create a thread.
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
We found Britstops very handy. We stayed overnight at a pub in Dorset on the way to Cornwall and were slightly disturbed by the traffic noise and found a fabulous farm shop Britstop at Tregony where they had EHU and wonderful views, and it was really, really peaceful.
We would have stayed at a couple more, but we found a couple of campsites we liked so much we stayed extra nights at those instead.
Overall, we thought it was well worth the £30 to join.
Wild camping (legally that's only in a tent in Scotland; it's just free camping in a Motorhome) differs in that you're expected to put something back to the Britstops host - buy a coffee or beer or whatever. But unlike a car park (or free camping location of choice) you may be able to empty your toilet legally at a CDP rather than illegally by polluting the local waterways or drains.