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o.k, years ago when we first took up camping we choose our sites by looking in a book, which had little info on the sites, ringing up, seeing if they space and going, or just turning up on spec.

Nowadays, you pick the area, go ont the search here, get massive hits, work your way through them, looking at websites, facilities, prices, etc. get a shortlist. wife then comes along gets her shortlist, mix them together. agree on a site and ring them up and there fully booked.

aaarrrgggghhhhh.

any one else do this and just have to get of the pc and leave the room before going back to look again. To much bloody choice at times.

i couldn't agree more !!!.... too much choice !!! ... and don't we get annoyed when  the campsite we fancy, cuz it's in the right location or something, hasn't got a good website ?  I know I do..... We kinda expect them to these days don't we?  I know i have chosen sites based on the amount of information they give on their website.... LOL..... maybe that's why you find your choice has been fully booked 'eh?  Other people doing the same..lol... oh what happened to the days when we simply drove around and settled for the first one we came to that looked OK ?

HAPPY CAMPING 

I agree entirely. However, when I went camping in a tent I rarely booked up...just decided where I wanted to go, pointed the car and ended up wherever it took me. I had no problems up until last year when I bought a caravan. I now feel I have to book up otherwise I could end up towing a caravan around all day long trying to find a site with space...trying to find a site with a space via the telephone seems bad enough.

I'm not sure if there has been a sudden increase in the popularity of caravanning or whether caravan pitches were always in short supply...certainly never had a problem with a tent...or has that changed as well over the last year?

I was thinking the same thing tonight - we are planning a trip round France in Sept - and the last time we went (2001 & 1997) all we consulted was our Alan Rogers Guide from 1997, no pre booking etc, just booked a ferry and went!  I got it out tonight and realised that it was so much simplier when all we had was a book - and not the internet to research it all!!  But on the other hand I wouldn't be with the internet now!!

Quote: Originally posted by janso100 on 07/8/2007

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I try to use just the featured campsites.........anybody know how they become featured campsites?

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I have been using three things to try and make our mind up.

Campsites shown on ukcs, google earth (to see great aerial shots of the site and surrounding area and then if the aerial photos show other sites close by i check them out by doing a google search. Searching for "campsite + town name" will invariably show the other sites and a post code and then i can call and get an idea of price if they have no website.

Were off next week to cornwall and there are lots of sites around and after calling a few finding space wont be a problem so we are not going to book but just turn up.

This is our first camping trip for more than 20 years and being able to see sites on google earth (and the aerial photos on ukcs) is so much better than when we used to go and take a chance.

Quote: Originally posted by amisbk196 on 08/8/2007

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Quote: Originally posted by janso100 on 07/8/2007

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I try to use just the featured campsites.........anybody know how they become featured campsites?

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I beleive a featured site is just one that has entered all the required info. I don't think it means that are 'recommended'.

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I always thought that recommended were paid for like adverts.

When I was a little girl (okay its a while okay) my Mam and Dad used to have an AA book which had all the sites in. They chose a couple in the area and asked them to send their brochures - this was how they decided, much simpler.

Now i spend days agonising over which one and then whether I've picked the right one. I booked the site we are going to on Friday months ago - it hasn't stopped me looking at every other one again and thinking maybe.........

Too much choice !