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Topic: UK sites like the French ones?

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chicaguapa

04/8/2024 at 10:41pm
Location: North West
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I realise this is quite general, but are there any sites in the UK that have the same vibe as French ones? I don’t mean pools as such. But I love the greenery, and leafy hedges between spacious pitches and being on the edge of a town to walk into to. Whereas I find many UK ones are like being in a grassy car park. Or am I better off just going to France

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Colin21

04/8/2024 at 11:13pm
Location: East Herts
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I have never been to a French campsite so I haven't a clue what they are like, however if you mean sites with random pitches where you can pitch how you like as opposed to all in neat regimented rows then yes. Sites like that do exist and they are the ones we always look for. Last year we went on Graffham C&CC site in the south downs and all the pitches there were in a forest setting. Not only were there hedges between the pitches, there were mature trees too. We loved it but it wouldn't be for everyone. Especially those who prefer hard-standings and/or regimented rows, as they would hate it.

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Best Regards,
Colin

birdman101

via mobile 05/8/2024 at 8:15am
Location: Milton Keynes
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We have been on plenty of sites with separating hedges between pitches. But cannot think of any with a walk into town.

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DaveS1

via mobile 05/8/2024 at 11:15am
Location: Hatfield Peverel Essex
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Half the price in France although the ferries have started charging silly prices now.
DaveS1

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Netherton

05/8/2024 at 11:25am
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Quote: Originally posted by chicaguapa on 04/8/2024
I realise this is quite general, but are there any sites in the UK that have the same vibe as French ones? I don’t mean pools as such. But I love the greenery, and leafy hedges between spacious pitches and being on the edge of a town to walk into to. Whereas I find many UK ones are like being in a grassy car park. Or am I better off just going to France

You might like Wysdom Touring Park at Burford - photos on their website to show you what is like - and on the edge of town too. But it’s adults only which is not at all French

dk168

05/8/2024 at 1:20pm
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
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I can't think of any - hedges between pitches AND within walking distance to a town appears to be a rarity.

DK

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Colin21

05/8/2024 at 1:32pm
Location: East Herts
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Quote: Originally posted by Netherton on 05/8/2024

You might like Wysdom Touring Park at Burford - photos on their website to show you what is like - and on the edge of town too. But it’s adults only which is not at all French

Looks nice, reasonable prices too, but no toilets or showers which wouldn't suit us. Our shower compartment is too small for us to comfortably use and our toilet is for overnight emergencies only. Frequent emptying is too much of a faff for both of us with back problems. We try to keep lifting to a bare minimum.

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Best Regards,
Colin

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billy

via mobile 05/8/2024 at 2:01pm
Location: North Essex
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Answer is no. Because you are not in France. Much the same for sites in Belgium Holland or Spain. They tend to be different as well. Every country does it different.

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chicaguapa

05/8/2024 at 3:11pm
Location: North West
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Quote: Originally posted by Netherton on 05/8/2024

You might like Wysdom Touring Park at Burford - photos on their website to show you what is like - and on the edge of town too. But it’s adults only which is not at all French

Yes that’s lovely! Thanks. I’ve added that to the list.

I don’t mind not being close to a town - that’s just a bonus. Just not fond of staying in a car park lined up in rows. Obviously I’d prefer to be in France itself!

dk168

05/8/2024 at 3:23pm
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
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Quote: Originally posted by Netherton on 05/8/2024

You might like Wysdom Touring Park at Burford - photos on their website to show you what is like - and on the edge of town too. But it’s adults only which is not at all French

Saved that in my virtual Brochure for future reference too with thanks!

DK

Ironned

06/8/2024 at 9:36pm
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Quite a few CAMC sites are walkable into lovely towns - Broadway, Moreton in Marsh, Exmoor House (Dulverton) and Cirencester off the top off my head. Steamer Quay when it reopens (Totnes).However, more and more UK sites are being converted to hard standing sadly - customer demand apparently. CL/CS sites often have more character but tend to have a more remote location and here too,the dreaded hard standing is starting to dominate.

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Seeking luxury in unexpected places

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Mrs. Bonce

via mobile 07/8/2024 at 7:42am
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What's wrong with hardstanding? We go away all year round and much prefer it if it's done properly. i.e. level and no grass (mud) between the track and the pitching area. We have found plenty of small sites near towns, but not necessarily within walking distance.

Pixie_Hez

07/8/2024 at 9:19am
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Have a look at Haw Wood Farm near Saxmunden in Suffolk. The hardstanding area is just rows of hardstandings (quite spacious) but the grass pitches are very big. They don’t have hedges but the owner leaves a strip of unmown grass and wild flowers between each pitch so they are well separated. The grass pitches are in bays of about 8 pitches per bay and each bay has tall hedges around it.

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Pixie

Colin21

07/8/2024 at 9:25am
Location: East Herts
Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail

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I'm not a big fan of hardstandings either, although I do only go away in summer. Having said that, we went away at the beginning of July and the first site we were on had all hardstandings, which was probably just as well as it rained nearly every day. The second site was grass, but it wasn't too bad at all, considering it rained quite a bit then too.

The main thing I have against hardstandings is that of necessity they are usually longer than they are wide and all in neat rows, just what we don't like. We like random pitches where they are not all in neat rows and we can pitch our caravan any way round that we like.

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Best Regards,
Colin

Colin21

07/8/2024 at 9:28am
Location: East Herts
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Quote: Originally posted by Pixie_Hez on 07/8/2024
Have a look at Haw Wood Farm near Saxmunden in Suffolk. The hardstanding area is just rows of hardstandings (quite spacious) but the grass pitches are very big. They don’t have hedges but the owner leaves a strip of unmown grass and wild flowers between each pitch so they are well separated. The grass pitches are in bays of about 8 pitches per bay and each bay has tall hedges around it.

That sounds lovely Pixie, I'll have to take a look at that if it's not too expensive. I'd definitely want a grass pitch though.

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Best Regards,
Colin

Fiona W

via mobile 07/8/2024 at 9:56am
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Time & place for HS replacing grass. Flat grass is ok to get off in a MH if it’s been raining. Dog prefers grass too. But we had a devil of a job getting off slightly sloping wet grass after rain & we gouged deep ruts. Yes, apology made. When we returned next year, that pitch had been converted to HS. (We subsequently got mats to help get off soft grass if there’s another similar situation).
There is a compromise - HS cut into a slope but access to it over grass; that works well.
However, we’ve been stopping over at Moffat CCC for 40 years & there are fewer & fewer grass pitches for people in tents or those who prefer grass; the big site extension only has HS (in rows). More revenue for the club? none of that pale grass where a tent or awning been for a week? (I made that up, but we’ve all read some site rules about lifting awnings & moving tents).

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2024 = 20 sites / 41 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.

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