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Quote: Originally posted by Bob61 on 09/7/2011

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I am having a third attempt to camp at a club site this Sunday and I am sincerely hoping that it will be an enjoyable experience because so far, including the joining fee, I have parted with about £79 and for that I have achieved two nights camping.

Of course rough pitches don't affect caravans all that much because they are on wheels but based on the information already given in this thread and my own experiences so far, if I had a caravan I think my choice would be the Caravan Club.

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Well, I couldn't believe the state of the pitches at the C&CC site I went to on Sunday. None of them had a single blade of grass...just hardened mud patches with the odd tree root poking through. This of course doesn't affect a caravan but no good for a tent with a SIG. When I complained I was simply told that the site is open all year and usually booked up all year so the grass doesn't have time to recover. That is the second club site I have been to since joining and the second disappointment regarding rough pitches...that's got to be more than just coincidence. I can see me having to invest in a good thick tarpaulin footprint if I am to use any more club sites.

On this occasion they gave me my money back and I was able to book into a nearby non-club site with lovely pitches. Cost me £30 for two nights instead of the £19 I was going to be charged at the club site but you live and learn and next year the club fee will be better in my pocket than in theirs.

Do the CC take folding campers without looking down on them as the last time I we went on a CC site we were looked at as if we were gypsies or travellers going to mess holiday space up or make a noise. Talk about snobbish,uncalled for arrogance.My wheelchair may make a few ruts on damp grass but their caravans make more ruts that our wheels do including my wheelie.

But I guess not everybody is the  same.Especially as I have since met more caravanners than tents where I have been. Who we have got on famously with.

 .But back then I learnt to keep well away form those who look down on tents as the poor relations.

So do they accpet FC or prefer Caravans only???

Quote: Originally posted by beanpark on 13/7/2011

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Do the CC take folding campers without looking down on them as the last time I we went on a CC site we were looked at as if we were gypsies or travellers going to mess holiday space up or make a noise. Talk about snobbish,uncalled for arrogance.My wheelchair may make a few ruts on damp grass but their caravans make more ruts that our wheels do including my wheelie.

But I guess not everybody is the  same.Especially as I have since met more caravanners than tents where I have been. Who we have got on famously with.

 .But back then I learnt to keep well away form those who look down on tents as the poor relations.

So do they accpet FC or prefer Caravans only???

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We have been members of the CC for a while and whilst we dont have a folding caravan, we do have an old caravan and have experienced the same as you. It makes me laugh because they look down on us like we are going to cause noise and distress to fellow campers - but its more often than not them who create the noise, cut through pitches and generally not care whatsoever about the people they pitch next too.

Didnt bother to renew our membership, not worth it. Prefer the C&CC as we find fellow campers accept us more readily (in fact we often see caravans older than ours!) and it also gives us the option of using our tent should we wish to do so.

No reason to run any club down they are both good.  One point to be a caravan club member you have to own a trailer tent, caravan or folding camper, you cannot be a member if you own just a tent.

Caravan club do not take a booking fee which sounds great but this March I tried to book a Saturday night anywhere in East Anglia and not one site had spaces... in the end I rang the C&CC clubsite in Thetford forest and they waved the 2 day rule and allowed me in for one night.  Because of the no booking fee rule in CC many people block book and then cancel at the last minute.  When I challanged this a couple years ago on the CC membership stand at an NEC show .. the representative suggested I booked lots of weekends myself then cancel nearer the time if I did not want it.  It has made me question my membership because there is no sense in belonging if I can never get a place on the sites!  As to booking multiple bookings just on the off chance it just is not my style.

C&CC have a rule of 2 nights at a weekend which can be a nuisance although if you ring the site direct wardens will often waive this rule. Also they do allocate pitches which give you less choice I suspect this is because of the wide variety of units they accept.

I have had excellent experiances with all the wardens of both clubs.. lovely people