Hi All, Just wanted to say that this caravanning lark is getting to expensive, wanted to take grandkids away last weekend to york, £107 for 3 nights stop, thought to hell with that and decided to take them out for days away, much more enjoyable and didnt spend £ 70 including petrol. Think these sites should start to look at ther pricing structure a little bit and stop trying to squeeze evey penny out of us all.
caravan club getting expensive
- Thread starter cupid1958
- Start date
hi, welcome to the forum,cupidstunt1958 said:
can I first say you mentioned the 3 pocket draining aspects of our hobby, weekend peak season, and york,
first peak times these are allways the dearer time to vist and most sites anywhere charge more, this is nothing new it has been the case for as long as I can remember,
CL's and small comercials are far better value for money but then again this as allways been the case I remember well being quoted £35 a night for a pitch in the lake district 20years ago., the only benifit is they are of a certain standard mostly well run and clen and tidy, but this comes at a price.
lastly York this is not the cheapest area to visit it is not too far from us and it never ceases to amaze me the price they put on everything in town from "parking to a hot dog" you with gather from this I am no fan of the place.
having said all that the cost of caravanning has never been cheap it all depends on the way one wants to do it? and the benifits one gets out of it
it is only my opinion of course but wrong place at the wrong time springs to mind. so I'm not suprised by the cost.
the priceing policy of sites however are a seperate issue the clubs tends to have a captive audience so this may have a bearing on there mind set.
just out of interest I googled a couple of site in the york area for the bank holiday weekend most were full but some had pitches average price £80 for 3 nights,
I agree with you Cupid, CC sites are expencive .We mainly use CL sites which are around £12 per night. As you say its expensive hoby now but caravaners are their own worst enemys, they keep paying up, we are pensioners and every penny counts so we cant afford to go away as much as we would like.
When we stay at york we're on a CL at 6 pounds a night. As we have a toilet, a shower and a solar panel we see no point to paying more!
My feeling is CC sites are generally about the same price as similar commercial sites and the C&CC. The figures you quote looks like two adults and two children at Beechwood Frange which is a very high quality site. If you had gone to the C&CC site the cost would have been about £125 and Rowntree Park probably even higher. These sites are generally nearly always full so they are generally seen as value for money. You can save money by using CL's or searching for cheaper sites but in general you only get what you pay for.
If the CC is a members' club, owned by the members presumably, then why are they so expensive? Are the Clubs supposed to be non profit making organisations? If so, why should they charge similar prices to commercial sites? On top of high basic priices, the Clubs then charge exhorbitant prices for internet! I have just had a holiday in central France where most of the sites I stayed on were a lot cheaper than CC sites and where internet was free.
Most CC sites you know what you will get. IMO pricing is still competitive but better value for the quality provided.
We're on a commercial site in Cornwall. It's more expensive than the CC, extremely overcrowded yet amusingly very Basil Fawlty. Three caravans via a multi point socket are sharing a 10amp EHU supply. I'm so close to the next door caravan we can kiss each other goodnight through open windows. Ok our choice because my sister needed a static but let's remember the CC is still excellent value for money compared to what I'm on at the moment.
We're on a commercial site in Cornwall. It's more expensive than the CC, extremely overcrowded yet amusingly very Basil Fawlty. Three caravans via a multi point socket are sharing a 10amp EHU supply. I'm so close to the next door caravan we can kiss each other goodnight through open windows. Ok our choice because my sister needed a static but let's remember the CC is still excellent value for money compared to what I'm on at the moment.
Dustydogs comments about the overcrowding on some commercial sites is exactly the reason we keep using CC sites. Yes they are becoming expensive, but I know that even at peak times such as the summer or at bank holidays their sites may be at full capacity but will not feel over crowded. Some commercial sites I know appear to not understand the concept of being full, or fire regs for that matter, and keep cramming outfits on. So I'm glad there is an alternative, and as others have said both the CC and CCC sites aren't too far off what a commercial site would charge.
I am with Martin24 on this, why pay for facilities you are not going to use, unlike Martin we have to have EHU and a shower block.
but apart from that no pool, club, kids amusments, so rarely pay mor than £18 per night.
the pricing policy of the CC mean most of their sites apart from some CL's are off limits. as are most of the holiday complex type commercial sites. each to there own I suppose.
it is posilble to get the right site in a area you like if you shop around, for instance in the york area just outside in the village of Wheldrake there is a site attached to a fishing lake that is very nice has a good showerblock 16amp EHU and kids play area price £18 per night. or half the price quoted by the OP,
I have not stayed there of course as I would not dream of getting the van out to go to a site so close to home as to be alble to *** home for something out of the freezer, but that a another topic anyway.
but apart from that no pool, club, kids amusments, so rarely pay mor than £18 per night.
the pricing policy of the CC mean most of their sites apart from some CL's are off limits. as are most of the holiday complex type commercial sites. each to there own I suppose.
it is posilble to get the right site in a area you like if you shop around, for instance in the york area just outside in the village of Wheldrake there is a site attached to a fishing lake that is very nice has a good showerblock 16amp EHU and kids play area price £18 per night. or half the price quoted by the OP,
I have not stayed there of course as I would not dream of getting the van out to go to a site so close to home as to be alble to *** home for something out of the freezer, but that a another topic anyway.
Have to say Colin with us, the just down the road works well sometimes. Live Beverley but swmbo works in Brid 3 days a week so when she's not on holiday in school hols we pop to Flamborough at £6 per night and she has a shorter commute while the rest of us can still be on holiday. Of course if she'd join me in lazyness then we'd be further afield.
Everything these days is getting dearer campsites are no different but there is thankfully a good choice of sites and price range, but if you want to go to a campsite of a certain type or quility or location then alas a higher premium might well apply.Havent noticed hotels getting cheaper or indeed a standardised pricing across the range for them. brother in law is away with his family on a CC at bognor regis, now he is a real tight asre but clearly the CC site is proving to be good value compared to whats available from others in that area.
Learning to make use of the facilitys we have in our caravans would mean we could give expensive sites the heevho.Some caravanners i know wouldnt dream of useing the shower or the toilet in the van so need to pay stupid prices charged by sites for facilitys they allready own,but if offered a van without these facilitys would reject it.We are life long rallyers with the Caravan Club even going on holiday rallies of 2or3 weeks costs very often work out at around £5 per night,and being with freinds and like minded people we have a realy good time.All that is needed on site is a elson point and a fresh water tap or 2,a 40 to 80 watt solar panel will keep your battery charged if you dont go silly.So all in all no caravanning doesnt have to be expensive depending on your requirements,but i think if you need an all singing all dancing site at £30 to £40 a night then you may as well use the sites own static caravans as you may well find it works out cheaper and save more money by doing more mpg without the van on the back.
Agree 100% with Billy. But at the same time, I'm glad that not every caravanner does rallies or even tries a CL. If they did, then prices would go up and it would be difficult to book a popular CL or a place on a rally
Bob.
Bob.
Martin,
I read these amazing prices that people pay on CC sites! I, like you have invested on a serious 135W solar panel. Now we can stay on a field for £5 a night with all the comforts of home. This is posh camping for goodness sake! Get real. Stop being so reliant on Hook Up! There are wats of doing it much cheaper!
Merve
I read these amazing prices that people pay on CC sites! I, like you have invested on a serious 135W solar panel. Now we can stay on a field for £5 a night with all the comforts of home. This is posh camping for goodness sake! Get real. Stop being so reliant on Hook Up! There are wats of doing it much cheaper!
Merve
Hi Cupid,
Why are people, in the days of solar panels, so hooked into hook-up? Yes, it's very convenient and yes you can have an electric toaster and kettle. The fridge on 240V oh, hang on....isnt 12v available? Television, yes again 12V. Radio - 12V. Pumps - 12V. Battery charging-, again, the correct panel will do that with ease. Heating and water can be on gas and you dont have to buy the standard 7kg cylinders all the time, I buy the 19kg cylinders which are almost the same price as the 6 or 7kg. Use a longer tail to connect and you have almost 3 times the gas for about the same price as a standard caravan cylinder.Yes, ok, you have to stand it on the ground in front of the caravan but you can disquise it! I well remenber going to Scotland in the winter 3 years ago for 10 days over Christmas when the temperature was -15 to -17 everynight and never rose above freezing at any time and the van was toastie warm all the time. It amazed my daughters father and mother in law on whose farm we were staying. So really then, all we are hooking up for is burnt bread and boiled water for tea which can be done with gas anyway. Come on, this is posh camping! My advice would be, do the research, www.cleversolar.co.uk get good advice re fitting panel, www.panelworks.co.uk Invest in a decent solar panel and professional battery,(or two) not the £50 jobs in the leisure centres! and be hook up free! and see your caravanning cost drop like a stone! We can now stay on a field for £5 a night and have everything we need. The only downside is the added weight to the MTPLM, but the towcar carries a bit more.Hope this gives food for thought!.
Why are people, in the days of solar panels, so hooked into hook-up? Yes, it's very convenient and yes you can have an electric toaster and kettle. The fridge on 240V oh, hang on....isnt 12v available? Television, yes again 12V. Radio - 12V. Pumps - 12V. Battery charging-, again, the correct panel will do that with ease. Heating and water can be on gas and you dont have to buy the standard 7kg cylinders all the time, I buy the 19kg cylinders which are almost the same price as the 6 or 7kg. Use a longer tail to connect and you have almost 3 times the gas for about the same price as a standard caravan cylinder.Yes, ok, you have to stand it on the ground in front of the caravan but you can disquise it! I well remenber going to Scotland in the winter 3 years ago for 10 days over Christmas when the temperature was -15 to -17 everynight and never rose above freezing at any time and the van was toastie warm all the time. It amazed my daughters father and mother in law on whose farm we were staying. So really then, all we are hooking up for is burnt bread and boiled water for tea which can be done with gas anyway. Come on, this is posh camping! My advice would be, do the research, www.cleversolar.co.uk get good advice re fitting panel, www.panelworks.co.uk Invest in a decent solar panel and professional battery,(or two) not the £50 jobs in the leisure centres! and be hook up free! and see your caravanning cost drop like a stone! We can now stay on a field for £5 a night and have everything we need. The only downside is the added weight to the MTPLM, but the towcar carries a bit more.Hope this gives food for thought!.
Parksy
Moderator
Merve said:
Err, no it isn't Merve, the12v is only used when the caravan is being towed by a vehicle with a 13 pin or 12s plug. A fully charged12 volt leisure battery wouldn't last a day if it had to power a fridge on it's own.
The fridge uses lpg when not on ehu
Be careful if you opt for the 19kg cylinders.Merve said:
Neither of the main clubs allow the use of free standing lpg cylinders on their sites, including rallies. Some commercial sites also insist that lpg is stored inside the gas locker.
If you use local hardware stores or builders merchants rather than caravan site suppliers, petrol stations or large retailers such as Homebase it's usually possible to buy a Calor 7kg refill for around £18 and non Calor are often less expensive. I carry two, it's not worth being asked to leave or turned away for the sake of a few measly quid every couple of months.
LPG cylinders containing gas should be transported upright and secured, this could be difficult in a car for a 19kg cylinder.
ok got that so how much does a 135w solar panel cost complete with all the kit,Merve said:
quite a few nights EHU i'll bet.
Parksy
Moderator
colin-yorkshire said:
From a discussion on the Equipment & Accessories message board:
A solar panel would never completely replace ehu Colin, they are not much use after October until March because cloudy skies and less hours of daylight are the winter norm, to say nothing of frost or snow obscuring the solar cells and reducing the potential for battery charging.Parksy said:
Having said that, the cost of solar panels has decreased dramatically since I bought my 80 watt panel over 2 years ago, the same panel now would cost less than half of what I paid at the time.
Everything needed for a 120 watt 12 volt set up now could be bought for under £150 in total and with most ehu costing at the very least £2 per night (usually more) the cost should easily be recovered within 2 years. Most solar panels are guaranteed to give 80% or more of their available charge for 15 years, the panels themselves are guaranteed for over 20 years so financially they make sense.
Of course off ehu camping uses more lpg which has to be factored into the cost equation but it's not always about cost.
There are some rough rally sites on farmers fields complete with cow pats and sheep dung, we tend to avoid them because there are also some stunning rally sites in the grounds of stately homes and castles, at pictureque riverside locations and even in the middle of popular holiday destinations such as the Rugby Club at St Ives, Cornwall which is as close to the town as it's possible for a caravan to get but which doesn't cost a fortune.
Each to their own, some caravanners prefer modern heated shower blocks and toilets ( so do we but ours is at the end of our caravan) and wouldn't consider going without 240v which is fair enough, but some of us get away from the tv, the microwave and (most of all for me) the computer now and again and we try to use our caravans to their full potential in locations unavailable to Joe Public.
hi Parksy,
thanks for that, just wondered,
I had thought about one before but discounted it on terms of cost estimates at the time were around £300 and the ammount of times we would go EHU free is limited most of the sites we use have to have a shower block because the wife cannot use our own as it is not a proper shower cubicle just a tiny washroom with plasic covered wall boards and does not look water tight anyway.
this means most of the time the sites we use with the shower block have EHU,s in the price so there is no benefit from declining,
even at 1/3 of the price it would take 5 years for us to break even by which time I doubt we still be touring "already there has been mutterings of a static
" as her condition deteriates.
there are some great sites around just off the beaten track with full facilities so we will keep using these for now especialy as some offer good deals on service pitches off peak,
if a solar panel fits the bill thats great, but it not for everyone thats all..
thanks for that, just wondered,
I had thought about one before but discounted it on terms of cost estimates at the time were around £300 and the ammount of times we would go EHU free is limited most of the sites we use have to have a shower block because the wife cannot use our own as it is not a proper shower cubicle just a tiny washroom with plasic covered wall boards and does not look water tight anyway.
this means most of the time the sites we use with the shower block have EHU,s in the price so there is no benefit from declining,
even at 1/3 of the price it would take 5 years for us to break even by which time I doubt we still be touring "already there has been mutterings of a static
there are some great sites around just off the beaten track with full facilities so we will keep using these for now especialy as some offer good deals on service pitches off peak,
if a solar panel fits the bill thats great, but it not for everyone thats all..
Back to the OP.
CC site Hythe Kent cost me £221 for 13 nights, spacious pitch, 16 amp EHU etc.
14 nights at the Lizard Cornwall three weeks ago cost £ 353, 10 amp if lucky, but crammed in like sardines!!
My favourite CL is still £10 a night.
The best is a little gemstone near St Austell who do "specials" . Two weeks may last year cost £160 !!Massive pitch, brilliant long riverside dog walk, and an indoor swimming pool.
I don't have a solar system yet and indeed agree with Colin that the time it may take to recoup the original cost may not be for me. I do see the merit however for wild camping and keeping the leisure battery charged during storage times.
Just remember flying away into the sun is no where as cheap as it may seem. Airport taxes for one are reaching ridiculous proportions.
I do believe very good nightly fees can be obtained by doing a bit of research .
If you can afford £20k for a new caravan then surely £10-£15 a night is ok?
CC site Hythe Kent cost me £221 for 13 nights, spacious pitch, 16 amp EHU etc.
14 nights at the Lizard Cornwall three weeks ago cost £ 353, 10 amp if lucky, but crammed in like sardines!!
My favourite CL is still £10 a night.
The best is a little gemstone near St Austell who do "specials" . Two weeks may last year cost £160 !!Massive pitch, brilliant long riverside dog walk, and an indoor swimming pool.
I don't have a solar system yet and indeed agree with Colin that the time it may take to recoup the original cost may not be for me. I do see the merit however for wild camping and keeping the leisure battery charged during storage times.
Just remember flying away into the sun is no where as cheap as it may seem. Airport taxes for one are reaching ridiculous proportions.
I do believe very good nightly fees can be obtained by doing a bit of research .
If you can afford £20k for a new caravan then surely £10-£15 a night is ok?
Back to the OP.
CC site Hythe Kent cost me £221 for 13 nights, spacious pitch, 16 amp EHU etc.
14 nights at the Lizard Cornwall three weeks ago cost £ 353, 10 amp if lucky, but crammed in like sardines!!
My favourite CL is still £10 a night.
The best is a little gemstone near St Austell who do "specials" . Two weeks may last year cost £160 !!Massive pitch, brilliant long riverside dog walk, and an indoor swimming pool.
I don't have a solar system yet and indeed agree with Colin that the time it may take to recoup the original cost may not be for me. I do see the merit however for wild camping and keeping the leisure battery charged during storage times.
Just remember flying away into the sun is no where as cheap as it may seem. Airport taxes for one are reaching ridiculous proportions.
I do believe very good nightly fees can be obtained by doing a bit of research
CC site Hythe Kent cost me £221 for 13 nights, spacious pitch, 16 amp EHU etc.
14 nights at the Lizard Cornwall three weeks ago cost £ 353, 10 amp if lucky, but crammed in like sardines!!
My favourite CL is still £10 a night.
The best is a little gemstone near St Austell who do "specials" . Two weeks may last year cost £160 !!Massive pitch, brilliant long riverside dog walk, and an indoor swimming pool.
I don't have a solar system yet and indeed agree with Colin that the time it may take to recoup the original cost may not be for me. I do see the merit however for wild camping and keeping the leisure battery charged during storage times.
Just remember flying away into the sun is no where as cheap as it may seem. Airport taxes for one are reaching ridiculous proportions.
I do believe very good nightly fees can be obtained by doing a bit of research
Hi Parksy,
Well, that put the cat amoung the pigeons didnt it? So pleased it raised debate. Many points have been raised re solar panels and I will try to cover them. Firstly, this was about the cost of caravanning, not a squabble about SPs against hook up. I simply gave an alternative to what most people, me included accept as the norm. You are right when you say a SP will never replace EHU. Never is a long time though! The reason I bought a large panel was because of lower light levels in winter. it still has the capacity to charge two professional batteries to max even in winter and I have installed it so that the system can be expanded. It really thumps the charge in in the sunshine whether winter or summer, a fridge can be run on 12v in a caravan but only if you are charging the batteries at the same time as you are when you are travelling! It is, a top quality panel, not some chinese import for a 100 quid. You get what you pay for. The other point you make is a valid one about a caravans full potential. However, with the technology improving all the time and invertors reducing in price I wonder if things will start to change a little in coming years? Even microwaves can be used through an invertor. They are not on for long and the drain would be acceptable as the panel would continue to charge for nothing!
There are 3 different types of panel. MONOCRYSTALLINE, POLYCRYSTALINE and some other type the name of which I forget because they are not for this application. Monocrystalline is the best and most effecient. This is, as far as I am concerned, the one to go for. I have done much research and there are many companies out there who will fit a solar panel but they are using Poly and not mono. Poly is of course cheaper so profits are larger. (or am I a cynic?) - probably!
Now, many CLs are hook up. And usually, the ones in the most favoured places definately have them, ie sites on the coasts etc. Now, whilst someone is paying £16 per night for a hookup I can be paying £5 a night for a pitch over the hedge on the camping field and be just as comfortable with peace and quiet, and they have no cow pats or ruts either! That is all I was trying to say. I don't want to upset or anger people. Caravanning has improved immensely over the years and I am sure that caravaners of yesteryear would be absolutely amazed with what we have in our caravans today. Even this is not good enough for some people I note. I sometimes think that perhaps we could step back and realise that we dont have to be paying massive prices if we accept a little less and do things a little differently. I am no tree hugger, but I am convinced that caravanning is a great holiday lifestyle and I wouldn't change it for the world. After 23 years, I aint about to give it up,- just get better at it!
Well, that put the cat amoung the pigeons didnt it? So pleased it raised debate. Many points have been raised re solar panels and I will try to cover them. Firstly, this was about the cost of caravanning, not a squabble about SPs against hook up. I simply gave an alternative to what most people, me included accept as the norm. You are right when you say a SP will never replace EHU. Never is a long time though! The reason I bought a large panel was because of lower light levels in winter. it still has the capacity to charge two professional batteries to max even in winter and I have installed it so that the system can be expanded. It really thumps the charge in in the sunshine whether winter or summer, a fridge can be run on 12v in a caravan but only if you are charging the batteries at the same time as you are when you are travelling! It is, a top quality panel, not some chinese import for a 100 quid. You get what you pay for. The other point you make is a valid one about a caravans full potential. However, with the technology improving all the time and invertors reducing in price I wonder if things will start to change a little in coming years? Even microwaves can be used through an invertor. They are not on for long and the drain would be acceptable as the panel would continue to charge for nothing!
There are 3 different types of panel. MONOCRYSTALLINE, POLYCRYSTALINE and some other type the name of which I forget because they are not for this application. Monocrystalline is the best and most effecient. This is, as far as I am concerned, the one to go for. I have done much research and there are many companies out there who will fit a solar panel but they are using Poly and not mono. Poly is of course cheaper so profits are larger. (or am I a cynic?) - probably!
Now, many CLs are hook up. And usually, the ones in the most favoured places definately have them, ie sites on the coasts etc. Now, whilst someone is paying £16 per night for a hookup I can be paying £5 a night for a pitch over the hedge on the camping field and be just as comfortable with peace and quiet, and they have no cow pats or ruts either! That is all I was trying to say. I don't want to upset or anger people. Caravanning has improved immensely over the years and I am sure that caravaners of yesteryear would be absolutely amazed with what we have in our caravans today. Even this is not good enough for some people I note. I sometimes think that perhaps we could step back and realise that we dont have to be paying massive prices if we accept a little less and do things a little differently. I am no tree hugger, but I am convinced that caravanning is a great holiday lifestyle and I wouldn't change it for the world. After 23 years, I aint about to give it up,- just get better at it!
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