Is spontaneity a myth?

[nelmo]

Hi, we're looking into getting our first caravan and one of the particular advantages we see is the ability to go off for a last minute weekend.

However, I've just read a thread that suggests this can be difficult, with sites being fully booked weeks in advance.

I can maybe understand this on a bank holiday (although is it always the case?) but what about other weekends? Could we make a decision on Wednesday to go away at the weekend and still get a pitch at a site of our choice?

 

[Damian]

Depends what kind of site you want, time of year, and of course, weather.

You could always give the site a ring and see if they have any spaces.

Failing that, try a CL near where you want to be.

 

[RogerL]

Essentially there are two types of caravanning trips - weekends and holidays in multiples of a week - most caravanners doing both but in variable proportion.

It's not difficult to see the clash - at weekends the available pitches are needed by both weekenders and holidaymakers.

Holidaymakers need to book early otherwise their chosen sites are full at weekends even if there's space in the week.

Weekenders are also booking earlier because of the difficulty of getting in which does mean that last-minute weekend bookings can be almost impossible.

One answer is to magically increase the number of pitches available to cope with the double demand for weekends but this would increase the number of pitches standing idle, not producing revenue, in the week which will put up costs for everyone.

We mainly use Caravan Club CLs, 5-van sites, and rarely have difficulty getting in even though we restrict our choice to those with electric hook-ups - the better, popular CLs do get fully booked just the same though.

 

[madeleine]

Niel

Yes it is!

we cant book much in advance for week ends and long week end due to work and can never get into the cc club sites of our choice, last week end we tired for yorks and derbys and had a choice of 3, yes you can usually get a cl but your choices definantly are resticted, i really miss just packing up and going on spec.

Maddy

 

[angel3]

Hi Neil

We are complete newcomers to this game and have just taken delivery of our first van. I have booked CC sites in advance for a weekend in June and the bank hol week in August but only just realised last week it was a bank hol this weekend too! (dur) I tried all the CC sites in our area (North East) and also Yorkshire but all were booked up!

We have spent today visiting our shiny new van in it's storeage site, filling up the cupboards with shiny new melamine plates and feeling vaguely panicked by knobs and hoses which I can't quite identify!!

Ok, not a patch on sitting sipping a glass of red in a grassy field with the kids tucked up in their bunkbeds, but it taught me a lesson and I am still v excited at the prospect of actually moving the van at some point!

Go for it Neil!

Angel