Yew Tree Farm THS July/Aug C&CC

[twindaddy]

Anyone been on this rally in previous year - we plan to go first week of August this year which will be our main first trip out in the van so very much looking forward to it. We have 3 children aged 4 & 2 so looking forward to some dry grass to play around on!!

TD

 

[Surfer]

Anyone been on this rally in previous year - we plan to go first week of August this year which will be our main first trip out in the van so very much looking forward to it. We have 3 children aged 4 & 2 so looking forward to some dry grass to play around on!!

TD

We have been to Yew Tree with C & CC, but not our cup of tea as we don't like this type of rally! Facilities are badly in need of an update but if you take the price into consideration I guess it is acceptable. There is a pub adjoining the field and food is good. We are no longer members of the C & CC and there is a long post on it under "General".

PS Generators are not welcomed on this rally and most other rallies. The field does have EHU.

 

[Parksy]

Anyone been on this rally in previous year - we plan to go first week of August this year which will be our main first trip out in the van so very much looking forward to it. We have 3 children aged 4 & 2 so looking forward to some dry grass to play around on!!

TD

We're at Yew Tree a couple of times a year TD.
Yew Tree is used by several DA's for rallies and is also a THS (temporary holiday site) for Worcestershire & Hereford DA from July 20th-Sept 2.
The main site is sloping in most parts so be sure to take some levelling ramps for side to side levelling and blocks of wood to put under the jockey wheel and corner steadies.
There is also a small rally field which seems level, so it depends on which field you're on.
The site has ehu, usually at exra cost so all of that worrying about generators was not necessary because you won't need a genny.

The toilets and showers definitely need an upgrade because they are pretty terrible, we've never used them because we prefer to use our own nice clean caravan washroom / shower.
If you walk to the top of the field on the main track past the hedges there is a nice walk with lovely views, a fishing pool and acres of space for the kids to play away from the fishing pool. Make sure that the kids don't fly kites on the rally field, I was horrified to see some children trying their kite out one time directly beneath an overhead pwer cable that crosses the field, needless to say I stopped them.
The Yew Tree pub next door serves good meals or a carvery, there's a well stocked shop over the road (the road can be busy so watch the children), Bewdley with it's shops, pubs, cafe's plus the river and the steam railway are just a short drive away as is Far Forest with woodland tracks to explore.
Apart from the dodgy shower and loos you should have a good time and the C&CC welcomes children, which DA are you going with?

 

[twindaddy]

Thanks to you both.

We are going on the Worcestershire and Hereford rally, so yes, happy to have EHU! (Chuckles) We are members of the Norfolk DA.
Part of the reason for this rally is we have booked some tickets to a particular show we wanted to see and this site takes us half way there, along with space for chilren and EHU. Are the showers that bad?? I won't tell the good wife incase she makes me change sites...

(Forgot to add, the genny is needed for a rally just up the road in norfolk the week before)

 

[Parksy]

That will be the temporary holiday site then TD. The Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Zoo are both worth a visit, they are just over half an hours drive from the site.
The toilets with one coin operated shower each for women and men respectively are situated in a Portacabin type of building and are of a poor standard compared to what we're used to I'm afraid, we almost always use our on board shower and toilet anyway. Take flip flops if you intend to use the sites showers

 

[Surfer]

That will be the temporary holiday site then TD. The Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Zoo are both worth a visit, they are just over half an hours drive from the site.

More like a minimum of an hour's drive at least I would say, but worth the trip even if it is only to listen to strange and funny Black country accents.

 

[Parksy]

That will be the temporary holiday site then TD. The Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Zoo are both worth a visit, they are just over half an hours drive from the site.

More like a minimum of an hour's drive at least I would say, but worth the trip even if it is only to listen to strange and funny Black country accents.

It depends on which way you go but besides listening to the local dialect the trip is worthwhile for the narrowboat trip via the Dudley Canal Tunnel to view the extensive underground limestone workings.

 

[Martin24]

completely off the subject but how are you getting on with Defender? I assume being 2012 it's the 2.2 like ours.

 

[twindaddy]

Having never really towed anything as big as a caravan, i was really surprised and relaxed at how well the Defender tows. I loved it, so much so, that we are planning a few longer trips now as I was restricting us to more local areas as I was reserved about towing but the Defender does it with such ease, we're happy to go anywhere. A couple of times I thought 'I'll try 6th gear' and then realised I was already in it and towing lovely. Mine is the last of 2.4Tdci but having used a 2.2 quite a bit (not towing) I don't think there is much different between them although I do prefer the gear ratios in the 2.2 for 'around town' use
How do you get on with the towing mirrors, I put them in the towing position but I don't think they stretch out far enough, as always I could do with an extra inch or two for safe measures. I have never seen towing mirrors on a defender and the two sets of towing mirrors the previous owner of the caravan gave to me certainly would not fit the defeners vertically shaped defender wing mirrors.

 

[twindaddy]

Parksy
In preperation for our trip to Yew Tree Farm, I've been looking at the Map for routes etc, from which direction do you approach Yew Tree farm from and what roads do you use? We live in East Anglia and therefore will come via M6 and then M42. Now all route planners and nav's take suggest taking the A38/A448 through bromsgrove and Kidderminster to get to the A456 where the local road takes me to Yew Tree Farm. I've looked on google maps and streetview and the routes through Bromsgrove and Kiddersminster look like they almost go through the town centres and was wondering if they are caravan friendly or do you know of a better route?

Ricki

 

[Parksy]

Hi Ricki
I forwarded some directions to you via email but in case you haven't seen them......
For someone unfamiliar with the area and relatively new to towing the easiest way is:
From the M42 continue down the M5 South to Jn 6
Turn right from the motorway island and take the A449 s.p Worcester / Kidderminster.
Continue down the A449, right at the traffic island for Kidderminster
Follow the A449 to Kidderminster, don't exceed the speed limit along the A449 because in addition to fixed GATSO speend cameras there is often a police van with ANPR checking the speed of vehicles using the road.
Kidderminster is ok, follow the ring road signs for A456 Leominster, Bewdley and you will also see the brown tourist information signs for West Midland Safari Park which you will pass on your left.
After you have passed the Safari Park entrance continue along the A456 taking the 2nd exit from the traffic island for Leominster, Cleobury. Look out for the right turn from the traffic island, continue toward Ludlow, left at the island after the golf club and onto a single carriageway A road, still the A456.
Look out for the entrance to the Forest Cafe and Visitor Centre on your right, go past the Duke William pub on your left and then the Royal Forrester restaurant / pub on the left, after about a mile there will be what looks like a fork in the road, turn right signposted A4117 Cleobury.
Continue for about half a mile, past the houses and you should see a long grey farm building on the left in front of you.
The site entrance is first left from the A4117, you will see what looks like a wishing well with some neatly trimmed poplars in a row behind it, the sign say Yew Tree Farm and the lane is Pound Bank, the site entrance is 50 yards up this lane on your right, the first gate near to the sign is the exit. The house is on your left as you pass through the entrance.

 

[twindaddy]

Parksy,

Huge thanks for your directions. i couldn't connect on my mobile while away so had to wait until our return to thank you.
Yew tree was fine, its the first time we've been away without being close to the coast and we missed it. (we live near the coast too) When we left this morning, the rally site was full! Other caravanners were very friendly, many of them knew one another.

Many thanks again
TD

 

[Parksy]

You're welcome TD, and I'm glad that all went well. I know what you mean about the lack of a coast, the nearest thing that we can offer is the River Severn or the extensive Black Country canal network which we used to swim in as kids. Stourport on Severn with it's funfair and motor boats was our 'seaside' back in the day.

I never saw the sea until I was about twelve years old when we started going to Great Yarmouth with our family tent and our dads old Bedford CA van, we often camped at Caister on Sea and later on at California cliffs.

Yew Tree is always a popular rally destination, often entertainment is laid on in the village hall just up the road and of course there's The Plough just through the gate and a short walk away.
It's good to know that the other caravanners were friendly and I hope that you enjoyed your visit.