Camping and caravan club

[lala2023]

Is it worth joining ?

You get more choice of sites but it's more geared towards caravans/mobile homes.

We joined one year to camp (tent) at a specific site, the site was clean and well maintained, quiet because it was mainly retired people but did feel we were looked down on because we were in a tent.

I have used them for a tent and motorhome. I didn't feel looked down on for being in a tent, but it does depend on what you want.

For us, we like having the showers/toilets rather than using them in our motorhome. The sites can be a bit out of the way for local shops etc, so we deliberately look for ones near a town centre. The discounts on prices are not too bad, plus you get discounts on insurance, ferry travel and places like Go Outdoors. We only joined last year, but will likely renew for next. I have heard lots of complaints about the caravan and motorhome club, so probably won't join that one.

We have been to several across the country and have always been impressed by the cleanliness and quiet, although you have to remember when they close the facilities for cleaning as we have been caught out a couple of times.

We joined it 20 years ago and camped in a tent for the first ten years and no problems at all. Increasing age and health problems changed us to a caravan ten years ago and with tent ot caravan we like the club sites.

Thank you all ! Maybe next year as I have a few trips already booked but I like the idea of quiet sites 😊

I've done years of camping and just bought a caravan. It would never occur to me to join.

Caravanners I know join because the insurance discount covers the cost, or something.

And people like the small sites (are they called CL, certified location?) that are approved by but not owned and run by the club.

As a tent camper I don’t like the CC sites. But then I like much more ‘back to basics’ where you can have a proper campfire and have loads of space to pitch where you like, in a circle with a group of friends. CC sites are very regimented.

The Pitch Up booking site has good filters, I find it easy enough to find sites that have good ‘quiet’ regs, no amplified or electronic music, quiet times etc.

Can't comment on Caravan And Camping Club but am a lifelong member of the Caravan And Motorcaravan Club (was Caravan Club), we have our 50th membership badge/stickers and free lifetime membership.
Discount at CAMC sites, Green Flag assistance, excellent insurance discounts (OH even insured his motorcycle through them), shopping discounts, magazine etc.
Also the rallies are a great way of seeing the area and meeting like-minded people.

Hi OP. We had a caravan for 6 years and joined the caravan club, we got a massive discount sailing from Portsmouth to St malo, massive discount on insurance.

We used a club site just once, but after watching another caravanner clean their caravan window seals with a toothbrush (literally the most awfully fascinating thing to watch!) we decided it wasn't the type of place for us.

We didn't like the whole rows and rows of vans in lines and ended up finding a non club site spot on a field in Cornwall with loads of space where we stayed for 4 yrs.

I hated the whole talking to other campers thing at the club sites too.

Caravan and motorhome club is a bit more of a relaxed vibe. If you want to use the sites of either club it is probably worth joining for the discounts and other benefits. It only takes a few nights to get your money back.

@EyesOnThePies that's the vibe I like to be honest !

Any particular favourites !

Thanks everyone ! Might revisit when I have a camper van 😊

We had a bad experience on a CCC site. Definitely felt looked down on. Spent the whole time paranoid we were about to break another rule accidentally.

The actual site was nice, it was the "wardens".

@PuttingDownRoots thank you

I feel that would definitely happen to me 😊

We’ve joined to get the discount on their ReadyCamp price each year. We save more than the cost of the membership.

@PuttingDownRoots yes to the warden fear!

I’m in both clubs. We’ve been in the C&CC for years because we like the smaller sites, we’ve had some lovely stays (and one awful one who are no longer listed). Last year we went to a fantastic site in Yorkshire called The Cud Life, there is also one in Devon with the friendliest owners called Grindlebrook. Chertsey Club Site is handy for London.

We joined the C&M club earlier this year because it saved us an absolute fortune on a Brittany Ferries crossing (booking the ferry and site through them was cheaper than booking just the ferry ourselves). I don’t think we’ll actually use their sites though - they are extremely expensive and don’t look like our sort of sites - we like farm type places with a relaxed vibe.

@FlyingFlamingo

Are you aware that the Caravan and Motorhome club also has a huge network of small 5 outfit sites too? There are literally thousands of them, see their website or handbook. My husband’s family have used a farm one in Wales for 50+ years!

They are called Certificated Locations (CLs) for C&MC, as opposed to CS for C&CC.