THE 'CLUBS'

What is it? Is it worth it? Is it like the inbetweeners?

The Caravan Club (now known as the Motorhome Camping Club) and the Camping and Caravan Club are different - with different sites, rules and fees.

Some of the 'official' facilitated sites let non members stay, you may just have to pay more than if you were a member.

However the 'pop up' temporary club meets/rallies - only members can attend and these Temporary Holiday Sites (THS's), Meets and rallies are organised by 'sub clubs' shall we say under the main club - a bit like an umbrella - more on this bellow.

Lets take the Camping and Caravan Club. They have their official club sites, with entrance signs, toilet and shower blocks, shops, laid out pitches, maybe even a games room etc and they are ALWAYS there. However if you join up as a member - you are issued a member card - where it will specify what 'district' and 'region' you are in. These 'Regions' and ‘Districts' organise temporary 'pop up' camp sites all cross the UK that are ran by volunteers throughout the year. As they are 'temporary' they often take place in farmers fields, school fields and public receaional grounds - with no facilities other than a water tap - so you have to be self contained eg - have a porta loo! More on this later.

Over the years, I have been a member of the Caravan Club (Derbyshire Centre), and the Camping and Caravan Club (Notts DA) and have attended both the facilitated and the non facilitated sites, below is some information for anyone new to the camping club scene.

CLUB SITES

We are currently members of the Camping and Caravan Club. They have various club sites all across the UK and some of Europe. You can find information on them and book via their website here and as mentioned above - you don't necessarily need to be a member - it may just cost more.

Membership starts from £41 for the year which gives you a subsidised rate when booking campsites (from up to 30% off), access to a monthly magazine (either digital or hard copy dependant on your membership preferences), discounts in various stores such as Go Outdoors and Mountain Warehouse, a club forum and other ‘useful’ information.

The club site campsite costs can get quite high – especially in peak season (bank holidays, summer and school holidays) – for example for a 3 night stay over August Bank Holiday just cost us £81.90 - for 2 adults - doggo was free! Some sites also have a minimum amount of nights in which you can stay for too (this is usually 2) Click here to download 2020’s site prices and season info.

With these club sites – you do get what you pay for - as majority of sites have top class facilities - such as modern, clean shower blocks, pot washing, laundry, on site shops, tourist information points, elsans and waste disposal, motorhome service points, multiple fresh water taps, hard standing pitches, electric hook up - some sites have kids parks, and even swimming pools! Certain rules do apply on these sites, for example:

5mph / walking pace speed limits
dogs on leads at all times (no longer than 3m when ground spiked) and ensure you pick up after them
no fires (off the floor bbq's only)
quite after 11pm

More information on site rules can be found here

But you also get the re assurance of knowing you’re going to get a good, well kept, quiet, family friendly campsite that can cater for pretty much all your needs. It's just a shame that it costs SO much, which is why we tend to chose the 'Club Meets' and 'THS's' at £8-10 per unit per night instead - more on these below.

USEFUL TO KNOW

You can save up to 40% when booking a family deal, and if you’re backpacker, who travels alone without the use of a car, you can receive up to 30% off Club Site fees, while non-member backpackers can receive up to 17% off Club Site fees. And over 60’s are also eligible for discounts. - Visit their website for more info.

CARAVAN CLUB VS THE CAMPING AND CARAVAN CLUB

The Caravan Club was very big in the 90's - and has now re branded to the 'the Caravan and Motorhome club' However, they still do seem to have a bit a 'fun' rivalry between them, (I'm not sure why) but when I first joined the latter, I struggled to get the terminology right - and fellow members sniggered at me when I said things like 'rallies' instead of 'meets' – because of this I have highlighted and explained some keywords below along some other key differences I have found over the years, but in all honesty, there is not really that much of a difference between the two - if you've been a member of one - you know the drill for the other.

KEYWORDS

Rally/Meet

The name given to the 'event' / temporay campsite

Marshal / Steward

The person in charge and 'hosting' the rally or meet

Committee

Volunteers who organise everything usually consists of:

a Chairman, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, site co ordinator, and entertainment rep

THS

Temporary holiday site - longer than a weekend

Flag / Coffee morning

Flag was where you said thank you to the marshals and heard about up coming rallies

Coffee mornings are just an informal get together

Social

Evening entertainment

Elsan

Where you dispose of your toilet waste

RALLIES, TEMPORARY HOLIDAY SITES (THS) or 'MEETS'

As mentioned above - there are also 'sub clubs' under each main club - for example the Camping and Caravan Club is split into ‘Districts' which is ran by volunteers who organise their own temporary sites.

When you sign up for your club membership - it will state on you're membership card what district you are part of. There isn’t much information for new members about these sites - but if you download the app ‘out and about’ or look in the magazines you will see lists of where, when and who is running what meet. And as a camping caravan club member - you can attend ANY district meet - for example - if you are in the Derby DA (District Association) you can still attend a club meet or THS that is ran/organised by the Nottingham DA, the boating community, or the Folk and Dance club! These 'sub clubs' can be filtered on the app search and most also have their own website and/or facebook page if you require more information on any.

The Caravan Club was different - if you joined the 'Derbyshire Centre' you only tended to attend the 'Derbyshire' rallies - bu ant official site.

These Temporary sites are a cheaper alternative to the certified club sites, (£8-10 per unit per night) but they are often just on a farmers field, meaning there is nothing but a tap for fresh water and a sweet for waste. Because of this you have to be 'self contained' to use these sites AKA have a toilet in your van/tent (we have a toilet tent and portaloo!).

They can sometimes take place on land at a certified club site, however this does not always mean you can access the facilities.

The words 'no facilities' can often put people off from using these sites, so I have reviewed a few so people can know what to expect and go prepared as these can be some real gems and at a fraction of the cost of the facilitated sites.

'Clicky'

A lot of people can find these clubs a littlte 'clicky' shall we say - this is just because the same people tend to go to the same meets, and friends are made, and social groups formed - it is not intentional - we went away to a site in Birmingham, not realising it was a special 'birthday meet' for the club - they'd organised a 'gazeebo band', drinks, a bacon breakfast morning, and we were invited and encouraged to join in - even though we didn;t know anyone there - same with a meet on by the Huddersfield and Sen group - a small gathering of about 15 units (caravans, vans, tents etc) and i think everyone came and said hello and had a jolly conversation with us – everyone has always been so lovely and we've always felt welcome at all the sites we've been to!

CLICK HERE FOR REVIEWS

FINDING AND BOOKING SITES

As mentioned above, the Camping and Caravan Club's main sites are accessible to book online or via the phone. But there isn’t much information for new members about how to 'book' the club meets or THS's - and that's becasue you don't really have too...

This was one of the biggest differences I struggled with as when we were in the Caravan Club, the 'Rallies' were displayed in a 'rally book' that you got once a year when you joined/renewed your membership. Some of these had limited spaces available and you had to pre book them by filling in a paper 'rally slip' or phoning the organiser a few months or days before the event. Some of them would be the same each year, for example, New Year, Bonfire, Highland games etc and these were highly popular (filling up a year in advance!).

However the Camping and Caravan Club 'Meets' are listed in the monthly magazine which is available to members free or viewable online and also on the 'out and about' app. You don't necessarily need to pre book these, although it is often advisable if it's a popular meet or time of year, and again some of them would be the same each year, for example, New Year, Bonfire, Highland games etc.

THE SITES/GENERAL PRACTICE

Caravan Club sites used to put out flags which you had to park on, all facing the same way, where as the Camping and Caravan Club are a little more relaxed and you tend to be able to park wherever you like, space permitted and that your following the clubs fire safety rule of 6m apart.

On arrival for both clubs you have to report to the steward or marshal. Caravan Club marshals used to give you a 'broadsheet' that had your 'rally plaque' in (this was a small printed bit of plastic that had the name, location and date of the rally on which people used to collect and you used to get special 'marshal' ones if you were the marshal) and all the relevant/useful information on, like water location, Flag time, and departure time. The Camping and Caravan Club meets just greet you, take your member card number down, pay and tell you any info required.

Caravan Club rallies used to do 'Flag' on a Sunday which was predominantly a 'thank you' to the Marshalls for putting on the Rally, tea and coffee was offered, along with raffle prizes and people would hand in slips for future rallies and occasionally items like toilet blu, loo roll and club 'merchandise' would be for sale out of the back of a car boot!

The Camping and Caravan Club meets do a coffee morning, which is just as it states - a get together with coffee!

SOCIALS/ACTIVITIES/SPECIAL EVENTS

These are often dependant on what's available at the site, the nature of the meet and what Marshal/Steward is hosting.

For example a summer meet to celebrate the Highland games may be in a farmers field with field games like 'welly wanging' and 'lawn darts' throughout the day, followed by a gathering under a gazebo/stars with a quiz or bingo.

Where as a New Year Rally/Meet could be a community hall with a 3 course meal provided, a Fancy dress theme, day activities for the children and a live band for evening entertainment!

Sometimes, YOU can be the entertainment, as you can volunteer to put on acts/shows/games etc. For example people dressing up and putting on comedy sketches/doing impressions of Tina Turner, ABBA, MASH, can can dancers, ballet dancers to magicians! Anything goes! (I've even been involved in a few over my time). This was a good way to keep costs down on days like New Years Eve.

RULES/GUIDELINES/GREEN PAPERS ETC - FOR ALL CLUBS:

Here's a few I can remember - if you have any questions or concerns- the 'stewards' will be able to help.

It's advisable to have a fire bucket full of water at the front of your van/vehicle for emergencies - I've seen these need to be used, so seriously advise it.
There's usually a quiet after 11pm rule and no generators before or after set times (I think this is 9am and 9pm(?))
Take all your rubbish/waste with you if there's no bins provided
Dogs on leads at all times (no longer than 3m when ground spiked) and ensure you pick up after them
5mph/walking pace speed limit at all times
Park at least 6m away from other vans/vehicles/tents
No visitors can stay over night/camp with you unless members of the club themselves

OVERALL

Some of my best childhood memories are of camping with the Derbyshire Centre Caravan Club and of the 'socials' and events that I've attended over the years. And I think they've played a big part in helping create who I am today.

From bike riding Tissington trail (with no gears!), walking up peaks and hills, building and racing soap box carts down a hill, strawberry picking, organised water fight 'splash' rallies and 25mile sponsored walks in the summer, to Halloween fancy dress weekends, the biggest bonfire and fireworks I'd ever seen with guy fawkes making competitions, toffee apples, bonfire toffee, soup and mushy peas on sale, Illuminated van, Christmas and New Years celebration events in the winter – there was always something for everyone! And you were always more than welcome to get involved and volunteer if you wanted too - including the teenagers!

The club I was in had a 'Teenage Committee' which I joined and it gave us responsibilities like running the tuck shop, organising charity events to raise money for the chosen charity, helping organise the children's Christmas party, selling raffle and food tickets for events and also freedom and trust! which kept us out of mischief - most of the time!

It really was some of the best years of my life, and it makes me so sad to see not a lot of young members in the clubs any more, so if you're reading this, and it sounds right up your street - get in touch with your local club today! Alternatively - drop me a message and I can help point you in the right direction!

If you do find yourself joining, it would be great if you could say I was your 'recommendee' my Membership Number is 784644 - Thanks!

PACKING: CLOTHES FOR EVERY OCCASION

By When We Wander • June 11, 2022

MY MUST HAVE ITEMS FOR EVERY OCCASION! This obviously depends on how long you're going for, where you're going and what you're planning on doing whilst there – but as I'm an overthinker I always tend to pack for almost every occasion possible. And because I'm small, and my clothes are small - I can usually do this without taking up too much space... So below is a list of the clothes I tend to always pack and why... and by always I mean, whatever trip we go on, whatever the season, UK or abroad, 2 nights or 10nights - you can guarantee I'll have the below with me as long as space allows, along with some top tips too!

LOCAL WALK TIPS

By Freddie Pf • February 27, 2022

There are lots of various apps available to download that can help suggest, direct, and track routes. However - do bear in mind that some apps/maps will be useless when you lose signal, or run out of battery. Therefore, if you are venturing a long way from home we always recommend downloading any maps you may need and taking phone battery charges with you - or even better - go old school and take an actual paper map! Some of the apps we use are: OS maps – as this is really good at showing footpaths and routes that aren't clear on google Google maps Kamoot and All Trails. These last two apps work by you putting in your location - or the location you are intending to start from, and it brings up walks in that area. They are also 'user based' apps - which means some routes are 'official walks' where as others are random submissions from fellow walkers. This means you can find some right gems that you possibly wouldn't of found otherwise - however, some routes are also better than others. We have recently set up an account on All Trails, just search for "When We Wander' and our walks will come up.