Cycling UK Forum

Paulatic wrote:Happily we very often don't lock bikes up when out and about in this area.
Back in April while on a C&CC site in Kent I wandered over to chat to a cycle camper who was staying. Situated in a small orchard way off the road Ken had 3 locks on his Thorn bike. I couldn't help but notice and also couldn't help but comment. Chatting with Ken I discovered he lived in London and I realised the very genuine fear he had of his bike being stolen. My bike leant up against the back of the caravan unlocked for 7 weeks whilst I toured the South without incident.
Ken was trying out his gear before setting off on route1 to Inverness the week after. My advise to him was to get rid of a lot of weight and only take one lock as the further away from London he got the less he'd need. Now maybe I'm a little too trusting but I wonder do others worry a little too much?

its a hard habit to break and thats the point, habits prevent your bike getting nicked, the odd occasion you forget then your bike has gone - would likely lead to a feeling of fear and insecurity and spoil the holiday. London isnt the only place where the bad boys live? Kids/teenagers in particular are a cause for concern - their eyes quickly see a freebie - I once locked my bike outside the local supermarket in Streatham, London, the pump was in its holder velcroed on, on the downbtube, I was at the checkout so could see my bike, a kid came wandering by looked at the bike and started to remove the pump I got there and he ran off. Teenagers will steal anything and they are all around and the same London or not

Happily we very often don't lock bikes up when out and about in this area.
Back in April while on a C&CC site in Kent I wandered over to chat to a cycle camper who was staying. Situated in a small orchard way off the road Ken had 3 locks on his Thorn bike. I couldn't help but notice and also couldn't help but comment. Chatting with Ken I discovered he lived in London and I realised the very genuine fear he had of his bike being stolen. My bike leant up against the back of the caravan unlocked for 7 weeks whilst I toured the South without incident.
Ken was trying out his gear before setting off on route1 to Inverness the week after. My advise to him was to get rid of a lot of weight and only take one lock as the further away from London he got the less he'd need. Now maybe I'm a little too trusting but I wonder do others worry a little too much?

I stayed at Kessingland and West Runton C&CC last year. Both nice sites although for 2 a little expensive as you have to pay per person. Worked out about £22/night for 2 people on their backpacker rate.

Ferry journey lasts from 5:30pm arriving at 9:30am. Our child wakes at 6am. It'll be in a strange place so the benefits of daylight are that he'll be able to work out where he is when he wakes. The gentle and natural way of waking is partly body clock and partly daylight. Tannoy or other artificial method is never good IMHO.

Well booked with breakfast paid for. Ferry alone for 3 with 3 bikes was £513 for end of June sailing. It goes up each new day. If you booked in January for £500, was that 3 adults? We have one young child so perhaps that's why it's not much more.expensive for us but it doesn't sound much of an early bird saving £13. I got a price of £410 a couple of weeks ago but that was with only one bike using their online booking. I got told about £15 per bike so that's still below £500. Sorry for being that annoying person who spoils you sense of a bargain. I got that bike price from dfds indirectly through C&CC booking lady. We went direct in the end because they beat even the 10% discount that the club supposedly offers.

Now is the second hardest thing (after spending £500+ of my hard earned) is waiting just over a month to the sailing.

Any advice on sources of good holiday insurance? Apparently you need it as terms sagged conditions off the ferry ticket. Plus it's common sense. What insurance do I need for cycle touring for 2 adults and 1 young child? Also is it worth getting the EHIC card or whatever the old health card thing you could get from the post office for health service equivalency in European countries?

The C&CC have two sorts of site:

1. Normal commercial sites, the same as any other. Available to anyone, generally pretty well run, and won't shoehorn in excessive numbers of people. For cycle campers, there's the backpackers rate, and an undertaking that you won't be turned away, even if the site is otherwise full.
Members get a cheaper rate - only £1.50 - £2 off the backpacker rate, but enough off car/caravan camping that you'll recover the £40 or so membership within 4-5 nights or so.

2. Certificated locations. These are the small, officially members only, places that you'll see little plates for on a country ride. They may be just for caravans (i.e. no toilet block). I believe that "members only" is for insurance reasons, and that you may well be allowed to stay if you ask.
As a cycle camper, access to these is probably the best reason to stump up the membership.

There's also the Caravan Club, which is caravans/motorhomes only. They have a similar system of certificated locations, so read what it actually says on the sign plate.

pedalsheep wrote:Thanks very much Heltor Chasca, you've just made my day too!
See you again this year?

Good! It's not often I get to do a good deed, so you've made mine too.

I'm unsure yet of what I'm doing for a spring tour. New Forest or perhaps the Ridgeway.

I'm not sure when the OP is planning to go, but we were refused access to a C&CC site as their tent field wasn't open for another day or two [emoji58] A good thing really because I wouldn't have found Ninham Farm.

If you want a trial run, look at Delamere Forest.

The C&CC site is only around a hundred yards north of the station, but it looks like 2 changes to get there by train.

Are you camping?

This was my route from campsite to campsite - not including my home to Llandovery and Kessingland back to my home:

Landovery to St David’s
St David’s to Landovery
Landovery to Great Malvern
Great Malvern to Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes to Thetford
Thetford to Lowestoft to Kessingland

Initially, I was trying to stay at C&CC sites and there was one at Rhandirmwyn, a few miles outside of Llandovery, but as I cycled into Llandovery I came across an excellent looking site and decided to stay. I'm glad I did, It was an excellent site with loads of outdoor table/bench sets with a supermarket and Chinese takeaway just outside the sites and some nice pubs just a couple of minutes further walk into town. So I changed my plans slightly and cycled back that way.

TBH, I wasn't impressed with the roads I used on the South Wales coast line.

pete75 wrote:

Paulatic wrote:

meic wrote:You dont have to be able to reverse with a trailer.
Ferry fares, mpg, ability to stay overnight without it being obvious you are camping, not having to stabilise the caravan when you use it.

Some do though, pulling a wee car behind them so it's not to avoid reversing. Roughly every ten years we go through the debate of caravan or camper? For our needs we always end up with a caravan.
Summer evenings as a child we used to have tractor and trailer reversing games on the village green to amuse ourselves. If you couldn't hold a straight line flat out in reverse by the time you were 13 you were a nobody

With four wheelers?

ferguson trailers, with wheels right at the back, were in predominance then. I didn't come across a 4 wheel trailer until my first job at 17. I'd like to see one of those reversed at speed.
Caravan sites can be a wonderful source of entertainment with reversing and awning erecting to watch. Spring of this year at Keswick after the flooding at C&CC site they were understandably keen no wheels went on the grass. Warden showing us to pitch was wanting me to unhitch and push caravan into bay. He was insistent I couldn't do it without encroaching onto grass. I don't like disagreeing with someone in charge but if I think someone's way wrong I'll say so. I only challenge if I think I'm going to win. One smooth move and I was in spot on without any prints on the grass. He walked quietly away.

groberts wrote:London to Oxford is an excellent and interesting ride, largely following the River Thames. With Chertsey & Oxford C&CC campsites open it would work, except you'll need somewhere in between for a stop. For more information here's my ride in 2012:

https://roundthebendpart1.wordpress.com ... -may-2012/

Looks like a good idea. cycle.travel/map for London to Oxford with a via point in Reading is 80 miles with one big climb at Checkendon.

http://www.wokinghamwatersidecentre.com ... Facilities seems to be an all-weather tent-only campsite near Reading, about 40 miles from each of central London and Oxford C&CC.

I also just spotted on http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co ... ord/oxford "Network Rail will be starting major works on the line adjacent to Oxford site commencing Sat 30th July until Mon 15th Aug 2016. They will be working 24hrs a day with a considerable amount of noise" so take earplugs!

London to Oxford is an excellent and interesting ride, largely following the River Thames. With Chertsey & Oxford C&CC campsites open it would work, except you'll need somewhere in between for a stop. For more information here's my ride in 2012:

https://roundthebendpart1.wordpress.com ... -may-2012/

Can friends living in the same house get joint membership or is it only for those living as a couple?

If the reduction is a due to one copy of cycle and less admin, etc. then surely it should apply to other examples where the same saving is present?

I'm only asking tongue in.cheek as I'm not married but living with someone. Do I have to get married to join? What if me and my son wanted to.join but not my partner? Could we get joint membership reduced price?

I'm trying to say that any married it joint membership systems have a lower equity than one member one fee systems.

Other clubs I'm in have similar discounts but provide 2 cards, like C&CC. They also offer a discounted online membership where you don't get any of their books or magazines. Saves a bit on joint membership.

Dodwell Park
Evesham Road
Stratford upon Avon
Warks
CV37 9SR
Phone 01789 204957
Fax 01926 620199
Web www.dodwellpark.co.uk
E-mail enquiries@dodwellpark.co.uk
Price £15

The touring site occupies a gently sloping field hidden behind a mobile home park. There is a small shop but opening is very restricted so don’t rely on it. The grass was a little longer than ideal but in good condition and the facilities clean and well maintained with no hot water / shower charges.


Salisbury C&CC
Hudson’s Field
Castle Road
Salisbury
Wilts
SP1 3SA
Phone 01722 320713
Web www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
E-mail membership services@campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
Price £7.95

Very easy to find, signed from the city centre it lies between the city and Old Sarum. The price I paid is for backpackers / cyclists and includes showers and hot water. No kitchen but washing up sinks available and the laundry / information room can provide refuge in bad weather. Fast food (pizza/chips etc) are available at advertised times on site plus you may be able to get breakfast sandwiches/coffee from 8.00am. the site shop has limited opening but there is a supermarket a few minutes away. Grass was short and in generally good condition.

Oxford C&CC
426 Abingdon Road
Oxford
Oxon
OX1 4XG
Phone 01865 244088
Web www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
E-mail membership services@campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
Price £7.95

It is signposted but not well or from all directions. The price I paid is for backpackers / cyclists and includes showers and hot water. It’s a small level site, the facilities are clean but starting to show signs of age. Can be a bit boggy and noisy, its close to a river, railway yards and major roads. Shops and food outlets are only a few minutes away including a bike shop – just as well as the site shop is rarely open. Its about a thirty minute walk into the city.

There aren't any that attract me.
I too am in the C&CC , we get age discounts, member offers and access to a whole country full of certificated sites.

I'm thinking of signing my family up to this organization. We're not cycle tourers, just leisure cyclists, commuters and family rides. We are planning a summer cycle tour this year though.

I'm curious as to what members benefits are worth the money. Other organizations you can join show obvious benefits. National trust gets you into old houses and supports their conserving of buildings/landscapes worth saving. C&CC gives you reduced fees on their sites, we save a lot more than membership each year. I'm not sure I see the CUK benefits as worthwhile to me.

I think the only benefit is you can log on to members section to see route information entered by members for example routes created by members for their trips that they've loaded onto the site for other members to see. I can only see limited information until I log on as a member.

I'm not sure that's useful since these days you can search and find a lot on the internet without paying for membership.