Cycling UK Forum

Of course one other benefit of mambership of the C&CC is the International Camping Carnet. Something the CTC gave up on years ago to much distress to many members and caused some, including me, to not renew their membership.
Backwinds forever......

I'd forgotten about this post!
To report back:
1 night at C&CC site near Leek (Staffs) - as good value as their sites always seem to be - but don't approach via main road from Leek, side roads via Meerbrook far less hilly.
1 night at Yatehouse Farm near Middlewich - OK but £10 so overpriced for poor facilities - no lights in loos - plus road noise.
3 nights at Birch Bank Farm, Christleton, Chester - lovely site despite rain - basic facilities, loo, sink, shower, but all clean and worked. Working farm, only electric fence between tents and the cows! Excellent cycle facilities in Chester.

I also used that website for my first solo camping trip. IIRC the two sites I stayed at were both C&CC certified but nobody turned me away for not being a member, and I don't believe I would at any other site – I was seen as a bit of a novelty with my bike and tiny tent. I did find the second site better suited to caravans - £14, no discount for a backpacker, very hard ground that bent all my pegs, and no showers . I've since joined the Backpackers Club and used their directory to find some lovely secluded sites for around a fiver – the best one was free .

Vantage wrote: my upcoming little tour is the first time in my life that I'll be away from home on my own and self sufficient. This trip for me, is as epic as raising the titanic

I felt that way, too. It was a huge headache to plan and none of my family could understand why I wanted to do it! For my second venture I gave up - rang the first campsite to make sure they weren't closed, made a list of possible sites along the way, booked a b&b in the middle as a break, and left the rest to chance. It's my best trip so far .

Basically there are two sorts of C&CC sites. Their big all facility sites and the 5 unit small private sites(certified sites). I often use these small sites in my camper van. They are often a tap and a dump point for a chemical toilet. Prices are cheap often around a fiver.

As said above not so good for tent campers due to lack of facilities. Some do have basic toilets and maybe a shower but these cost more. Many charge per pitch so not so good value for solo campers (you pay the same as mega tent with 2 adults and a brood of kiddies).

The best thing about the C&CC was their 'Big Book', which listed all their sites. This made it worth joining for
a year to get a copy of it. I have used loads of these certificatedsites and never had a problem about not being a member, despite C&CC signs at the entrance saying members only. As they are members only, no discount for members!

Over the last few years, however, the big book has become a lot smaller due to many of these small sites closing and also fairly strict (draconian) C&CC rules on things like placing taps,etc, which led to the sites being dropped by the club. I think that the Caravan Club now have lots more of these hideaway sites, but for vans only.

If you are going to stay on the big sites a lot then it is worth joining, you also get the Big Book, which is a useful campsite guide for the future. Of course it also depends if the club sites are on your route.

I always find it a good idea to speak to the owners first, when planing a trip, even though it makes extra work. I normally plan long legs a didn't want to encounter a problem or the prospect of looking for another site after I have arrived; it has happened to me more than once. However, I've also saved many problems by phoning first, even with a C&CC site in Jedburgh where the washing machine had broken and I could plan my washing before/after and a campsite that had been closed down in Barnstaple because of complaints of abuse!

Good luck with the trip!

This is something I mused over for a couple of years and came to the same conclusion. I like the C&CC sites because you have a standardisation of quality, a fair price and you can always get on as a cycle- camper. However, you would have to spend 20 nights to break even.

I have since joined because I purchased an old VW T2 last year, which I hope to use for weekends for a bit of diversity taking my bike with me, but had I not bought that I would carry on using the C&CC sites as a non-member.

It is not economic to join the C&CC if only camping as a 'backpacker'. As a non-member backpacker arriving by cycle, you will be just as welcome and are unlikely to be turned away even if the site is full. The non-member backpacking rate is less than £2 more than for member backpackers.

You're mixing up C&CC owned sites and C&CC certificated sites. The former are just like normal camping sites but owned and run by the C&CC (so usually very good quality albeit a bit big and busy at times). The latter are small privately owned sites that have got planning permission only because they are certificated by and accept only members of the C&CC. There are also restrictions on the number of caravans they can accept, but not tents. As a consequence they are usually quite basic. In practice, a cycle camper won't be asked for membership as they have some planning leeway on tents anyway.

(There are also C&CC listed sites but that is just for information - the two types above are of course listed as well).

I've never understood the situation with C&CC sites. I thought that some of hem could only accept club members dues to some sort of red taps/inspection/insurance reason. Is that not the case?

I've been a member of the C&CC for the last 4 years due to touring around the UK.
You save around £1.50-£2.00 per night at their main site by being a member, so you really need to go to 25-30 sites per year to cover membership costs.
Of the small club sites I've been to a few and it's a bit 50/50 if you're asked for membership details.

Agree tripwire.

If the OP has a GPS I think even the often very small Certificated" and "Listed" sites are marked on the free Archies download. I've often been pedalling near one of those, seen it marked on my free OSM on the Garmin and then had to have a really good look to spot the small sign and the odd small caravan behind a farm building or whatever. So, to add to my above comment with the price of some of those B&B''s you could maybe buy a Garmin Etrex 20 and C&CC membership and still be in pocket. And as you point out with the main C&CC sites the additional fee is pretty small if you are a non member.

Are you a member of the club tripwire? - I have somtimes thought of joining.

Sweep wrote:If there are a good selection of C&C sites on that route I think I'd consider joining the C&C club - I gather that they are generally very welcoming to cyclists because of their history.

The Camping and Caravanning Club are very welcoming indeed to cycle tourists; you don't even have to join the club. I've used their sites a few times and you get treated as a "non-member backpacker" with a very small increase to the pitch fee. I usually call the site ahead of time to check, but they've always been very flexible about arrival times and haven't required me to book or pay any deposit. That specifically applies to "Club Sites" though, for "Certificated" or "Listed" ones it's definitely best to call ahead and check.

Don't get them mixed up with the Caravan Club, that's a different beast entirely! I've had pleasant experiences at a couple of their sites, but it's not like the C&CC where the whole organisation is supportive of non-motorised travel. YMMV

This C&CC map will bring up lots of sites.
http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co ... earch.aspx

Select the type of site and facilities on the left then double click the area of map for sites.
If you are a member of the Caravanning & Camping Club then prices would be cheaper but you don't have to be.

This also has a camping site search map:-
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/

Nallo 3GT at Luss C&CC site, Loch Lomond

This is for Camping and caravanning Club MEMBERS ONLY.

There is a holiday meet arranged at Ripley Castle Harrogate for 2 weeks coving the TDF first 2 days. The first day it goes past the site and the second passes a few miles away.
At the moment they have spaces for Motorhomes and Caravans, I do not know if they have facilities for tents. It is £16 per night per unit (2 adults) extra adults £2 per nights.

Details are in the club magazine in the Out and About section for the North East.

At these prices you could join the club and still save lots compared to some of the prices I have seen.