THS in UK.

Cloak · Guru

THS in UK.

peterblack · Senior Member

hi all. yes that's all u need really if its wat we like and or need. but remember we all have different ideas on all things camping.
just my thoughts
pete

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Interesting to see that a lot of the vans had a bucket outside to catch their grey water. Wonder where they would empty that?

Moonraker · Senior Member

Gerty,
Grey water is dumped as per the reqest of the site owner.
Grey water can be placed in a dump point separete from a black water dunp point or the black water dump but if there isnt a grey water then usually its dumped into the hedgerow or around trees as reqested by the site owner.
It is very usual to use a portable water water tank placed by the side of the van to catch the grey water, sometimes a bucket will be used. The grey water should not have any solid food stuff in it. The grey water is always captured so that the site pitches remain dry, or drier, it rains a lot over there!
The other interesting difference over there is that you are not allowed to connect to a water tap due to some possiblility of siphoning back into the water supply. So vans carry portable tanks for freash water with a 12 volt pump to supply water to the van. Aqua Roll is a very popular water carrier. I would have one myself here if there they available for the times when only one tap is availble at a farm stay etc.
I was a member of the The Caravan Club UK, the Wiltshire Centre (centres are like chapters) a very well run organisation the Camping and Caravan Club shown in the video is a similar organisation. They have both been running many years.

Cloak · Guru

Thanks for that Moonraker from what I see we could learn a lot from the Poms. The publisher mentioned that school grounds are part of the THS when not in use by students.
That has been bandied around here too but we don't seem to be getting traction much anywhere.

I subscribed to his YouTube station and am picking up some great ideas...

banjo · Senior Member

Been happening there for years, there is a group called Caravan & Camping club or something similar, that has many members and includes many farms and semi rural places where up to five caravans or tents are allowed at any one time.

Rules are simple, usually a water supply, be self contained and no more than 5 units at any one time. Most also offer free range eggs or milk if on a farming property.
Before we emigrated 26 years ago we were members and used the sites extensively. It will come here probably one day, when common sense prevails.

Sorry Moonraker missed your previous post.

-- Edited by banjo on Monday 3rd of November 2014 02:46:49 PM

Moonraker · Senior Member

Yes, no warries Banjo. We also experienced many happy trips with The Caravan Club. At various parks, temporary sites, farm stays and old mills etc. etc. the original idea is centuries old where land owners and farmers could accommodate a few travellers at a time to rest up for, I think but dont quote me, 6 days at anyone time.
The Caravan Club, Wiltshire Centre is the only thing I miss about our time in the UK.
It would be wonderful if the same situation could happen over here especially as we have such a great and varied country to travel.

Incidently I dont remember any problem from caravan parks complaining of reduced income. Perhaps it is because this low cast camping options stated above was available to the traveller many years before the first commercial CP. The caravan club has its own CPs now as well as promoting others as there would be a lot of families who prefer all the CP facilities which we dont want or need so everyone seems to be catered for. I agree with Cloak yes that would 'be worth copying even if it is from the Poms!

banjo · Senior Member

Moonraker

I was only over there two weeks ago and saw some great sites in the Peak District of Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, some absolute wonderful settings.

Cannot believe the number of caravans on their roads now also, must be the grey nomad thing like we have here. It's definitely big business over there now.

Makes me feel like buying another van there for an extended trip, but the fuel costs are horrendous and added to that the traffic congestion.

Moonraker · Senior Member

Hi Banjo,
I go over about everyother year have hired quite a few different cars, at high cost I must say. However I have also thought about going over for a few months buy a car and van and do the trips in the UK again and as many do over there now cross the channel and travel through France, Spain and maybe Italy etc.

Good second hand cars are very cheap and something with a 1.8 or 2.0 litre diesel will do over 40 miles per gallon (and with just about as much grunt as our big engines). Towing a van like the Bailey you could still expect to get 25 to 30 miles per gallon which is not too bad at all. Alternatively buy a motorhome then when finished with then sell and hopefully get a good amount back of your buy price.

We have. LC 200 towing a Spinifex offroad van weighing in at about 3.5tonne. Great tug and van but get around 20litres per 100 kms which is about 14 miles per gallon so not a lot of differece in dollars/ pounds as fuel in UK is about double what we pay.

The only problem is I have a dog, well my boy, I have 3 adult daughters so he is my only son! Cant leave him home alone that long.
But its very tempting so might do it later.
In the meantime will at least spend most winters going north now that we have just about retired. So for now we can hope that some of the great alternative camping ideas so common in the UK will catch on over here.

The wizened of Oz · Newbie

I am a member of Motorhome Fun in the UK and Ireland. Same as you I miss the huge get together's where there is over 1000 motorhomes camping from all sorts of groups including the caravan clubs. Planning on next year if all goes well.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

We are just back from almost 3 months in the UK and Ireland (plus a couple of months in France, Germany and Switzerland) in a MH.
Before going, we joined the Caravan & Camping Club as temporary members. Apart from the fact that most member benefits were not available to us at all, despite the indications on their web site, we quickly came to conclusion that their operation was more like a caravan park chain than a club. Many of their parks were very expensive.
We asked for (and got) our money back.

In England we used a publication called Brit Stops which lists commercial premises (many pubs) that allow motorhomes to stop free of charge and without obligation. Of course, we often ate dinner or had a few beers.
Free camping as we know it in Oz is rare and difficult in England.

Camped at a pub next to a canal.

We free camped in Scotland and used a few Brit Stops.

In fact, I don't believe Oz has anything to learn from the UK. We have a great deal of freedom compared to them.

By contrast, in The Republic of Ireland, we free camped everywhere.

Continental Europe is quite different again.

If you travel in a caravan, you are almost completely restricted to caravan parks, and they are typically more expensive than in Oz.

If you travel in a motorhome (and most people do, except those from the UK) then there are thousands of free and low cost camps all over the place. France has over 2,500 alone. They are usually in a village or on the outskirts within walking distance of shops and eating places. Even larger towns and cities have them. Almost everyone has a free or cheap dump point and there may be a small charge for water.In many cases these free "aires" for motorhomes are right next door to a caravan park where the caravans MUST go.

Cheers,

Peter

Moonraker · Senior Member

Sorry Peter you had a bad experience with the Caravan and Camping Club.
However the The Caravan Club is the Club we have been talking about a totally different organisation. They have something like 3000 low cost locations such as farm stays, parks etc most in very scenic places all over the UK as well as CPs. The CC also has Centres (we were members of the Wiltshire Centre)which are Clubs within the Club who hold rallys all the time which any member can attend.

So sorry you didnt get to experience such a great way of seeing the UK, the way we did.

For others who are thinking of travelling and RVing throughout the UK suggest you have a look at the web site of The Caravan Club and I also suggest contacting a Centre as well for all the info.

The only thing that should put you off a great UK RV style holiday is the rain!

-- Edited by Moonraker on Wednesday 5th of November 2014 08:22:09 AM

-- Edited by Moonraker on Wednesday 5th of November 2014 08:26:01 AM

-- Edited by Moonraker on Wednesday 5th of November 2014 08:26:42 AM

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Moonraker wrote:
So sorry you didnt get to experience such a great way of seeing the UK, the way we did.

We certainly did, but I suggest that you don't need to be a member of a "club" to do it.

It is also necessary to travel by motorhome rather than caravan to have the best camping options in Europe, apart from the fact that there are many roads that are simply not suitable for caravans.

We had 6 months full time in 2013 and another 6 months full time in 2014, and that is our advise. We hope to be back again for another 6 months in 2015.

Cheers,

Peter

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.