Which camping club

This is a question posed on most camping forums so i thought we should have it,caravan club or camping and caravan cub,both are good organisations with plenty of sites to choose from.
For me its the caravan club not that i have anything against the caravan and camping club,i did belong it once but never found a site in the areas i wanted so retuned to the caravan club, this leaves me unable to comment on there sites.
I only use the caravan club CL locations which are 5 or 6 van sites and try to find the ones with all facility's,they are usually as the club reputation leads you to think they would be,small immaculately kept sites normally occupied by caravans,they have a reputation for being snobby but i have never found this or i am too thick skinned to notice,i always have spoken to other members on sites and found them to be responsive and friendly,but i guess there will be the ones out there that think if you haven't got the latest twin axle unit and 4 wheel drive you shouldn't be on there,
if this is the case they get a shock when i set the dandy up.
The only thing i will say about the camping and caravan club sites is they often look more natural and driving around have seen quiet a lot i would fancy,but dont think i would change a system that works for me.

We joined the camping and caravan club not for any particular reason other than we thought it would give us access to 100s of site around the country.The strange thing is we have never actually stayed on one of their sites yet,we have looked at them on ukcampsites when going away and read reviews and checked the sites location but we have always found other sites that are better located or have better reviews.I am sure we will use one of their sites one day if we can find one suitable as we should get some use from our yearly membership.I have noticed that club pitch fee's are not always cheaper than other non club sites in the same area's.
I have heard from friends who are members of both CC & C&CC and they have said the CC sites are generally better standard and better located,i have never been to either so i cannot comment.

We have been members of Caravan Club for 15yrs now. We were also members of Camping & Caravan Club for about three years. Membership of both seemed unecessary to our needs and we reverted just to the CC which, along with use of various private sites, has more than fulfilled our needs. Being now based in southern Scotland, it must be said that there appear to be a bigger network of CCC sites & their CLs (hideaways or whatever they call them) in Scotland than there are CC sites. What we have found in the past is that many of the CL sites aren't too particular about whether their clients are members of either club. One CC CL site that we use every few weeks is situated in Abbey Village in Lancashire, between Blackburn & Chorley. It's ideal for our purposes as it is central to various family members who we visit. The Duckworths, who are the site owners, are particular about membership and won't allow double axle caravans because of the damage to the ground that they can cause. This is fair as you are effectively taking up residence in their garden and they are open all years round. One of the benefits of Dandys is that many CLs, of both clubs, are licenced for five caravans only but can take as many tents as they can accomodate. Dandys seem to fit neatly into a hybrid bracket.
The situation in Scotland is also different in that wild camping is both acceptable and legal. It means that use of lay-bys, many car park as well as open land is open to use. Dependant on local bye-laws which seem to be more relaxed the further north you go and the permission of any relevent landowners. For anyone interested it's worth googling 'Scotland - freedom of access' and having a read up. If anyone were to consider a trip to the Outer Hebrides, as we did two years ago, you will find that wild camping is actively encouraged as there are very few campsites. Amenities can be found at all of the ferry terminals for fresh water, waste & chemical loo disposal and most of them are equipped with washing and shower facilities. Many of the villages also have village halls which leave their toilets open around the clock for passing tourists and, again, many are equipped with showers for which there is a small charge. The islands are well worth a visit, especially if the weather is reasonable, and whilst there is the obvious cost of ferries it is countered by minimum costs for camping.
Perhaps it's our age, or that we're just unsociable, but we shy away from busy, commercial sites and do seek quieter areas, unless accompanied by any family members. This was one reason why the Islands was a special trip. It was wonderful to camp in beautiful scenery with neighbours who were often more than quarter of a mile away. The use of CLs, even in their more basic form is the main reason that we are members of the CC. Another plus point is The savings involved. The cost of fuel and charges on a commercial site can make even a weekend away expensive. Use a CL, save money and go away twice!
Steve

steve,
that sounds like an idyllic camping experience and nick and i keep toying with scotland as were less than 80miles from border but the wild camping really has piqued my interest

John did mention that you could just wild camp in parts of Scotland as one of his work mates has a motorhome and does. It is something we would one day like to do, just take off with the Dandy and find a nice quiet spot maybe move on every couple of days. I would only put the Dandy up though forget the awning

We did join the caravan club when we first got our Dandy but only because the insurance deal was good and havent actually used it. I am very tempted to join the CCC (Caravan and camping club) but have never got around to it. As sites are getting busier and some are getting louder too I think it will be one or the other that we join just to get away and have peace and quiet.

We did the Scotland wild camp when the two sky ferrys where still running long time ago,the best spot we found was just after you came of sky on the small ferry a sandy bay,we stayed two nights it was so nice,it was still light at some oclock in the morning cant remember the exact time.