Camp site charges

Camp site charges vary dramatically from place to place, I don't mind paying more when there are better quality facilities or some form of club/bar but it annoys me when there are add on prices, we take up one pitch and the space on that pitch is rented to me for the duration of my stay and can't be partially let to someone else so why do I have to pay extra at some places if I want my windbreaks up or a utility tent they're not like extra people using facilities they're just taking up space on my pitch. Some tents take up far more space than my Dandy with awning or utility tent and windbreaks

I know we've paid more to use the awning ..... actually at the same site at the same time as Mike because we called our dandy a folding camper rather than a trailer tent .... his Dandy was bigger and he called it a trailer tent so didn't pay for his awning ...... lesson learned there

What I'm saying is I can understand the extra person and visitors charges but not the other charges when I'm using the space I've paid for and not encroaching on any other pitch.

I guess the add on idea benefits the basic camper who just takes a tent,but i do agree you should pay for the pitch and then its up to you.folding caravan,folding camper,trailer tent i dont care

I'd agree with keeping the cost down for basic camping but the prices charged in the first place at some aren't exactly basic ...... I've seen prices where I could go to a B&B for a few quid more and not have to supply my own sausages or gas

I'm intrigued that you would pay more for the facility of a club or a bar. I'm quite sure that the club is a profit centre on its own and that the cost of the drinks and or food will cover the establishment. In fact for some of us if we were to frequent the bar it might be worth trying to negotiate a reduction on the camping fees on the next occasion as adequate profit was made from us in the bar.

The Dandy mantra of The Caravan Club say I own a caravan, if we need to be a caravan and the Camping & Caravanning Club say we're a trailer tent if they charge for awnings is very useful.


I'm not quite as mean as I make out when I shy away from camping fees. I accept that I take up the same space as your Dandy in my Dandy so accept that I'm paying the same even though I'm on my own.
I think the concept of how you are charged is just how an individual campsite wants to "skin the flea." Some will be up front with a simple charge per person or per pitch. This might in some cases appear more so others add every possible extra. I tend to find that the most expensive sites have the most convoluted charges.
Mike made an interesting comment that he wouldn't camp at Woodhall Spa as an individual but that it was good as a meet site and he would much prefer there than some site where you were embarrassed about the facilities but camped there because it was cheap. I thought the facilities at Woodhall were wonderful but I've never been embarrassed about cheap facilities either. I tend to camp cheap because I tend to spend the money on other things; petrol (I'm not shy about doing miles) , days out and as some of you will have spotted beer.
There is a final reason to justify being a cheapskate on fees. Though I don't own a motorhome or caravan I note that this country has no equivalent to the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] or [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] where a locality can see it is to the advantage of the community to encourage a short stay. In this country we have car parks that want to charge for more than two hours and local authorities that ban overnight parking. If I'm fool enough to pay out over £20 per night to camp I encourage sites to charge this and penalise the cheap sites by not attending.

That's the thing that annoys me most about campsite fees too Helen.

I also see it as renting a piece of ground for the night - what I choose to put on it should't matter as long as it's not affecting any other occupants of the site. With the smaller Dandy we never paid for the awning. I was ready to argue that it was part of the unit if challenged but we never were.

That may be a little more difficult with the highside. In general we'll look for sites that don't impose extra charges but if using one that does is unavoidable I won't be 'declaring' it. I'll wait for them to come and tell me that I ned to pay extra.

With a couple of the campsites that we used to use regularly having imposed large increases in their fees over the past couple of years we've made a point this year of seeking out cheaper sites.

Kevin, I understand where your coming from as a single camper .... I think there should be a reduction for single occupancy where they have add on charges for other things. As for a pub/club on site, anything that means we don't have to walk home or pay for a taxi and I'm a happy bunny

Some sites prices have gone up so much I think they've outpriced themselves and most are looking for cheaper sites.

Emailed Wolvey caravan and camping site (£16 a night) ,and i said i wanted to stay for seven night would there be a reduction, alas no.
Told them i had a Dandy trailer tent, so i will put the awning up and see if they say there is an extra charge or not per night for the awning.(£1.50)
Has anyone stayed there its Maureen's first go at camping and she's not particularly looking forward to it, so i want it to be a good experience for her.


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fearful wizard wrote:Emailed Wolvey caravan and camping site (£16 a night) ,and i said i wanted to stay for seven night would there be a reduction, alas no.
Told them i had a Dandy trailer tent, so i will put the awning up and see if they say there is an extra charge or not per night for the awning.(£1.50)
Has anyone stayed there its Maureen's first go at camping and she's not particularly looking forward to it, so i want it to be a good experience for her.


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Hope you have a lovely time.

Not sure I'd use the photo they did to promote my site it all looks a bit......

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Saw they were ACSI registered so looked to see if they did one of the low season ACSI deals. Alas not.

Just out of curiosity have you booked over the bank holiday period or similar? If I was looking to book for 7 nights and there was no discount and there was little danger of no space on the site I'd be tempted to have said. "Thats OK I'll book for two nights then and review my options". 1) It might promote a different response. 2) If for whatever reason it doesn't suit you or you see better you have the option to up camp. Probably not the most realistic option in this case as it's a first camp with a reluctant spouse.

Not stayed there myself but its got 8/10 for 29 reviews on the UKCC site. I agee with Kevin unless you're going over a BH I'd book for a few nights and then review especially as they won't give a discount for 7 nights. I know there's some lovely sites closer to you Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire and Trentfield in Nottinghamshire to name but two have you thought about trying them?

Yep looks busy, might ask to be near the toilets and shower block.
As you say Helen could do with a better picture but the reviews are quite good. It will either put Maureen off camping or she will like it.
When Ive have been on my own its like a holiday for her anyway. Pete

Sorry tow itch for calling you Helen still half a sleep. Pete

The reason for going to wolvey is that my daughter lives in Hinkley just down the road.
so i thought we could all go out together, and if Maureen is dead against it after a couple of nights she can stay with them.
Good idea about just booking a couple of nights and see if that temps them to give a discount.
I do not particularly want to pay an extra £1.50 a night for the awning.
I'm not tight just careful.

Agree with Helen,pay for the pitch and put what ever you like on it. The extras i don't mind paying for are EHU, Good Ulitity block,Kids Play area, Very often we are charged extra for the kids too,anywhere from £1 to £5 a night. Over the last month we have paid £32 a night at one site and £15 at another, we probably won't visit the expensive site again even though we couldn't fault it but it wasn't twice as good as the cheaper one. With so much choice out there you don't need to pay over the odds for a pitch.