If its allowed, Me mate has a motorhome and I spoke with him today he said he was trying to book sites and they are really busy. Im afraid my method of wait till good weather and just rock up will not be possible as the sites will be full of first time tenters!!
Even if we are allowed I’m not sure I want to go if it’s going to be that busy. We did buy a porta loo and tent so we can do the smaller sites with no loos.
I think the school holidays and most weekends will be a real problem, even to book now. I really don't want to book a lot of stuff up and end up crossing it off the calendar like last year though.
This^^^ People jumping on the camping bandwagon now are likely to have avoided it up to now and probably won't cope with the culture shock of camping for more than a couple of nights before packing up and heading home. They might convince themselves that no all inclusive buffet, no en-suite and rubbish internet will be a refreshing change, but for most it will be a disaster. And then the rain starts....... It might be an idea to get on several standby/cancellation lists if you are able to pack the van and go at short notice.
This is so true, there will be Pop up tents to be had.left abandoned, It will be their first experience of camping, it will be at the worst time with it being so busy and no doubt most will hate it so 2022 back to normal.
ditto - the dual concern of - booking something then having to cancel/ back track / delete from the calendar and - the risk of turning up and finding it packed/ full of idiots / first time campers / can't go to benidorm * crowd .. is putting me off booking anything right now * i'm sure benidorm is actually lovely, especially right now with only locals
I once went to Tenby, A family turned up with a rented van. I spoke with the man of the family who said it was their first time "glamping" they put up a tented village with the labels still on, rolled out the extension lead then proceeded to carry in the flat screen, games console and the kitchen sink, the racket was massive, we just drove to the next field with the pop top up, they were asked to vacate 2 days in. I think some peoples idea of "glamping is building a canvas vesion of their house in the country and not leaving it.
The benefits of the Caravan club, I've sites booked every month from Easter right through to September. If I can go I'll go if not, nothing lost. Being organised is the reality this year, not dreams of wandering aimlessly.
Im afraid you may be right, As far as I am concerned though I have me vans so I can aimlessly wander!!
When we went camping last year over near Osmington Mills a family turned up with a brand new tent with the fancy blow up poles. Started putting it up in the pouring rain. Even the sound of the rain on our poptop didn't cover the *pop* the poles made when the guy over-inflated it! They drove off about an 1hr after arriving.
I'm hoping the restrictions around toilet blocks and slopping-out are relaxed because I have a finite tolerance of a porta-potty, although I've bought a 2m x 2m pop-up gazebo to allow for some dignity....... Thankfully my boys are now old enough to despise the prospect of holidaying with us, so it's just me 'n her going. Which itself brings a different level of tolerance and grimacing to the game........
Watching people who have never put up their tents before is great camping entertainment. I sometimes used to offer to help, but I've started thinking that if they can't have been arsed to read the instructions or check it before they go camping why should I spoil the entertainment
Went on a private site, first week out of lockdown ( july ) and no issues with toilet blocks and showers, to be fair the site was quite and I bet a lot were using their own facilities. In September was on various Caravan Club sites, they are like the EU, like rules, but apart from limiting numbers in at any one time, was fine...the sites were all fully booked though.
Had similar this summer at a farm site in the Herts countryside. A woman and child with a very smart dome tent, there was a biblical storm on the Saturday afternoon whilst they were off site, only lasted half an hour but it completely flattened their tent and left their belongings scattered about. She pulled up in the car, phone in hand. We assume it was her dad who turned up, threw everything into his car and they followed each other out of the site......never to return. I would imagine that scenario being played out a lot this summer.
We were at St Davids and saw similar, we were sat cosy in the van with a wisky watching the tent next door getting battered one evening, I did pass them a coffee out. Next morning the tent was hanging out of the boot and they were kipping in the steamed up car. They left with guy ropes dangling, theres something quite cozy about riding a storm out in the van. Cant beat a tin tent.