Monthly Archives: October 2017

Poolsbrook Country Park

29 Sunday Oct 2017

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I am grateful to The Wobbly Box for this independent report on Poolsbrook Country Park from last year. The full report, of which this is a small extract, can be found on their website.

“One of the best sites we have been to this year. Well laid out, clean and tidy. Its location made it a real winner in terms of the extras you get from the Country Park and the showers were the best we have seen on a campsite. We thouroughly enjoyed the site, so much so that we have moved our Christmas stay from another site to come back! Positives: lots to do in the area, great facilities (not all onsite but very close), great pitches, friendly wardens, accessible, great showers. Needs Work: ;Dog facilities, closeness of pitches

SITE NAME: POOLSBROOK COUNTRY PARK CARAVAN CLUB SITE

LOCATION: STAVELY, DERBYSHIRE, S433WL

DATES VISITED: OCTOBER 28TH- 31ST 2016

On our second visit to Derbyshire we took up residence at Poolsbrook Country Park Caravan Club site in Staveley, just down the road from Chesterfield. See what we thought of the Site and everything about it below:

Unlike our previous visit to the area when we stayed at Rivendale near Ashbourne, which took us out into the more remote areas of the Peak District National Park, Poolsbrook Country Park Caravan Club site is located conveniently about 5 minutes off Junction 29A of the M1 motorway. Whilst this does lead to a somewhat lesser scenic route on your drive to the campsite, including driving past what looks to be a small industrial site to get to the site, what is gives you in buckets is accessibility and proximity to pretty much everything. A 5 minute drive, or 20 minute walk takes you into the nearest town of Staveley which has all the basics you need including a pub and a large Morrisons store to name a few. Chesterfield is only about 10-15 minutes by car and has a multitude of things to see and do as well as an abundance of shops. The site itself is situated on the egde of the Poolsbrook Country Park, featuring a beautiful fishing lake surrounded by nature walks, a kids play area and a daytime Cafe. The site doesn’t suffer from much external noise so overall, whilst its not the prettiest location you will find in the area, it more than makes up for it in terms of practicality.”

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Bruges is Best.

15 Sunday Oct 2017

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Faye and I are spending the weekend in Bruges; it continues to be one of our favourites.

The “No Motorhomes” sign on a central car park is a bit academic as you’d be bonkers to attempt a coach built on these narrow twisting streets. The taxis are mostly Mercedes Vitos so a small van conversion might be possible but we prefer the excellent barrier controlled aire at the main bus station. A ten minute top whack stroll and you are in the middle of the town.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Hiring a motorhome might leave you dumbstruck.

01 Sunday Oct 2017

Posted by in General, This and That

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One of my daughters recently hired a motorhome so that she and her husband could attend a music festival in some comfort. After talking with a couple of companies and discussing what they wanted, why and for how long they settled on a Midlands based outfit, paid the £800 hire and £1250 deposit. 

All went well; they had a great time at the festival and the motorhome was returned to the hire company where it was checked over for any mishaps or damage and there was none. Some days later my daughter chased them up for the return of their deposit. She was told the contract she had signed specified a deposit return in 28 days. She was a tad surprised and at the 28 day mark she called again.

Only to be told this time it was actually 28 working days (effectively six weeks) “at which point you can write to us to apply to have the deposit returned.” 

“To apply to have my own deposit returned?” she said incredulously.

These terms seem utterly oppressive and unreasonable to the point my daughter thinks it highly likely there will be a huge battle to get the money returned in full. I hope she’s wrong.

It’s got me thinking in the meantime. I often say to friends who are thinking of buying a motorhome and particularly caravanners who are thinking of going over to the Dark Side that a one week hire really would be an excellent idea before taking the plunge. Now I am thinking that I need to add they need to find a reputable hire company with a more friendly attitude and less oppressive terms.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews