Tag Archives: camc

Idyllic, Perfection, Can it get Better?

03 Friday May 2019

Posted by in General, Sites

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

I guess we all have our Top Ten Favourite places where we’ve stayed; I certainly do and my holiday in Scotland enabled me to stay at the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Bunree site near Fort William. It’s certainly in my top ten.

We all have the luxury of having a mix of favourite sites, places, activities, books, films and so on. Writing this blog takes me back to when, in a former life, I did a lot of radio and TV work where you learned pretty quickly you need to have a clear favourite and spit it out without missing a heart beat. At the end of a radio interview I would frequently be asked what my favourite bit of music was to take the programme into the next sector. No opportunity there to diffidently mention a top ten. (For me it was always Mike and the Mechanics “The Living Years”) One hapless MP being interviewed along side me seemed unable to choose her favourite book and the interviewer rather unkindly remarked that if she couldn’t answer a simple question like that there seemed little hope for her career.

When asked for my favourite book back in those rather high octane days I often wondered if as a laugh I might say it was the ACSI Guide to all the aires in France.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Advertisements

North Essex Centre hospitality.

24 Sunday Feb 2019

Posted by in General

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Chelmsford City Racecourse is the venue for this weekend’s gathering. Thank you to the Centre for last night’s generous hospitality.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Brighton CAMC site – open all year.

18 Sunday Nov 2018

Posted by in Sites

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Spent some time this week at one of my favourite sites. With the Brighton Marina a leisurely 15 minute stroll away and Uber on hand for a trip into Brighton itself, it is hard not to like.

The wonderful weather accompanied me from Crystal Palace and I was able to see the two Airstreams which now join some of the other alternative accommodation available on site – with more types to follow on areas of the site not suited to caravans and motorhome pitches.

There’s a lot of talk at this time of year about winter storage and how to prepare for winter and come through it unscathed without any frozen pipes or frost damaged equipment. It’s an important subject if you are to avoid an unpleasant and unwelcome bill next spring when you start touring again. For my part, my motorhome is in use throughout the winter so I just keep it ticking over on the days it and I are languishing at home. It is on permanent Red Alert to depart at a moment’s notice.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

An oasis that is Crystal Palace CAMC site.

18 Sunday Nov 2018

Posted by in Sites

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Stayed this week at Crystal Palace which remains a hugely popular site because you can get into central London so easily and it is a really pleasant site to stay at anyway. It is in the Low Emission Zone so you need to make sure your vehicle does not attract a charge but, that apart, it is a great spot and so very quiet.

I also met wardens @walterswardens which was a great pleasure. They are doing a tour of duty at Crystal Palace and as I follow them on twitter it was good to meet them in person. I have now met @andrewjditton @TheTrudgians and of course @DebLudford so my list of faces matching a twitter handle is growing.

The site – as is well known – is one of the CAMC leased sites and as is equally well known the owners are anxious to develop their whole Crystal Palace property portfolio. The Club has already received a couple of extensions to its lease but the day will come when it finally has to close and I would urge you to visit as soon as you can to avoid disappointment! The Club has over fifty five sites this year open all year and Crystal Palace is one of them.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

The New Forest, Black Knowl and Beaulieu.

06 Saturday Oct 2018

Posted by in General, Sites

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A delightful stay in The New Forest this week at the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Black Knowl site near Brockenhurst; as you can see, the autumn colours are now well advanced.

A visit to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu and a glimpse of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the soon to be opened 50 years Celebration Exhibit. Ian Fleming will always be remembered for James Bond but he wrote the story for his son Caspar with Roald Dahl – and the film’s director Ken Hughes authoring the screenplay. (Blogger David Bird kindly sent me a photo of Chitty towing a caravan so the car is even more famous than you might think!)

A lovely week indeed!

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Tewksbury Abbey Caravan and Motorhome Club site.

11 Saturday Aug 2018

Posted by in Sites

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tewksbury Abbey CAMC site is a gem – particularly if you are a motorhome owner as it is barely 400 metres from the town centre. It has recently undergone a big upgrade, has gold standard WiFi, good TV coverage and is of course famous for winning the Sites in Bloom award year after year. A warm welcome from the wardens in the new reception office is assured.

Tewksbury is a small market town and the enormous abbey is the main attraction. Only slightly behind on the list of attractions is the prawn cocktail in My Great Grandfather’s Restaurant and the cream tea in The Abbey Tearooms.

All very enjoyable!

Christopher Macgowan

#motorhomenews

Upwell, Norfolk. pop 2500.

09 Thursday Aug 2018

Posted by in Sites, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

The village of Upwell in Norfolk is well worth stopping at and having a mooch round. Unless you have a decent map onboard you’re hard pressed to know whether you are in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire or Lincolnshire. Over the years it has had its local authority boundary changed several times. It is intersected by the River Nene, has a pub, a cafe and butchers – and more besides.

I was staying on a nearby and outstanding CAMC CL at the Bluebell Inn in Whaplode St Catherines which is definitely in Lincolnshire.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

The Big Little Tent Festival.

25 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by in General

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

As with many other organisations in the tourism industry, the Caravan and Motorhome Club is always finding ways to engage with young people, young families and those who one day will take up tenting or owning a caravan or motorhome.

The Big Little Tent Festival is such an initiative. As an existing motorhome owner subscribing to this blog, you do not require persuasion. Like me, you know what fun it is! But do take a look at the video if only to admire the highly unusual venue!

Click HERE or insert link below into your browser.

https://vimeo.com/onsightuk/review/281481620/00800a2fa7

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Knaresborough CAMC site full to bursting.

22 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by in Sites

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Perhaps unsurprisingly due to the weather and coupled with The Wanderer on site bar and bistro, the Knaresborough Caravan and Motorhome Club site was packed.

Had a lovely weekend there and despite being full the wardens manage to present an immaculate site with that special Club “ordered calmness” which is such a distinctive and unique feature.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews