13 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Sites
Tags
#motorhomes, camc, caravan and motorhome club, chrismacgowan, Christopher Macgowan, Gowerton, motorhome, motorhomes, Swansea
The sun is shining. A warm welcome from the Caravan and Motorhome Club wardens. An immaculate site. What more could I ask for my weekend in Gowerton?
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
29 Sunday Apr 2018
Posted in General
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Christopher Macgowan, motorhome, motorhomenews, chrismacgowan, The National, #motorhomes, caravan and motorhome club, camc, sledmere house, Yorkshire
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
15 Sunday Apr 2018
Tags
#motorhomes, camc, caravan and motorhome club, centenary, Christopher Macgowan, CWGC, King Henry VIII, Littlehampton, motorhome, motorhomenews, New Forest, Portsmouth
Very nice to be out and about in the motorhome.
Stayed at two CAMC sites – the Centenary Site in the New Forest and the Littlehampton Site and took in King Henry VIII’s castle on the seafront in Portsmouth and visited two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries also in Portsmouth.
Good to be out on the road.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
18 Sunday Mar 2018
Posted in Sites
Tags
@motorhmenews, camc, caravan and motorhome club, Christopher Macgowan, Moreton-in-Marsh, motorhome
One of my favourites on the Caravan and Motorhome Club network. Firstly because it is so attractively laid out, secondly because continuous investment in the site keeps it right, thirdly because a brief walk takes you into town and everything you need is there and fourthly because the wardens are outstanding.
On a Friday night a mobile pizza outfit arrives with a real flame oven (try the Vesuvius) and on Saturday a mobile fish and chip van is on site. So, for me, so nice to be let off catering duties…..
Bit chilly (understatement!) this weekend but none the worse for that.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
09 Friday Feb 2018
Posted in Travel
Tags
#motorhomes, camc, caravan and motorhome club, Caravan Times, Christopher Macgowan, Glencoe, kinlochewe, motorhome, motorhomenews, Nick Lomas, Scotland, stardust, William Coleman
Caravan Times’ William Coleman caught up with CAMC Director General Nick Lomas at the show.
By William Coleman
On the opening day of the Scottish Caravan, Motorhome and Holiday Home Show we caught up with Nick Lomas, The Director General of The Caravan and Motorhome Club. We spoke with Nick about The Club’s sites in Scotland that are pitched on locations that film fans will certainly recognise.
Nick also gave us the rundown on The Club’s ‘Adventure Outside’ campaign which will include the Cycle Fest. We have a full article of CAMC’s CycleFest.
For those who love films here are a few of The Club sites that have been given the Hollywood treatment. Some of these are contenders for list of all time greats. The films are good too.
The Highlands: Film- Stardust
Kinlochewe Club Site
Set at the bottom of the rugged slopes of Beinn Eighe and along the shores of Glen Docherty, Kinlochewe Club Site is somewhat famous on the network. The Site played host to the stars of 2007 romantic fantasy film Stardust; including Robert de Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, when it was used as a base camp for filming in this beautiful region. Kinlochewe offers a slower pace of life and is a great spot to wind down after a busy day outdoors exploring the surrounding mountains. This Site is also popular with bird lovers trying to get a glimpse of the golden Eagle at nearby Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve.
From £18.70 per standard pitch per night based on two adults sharing
Glencoe: Film- Skyfall
North Ledaig Caravan Club Site
Home to one of the most famous battles between Scottish Clans, Glencoe also played host one of the most recognisable Special Agents in the country. Featuring in the 2012 film Skyfall, the childhood home of James Bond, Skyfall Lodge, was set and filmed in the natural beauty of Glencoe. For 007 fans, combine a visit to this stunning landscape with a stay at the North Ledaig Club Site. This 30-acre Site is located on two miles of sandy beach and has been awarded the David Bellamy Conservation Award. The Site is ideal for those who love watersports and is only a 40 minute drive to Glencoe.
From £20 per standard pitch per night based on two adults sharing
Fort William: FIlm- Harry Potter
Bunree Caravan Club Site
Deemed one of the most iconic film locations in Scotland, Fort William and the surrounding area welcomed the magic of the Harry Potter movie series for over ten years of filming. Muggles will recognise the infamous Rannoch Moor in the area, where the dementors boarded the Hogwarts Express in the first instalment of the final movie. The West Highland Line also runs through Fort William with services from Edinburgh and Glasgow and will be familiar to Potter fans as the route of the Hogwarts Express. For those looking to be close to all of the enchanted action, Bunree Club Site offers a great pit stop. The Site is only a 20 minute drive from Fort William town centre and is on the water’s edge of Loch Linnhe.
From £17.50 per standard pitch per night based on two adults sharing Mon-Thurs during mid-week discount periods
Perth: Film- Braveheart
Balbirnie Park Caravan Club Site
Situated just north of Edinburgh, Perth plays host to the filming location one of the most iconic Scottish movies of all time, Braveheart. Some of the best known scenes of the 1995 classic starring Mel Gibson, were filmed at Loch Leven in Perth including the famous mountain walk of William Wallace after the killing of Mornay. For the perfect Scottish getaway this year, combine a trip to Loch Leven with a stay at nearby Balbirnie Club Site only a 30 minute drive away. The Site is set within 400 acres of parkland and is a popular stop off point on the network with hikers, cyclists and dog walkers.
From £13.50 per standard pitch per night based on two adults sharing Mon-Thurs during mid-week discount periods
SOURCE: William Coleman of “Caravan Times”
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
03 Saturday Feb 2018
Posted in Sites
Tags
#motorhomes, Burrs Country Park, Bury, camc, caravan and motorhome club, Castleton, chrismacgowan, Christopher Macgowan, Derbyshire, motorhome, motorhomenews
TOP: The scenery and walks around the town of Castleton are stunning.
SECOND: Burrs Country Park.
THIRD: History is well preserved at Burrs.
BOTTOM: Well; the road was closed for goodness sake!!
It was only three degrees Centigrade with a bitter wind and a tiny sprinkling of snow but my stay this week at the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s sites in Bury, Lancashire (Burrs Country Park) and Castleton in Derbyshire was quite simply brilliant. I am a great one for my creature comforts and both sites have the latest of everything and on both sites my set-up time was a mere eight minutes despite one set-up at Burrs being at eleven o’clock at night in a snow storm.
Castleton is a tourist trap and has wonderful walks all around but the side effect for me is the tiny town can support six pubs and two restaurants. The Master Plan was for Faye and I to embark on our usual Dry February but my side of the bargain fell apart in Castleton so Faye is ahead of me in will power and smugness.
The A623 was closed but I never take any notice of those signs because mostly they are out of date. The weather was cold but dry – but on this occasion I was partially caught out due to heavy lifting equipment removing trucks and indeed closing the road. A truck in front of me had a major drama turning round but I took a couple left tuns into deepest Derbyshire countryside and was soon back on track. There was a slightly anxious moment when I came face to face with a seventeen tonne FedEx delivery truck on a single track road. We had a Camp David meeting in the mud between our two vehicles and the upshot was I put my reversing skills to work – such as they are.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
27 Saturday Jan 2018
Posted in General
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#motorhomes, Brian Morgan, camc, caravan and motorhome club, Caravan Times, Christopher Macgowan, Glasgow, Jamie Taylor, Manchester, Matt Allwright, motorhome, motorhomenews, NEC, Nick Lomas, William Coleman
SOURCE: Caravan Times
Interview Exclusive With CAMCs Head Of Communications And Events
By William Coleman
Last week I ventured up to Manchester to the Caravan and Motorhome show to speak first hand with senior members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club about what they had in store for their members during 2018.
So with both the Scottish and Birmingham NEC Caravan and Motorhome shows only a handful of weeks away I wanted to speak with The Club about how they prepare for the show and what it means to them to have such a presence. As an industry leading holiday provider I feel they do a great job with communicating with their customers, and the public in general. So here is my interview with CAMC’s very own Brian Morgan.
The Club always have such an impressive stand and presence at the shows. How far in advance does the planning start?
It’s an ongoing process, we exhibit at both NEC shows, Manchester and Glasgow, as well as a number of outdoor shows and events throughout the year. We are always in ‘show mode’!
What goes into making sure you have something for everyone at the show?
We make sure we have details of all Club products and services available for show visitors, we can help them from the very first stages with inspiring them to choose the right leisure vehicle for their touring group, to sharing ideas of where they could have their adventures and giving them help and advice along each step of the way and, of course, make their actual holiday bookings for them. Our show staff have such a vast amount of knowledge and experience and they love being at the shows and talking to people. We really do have a great team, not only at the shows but at head office and throughout the site network.
It is quite clear that The Club invest heavily in listening to their members, how can members communicate with you so they are heard?
It’s really important for us to listen to our members to hear about what they want and need from us. We have our Club Together forum with over 400k registered users, our social platforms are a great way for members and future members to interact with us, we carry out regular research and surveys with our members to hear from them – first-hand – about their views. Our Magazine is also a great source of information for members. And, most importantly, we act upon this information we receive. We provide over 60 relevant member offers (everything from discounts on outdoor clothing, fuel discounts, unbeatable ferry offers), our ongoing sites investment programme, we represent the members views through parliamentary channels and other associated bodies such as Transport for London and the FIA to name but a few.
As Matt Allwright said at the Manchester show, ‘there’s nowhere our members haven’t been’ and we are keen to provide the platforms for members to share their knowledge and experiences as they, in turn, inspire others to have great adventures.
At the Manchester show you had Matt Allwright open the show and do a acoustic set with his band ‘The Walnuts’. Will we see Matt again in Birmingham this February?
Yes! Matt will be with us on Club Day (Tuesday 20 February), he will again be hosting a series of informative forums for show visitors. Matt is a Club member and really enjoys getting away with his family in his campervan.
The shows are a fantastic way for members, new and old, to have face to face interaction with key members of The Club. What aspect of meeting the public do you enjoy the most?
You will always find me at the front of the stand, encouraging people to come and say hi to our team. I really do enjoy that aspect of my job. It’s so important to get to meet and talk to people, face to face, you can’t beat it.
And lastly what can we expect from you guys at this years Glasgow or the NEC shows?
We are heading to Glasgow soon, it really is a terrific show. We will be opening the show on Club Day with our Director General, Nick Lomas, the show Director, Jamie Taylor, and there will be a performance for show visitors by a really talented local quartet called the Capella String Quartet, so if anyone is in the area, come and say hi. And then we are at the NEC, Matt Allwright will be with us and we will have an exciting announcement to make, so make sure you are there on Club Day!
Source: Caravan Times
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
14 Thursday Dec 2017
Posted in Sites
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#motorhomes, camc, caravan and motorhome club, Christopher Macgowan, hunter's moon, motorhome, motorhomenews, silent woman Inn, wareham
I am spending time at Hunter’s Moon on the outskirts of Wareham. This is one of the Club’s Open-All-Year Sites and it is a delight to stay at.
Not least because a short ten minute walk takes you to the exquisite, friendly and family run The Silent Woman Inn which does excellent food and a big choice of wine and beers. It describes itself as the only local public house designed exclusively for adults.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
19 Sunday Nov 2017
Posted in Places
Tags
#motorhomes, anglia region, camc, Christopher Macgowan, Felixstowe, Ipswich, motorhome, motorhomenews, Nacton, Orwell, Orwell Bridge
Today I attended the AGM of the Anglia Region of the Caravan and Motorhome Club in Ipswich – or more specifically on the Nacton Road in Ipswich.
I was brought up here as a child and the River Orwell played a big part during my early school years. Not least because we had to go into the centre of Ipswich where the river was narrow and there was the only bridge to get across it. Many many years later the Orwell Bridge was built enabling Felixstowe to become the hugely successful container port that it now is. And Ipswich was largely bypassed.
Consequently, I felt today a small diversion was justified on my way home to spend a bit of time by the river and as always marvel at the bridge. It serves to remind me that good infrastructure makes things happen and generates growth.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
http://paper.li/motorhomenews/1394765219
@camc
#camc
12 Sunday Nov 2017
Posted in Sites
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#motorhomes, camc, caravan and motorhome club, chrismacgowan, Christopher Macgowan, CL, CL of the year, motorhome, motorhomenews
The Caravan and Motorhome Club is delighted to announce the winner of its Certificated Location of the Year Award is Low Moor Head Farm situated in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside. Close runners up are Meadow Bank Farm on the edge of the New Forest and Welltrough Farm in the rolling Cheshire countryside.
Certificated Locations (CLs) are privately-owned, maximum five-van sites found across the UK, open exclusively to Caravan and Motorhome Club members. Many CLs are found in idyllic and remote locations such as farms, country estates and beside inns, and they can provide a valuable, additional income stream for local communities. The CL of the Year Awards are voted for by Club members, recognising the very best sites and rewarding hard-working owners who pull out all the stops for guests. The awards are presented at the House of Commons in recognition of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act (1960) which enables the Caravan and Motorhome Club to grant certificates to landowners to operate CLs.
Harvey Alexander, Director of Marketing at the Caravan and Motorhome Club said: “We are proud to recognise the important part CLs play in both our members’ experiences and as a sustainable form of tourism. Visitors to CLs across the country help contribute towards the local economy by bringing income to the area; many owners have diversified into operating CLs as a means of generating additional revenue. The awards recognise those owners who really go the extra mile for members and provide them with a truly memorable experience. My congratulations go out to all this year’s winners.”
Winner – Low Moor Head
Low Moor Head Farm Certificated Location was opened in October 2005, a tranquil site, set on a working beef and sheep farm with land running from the Duddon Estuary to Kirkby Moor just six miles from the city of Carlisle. The site is exclusively for adults and offers the perfect location for visiting many historic attractions both in England and Scotland, being between two UNESCO World Heritage sites, Northumbria ‘Hadrian’s Wall & the Lake District National park. Guests come from as far afield as New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and Holland.
The Site offers five hard standing spacious pitches, set within one acre. It is open all year round and encourages visitors to get out and visit surrounding areas, helping sustain the local economy. There is very good vehicular access with a parking area for both guests and visitors; excellent digital TV reception and free organic free range eggs. Facilities also include heated toilet/ shower and disabled facilities, cycle racks and recycling point.
Low Moor Head Farm also has available an adult only ‘Pheasant Lodge’ luxurious ‘5 star, self-catering accommodation complete with hot tub, for friends! No stranger to winning awards, Low Moor Head was voted second place in the National Award in 2013 and winner of the Regional Awards in 2009, 2010, 2015.
Alexander continued: “Low Moor Head Farm consistently goes that extra mile for visitors with the provision of free range eggs, lots of local information and faultless facilities. Owners Owen and Adele have really strived to provide everything guests could possibly want and that includes a very warm welcome – this is a very well deserved win for an incredibly well run site.”
Joint runners up – Welltrough Farm and Meadow Bank Farm
Welltrough Farm Certificated Location opened in 2016 as a diversification project and has become a firm favourite with Caravan and Motorhome Club members. The tranquil adult only site is situated just outside the village of Lower Withington in the beautiful Cheshire countryside with stunning views. All the pitches are hard standing, spacious, generally flat and fully serviced; the site has toilets, a shower, free wifi and a well -stocked information shed complete with washing machine and tumble dryer.
There is a 3km walk round the farm with the unique facility of a warm dog shower and when the walking is done, there are plenty of local pubs in the area. Tourist attractions include Jodrell Bank radio telescope, Tatton Park, Arley Hall and Gardens plus numerous walks.
Alexander said: “With fantastic, well maintained facilities and plenty of local information the site is a welcome new addition to the network and well deserved runner up – congratulations!”
Meadow Bank Farm Certificated Location situated on the edge of the New Forest but within striking distance of Southampton, is another worthy runner up. The site was re-opened in July 2015 with the benefits of a refurbished toilet, shower and washing machine facility.
Meadow Bank Farm is located on a five acre plot in a very tranquil location with walks directly from the site; it is also just 30 minutes’ from the nearest beach and walking distance from a local pub. The owners firmly believe in making people feel welcome and always try to greet guests on arrival and see them during their stay. Added to this, there is a therapy room on site, available for members to enjoy treatments such as massage, nutritional information and other holistic therapies.
“Every CL is different and it is a real bonus that Meadow Bank Farm offers its therapy room to guests, offering optimum opportunity for re-charging the batteries. The warm welcome offered to guests really stood out and I offer my congratulations to this worthy runner up,” Alexander added.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
