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Club Selects Top Five Campsites In The South West.

31 Thursday May 2018

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With green rolling hills and the longest coast line in England, the South West is a region made up of panoramic views and stunning scenery just waiting to be explored. The Caravan and Motorhome Club has 45 sites spanning the seven counties of the South West and has handpicked its top five sites, ideal for a UK staycation:

Start Bay, Devon
For those looking for a quiet countryside escape, Devon is home to one of the Club’s hidden gems. The private and intimate setting of Start Bay Club Site offers a peaceful stay in a quintessential English meadow. For holidaymakers wishing to explore more the local surroundings, the picturesque town of Salcombe, known for its sailing and freshly caught crab as the local delicacy, is only just over a 30 minute drive away. The Site itself is located on the edge of Start Bay beach which is a popular place with anglers for a spot of sea fishing.

Price: From £18.40 per night (based on two adults sharing a standard pitch with electric hook up).

Treamble Valley, Cornwall
Deemed one of the prettiest sites on the Club’s network, the site is located within 36 acres of woodland. With views across the Atlantic Ocean on offer from the hardstanding pitches, it is easy to see why this is such a popular spot for a UK staycation. Nearby there are extensive walking trails directly from the site, Truro is only a 25-minute drive away and Newquay is only five miles away. Truro, the UK’s most southerly city, is full of history and is home to the Royal Cornwall Museum and the world-renown Truro Cathedral; Newquay offers more of a modern vibe playing host to surfing championships each year and is considered one of the nation’s favourite seaside holiday spots.

Price: From £18.40 per night.

Cheddar, Somerset
Located in the heart of Somerset, the quaint English village of Cheddar is a haven for lovers of the great outdoors. The surrounding countryside of the Mendips is a walker’s paradise with many walking trails and hiking routes just waiting to be uncovered. The Club’s Cheddar Site is located right on the edge of Cheddar village and is only a short distance from world famous Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company, the producer of authentic Cheddar Cheese matured in the local caves. The Site is also only a 25 minute walk from the spectacular natural landmark of Cheddar Gorge with its awe-inspiring cliffs and stunning subterranean show caves. The area is also well-known for rock climbing and caving too, perfect for adrenaline junkies!

Price: From £23.90 per night.

Crossways, Dorset
Set in 35 acres of woodland, Crossways Club Site provides the ultimate south of England retreat. The Site is only a short drive from Dorchester which is home to the Teddy Bear Museum and the Tutankhamun Exhibition, making it a great day out. The coastal town of Weymouth is also only a twenty minute drive away and is the perfect place for a sunset dinner made up of local seafood delicacies. Crossways Site is easily accessible if not driving too and is only a five minute walk away from Moreton, the nearest train station.

Price: From £19 per night.

Penzance, Cornwall
The most westerly major town in Cornwall, Penzance is well known for pirates (of the singing variety), palm trees and excellent beaches. The nearby Marazion Club Site, close to the town of the same name, puts visitors within easy reach of the beautiful Cornwall Coastal Path and everything you could want from a UK summer holiday. A fish and chip van even visits this site from time to time. Marazion boasts a stunning beach ideal for families, some of the best windsurfing in Britain, great sailing with easy launching facilities, the warmest mean climate in the country arguably the most famous view in Cornwall across to St Michael’s Mount.

Price: From £15.10 per night.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

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Sledmere House CAMC National 2018 enjoyed by all.

27 Sunday May 2018

Posted by in Exhibitions and Shows, General, Sites

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The Caravan and Motorhome Club National 2018 is at Sledmere House in East Yorkshire and I have to say it is an impressive setting – certainly yesterday and today Sunday bathed in continuous sunshine. We visited the house and the wonderful walled garden and loved every minute of it.

It is an astonishing event put together almost entirely by volunteers headed up by Vice-Chairman of the Club and Events Committee Chairman Rodney Lambert. During the event the small village of Sledmere goes from a population of 300 to 5000 with all of the electric, water and waste infrastructure demanded by a population of that size. It is quite an undertaking and yet to all the attendees like myself it seems to work like clockwork which in turn makes a visit to the National such an enjoyable experience.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

A bit of Spring Touring.

15 Sunday Apr 2018

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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

A weekend at Moreton-in-Marsh.

18 Sunday Mar 2018

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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

The Scottish Caravan, Motorhome and Holiday Home Show.

09 Friday Feb 2018

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Caravan Times’ William Coleman caught up with CAMC Director General Nick Lomas at the show.

LINK TO CARAVAN TIMES

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

Burrs Country Park and Castleton CAMC sites – and a bit of drama.

03 Saturday Feb 2018

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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

Interview with Caravan and Motorhome Club peeps.

27 Saturday Jan 2018

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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

Hunter’s Moon Caravan and Motorhome Club site, Wareham.

14 Thursday Dec 2017

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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