New to rallies

You can go with any Centre

You generally need to book.   This might be a phone call the day before you go.  Or you might need to book early to avoid disappointment. 

It’s generaly fine to phonethe organisers for information. But bare in mind they are amateurs and could have Day job.

What to expect depends on the Rally.  I can predict a rally held in England in December is likely to have different weather conditions to a rally held in July somewhere in the South of France

Yes a CMC member can rally with any Rally Centre.( No need to join any Centre) ----... With the CMC you have to book in advance.---- You're not obliged to take part in any of the organised functions. ---- They are not the same as a rally on the continent.

Try one and make up your own mind. ( what have you got to lose ) 

K 

Hello 

Does anybody know the venue of the 2019 caravan club national? 

Thanks 

Ragley Hall - home patch of the Marquess of Hertford. 

Well tug my forelock.  

Tell the stewards it’s your first rally. Most rallies have an initial meeting with coffee usually on the first evening. This will be on the programme you will be given. It is usual to take your own mugs. On the last day is “flag” again take mugs. They will go through future rallies and announce the raffle winner. If you are going to miss flag mention to the stewards to be polite. Any queries ask your neighbours. Enjoy.

Many rallies do not have a first evening coffee, some have no get-togethers at all except last day Flagpole. All rallies are run by centre members - volunteers who pay the same as everyone else attending and they set the programme for the event. Some will like themes some will prefer 'quiet weekends' some are now experimenting with longer rallies, ie a long weekend or even - a five day anytime rally (any longer they have a whole different set of rules to adhere to).

Rallies abroad tend to be much longer, holiday rallies and are  different again. It depends what you are looking for in a rally, would you like to make new friends, possibly to get together with regularly? Are you restricted to weekends and holidays or free to roam - retired.

You can try any rally without joining up to a centre, you just have to be a member of the CMC, try a few - they are all different and even in one centre you get different groups of people, so it is pot luck really.

Have a go, you might be surprised...

Alison

Now over twenty years since being on a CC/CMC rally, and knowing then there was almost an obsession on placing the van to a pre set peg, we are concerned how these days using a continental van we might be treated.

What tends to be the current practice with pitching, in particular with continental caravans and motorhomes, including where an awning is to be used, thanks?

With the exception of one English National I can say we have ever had many problems with pitching and an offside door.  Apparently at the National the offside door represented a major elf & safety hazard.  On normal rallies we typical pitch with the aframe in the same direction as everyone else’s.  Rarely if asked to pitch in any other way we comply as it no big deal to us.   The one exception to this is if we are running the rally, then people pitch the way I tell them to.  Which is as far as I am concerned as long as the spacing requirements a met, they can pitch on their roofs with the wheels in the air.

Hi

New this year to the CMC - and lots of questions if anyone can help?  Looking at the Whats on page seems to be the big national events rather than the small local ones?

How do we find out what our local centre is planning for this year/ next year?

How do we find out about rally's elsewhere with other centres - is there a central calendar/diary somewhere?

I have read a bit in the magazine about holiday meets?  again, how do we find out about these please?