Long stay Baltic Wharf

Posted on 13/12/2021 20:34 by DavidKlyne

Surely being in a Club means that all members have equal access? It is very much a first come first served system. I am not sure it would be fair to introduce positive discrimination for one section of membership? I also suspect there are more motorhomes at Baltic Wharf at the moment because motorhomers are more inclined to go away for a few nights at this time of year. Every member, regardless of unit, has an equal chance to book. Its not unusual for pitches to become available at short notice because of cancellations so if you have some flexibility you can often pick up the odd extra night to extend a stay. 

David

Posted on 14/12/2021 12:22 by Graydjames

My own experience of several visits in the last decade has been that motorhomes have always tended to be more numerous or at least as numerous as caravans at Baltic Wharf, and that includes both winter and summer visits. On my last visit in July, I noted that motorhomes were overwhelmingly the majority; but that might have been influenced by the difficulty of access due to the road works. It seems to me that the nature of this site is always more likely to attract a higher proportion of motorhomes (at least in more recent years since motorhomes became so much more popular). The same is true I think of Crystal Palace and - perhaps to a lesser extent - Abbey Wood; it certainly has been so when I have been there. The CCC site at Oxford was the same, although I have not been there in many years since I left the CCC.

I remember the days when I acquired my first motorhome. I had to ring the club to ask if they accepted motorhomes; it was not obvious! We were very much a minority in those days! That was when the name should have changed, not 35 years later when it was too late to make any difference.   

Posted on 14/12/2021 12:22 by Graydjames

My own experience of several visits in the last decade has been that motorhomes have always tended to be more numerous or at least as numerous as caravans at Baltic Wharf, and that includes both winter and summer visits. On my last visit in July, I noted that motorhomes were overwhelmingly the majority; but that might have been influenced by the difficulty of access due to the road works. It seems to me that the nature of this site is always more likely to attract a higher proportion of motorhomes (at least in more recent years since motorhomes became so much more popular). The same is true I think of Crystal Palace and - perhaps to a lesser extent - Abbey Wood; it certainly has been so when I have been there. The CCC site at Oxford was the same, although I have not been there in many years since I left the CCC.

I remember the days when I acquired my first motorhome. I had to ring the club to ask if they accepted motorhomes; it was not obvious! We were very much a minority in those days! That was when the name should have changed, not 35 years later when it was too late to make any difference.   

Posted on 13/12/2021 16:32 by peedee

Perhaps if the Club gets to keep BW they will still have the Police Traing Ground site so the could dedicate one or the other for motorhomes and the other for caravans.

peedee

 

Posted on 13/12/2021 16:26 by jlseagull

This is one of our favourite sites and we like to book at least 5 nights twice a year which we've always managed to do in the past  We are caravaners but have also had motorcaravans in the past

More recently we've noticed this site tends to be monopolised by motorcaravaners who tend to stay 2 to 3 nights and move on (there were only 3 caravans on the site at our recent visit).  This makes it increasingly difficult to book a longer stay.

This is not intended as a caravan v motorhome whinge (we have done both) but would it not be fairer if at least 50% of the pitches were reserved for a minimum stay of 4 nights or longer which, hopefully would give caravaners a better chance of finding a slot at this prime site and possibly others.  Constructive comments only please.

Posted on 14/12/2021 16:06 by young thomas

We love BW and it's easy access to Bristol and that it's been close to our son and partner (they are due to move)...however, I can't see it as a 'destination site', certainly not in itself...it's pretty much a very expensive city aire..hence the popularity with MHers perhaps.

it's strange, that many MHers 'simply couldn't' stop on aires yet BW is the Clubs best example of what this type of touring is all about...minimal facilities, glorified car park, city location etc...the only thing 'wrong' with BW is its exorbitant price. Location, location, location.

yes, the attractions of Bristol are fairly close by, but Bristol is a huge city and takes some getting about. We could do 2 or 3 days or our way north somewhere but not a week or more.

Posted on 14/12/2021 16:09 by cyberyacht

I was at C&CC Oxford last month. MH's were about 80% of the occupants.

I know what Seaside Bill means about the "quick & the dead". I've often thought that the Place d'Etoile  around the Arc de Triomphe epitomises that phrase. Nearly as hair-raising as the first corner of an F1 race.

Posted on 14/12/2021 12:35 by SeasideBill

Some sites attract MHs for obvious reasons, all of those you mention are good examples. I always view getting to Crystal Palace on the south circular as a bit of an ‘Alton Towers’ type adventure in the MH given my norm is Cornish lanes. Certainly wouldn’t want to try it towing - ‘quick & the dead’ and all that…