1st Trip
Whilton Lodge C&CC CS 5th – 7th October 2007

For a first trip out, it was great. Yes, we both thoroughly enjoyed it and it's definitely the first of many. Our friend was coming to tow us to Whilton Lodge, a C&CC Certificated Site, around 3pm Friday so we set about making last minute checks in the caravan, making sure everything was packed and safe, ensuring an even weight distribution. Back home, we packed a small case of essentials for the weekend both clothes and food and these went into the back of our car. We tried phoning the site to check pitch availability and price but no answer. We'd already driven to the site a few days earlier but no one was there to deal with. We decided to go anyway and take pot luck.

Friend arrived. I took off the wheel clamp and hitchlock and stowed these in the back of our car. I hitched the van onto his car and we followed him in our car to the site. On the way, a hubcap came flying off our caravan! We stopped to retrieve this and sped on our way after our caravan! It seemed to tow very well, with no snaking whatsoever. Darren, our friend, said it towed like a dream.

On arrival at the site, we were surprised to see quite a few caravans parked in the middle of the site. Signposts around said "NHDA". Fearing the site was going to be full, we tried the Workshop (the booking in point) and yet again, no one there so again we tried his mobile. At last, he answered. Enquiring if he had a pitch for us for two nights, he stated there was a NHDA Rally there this weekend and to have a word with Sharon. If she didn't mind, we could pitch there.

Off we set to find Sharon which no one had heard of. Then someone said it's Cheryl, not Sharon! He said she'll be arriving later and to pitch wherever we like. So we choose a EHU spot in the corner of the field next to a water tap. There was only 2 other vans on EHU, neither of who were part of the Rally. All the Rally members seemed to be on battery in the middle of the field. I spent an enjoyable 30 to 60 minutes setting up, fitting the hitchlock and wheel clamp back on, levelling the caravan, lowering the steadies, adding chemicals and water to the toilet system, hooking up, filling and fitting the Waterhog and pump, fitting the Wastehog, setting up the TV and Satellite and attaching the dish. Then I realised the way the dish needed to be pointing was right into the trees we had parked by so NO chance of getting a signal! Just as well we had bought some DVD's to watch on the TV/DVD Combo!

Well, it was an enjoyable late afternoon/evening, watching DVD's (recordings from home Sky programs) and making our first meal in the caravan. We had fun setting up the bed, the plug in thermostat and electric fire and snuggling down to watch some more DVD before falling asleep.

Next morning, Cheryl came over to our caravan and gave us a leaflet of what the NHDA is all about and asked us for payment. Not understanding what the NHDA was all about or who Cheryl was, we paid her the £5.75 a night pitch fee requested. She said to come over and join them at the Rally later if we wanted to, especially if we had any questions or needed any help. Later that afternoon, I ambled over to chat to them. I discovered that the NHDA was the North Hants District Association, the local area of the C&CC we are actually registered with! Cheryl also said that she'd charged us a pitch fee only and forgot we were on EHU. Asking how much more we had to pay, she said she didn't know and would find out

It was only then we realised that they all thought we were there as part of the Rally and had arrived to join them, hence she had collected the monies. Of course, we hadn't known they were going to be there and that our arrival was purely coincidental! Anyway, I spent a little while chatting to the members of the little group, all of who seemed to know one another. I eventually got chatting to one guy who had noticed I had a satellite dish set up and was interested in how it all worked, how easy it was to set up, etc. I explained that I couldn't get a signal being parked close to the trees and asked if I would be able to pull the caravan forward away from the trees nearer to the middle of the field and STILL remain on EHU. (Luckily I had a long cable!) He said it wouldn't be a problem. (Hmmmm. And I thought C&CC sites had some rules about these things. I'd even read on many forums that many caravanners don't like the fact that with C&CC sites a warden takes you to a pitch whereas with the CC, you get to pitch where you like - within reason)

So, off came the hitchlock, clamp etc. and I used the mover to bring the caravan forward some 50 to 80 feet clear of the trees and Woo Hoo!! I got a satellite signal! There we stayed until picked up by Darren Sunday afternoon! It felt funny being on EHU so far from the trees and EHU point. Another thing we'd read on many forums and were told by other caravanners was that you should never flood the site with your waste or dump it anywhere other than in allocated disposal points. When I asked where the waste dumping point was for waste water, she replied "Just tip it out near the trees at the edge of the site" ?!?!?! Hmmmmmm again. I also asked where the Poop Chute was (CDP) and she pointed out a loo set in the ground next to a tap!! LOLOL I've seen outside loos before but OMG!!

The next morning (our last day), Cheryl's lad knocked the door and said that we had to go and see the man in the workshop regarding our EHU fees. So off I set. He explained that it was an extra £4 a night for EHU! I was like - "Whhhaaatttt?!?!" You see, in the book (C&CC) and on the website, it stated £6 - £7 for a pitch with EHU and I told him this. No, he said, pointing to a notice on the window of his workshop (which I'd missed ) and it showed the prices. Pitch - £5 per night. EHU - £4 per night extra. Tents - £3 per night. Hmmmmm. So why was I charged £5.75 by Cheryl, I asked? He explained they were part of the NHDA Rally and he guessed they have to make their money for the club somehow. I explained that we hadn't come with the rally, that we didn't even know it was there! He was quite a nice and friendly chap actually and we got chatting for a while. He hadn't realised we weren't part of the rally and apologised for his mistake, charging us just £3 per night for the EHU in the end.

So overall, it was a great learning experience for us, if not a little confusing to start with why we had been dragged into the middle of a rally!! We didn't take any photos so below is a Google Earth screenshot of Whilton Lodge to show the sheer size of the field.

BACK

3rd Trip
Whilton Lodge C&CC CS 13th – 15th December 2007

We decided to go back to Whilton Lodge for a couple of nights 1 - to warm the van up and 2 - to let our grandson join us for a night. We pitched up (rather late!) Thursday night and grandson joined us for Friday night. He really enjoyed it.

It was really cold Thursday night which wasn't helped by getting there too late, as well as it being damned frosty! Couldn't be helped as we had two friends pop in to see us during the day, resulting in a rather late setting off time. I couldn't get a signal on the satellite either (again!) and gave up with it being so dark and cold. Wasn't worried because we had a DVD of TV recordings to watch for that night. Next morning, I moved the caravan away from some trees and set up the satellite in 30 seconds. It wasn't as cold from then on either which helped and was nice.

Didn't experience any problems this time and in fact, setting up, setting down and returning home was the quickest I've ever done it so far. I guess it's becoming something I'm getting used to doing now.

Still no photos. It was just a frosty muddy (later foggy) field so nothing of interest. Was still nice to go away and rock, er, use the caravan again.

BACK