Enjoy your camping? Join the Club!
Contrary to public belief, wanting to be part of a club is not exclusive to our school years. Big kids want to have fun too! What do they say… “youth is wasted on the young”?
Whether you’re at the helm of an outdoors loving family, half of a couple that likes to get away from it all on a regular basis, or a lone camper who enjoys solitude, a cuppa and a campfire; a camping club could be exactly what you need.
At BCH Camping we’re often asked if we can recommend camping and caravanning clubs. Being the helpful folk that we are, we’ve put together some information on clubs out there that we hope you find useful. This is just a snapshot and there may also be clubs more local to you. As they say, other clubs are available!
The Camping and Caravanning Club
Probably the longest established club, the Camping and Caravanning club was founded in 1901 and now has over a third of a million members. Thomas Hiram Holding from London developed a passion for camping at the age of nine, whilst crossing the American prairies with his parents in 1853, as part of a wagon train. Holding formed the Association of Cycle Campers, with thirteen members in 1901. The club withstood the devastating war years, grew and eventually changed its name to The Camping and Caravanning Club in 1983. The broadcaster Julia Bradbury is now Club President.
Membership benefits include:
The Phoenix Camping Club
The Phoenix Camping Club was formed in 2000 with the single person in mind. It is a club specifically for single people to camp and caravan across the UK and sometimes abroad, with other people in a similar position to themselves. At its inception there were 28 members. This has grown steadily to make this non-profit making club an ideal option for those who love to camp but don’t want to do it alone.
The club holds two national meetings a year, and gets together during the Christmas period. There is also a year-long programme of events.
Membership benefits include:
The Caravan and Motorhome Club
Founded in 1907, The Caravan and Motorhome Club proudly declare that they are “Europe’s biggest touring community, helping caravanners, motorhomers and campers access over 3000 stunning locations in the UK and Europe”. The club rebranded this year from The Caravan Club to The Caravan and Motorhome Club, bringing more diversity to their offering. More on the history of the club can be found through the historical archive at The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in the New Forest.
Membership benefits include:
Tranquil Parks
If you’re a lone camper or couple who relish the peace and quiet, Tranquil Parks could be for you. Whilst they’re not officially a club with memberships, they offer access to 40 exclusively adult only caravan sites and touring parks to choose from. Tranquil Parks is a family operated business with sites boasting high quality facilities in peaceful locations.
Campers can choose from garden parks with just 10 pitches, country parks with leisure facilities or pretty campsite hideaways.
Features include:
The Motor Caravanners’ Club
The Motor Caravanners’ Club is made up of regional groups in the UK and Spain, and specialist interest groups such as the Photographic Imaging Group (PIGs) and the Selective European Rallies Group (SERG). Each group has meetings known as rallies, throughout the year, which are often held in conjunction with other events such as music festivals and carnivals.
Being a member of the Motor Caravanners’ Club enables you to become part of a caravan community with access to advice from fellow members.
Member benefits include:
The Greener Camping Club
As the name suggests, The Greener Camping Club offers a “more sustainable approach to camping”. The club was established by a small group of campsite owners with a shared passion for sustainable, low impact camping holidays. Membership is £10, with a percentage of funds used for projects such as the carbon offset scheme whereby the club is committed to planting a tree for every booking taken by their certified sites.
Membership benefits include:
Whichever club you think may suit you, we hope you’re looking forward to the camping season as much as we are!
BCH Camping supply equipment, clothing, bedding and much more for campers and caravanners alike. And here is the great news! BCH Camping offer their support to all of the above clubs by providing a 15% discount in-store to members. Simply show your club membership card at the time of payment to qualify*.
If you would like any advice or information, please do get in touch. Likewise, if there is anything you would particularly like us to cover in our blogs, we’d love to hear from you.
*Discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Terms and conditions apply.
Whether you’re at the helm of an outdoors loving family, half of a couple that likes to get away from it all on a regular basis, or a lone camper who enjoys solitude, a cuppa and a campfire; a camping club could be exactly what you need.
At BCH Camping we’re often asked if we can recommend camping and caravanning clubs. Being the helpful folk that we are, we’ve put together some information on clubs out there that we hope you find useful. This is just a snapshot and there may also be clubs more local to you. As they say, other clubs are available!
The Camping and Caravanning Club
Membership benefits include:
- Online campsite directory
- Member exclusive campsites
- Special offers
- Club glamping
- Meets and greets
- Local groups
- Club forum
- Specialist RAC breakdown
- Courses (manoeuvring and B+E licence categories)
- Club publications
The Phoenix Camping Club
The club holds two national meetings a year, and gets together during the Christmas period. There is also a year-long programme of events.
Membership benefits include:
- ACCEO affiliated which means members have access to permits to camp on unlicensed ground
- Not-for-profit. Subscriptions cover the cost of administration and production of the newsletter
- Meet up with like-minded people
- Small and large meets (3-4 people, or 40-50 people respectively)
- Campers in tents, caravans or motorhomes all welcome
- Events for 2018 are already in the calendar from January through to December
The Caravan and Motorhome Club
Membership benefits include:
- Access to over 2700 sites in tourist hotspots
- Touring sites to suit all budgets
- Discounts with outlets such as Sainsbury's, Cotswold Outdoor, Shell garages and Roadchef
- Local centres and Rallies
- Caravan storage at a local storage pitch
- Save £12 per night on Club site pitch fees
- Travel discounts such as M6 Toll, ferries and caravan insurance
Tranquil Parks
If you’re a lone camper or couple who relish the peace and quiet, Tranquil Parks could be for you. Whilst they’re not officially a club with memberships, they offer access to 40 exclusively adult only caravan sites and touring parks to choose from. Tranquil Parks is a family operated business with sites boasting high quality facilities in peaceful locations.
Campers can choose from garden parks with just 10 pitches, country parks with leisure facilities or pretty campsite hideaways.
Features include:
- Special discounts
- Easy to navigate park finder
- News updates
- Things to do and directories for walking, cycling and bird watching
- Caravan and motorhome forums
The Motor Caravanners’ Club
Being a member of the Motor Caravanners’ Club enables you to become part of a caravan community with access to advice from fellow members.
Member benefits include:
- Monthly magazine
- Technical expertise via the website
- Discounted campsite fees at rallies in the UK and Spain
- Certified locations – cheaper than a full facility site - listed in the handbook
- Access to Night Stops and the Safe Knights scheme
- Annual national rally and AGM held in a different location each year with a full programme of entertainment and events
- Savings on insurance and ferry costs
- Overseas tours with fellow members in Europe and beyond
- Discounts with Haven, various caravan accessories suppliers and camping costs at trade shows
The Greener Camping Club
Membership benefits include:
- Access to Greener Camping Club campsites in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, and Herefordshire on the Wales/England border
- Large pitches at all sites
- Camping and glamping options available
- Zero waste initiatives
- Environment and wildlife projects
- Campfires with locally sourced firewood
- Family education on plants and wildlife
Whichever club you think may suit you, we hope you’re looking forward to the camping season as much as we are!
BCH Camping supply equipment, clothing, bedding and much more for campers and caravanners alike. And here is the great news! BCH Camping offer their support to all of the above clubs by providing a 15% discount in-store to members. Simply show your club membership card at the time of payment to qualify*.
If you would like any advice or information, please do get in touch. Likewise, if there is anything you would particularly like us to cover in our blogs, we’d love to hear from you.
*Discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Terms and conditions apply.
