By William Coleman
Just because Christmas is almost upon us, 26 days as I write this, does not mean you have to put the caravan, motorhome or tent away. As we rapidly approach the festive season The Camping and Caravanning Club are preparing to welcome all holidays makers from now through to the New Year both in the UK and overseas.
Seventeen sites across the Camping and Caravanning Club’s network in the UK will have extended opening and will stay open until early January 2019, with 12 sites currently staying open all 365 days a year.
Many of these with extended opening are hosting special events for campers over Christmas, with Salisbury (Wiltshire) laying on a mulled wine and Christmas quiz afternoon on Christmas Eve and Bellingham (Northumberland) throwing open the doors of its cosy recreation hall for campers on-site on New Year’s Eve. In addition to the ‘New Year Fizz’ party, the site will also hold a quiz and film night on New Year’s Day on its big screen.
Club Sites open throughout the year include Kingsbury Water Park in the heart of the Midlands, Canterbury (Kent) plus Theobalds Park (Hertfordshire) and Chertsey (Surrey), which both feature good road and rail links to London.Sandringham Club Site (Norfolk) sits in the grounds of the Royal Estate of the same name where the Royal Family traditionally spends Christmas and New Year.
Bob Hill, Sites Director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “More Club members are now touring long after the clocks fall back in the autumn, swayed by modern heating systems on their camping units and plush on board furnishings.
“The Club is committed to spending more on our sites to make them better equipped for winter touring so they can stay open later into the winter.”
The Club also has several sites close to Christmas markets that are perfect picks for a mid-winter break, such asCanterbury, Oxford and Salisbury.
And further afield, the Club’s Winter Sun sites are gearing up for another busy season with 20 winter sun destinations available on the coasts of Spain and Portugal plus four Winter Sun Rallies running over the festive period. These include Marjal Costa Blanca (Spain, Costa Blanca), La Manga (Spain, Murcia), Almafra (Spain, Costa Blanca) and Alicante Imperium near Benidorm (Spain, Costa Blanca). All of them, with the exception of Alicante Imperium, offer full Christmas Day lunches for Club Winter Sun Rally members.
What’s more, all 20 destinations have plenty to offer over the Christmas period, particularly the rally sites, with activities ranging from carols on the beach to quizzes, Boxing Day swims or walks plus Christmas sing-alongs and other festivities.
Richard Grimsdale, Travel Service Director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “There are more members booked on to Winter Sun holidays this winter than ever before. The numbers booking continue to grow year-on-year, with campers tempted by the prospect of warmer shores in Spain and Portugal.”
Meanwhile, Camping in The Forest, a partnership between the Forestry Commission and The Camping and Caravanning Club, has four sites across the UK open year-round. These include Bracelands (Forest of Dean), Glenmore (Cairngorms National Park), Postern Hill (Savernake Forest) and Setthorns (New Forest). For more information visit www.campingintheforest.co.uk
