Thirsk Racecourse Caravan Club Site (REF : THI)

So, we've just stayed here for 3 nights. We found the signage and access to the site very good. Check in process was easy and handled by pleasant, courteous wardens. We managed to find a pitch, with awning in the middle of the field which was plenty big enough for our caravan and awning. Really quick easy access into Thirsk with 2 supermarkets a matter of yards away from the site. I didn't notice the noise from the road or deliveries to the supermarkets. The toilet block is what it is. The wardens make it as good as it can be, spotlessly cleaned every day. The showers I used were fine, yes there is a step up into the cubicle but wasn't a major event from my perspective. The cubicle was big enough, I'm 6'2" and found it fine. Having read some of the previous reviews I really do wonder what people expect. If I was paying £30 plus a night I may have a different view, however for what I paid it was good, and we'll be back.

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We stayed here for 3 nights our way down to Kent, the site is small and all grass pitches, but relatively flat and the wardens are very friendly and helpful. The location is excellent, just a short walk in to Thirsk town centre and 2 minutes from Lidl and Tesco, however this brings with it noise related to their deliveries if you are pitched at that end of the site, there was a refrigerated wagon delivering after 11pm one night and the fridge was very noisy, keeping us awake. There is also a busy main road at one end of the site, with traffic travelling along it all day and night - not ideal for light sleepers. There appeared to be only 1 waste water area, at the end of the site nearest reception which was quite a walk from our pitch. There is no re-cycling, everything goes together into the big waste bins. There are only 3 showers in men’s and ladies blocks, and the cubicles are tiny, but the showers themselves are great (electric and no push button !) unfortunately the shower cubicle was smaller than the one in our van, and the drying area is equally small. The plastic shower cubicle is raised off the floor so you have to step up into it, and the one I used had a sloping floor which was very unsettling. I only used them once, and the. Used the van the rest of the time which was a bit inconvenient given the walk to empty waste water. Some of the pitches are quite tight if you are at right angles to the end of a row. Won’t be returning. It must be one of the worst CAMC sites I have been on.

Comment from the Club:

Many thanks for your review. The site staff have been in touch as they would like to address some of the concerns raised. All the waste is sorted and recycled by the contractor at the depot. Please note for future reference, there are 4 showers in the men's facilities. We are sorry that you found the pitches tight. If all units are pitched correctly the spacing between the units should not be tight. If you see anyone pitched incorrectly please let the site staff know who also check pitches on the site. 

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It's a C&MHC site, Jim, but not as we know it. The Club either needs to update the facilities and sort out the need to move on race days or find another location. It's just not up to standard, even though the wardens do their best. (Apparently they have to remove all the pegs on race days and then put them back in again) We found a relatively level pitch next to Lidl, but had to listen to a lorry unloading for a couple of hours. The electric is a bit strange. 10 amps is ok, but I suspect the voltage is a bit dicky too as our hob and kettle took ages to heat up which has never happened before even on 6 amps in Spain.

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Why "Not the best"? Firstly it is an actual car park, a full grassed one at that. The racecourse use this area for members car parking on race days so, secondly, you'll have to move your outfit onto the specified area in the centre of the course if a caravan, or off site for a motorhome unless you also want to be with the caravans. No electric hook up allowed and no leaving until everything finished and all racegoers departed. Next up the site only has 10 amps per pitch. You are told this by the excellent wardens and there signs in the reception area but strangely the club fail to include this on the fact sheet they hand to you when booking in or mention it on the website. Noise levels? Well the site has a main arterial road right in front of it and is on the edge of town so it's busy. Plus there is another road that runs along the eastern edge. Facilities? Dated would best describe the ablutions block. The shower themselves were new but the cubicles are not and one has to step up into it. Quite compact. The new showers provides enough power and are extremely functional. Only 3 working in the mens and 2 in the ladies. The elsan is not up to Club stndards and the waste water disposal is also poor. Both are found near the reception, a fair way from the furthest pitches. There is no Recycling of waste at all. All goes in one of two large waste bins. This isn't good enough. The photograph used by the club on the website is a bit misleading as the three pitches shown are the only ones next to the running rail of the course. The wifi provided is NOT the normal one provided on club sites but is run by the Racecourse themselves and you will have to purchase it even if you have already bought Air Angel contract. A bit naughty in my view but we use our own anyway. Good points? Very handy for the town, an easy flat 5 minutes. The town is pleasant. There are 2 supermarkets adjacent to the site, a Tesco and a Lidl, which can have deliveries at very inconvenient hours. The current wardens are an excellent couple. Very informative and friendly and they keep everything spick and span. Public transport is on hand in the town. The site is convenient for those travellers who wish to break their journey going up or down the A1 or like ourselves heading across country from East to West Yorkshire. The site is priced at a reasonable CL level. We are unlikely to use the site again and would find an alternative.

Comment from the Club:

Many thanks for your review and we are delighted that you found our site staff friendly and helpful. We just wanted to address some of the concerns raised. On race days, all units, caravans and motorhomes, move to a separate rally field. Please note there are actually 4 showers in the men's and 3 showers in the ladies. Also all the waste is sorted and recycled by the contractor at the depot. We hope this helps address your concerns and thank you for leaving a review. 

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Great location, 5 min walk into Thirsk. Directly outside there's a Lidl and a Tesco with a petrol station. Great access to site, although CAMC branded signage is somewhat lacking, there needs to be clearer signage for the main access and the Reception area. Facilities are dated, but spotless, and the team were very helpful generally. Be aware that if you need a pitch near the facitilies, you WILL NEED TO CALL to reserve them, as pitches are allocated on a first come, first served basis. DO NOT assume that an awning pitch will be nearest to the facilities! I say this because on arrival, I had to wait behind a very obnoxious retired couple who were moaning that they couldn't have a pitch as close to the facilities as they wanted, as they had not rung up first to reserve one. There are only 3 awning pitches near the facilities, the others are on the back wall of the site. None of this should be a problem as the site is the smallest CAMC site I've ever been on! We were a bit worried about the state of the ground, as it is an all-grass pitch site, after the recent heavy rain, but the whole site is well laid out, level and drained. There's no play area for children, so bear this in mind if you are travelling as a family with kids. We'd recommend the James Herriott museum and Thirsk town, literally 5 mins walk away, and North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway, we did the Pickering to Whitby return journey - fabulous! We stayed two nights in late June, and paid only just on £15 per night for a couple - the cheapest of any CAMC site we've used so far!

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