Be warned - Chestnut Farm Meadow

arent CL's part of the clubs revenue stream?, why risk losing some of this revenue by using possibly over zealous inspectors, when they can use local volunteers who probably bag a couple of free nights camping as a perk of the job

You'd definitely get my vote: we've stayed on a few cls that you've reviewed and you've always been spot on.

As a CL lover all I want is an accurate description and if any facilities are advertised (which isn't a prerequisite for us) that they are fit for purpose. We've stayed on 2 where the shower and toilet facilities definitely were not! 

We booked one particular cl because it had a shower. We knew in advance that we couldn't use the one in our van (as it had started leaking through van floor and was booked in at a future date to be repaired under warranty). However,  the cl shower head was so covered in limescale that the water barely trickled out so using it was an unpleasant, cold and lengthy process! I pointed this out in my review of the site and yet others (who admitted they hadn't used it) said it "looked" fine to them! 

You really do have to be able to read between the lines with people's reviews of cls and this is an art I'm slowly getting better at! I do love cls and don't let the one or two bad ones we've encountered put us off:sadly though I think it does put some people off which is a great shame as there are some fantastic cls out there.

Couldn't agree more with you thebells. We tend to know which reviewers to trust, and not just those who are on CT,  and yes you do need to read between the lines. Some peoples concerns wouldn't matter to us, for example poor TV reception as we don't take one so you tend to do quite a bit of sifting through.

In general I do agree that there club could/should do more to engage better reviewers. They should also demand that all CLs provide photos giving an overall impression of the CL. No photos at all does lead one to wonder what they're hiding yet we've stayed on a few that have turned out fine but only after reading good reviews from members.

Rufs

No Cl's are not a revenue stream for the Club, in fact they costs the club money, The Inspectors get expenses and the Bi annual book has to be printed, together with staff at headquarters to be paid. The whole system is run as a service to the members. As a CL owner I have to operate to certain standards. and supply documents to prove this. All of which add hidden costs. As a club member and a caravaner that uses CL's I am happy with that.

thank you good to know , guess it is down to the individual CL to create a good impression if they are to retain business.

In return the club collects a membership fee from every site owner and uses the CLs to boost the site network. It’s anybody's guess how many members pay their subscriptions to the club purely because they want to use CLs so it’s debatable whether CLs are a financial gain or drain to the club. Whichever, long may they continue👍🏻

In general I do agree that there club could/should do more to engage better reviewers. They should also demand that all CLs provide photos giving an overall impression of the CL. No photos at all does lead one to wonder what they're hiding yet we've stayed on a few that have turned out fine but only after reading good reviews from members.

Although they do say that a photo is worth a thousand words they can also give a false impression, as we've found out recently. However I would much more readily look to book a CL with a set of photos showing the site from various angles than some which give only one shot of the site and a whole load of other photos that show the what's in the area to visit, or those without any photos at all. Again we try and read between the lines of the site reviews and the details supplied by the site owners before we choose which ones we'll visit.

Totally agree NTH. Only pictures of the site and the pitches needed. Gereric photos of the area are obtainable elsewhere.

Never noticed a CL site inspector visiting a site in many years of CL camping. Wonder how you become one? Must be a hundred CL's within easy visiting distance of where I live in the Yorkshire Dales.

Would do it free of any charge to help the club and members

We have actually been on a CL when an inspector called! Unannounced of course (nothing wrong with that) but the very busy farmer was expected to drop everything instantly. On this occasion he couldn’t (needed for a going wrong calving). Inspector got a little huffy, did a cursory walk round, didn’t speak to any of us happily sat outside and that’s the last we saw of him. It was an excellent CL, so he wouldn’t have found much wrong anyway. Might have been in touch later of course. 

Some of the tales we have heard about inspection visits have had us puzzling as well. One or two times, CLs that have been inspected for years, happily still part of network, are suddenly told you need this, this and this....not H&S stuff, but more what the inspector things users want. All adds up to a lot of expense for CL owners, and of course makes them question whether it’s still worth it.

We use CLs, and my usual criteria is always -

location most important (where we want to be, and not down a single track approach road), does it have EHU, then size of CL (ample space, 1/2 acre min), then if more than one CL is still on the list, check reviews, Google earth for layout etc, and availability.

Bungalow with 1/2 acre of manicured lawn is always preferable to CLs containing the word Farm in their name, with accompanying 2 feet high meadow grass, and a tap 300m from pitches!