Chatsworth site evacuated

Interesting.............it’s still possible to book a pitch at Chatsworth for tomorrow. No warning of flooding on webpage. Bit strange, it usually come up if there’s a problem at YRP.🤷‍♂️🤷‍♀️

Never used Chatsworth, but YRP several times and it's got me thinking == what happens to the poor old wardens when a sites evacuated ?? I know York's reception is elevated but is the wardens 'lodgings' also at altitude ??  And the same applies elsewhere as well !

Are you suggesting the wardens may have an altitude problem? 

Sorry to hear about the evacuation from Chatsworth. Were you offered a transfer to Poolsbrook? Did you have to return home? I was just thinking that it could be a long drive for some people in bad conditions?

No offer of a transfer as it was a matter of getting off the site quickly with all the other campers. We couldn’t get back to the M1 through Chesterfield as the road (A617) was flooded so we headed through Bakewell and Matlock in the dark hoping not to come across any other floods. Since arriving home we have found out that our route was later closed as that flooded too so we consider ourselves very lucky. 

The wardens were probably too busy saving their outfits as well having alerted campers to phone around. When was the warning given? 

We stayed on Tewkesbury a few years ago. I normally like a couple of double scotches after 7 or 8 pm at least 3 nights of our 5 night stays. Sometimes might have a third. When at Tewkesbury the weather was wet and so on the nights that I had scotch it was just the one double just in case. 

I never realised the likelihood of Chatsworth site flooding

We came back to the site at 4.30pm and asked if the site would be ok as we had driven through a flood in Baslow and the warden said they were in touch with the Chatsworth estate and taking advice from them. They said if Friday was bad there was space for us to stay a extra night other than travelling. 
then about 6.15pm they came knocking on the caravans to say we had to move straight away as the environment agency had told them to evacuate. We got the awning down and managed to chuck everything in the car and caravan within 30mins and headed off site. With all the chaos we realised once we were back home that we hadn’t even put the towing mirrors on - oops ! 

There is another exit through to Chatsworth estate for emergencies so we are hoping the wardens managed to get their outfits off that way ?

You have had a very luck escape, Matlock has had terrific flooding. Amazing how quickly you can pack up though if required. The Wardens may well have been allowed up onto House parking area, which is a lot higher than the site. We have never stayed at Chatsworth Site, but know area well, surprised us how close to River it is. Feel for the family of that poor woman in Rowsley, dreadful event.

I feel for you, we had to take a very similar route, to Bakewell down to Matlock then down to Ambergate.

It was the uncertainty that you didn't come to another flood then have to turn back and find another way that was the worst bit.

We stuck to the main roads in the hope that they would be clear, they were for us but were closed later.

It must have been much worse for you having to tow your caravan.
At least you are now safely home.

Presumably the Wardens had a contingency plan in place and a safe place of refuge for their vans when and if flooding happens, as it did. I wonder how much clearing up the wardens now have to do before allowing vans back onto the Chatsworth site. With more rain forecast is the flood warning still in place?

Glad that you, and hopefully all others on site, got home safe and sound, djw. Have you any idea of the number of vans that had to be evacuated?