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Got a motorhome or camper. Considering joining a UK motorhome club? Here’s a breakdown on the biggest, and pros and cons of joining- to help you decide if they’re right for you.
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Motorhome and Camping Clubs
Whether you’re a newbie to motorhoming or been around the block a time or two, you’ll have come across a discussion about caravan and motorhome clubs and whether the benefits are worth the price.
And, as with nearly everything in motorhoming, whether you decide to join a motorhome club or not is a personal decision.
Some clubs offer benefits for insurance, training or even discounted trips overseas. Others offer rallies and a chance to meet up with like-minded people within the community. You can get t-shirts, stickers and even flags to feel ‘part of the gang’.
What caravan and motorhome clubs are there in the UK?
I’ll be honest, there are more caravan, motorhome and campervan clubs in the UK than you might expect! There’s no way I can list them all, but there are a few bigger and more popular ones which you’re probably heard of. (As this is a motorhome travel blog, I’m going to focus on the ones most relevant to motorhomes and campervans, rather than caravans or camping.)
In our experience, there are 3 main UK motorhome clubs that owners tend to join, so these will be the ones we focus on in this post.
There are of course many others within the UK, like specific owners club, but we won’t cover those here.
What are the benefits of joining a motorhome club?
Benefits differ from club to club, and there are often several different types. Of course, what will be important to you will depend on what you’re looking for from your UK motorhome holidays.
We tend to recommend motorhome clubs to new motorhome owners, but they can be beneficial for anyone. Below, I’ll share some details about each club and the benefits of joining.
READ MORE: 27 best motorhome tips and tricks you need to know
VIDEO: Are Motorhome Clubs worth joining?
Watch the video below about the pros and cons of Motorhome clubs and if they’re right for you.
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The Caravan and Motorhome Club
Website: https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/
Benefits of joining the Caravan and Motorhome club:
These benefits can change without notice- visit their site to see any changes
- Rated as the UK’s #1 touring club
- Access to CL sites (more on those below)
- Zero deposits, free cancellations and amendments
- Discounts on lots of practical gear, including snow and rock (for when you take your motorhome skiing), dog & pet treats (for your favourite dog road trip accessories, discounts for new cars, tyres and even things like the National Trust.
- Discounted campsite prices and overseas holiday prices
- Discounted insurance and ferry crossings
- Saving on retailers like Avtex and Road Pro for things like your motorhome TVs or motorhome sat-navs, as well as other useful road trip kit.
- plus more
How much does it cost to join the Caravan and Motorhome Club?
Joining the Caravan and Motorhome Club (previously The Caravan Club) costs £54 a year (for you, a partner, and children under 18). There is an additional £10 joining fee unless you pay by Direct Debit. Add more family members (over 18 years old) for £8 per person.
Is the Caravan club the same as the Caravan and Motorhome club?
Yes. The Caravan Club rebranded to the Caravan and Motorhome Club, but it’s the same thing.
The Camping and Caravanning Club
https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/
Dubbed the UK’s ‘friendliest club’, the Camping and Caravanning Club has been running for over 100 years.
They’re a not-for-profit organisation, so all profit is invested back into their facilities and services.
What are the benefits of joining the Camping and Caravanning club?
These benefits can change without notice- visit their site to see any changes
- Up to 30% off every Club Site booking
- An extra 25% off for over 60s* (Ts and Cs apply)
- Access to meet-ups and rallies
- Exclusive discounts with selected retailers, days out and attractions
- Discounted motorhome Insurance and breakdown cover
- Nationwide network of over 2,000 Club and member-exclusive sites
- plus more
How much does it cost to join the Camping and Caravanning club?
A digital membership costs £41/ year. A physical membership (you receive a book of sites) is £47/ year. Personally, I think there’s a lot of value in having the physical book and would suggest that option. (Here are some other practical motorhome books we love too)
Motor Caravanner’s club
https://themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk/
This is a fantastic club to join if you want to get involved in rallies. There are over 500 events and special interest gatherings organised throughout the year (in a normal world- let’s pretend global pandemics aren’t a thing) and membership allows you to access these.
Despite the name, this is NOT a club for caravanners- for motorhome, RV and campervan owners only, as long as they reach an acceptable standard for hygiene and safety reasons.
They are a not-for-profit-making Club run for members by a Council of Management volunteers.
Benefits of joining the Motor Caravanner’s Club include:
These benefits can change without notice- visit their site to see any changes
- Access to organised rallies and events, including specialised groups (like European rallies group and Motorcycle group)
- Access to cheaper and one-off sites, CL sites and night-stops
- Discounted prices for insurance and breakdown cover
- Discounted ferry prices and access to overseas events
- Online forum and regular magazine
- plus more
How much does it cost to join the Motor Caravanner’s Club?
The Membership subscription fee is £36.75 per year.
Membership covers the applicant and a nominated joint member who must live at the same address and be over the age of 18 (Full Members) and his/her children who are under the age of 18.
Members must own or have the use of a motor caravan, whether factory or privately converted.
Membership is valid for 12 months and runs from the first day of the month of joining
Which is the best motorhome club to join?
There’s no easy way to answer this, as it will depend on what you want to get out of it.
Many people have asked us: “Which is better- Caravan and Motorhome club or Camping and Caravan Club?” We are members of both- which is hilarious as we barely use campsites and we spend most of our time touring Europe in a motorhome.
However, the main reason we are members of both is so that we have access to the CL and CS sites. I’ll share more on those below. We also use some of the discounts.
I asked this question in our Motorhome Facebook group recently in order to get a more balanced viewpoint. Here are a few of the comments received:
“We are members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club. Never use their sites (because of the cost) but we get access to the CL’s if we aren’t motorhome wild camping in the UK and most of those are in convenient places, very nice and good value for money.”
“IOW resident, savings on one return trip on Wightlink , booked through either club, recovered the cost of annual membership of both CMC and CCC.” (Check out all our Isle of Wight road trip tips)
“We are members of both mainly for access to the CL and CS sites.”
“Was, found it a waste of money”
“Yes. Paid for itself on 3 weekends.”
“Yes, Camping and Caravanning Club, we use it because of the temporary holiday sites (you don’t usually have to book- except last summer because of covid) that different DA’s run, you also get a list of members only 5 van sites. The campsites are lovely as well – but I find them a bit on the expensive side as we try and get away most weekends/holidays”
“Sometimes it’s convenient to use a club site that has good transport link nearby, you cannot get your MH everywhere in towns and cities. They both have a good spread of CS CL sites. When we had a very young family and a tent the C&C club gave us good facilities at a price we could afford. We have used both for bulk discount facilities for insurance and ferries in the past. Cons for CMC now are it’s expensive and you are lucky to get in at high season, and some sites low season (maybe they have got their charging scales right).”
“Yes Caravan and Motorhome Club. Their sites are always spotless and I like that you don’t have to pay any deposit and can cancel on the app with only 72 hours notice”
As you can see, there’s a HUGE mix of opinions and that’s why all the biggest motorhome clubs are still doing so well and have so many members- different things appeal to different people.
Want more tips for motorhoming?
Here are some more ideas you might find useful:
- Essential Motorhome accessories every van should have
- Best Sat-nav for motorhomes or campervans
- Motorhome Security– tips for at home and on the road
- How to get Internet & wifi in a motorhome
- Europe- essential gear for travelling to Europe
- Best gift ideas for motorhome and campervan owners
Want FREE checklists, eBooks and additional tips to help? Visit our resource page
Can non-members stay motorhome club sites?
Yes, non-members can usually book onto club sites as long as there is space. However, you might find availability very limited in peak seasons like the school holidays.
Non-members pay more than members- around £10/ night more. So if you’re planning to spend a week at a club site, it will definitely be worthwhile you joining the club for the year.
What is a CL campsite?
A CL campsite is Certificated Location site and are smaller sites affiliated to the Caravan and Motorhome Club. They are small sites with only a maximum of 5 spaces for motorhomes, campervans or caravans. Facilities are usually sparse- don’t expect a clubhouse or kids play area, but you should be able to get fresh drinking water and empty your toilet and waste. Sometimes they have electric hookup too and many have hard-standing pitches. They are probably the closest thing to French Aires that we have in the UK- although they are privately owned, not council run.
What is a CS campsite?
A Certificated Site, or CS, is the exact same thing as a CL, but these are affiliated to the Camping and Caravanning Club. They can also take a maximum of five caravans or motorhomes at any one time for up to 28 consecutive days, allowing space of six metres between each unit.
How do you book CS or CLs?
If you are a member of either of the big two motorhome clubs, you can book through the club website. Some CLs or CSs are reserved exclusively for club members, but others are able to be booked by non-members.
The Motor Caravanners club also has access to CL sites and you are provided with details when you join.
Can you book a CS or CL site if you’re not a motorhome club member?
If you’re not a member, you can often find details about small sites like these on several other places on the internet:
- There are several Facebook groups dedicated to sharing locations and contact details, as well as last-minute availability
- Using apps like Park4night or Searchforsites.com
- Other campsite websites, like pitchup.com or campsites.co.uk, allow you to search for smaller sites
Once you find the details of the campsite, you can contact the owner in advance to make a booking. You do need to book in advance for most small campsites- you can’t just turn up.
What other options are there?
Of course, if you don’t want to use a motorhome campsite, you can always try:
- off-grid motorhome parking/ wild camping
- Pub parking- there are Facebook groups dedicated to sharing details of Pubs in the UK which allow overnight motorhome parking if you buy a drink or a meal.
- join an overnight scheme like Brit Stops (which is almost like a motorhome club!)
I hope that’s helped break down the basics of motorhome clubs and why they might be worth joining. If you’re a member of a club, feel free to share your reasons for joining (or not!) in the comments below.
Other Posts you might be interested in:
- 21 essential motorhome accessories every van should have
- Motorhome security– how to stay safe at home and on the road
- How to plan the ultimate UK road trip
- Pre-trip checks (and FREE motorhome departure checklist)
Kat never planned to buy a motorhome. She also never planned to quit her job as an air traffic controller, go touring around Europe in said motorhome, start one of the UK’s largest motorhome travel websites… or get a cocker spaniel.
Find out how she went from stuck in the rat race to being a digital nomad and inspiring thousands of people to have their own epic adventures here.
If you’d like to connect with Kat, send her an email or follow her adventures on social media.
Hi Kat we have just recently purchased a VW camper van and being elderly novices is there good sites with all facilities as we don’t have toilet or washing facilities, so sites with food
And entertainment would be good, I don’t seem to find many that cater for our type of camper, many Thanks