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We set off on Saturday to a local 'site' to give moral support to my friends who've just bought a new motorhome.

We met them there after a few texts telling me not to get my hopes up as it was more car park than campsite. I wasn't worried and was expecting just a plain grassy field with electric hook up and a simple but clean toilet block onsite. How wrong I was! Shocked

We arrived to what looked like a half-arsed attempt at a hardstanding 'section' with 4 electric hook up posts, a big patch of grass and what can only be described as building site toilet blocks, of which the ladies was shut and out of order Shocked

No form of security whatsoever, and definately a place I wouldn't like to leave my belongings in, even if they are loced up tight.

Unless you are prepared to rough it in an undesireable location (albeit attached to a lovely working open farm of which I have been to many times), do not visit Barleylands in Billericay with the intention of camping. For tents, it's fine providing you bring your own porta potti (there is a chemical toilet waste I am glad to say!).

http://www.barleylands.co.uk/campsite/campsite.htm

Lesson learned...they even had the front to take your money up front! Confused

Just visit the farm for the day...unless you're braver than us.

Thanks for info on the site Jen. Did you take any photos of the car park... err, I mean site? Laughing

No Martin. I was so horrified I didn't even think about it until later. It really looked like somewhere that rough surfacing had been put down to give workmen a place to leave their caravans while working on a motorway site or something.

As I said earlier, the grass was ok if you were in a tent, but I certainly wouldn't call it a site at all. I've stayed on some farm sites before and at least the toilets were open/clean and there was some form of security, but this place was dire. The farm itself is gorgeous and well worth a visit (they hold the Essex County Show there every year) so I was shocked to see the so called camping area Sad

Sounds worse then the site we visited recently :

http://www.carryoncamping.org/viewtopic.php?t=2866

The "pitch" had hardcore about 3 or 4 inches below ground so most pegs didn't go all the way in for the awning !!

Was it an offical site (CC, C & CC, CL or CS) ?

The only 'official' thing it was was 'officially' awful! Laughing

Without seeing photos, it doesn't sound THAT bad to me. Remember to take photos next time!!! Shame on you

I've said on a few threads before, I'd pitch anywhere if I could.
Could it be any worse than Bramcote Mains? LOL
http://www.carryoncamping.org/gallery/displayimage.php?album=187&pos=1

And we'll still go back to Bramcote cuz it was a nice pitch by the ressy if we ignored the mess by the toilet/shower block and it's cheap and close to my mum's.

Guest

Well, speaking for myself and Steve, the site is all-important to us. We wouldn't go to, or stay on, any site that didn't look nice - but then we don't spend loads of time actually sitting in the van. We like to sit outside it or walk round the site, if not off visiting the area.

Don't blame you for moving on Jenny (think you said you did in another post?) - we've done that too when a site didn't live up to our expectations. And as for the ladies' loos being out of bounds - well that's just downright terrible. What did they expect women to do? OK, people with caravans could use their own facilities out of necessity, but what were tenters supposed to do? My days of crouching behind bushes are, ahem, well and truly over........!! Rolling Eyes

soozeeg wrote

My days of crouching behind bushes are, ahem, well and truly over........!!

Are you sure? Martin showed me a photo of you mooning from behind a bush at Poston Mill. Laughing

Guest

Legsmaniac wrote

Are you sure? Martin showed me a photo of you mooning from behind a bush at Poston Mill. Laughing

Martin wouldn't show any photos, coz he knows I'd show the ones I've got of him............!! Wink

soozeeg wrote

Martin wouldn't show any photos, coz he knows I'd show the ones I've got of him............!! Wink

Oohhhh, Matron!!!! Embarassed

Legsmaniac wrote

Are you sure? Martin showed me a photo of you mooning from behind a bush at Poston Mill. Laughing

That reminds me of when Her Ladyship and I were walking along the cliffs near Holywell Bay in Cornwall.
She got took short and wanted a wee so I pointed to a dip and told her to wee there while I kept a lookout Very Happy

She agreed and shortly there was such a scream I wondered what had happened. She shouted that she had been stung by a bee and there was all kinds of images going through my mind in those few short seconds of where am I going to have to suck the sting out of? Embarassed

What if someone came along and caught me in the act Embarassed

Thankfully for my embarrassment (and hers) it had stung her on the ankle Rolling Eyes

By the time we had got back to the bungalow it had really swollen Sad

I could have told you about Barleylands before you went. Its about 5 miles from us and its not too far from the biggest Gypsy camp in Europe. Shocked

Next time I go past I'll take some shots. Its just a field in the middle of noware Very Happy

Nice big boot fair there every weekend. Free entry for campers as its in the next field Very Happy

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essexeddie wrote

I could have told you about Barleylands before you went. Its about 5 miles from us and its not too far from the biggest Gypsy camp in Europe. Shocked

Next time I go past I'll take some shots. Its just a field in the middle of noware Very Happy

Nice big boot fair there every weekend. Free entry for campers as its in the next field Very Happy

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NOW you tell me! Razz

Remember to get pics of the so called 'hardstanding electric hookup plots' and the 'executive toilet blocks' seeing as I have been chastised by LM for not doing so, please Eddie! Shocked

LM...feel free to visit for yourself, paying in advance and taking a female along to judge her reaction about the toilet blocks IF they're open Laughing

jennybugs wrote

LM...feel free to visit for yourself, paying in advance and taking a female along to judge her reaction about the toilet blocks IF they're open Laughing

But that's just it, Jenny. We use the caravan toilet. Always. So sites with naff toilet/shower blocks don't bother us. I take photos of them on sites for the benefit of others, that's all. Wink

But even you really wouldn't call it a site at all LM! Just thought the verbal warning would be better than nothing at all really.

Some of us don't have onboard showers Wink

For the likes of us with cassette loos and sinks/showers it's fine, but for those in tents...what are they supposed to do when nature calls? Bad show from the 'campsite' owners in my view Mad

Still, not to worry. Hopefully Eddie will get some pics of this place at some time as I don't have any intention of going back to that glorified car park/worksite. Laughing

I'm not disagreeing with you or doubting you, Jenny. I do agree with you in what you say regarding the toilet/showers for those who don't have them in or with their outfits (car showers for example) or who prefer to use them over the ones they have. I was just saying that it wouldn't bother me, a pitch is a pitch (within reason!) but warning others as you have, just like I did re Bramcote, Keep up the good work! Wink

I was of the same thoughts on the way down to the site...after my friend called me to say it's like a car park. I thought 'Oh well, how bad can it really be?' I soon found out Laughing

Got to say that with or without photos I will give this one a miss. Shocked

The description gives a clear enough picture for us.
Marc

Just visited Barley Lands camp, if you can call it that.
I thought it was a gypsy camp at first, but I think gypsy camps have better toilets.
What a dump. I think the owner must be takeing the pi$$.

Thats one end!

Thats the other end

Thats the bogs Laughing

The camp is a joke and best avoided Wink

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Hmmmmmm. Looks OK. It's a place to pitch. What's the problem? Hardstanding too. Great for winter. Razz

Judging by the number of caravans there, someone must like it! Laughing

This site owner has got it all wrong. He has the perfect makings for a storage site.
Hardstanding at least room for 100 vans water and leccy for washing this guy can't see an opertunity when he's sitting on one.

All I can say is "Oh dear".
How much did they rob off you to stay there Jen?

They wanted a mere £8 a night per plot, rather than per person (paid in advance), but I say even that is a rip off! Mad

I can't see the pics at work so I'll be interested to relive the nightmare when I get home.

LM...feel free to go and 'enjoy' the site...don't expect to see us there though - as Eddie said it has a unique 'feel' to it Laughing

What I don't understand is.........how do these people get a licence to operate?
And....does nobody inspect them on an annual basis?

I think I will become an inspector and close all these horrors down at the stroke of a pen Wink

Maureen wrote

I think I will become an inspector and close all these horrors down at the stroke of a pen Wink

Maureen,
Are you Maggie Thatcher in disguise Laughing

That is what she said when she entered number 10