By Bkw141 on Monday, 26 June 2017
Posted in UK touring
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Hi all

My wife and I are living in France and own a camper van (Rapido V55). There are many aire du service points in continental Europe where we can empty our grey water and toilet cassettes. Our main reference is “Park4Night”. Unfortunately, there do not seem to be many placers listed in UK and, all our research indicates that you need to go to camping & caravan sites to do this. While there are various sites (including Club Motorhome) that provides information and listings for pub and other stopovers, few indicate servicing facilities.
We are planning a trip to the UK in the next couple of weeks. Can anyone advise on how, when touring in England, they find facilities to empty waste water and toilet cassettes and refill fresh water please?
Hi ... I think you will have to Google the subject and sift through
I do know that the Camping and Caravanning Club have a scheme that allows motorhomers to:-

Fill up with fresh water
Drain waste etc
Use all site facilities for up to three hours
for the cost of £7.20 ... but you have to be a member of the club to do so.
It seems a bit pricey to me when you think you can book a whole 24hr pitch on a CS for as little as £8 ... but it is personal choice.

Sorry cannot be of more help ... the UK is not very well equipped for touring motorhomes ...
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7 years ago
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There are several ways that I do it and we hardly ever use sites for overnight.

1. Many campsites will let you empty the loo and fill up with water for a fee, the camping and caravan club sites for example charge £7.50 for 3 hours on site, which includes using the showers, should you so wish.
Many private sites are ok with it too, for a fee.
2. Club Motorhome stopovers. I have emptied the loo and filled up with water at many, just by asking if I can. Many don't actively promote it but are ok when asked.
3. There are a few 'official' aire type facilities that provide the continental style facilities, such as West Beach Hayling island and Canterbury Park and ride.
4. Garages when filing up with fuel are often ok for filling up with water.
5. Boatyards and marinas are often ok with loo and water and many are ok for an overnight stay on the quiet too.
6. Shops and cafes in tourist areas, after your custom are often ok with loo and water .
Probably the most controversial.
7. Public toilets, if no other option is possible, tip the cassette down the toilet slowly to avoid making a mess and clean up afterwards if you do so.
I also have a 5 litre can for water with a length of hose attached, so I can connect it to the basin tap and fill it up.
Also you will be surprised the amount of public loo's that have a tap round the back of the building, if you look.
Discretion is the better part of valour in this case!

Basically there is no nationwide 'system' for doing it, so you have to be cheeky and ask in a friendly way and expect a no response.
Its surprising how positive people are most of the time, for example last summer we did over 3 weeks Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, didn't stay on a site overnight at all and I used 3 Club motorhome pubs, 1 private campsite and 1 public loo for my services, all were happy to help. Well the public loo didn't have much say!

Grey water usually drips discreetly on the grass when parked up or on my veggie patch at home, keeps the insects off!

Is there anywhere in particular you are aiming to visit here?
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7 years ago
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Katmax

thnaks for your response. have seen the CC&C offer. As you say, possibly expensive as you also have to join first, then pay this to use any of their sites!

Research tells me the UK is not well equipped. Hove ofund a couple of sites that are useful:

Admin note: Links removed, please adhere to the forum rules https://www.clubmotorhome.co.uk/home/notices?start=4 - specifically this bit:

Other motorhome forums and stopover organisations....

If it is helpful to the original poster's question or relevant to the ongoing thread then it is acceptable to 'mention' other such sources but, please do not provide web links to them however well meaning your intentions. A Google search will provide the relevant links should the poster wish to explore information outside Club Motorhome.
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7 years ago
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Tom1

Thanks for your informative and very helpful response. it is very much supporting all the research I have done so far.

on the planned itinerary, we have so far dates to be in Reading, Lydney, Kidderminster and Bedford. in between, meandering!

in another reply, i have shared a couple of links. I also think it is time to upgrade membership here and download the e-book of stopovers; how many stopovers are listed?
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7 years ago
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I have used a C&CC site before for servicing, without being a member, nobody actually asked, so I just acted like I was and did it.
But as I said before I have also had success with larger commercial campsites, I also know somebody who regularly just drives into larger campsites, uses the facilities then drives out!
But I don't think any of us here want to behave like that!
Many campsites still don't have grey water drains anyway.

Quite a few people stay every 5th night on a site to service.

As for the stopovers I don't know exactly how many there are but I have done up to 3 weeks, quite a few times, solely using them.

I live 20 mins from Reading, so your welcome to come here and service, but I also know of a pub on the listings, between here and Reading that I'm sure will be willing to help too, the landlady is a good egg.

Looking at your other locations, there are maybe 8 stopovers near Lydney, one of which I have used several times.
The others have less but do have some not that far away.

If you do join it may be worth emailing the stopovers you like the look of and ask them if you can service there.
I have been told they are not keen only 2 or 3 times but all the others have been positive, especially after I explain we plan to have a meal and a few drinks.
I also make it clear all I require is a tap and a toilet to empty my cassette carefully in!

I have never regretted joining CM, its done me well.
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7 years ago
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