Hope
Hope Valley
S33 6RR
Telephone 01433 620215
Return Verdict = Never
Land Gradient = Level pitches and grass is kept tidy
Cost = It cost us £77.50 for 3 nights for a family of 5+1extra child friend (but baby was free).
Additional Cost = Showers were included, hair dryer was coin operated as was washing machine.
We arrived at Laneside Caravan Park around 2pm and went directly to the office to book in. As I introduced myself I was interrupted by the phone ringing and was promptly ignored in favor of the phone being answered. A good start, its a pet hate of mine I find incredibly rude. Finally after quite a wait I was told the price which appeared to have jumped £7.50 from the quoted price. When I questioned this, they didn't know who had given me the original price and it was wrong, end of *discussion.
I was then shown to my plot by a friendly female warden and we parked and started to unpack. Moments later a male warden appeared on his bike, and requested we move the car to a new position, we explained the female warden had asked us to put the car there, only to be told she didn't know what she was doing, with an authoritative laugh. We were told what area was ours and it seemed really tight. The warden started dragging the trailer belonging to the people in the next pitch out the way and told us to park near there tent.
When I had pulled on to the site at 2pm I was looking forward to our small break, it was now 2.30pm and I felt like going home
If I had brought the Vermont instead of the Tigris I wouldn't have got it on the pitch, I did quote the Vermont sizes when booking and was told it would be fine.
*My wife later than evening studied the price list and did confirm that the new price we paid was correct and it was me who had forgotten about the additional friend. Fair enough, the pricing was my misunderstanding, but nobody was prepared to discuss it or explain it at the time. It was take it or leave it.
I think the pictures speak for themselves how crammed in we were, the guy-rope is only a few inches away from the main drive out of the park. How Merlin would have gone on with the Hartford, I dread to think.
When next door returned to there pitch, my OH went straight round and explained we hadn't moved there trailer and apologized for being so close, explaining we had been forced there. They were fine and were a lovely couple called Mark and Sarah with four brilliant young sons. They had been there a week and, like us were fed up with the warden and the site in general. They comment that they would never return, but were pleased that like minded people were now pitched next door. They went on to explain that the following week an older gentleman had complained about the cars being so close and feared that his car would be damaged by Marks car door hitting it. The warden came down and requested Mark move his vehicle to the other side. When Mark pointed out that it would be blocking the fire hydrant and alarm, the warden said it didn't matter and it hadn't been a problem before
.As it was, Mark and myself sorted out how we'd park and still have room to squeeze a couple of chairs outside the tents.
After a few hours on site and with the exception of Mark and Sarah next door and the couple who came later the other side with two sons (lovely people also). It dawned on me that everybody I looked at to say hello to were keeping there head down or even going as far as to turn away and avoid being civil. I also noticed that a lot of the site was taken up with static caravans (with residents in) and seasonal touring pitches, With the acceptation to the lovely couple directly opposite to us who have had there pitch for ten years, I felt as a tent-er I was unwelcome and an inconvenience to a caravan only site (After all its even called Laneside Caravan Park, no mention to tents).
The facilities were once possibly quite good and well thought out, with exception to the taps, but were now quite tired and in need of maintenance. The showers were a single push button that had the heat preset at quite a nice temperature, but it only stayed on for just under 30seconds before it needed to be pushed again. The sink taps in the toilet went off the as soon as you took your hand away, you needed to fill a bowl of water just to give your hands a rinse. The washing up facilities were by far the worst, the hot water taps that did work only trickled out and you had to keep it pressed down to get water out. You had to keep them pressed down for well over two mins to get a sink of hot water and the tops got red hot and needed to be held down with a tea towel. I also think there could have been more facilities and noticed women queuing to shower at peak times.
There wasn't really anything for children, but then they never claimed there was. The older generation were catered for with sand areas for boules. That said there was a brook with stepping stones across to a recreation and sports field and the kids seemed to disappear a lot over these to a larger stream at the end of the field.
My eldest went to buy an Ice Cream and she selected one from a list at £1 only to be told they are £1.30, she was quite done about that
.The toilets were closed for 45mins each day for cleaning (I think it was between 11am and 11.45am) and the sign clearly said not in use. However it didn't mention the sinks for washing up on the opposite side of the court yard and we noticed two other people washing there pots so we dived under the hosepipe that had been slung across the walkway and started to fill a sink. The dreaded warden came out one toilet to go into another and after taking one look at us shook his head in disgust and shot off. He didn't have the decency to explain what it was he thought we had done that was so wrong
. Yet another incident at the sinks, we were washing our pots and we'd took Liam up in his pram (6months). He'd just started to get fed up and was crying out a little (I swear, literally 30 seconds and he was no where near up to full power 
). An older lady turned to her husband and said "Oh isn't it annoying" a little louder than she intended to, my OH turned on her to challenge the comment but she was already up the yard and gone in the direction of the caravans and statics 
.The parks website boasts 90 Electric hook-up points, some on grass pitches and some are on hard standing.
There is also tents without EHU points at the far end of the site and near the brook, I have to admit, every available peace of land is used for pitches.
The site also boasts modern power showers, they are quite powerful and warm, but they're not modern in my opinion and are very tired looking.
Whilst there website claims "New sheltered crockery washing: plenty of sinks, lots of space - and free hot water", I would get the contractors back who fitted the new sinks to repair the taps that don't work or just trickle out. I don't think 7 sinks is plenty to service 90 electric points and two fields of about 50 tents without electric.
There are good points, the Office is well equipped with tourist information leaflets, its actually one of the best for the amount of leaflets I have ever seen, I guess because its so busy everybody drops there leaflets off there. There's also basic conveniences in the office as well as a few good walking books for the local area.
The roads and site generally is kept tidy, but the showers are closed once a day for a major clean, my wife went up in the evening and said how dirty they were after an afternoon and evening of being used, normally showers and toilets are cleaned around people. First time I have come a cross a site that closes down for 1 clean every 24 hours.
I really hate to give bad reviews of anything, but in this instance I believe its justified, I didn't like the attitude of the warden or the feel of the site in general.
Sorry its a 3 out of 10
I cant believe how crammed in everyone is there is there not rules against being so close together? 
