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To Book Or Not To Book
Blog Date 15 July 2025
Once upon a time things were simpler and Ren was a young man and we didn't have no "internet". If you said we would have a hand held device the size of a king size packet of cigarettes that would allow you to phone your friends, even video chat with your friends, access the entire world's knowledge, show maps of the world that will also calculate routes and assist you to follow them, allow you to watch videos made by professionals and amateurs alike, take pictures and videos yourself - you would have been burnt at the stake.
Waaaay back before t'interweb...
And yet here we are. Let's be honest the fact you are READING this on a WEBSITE is in OLD SKOOL now. Goodness gracious - get with the times! This site has the written word and still images, there may be the occasional video. There's no flashy sliding menus, the login is optional and more basic than a sidevalve engine and the code that runs all this is from the '00s. Don't you know you should be watching Tik-Toks and Shorts and Twitches? You're supposed to Reddit your feeds and Etsy your Instagrams... or something like that. Bikes and Travels should be an APP not a WEBSITE.
Anyhow back when it was all perfect and wonderful (it wasn't, rose tinted glasses) I seem to remember you'd just turn up at a campsite, find a reception or a warden or the farmer's sidekick, throw a tenner at them, pitch your tent and crack on with your evening. The absolute worst case scenario was the campsite was full but even then unless you looked like trouble they might find you a patch behind a fence with uncut grass and sheep for company.
This young(ish) bloke's mechanical skills were never destined to improve.
If you were planning to camp on a busy weekend (bank holiday, summer holidays) it would be prudent to actually phone the campsite - if you could find a number for them. Remember the yellow and white pages only covered your local area, there was no way of getting a number for a campsite in The Lake District when you lived in Bolton. There was no website with an email address, no booking forms, no WhatsApp or Messenger... thinking about this I'm beginning to wonder how anything at all used to happen?
"Yeah pitch where ya like, it'll be fine."
Then along came the interweb. Now you could find contact details for campsites, along with season dates, prices, facilities and their actual location too. This proved very useful indeed, allowing us to find numerous campsites we would otherwise never know about. And still for the most part it would be expected that you could just turn up unannounced with a reasonable level of confidence that you would be able to pitch up.
That was until Covid.
Since the pandemic it **FEELS** as though most campsite's websites want you to book in advance, for the odd campsites it is clear you MUST book in advance. And I get it, it makes a lot of sense... for the operators of the campsite.
It is my understanding that campsites in the UK have a limit on numbers - based on the amount of available space and available facilities. With a booking system you can ensure those people who book will get a pitch, with any spare pitches available to the random blow-ins but no guarantees. If the operator only has 4 bookings this weekend maybe they can reduce staff numbers or give their partner the day off to go out with friends or do that job in the toilet block.
"Loads of room mate..."
From a user perspective there is one main benefit - having a booking guarantees (in theory) that you will have a pitch when you arrive at the site.
But. The one thing I desire when travelling is flexibility. If perchance it was a requirement that all accommodation was booked 3 weeks in advance this then means I must be at campsite A on this day, campsite B on that day and campsite C on the other day. But what if the weather goes bad and I fancy a Travelodge instead? But what if I decide I like campsite A and wish to stay for 3 nights, skip campsite B then go straight to campsite C? What if the bike breaks down? All these pre-booked sites won't be giving me my deposit back (many require payment in full).
I figure with the advances in technology camping has moved from being a random turn up and see accommodation to becoming much more like hotel accommodation. You always could book a hotel (if you had a number), and you could and still can turn up at a hotel and at least ask if there are any vacancies. I suppose camping is the same, it probably always was but it **FELT** much more "turn up it'll be fine" than today's "please book, we might not have space".
Camping is such good clean fun.
I know some of you reading this will travel using hotels. To me in my head you ALWAYS have to book hotels, but apparently many people can and will just turn up and ask.
I know some of you reading this will travel using campsites. To me in my head you NEVER have to book campsites, but apparently campsites can and will be full to capacity.
I'm glad I've written this down. It has helped me greatly to comprehend the situation.
Perhaps nothing (or very little) has actually changed. What has changed is my perception of the situation. I always presumed that I could just turn up to a campsite and expect to camp. I'm now seeing "Book HERE!" on the campsite's websites and this is giving me the **FEELING** that I must book. I now am perpetually thinking that if I don't book I shall be turned away, much as I always thought about hotels.
So help me out. If you use hotels, guest houses, and B&Bs how easily do you find vacancies? Do you find the prices are higher/same/lower if you prebook or just turn up? If you use campsites are you still expecting to turn up and camp? Do you feel the need to book?
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Reader's Comments
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Just this weekend Sharon was busy doing other things so I decided I'll take a trip to Skipton and try a campsite there. It is the summer holidays so I had an inkling it might be busy, not to worry Skipton ain't that far away. The campsite at Skipton was full. As was the campsite near to Settle.
It is like hotels... if you're going to go in peak season at the weekend there's a damn good chance you WILL NOT get in without a booking.
It was still a lovely ride and I was back home in time for tea and the F1 qualifying.
29/07/2025 07:54:28 UTC
Bogger said :-
Yes things have definitely changed. Not only with accommodation mind, but that's a whole other subject.
But firstly back to campsites. If I'm going a distance I'd rather book. Who wants to turn up in the pouring rain after a long day's riding, only to be turned away. No thanks.
There are a few campsites in this country that I use where they just don't take bookings. Basically ,turn up and pitch up.
Conder farm in Dent is one such site. If fact I'm convinced that the farmer has no concept what the Internet is.
As for Hotels, I'd definitely be booking in advance unless it's an emergency type situation. I hate booking hotels or B&B through a bookings website. I'll find out the telephone number and call directly. Maybe it's an age thing.
However I have now sort of worked out how to book an Air BnB. Maybe I am being dragged into the eighteen century.
If you've read some of my trip reports we mainly book campsites by sometimes just rock up. Luckily we've not been turned away yet.
I suppose you do whatever you're comfortable with. But if you don't book, be prepared for possible disappointment and hassle.
Bogger
29/07/2025 11:49:03 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ed, I think it's a UK thing to a certain extent.
Trying to book at short notice when the sun shines is very hit and miss and I would never try just turning up in dear old blighty.
I still think it's doable abroad in the lovely EU although we now tend to go to Booking.com the night before and study the availability in a certain area.
It's nice to ride, but it's also nice to sleep and eat.
Upt.
29/07/2025 12:30:22 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
How far ahead would you book? Again I suppose it is dependant on the time of year, and the day of the week. I'm thinking September and Scotland. Would you think "I'll book the next stop"? IE. Book the first stop then at the first stop look at the weather and the maps then start to look at booking the next stop. On the one hand it does provide some flexibility, on the other there's still that risk of "I was planning to go to Fort William, but the nearest place I can find is Inverness"...
I should have gone to Conder Farm this Saturday Bogger - I wasn't all that far away when I came back through The Trough.
Why is the world not perfect? I wanna just turn up - boo hoo!
29/07/2025 13:06:30 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I think for Scotland and many parts of dear old England you need to book way ahead. It's just the way it is......busy innit?
For our recent Yorkshire jaunt we booked a couple of days before we went. The area was very busy but there was still some availability if you weren't too choosy. The problem with a bike of course is that many hotel rooms don't work well with all the bike stuff and then do they have decent parking etc.
It's our fault really innit?
Abroad I would travel and be happy to book the night before and like you say flexibility can be good, this is why we ended up in France last year and not the South Tyrol enroute sarrf.
But no life isn't fair and yes it is all ganging up on you Ed. As an aside I do online counselling for poor lost souls for only £150.00/hour if it gets too much for you.
Upt.
Now breaking into song, "I'm in the money, I'm in the money"....
29/07/2025 13:18:09 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I only take cash....upfront.
Pffffffftttttt.
29/07/2025 13:19:26 UTC
Bogger said :-
Conder farm is VERY basic. There's just about showers and toilets. But that's why I like it. No frills no fuss and best of all. It's cheap.
However I've not been this year so prices may have gone up a little.
Bogger
29/07/2025 13:59:33 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Counselling from Upt' - "Gerra grip, Shurrup, stop moaning, and gerron wiv it. That'll be £150 please".
As long as the toilets are clean and the site doesn't flood (I know Conder Farm is on a STEEP slope) then I'm usually OK with most sites. Are there any parts of Conder farm where you wouldn't be sleeping at 45 degrees?
30/07/2025 07:52:44 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Pffffffftttttt.
Shurrup. You'll cost me clients.
45 degrees! You're still not selling camping to the masses.
30/07/2025 09:51:11 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I'm quite sure it's not actually 45 degrees... I might have exaggerated... a lot.
30/07/2025 11:45:51 UTC
Bogger said :-
Conder farm is quite flat nearest to the road. I've never had a problem pitching or finding flatish ground. I've always had a good nights sleep.
The other site at the other end of the village has better facilities. But it's more expensive and the owner, a woman is very odd. She kept pestering us for a good review on Facebook. We didn't bother as she p****d us right off.
Where as the bloke at Conder Farm has never heard of Facebook.
Bogger
30/07/2025 20:30:50 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Face what?
31/07/2025 09:18:27 UTC
Glyn said :-
Don’t ask Up’t, as an intelligent rational man you’d hate it. It’s full of Peacocks strutting their stuff. I hate it too. I recently joined the Suzuki intruder owners club forums. You can’t read anything until you join so I paid the subs. Not a fortune but then I find there’s nothing worthwhile been posted on there for years so I asked where everyone was….gone to Facebook was the answer! So you go to Facebook and all you get is rubbish, no technical section just pictures of owners and their bikes. And! The free sew on badge, promised when you join, never turned up either. A very far cry from the TZR owners club. However, this is about advance booking isn’t it? Mrs Glyn books loads of things on Booking.com and then whittles them down over the next few days ( cancelling them as she goes) until she has what she wants. She must be very unpopular with many vendors but that’s the system, it’s there for use and abuse I guess.
01/08/2025 20:14:34 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I obviously jest'eth Glyn, I have heard of the friendship opportunities of FaceAche but, .... why wud ya. I had to set up an account in a previous life for some'at or t'other, it matters not what, I seriously can't remember anyway. It is complete nonsense (IMHO at least), if I want to chat I'll pick the phone up or talk to someone face to face.
Other than on this esteemed site of course where everyone is friendly.
It sounds like Mrs Glyn is a force to be reckoned with. But then she puts up with you so she can't be all bad.
Upt.
02/08/2025 10:08:16 UTC
Glyn said :-
Frau Helga (name changed for political purposes) is indeed a very fine, formidable woman. She spent 26 years of her youth in Germany and so takes no prisoners. She likes German Cars, German bikes, sourcroute and sausages. So, she’s definitely not all bad.
02/08/2025 17:24:05 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I do like a nice grilled pork Bratwurst.
That's enough sausage talk already.
02/08/2025 18:48:08 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Facebook has it's uses. For me I find it helpful in organising a social events and in some groups you might occasionally stumble across useful information like campsite recommendations as an example. Otherwise it's like watching the news - it is useful to cast an eye over it to keep abreast of what's going on and the zeitgeist - but it is certainly depressing and bad for your health to spend any amount of time there or allow yourself to take it at all seriously.
Like sausages - the occasional sausage is a delightful flavoursome treat, constantly eating sausage would not be healthy. Tomatoes are much healthier but they are also evil, avoid tomatoes at all costs.
04/08/2025 08:03:06 UTC
Henrik said :-
On solo MC trips in DK, Sweden, and Norway I never book campsites, just drop by needed be, prefer wildcamp
Caravan fifty-fifty, we do wildcamp also, allowed in the Norse countries, (thus I prepare for solar/akku stuff atm)
Just booked 10 days in Laukvik, Lofoten, Norway, mid september, time for norse-light, fingers crossed :-)
https://campio.no/nb/campsite/laukvik-bobilcamp...
05/08/2025 11:28:31 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Lofoten sounds good Henrik.
Looking forward to the write up.
Upt. But not as Upt as you.
Or am I?
06/08/2025 08:06:35 UTC
Henrik said :-
Guess not as Upt North as my Sweedish home, and main base, (Lammhult), its a bit North comparede to Edinburgh
Here you see the trip from my SE home base, 3-4 weeks, the 10 days in Laukvik will be the only booked destination
With the wife, caravan loaded with foto-gear, will not highjack this MC site, but short write and album-link sure ;-)
Base Route approximately 2688 miles plus day-trips ,.. maybe 3500-4000 miles in total
07/08/2025 21:17:09 UTC
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