Deep Sky Camp - 17th to 20th August

[Mike]

Jackie at Rother Valley came over to speak to me at the last DSC before I left to say that for our next DSC she cannot put us in the corner as it is already booked. I thought this was a bit off as we had booked well in advance. She said she can only put us in further long the field and can only spare two pitches.

Personally I think if she isn't going to let us have our normal spot that we just decide to go and use Blacklands instead.

[Carole]

I agree.  Do you think she has got the hump because of last week?

I wish they could get some hook ups installed on the other side of the gap so we can go further over as that large tree can be a problem at times. 

Carole

[Mike]

I think it is because she got the hump. I'm all up for doing some recce's on other campsites in that area personally as it's not ideal to be honest. I'm sure if we look around we could find better.

[julian]

She may have bookings for two weeks and we will only be booking one or two nights so this may stop her from getting long bookings so she will be losing money
Well I will be away on Holiday for August DSC and at Kelling for September.  I am up for trying a different site.
I did have a great weekend, shame you lot turned up. ( Just joking ) 

julian

[Carole]

I wasn't planning on going to DSC in August as I only get back from holiday on the Friday, and going away again Sunday, but if it's going to be Blacklands I might do another one nighter so I can get some southern horizon stuff.

Carole

[Mike]

I'm going to start hunting for alternate camp-sites. If anyone has any ideas let me know please.

[Fay]

Well that sounds odd. you used all the pitches you booked, didn't you?

[Tony G]

Jackie at Rother Valley came over to speak to me at the last DSC before I left to say that for our next DSC she cannot put us in the corner as it is already booked.

Sounds like sour grapes.

Let us just hope the weather is OK, or something major doesn't happen to make those people cancel, because you never know what is around the corner, like the drought we have encountered over the last few months.   
I think a new venue is called for.

Tony G

[Fay]

Thinking about it, we only book for up to 2 nights, but others would book for a week, perhaps, as Julian said

[MarkS]

To be honest I'm surprised Jackie whould even consider setting aside that prized corner, with electric hook-ups, just for 2 nights during peak season.  She could fill the area with families down for a week.  It's especially the case now our numbers have dwindled so much from the good attendences we had in the past. 

Do you remember the days before Rother Valley when we used to have to send an "advance party" to "secure" an area of camping that we could "corral".

Happy to consider other sites, but the ones with facilities usually also have bright lights.
Do we need DSCs every month - maybe we should have a few and intersperse them with unofficial camps?
Why have our numbers dropped so much?  Maybe it's only a temporary aberration.  Having said that, I can't make next DSC and then September is Kelling Heath.

Mark

[Fay]

You are right in all you say Mark. A big reason for dwindling numbers is that most people who have moved, do not come any more, yourself being the exception

[mickw]

There are only 4 of us that have moved and 3 of us are now closer to Rother Valley.

The weather has not really been our friend recently either.

Having said that, I am hopelessly disorganised and can't get my arse in gear at the moment.

[Mike]

Mark - agreed it is understandable what she is doing. However there are other reasons I think we should look for an alternative site. It's just a shame Tuesnoad had such terrible facilities or i'd go back there. I'm sure if we look around we will find a better site. I also agree we have too many official DSC's and have already decided for 2013 to cut it back to quarterly like we used to. This may encourage more people to come as I feel at the moment a lot of people say (oh it's slightly cloudy, I won't bother, there is another one next month anyway). If people want to organise more in the intervening months then so be it.

Fay it is a shame that attendance is lower. A lot of the regulars, like you say, don't seem to come any more and it's not just those that have moved away. We need to encourage more of the newer members to come along or maybe start inviting another society or two?

[Rocket Pooch]

Hi,

I think you will find the numbers have dropped bacause some of the people goto Kelling now and also a lot of us have moved to dark sites as well now so its kind of a moot point going to a DSC.

Personally if it was like the old day with Air Guns and more fun, I'd be more likely to go again.

Chris

[JohnP]

Agree with ALL comments especially Mike's & YES I am one of those guilty of not attending - put me at the top of the 'Name & shame' list...

Tuesnoad was great - I could even live with the lack of facilities for a few nights - it was just the sheep poop that was the downer..

I think going back to 1/4'ly would be better & encourage more to attend