What is DA Camping?

Camping with your local group or District Association (DA) is one of the best ways to make the most of the great outdoors whilst making new friends at the same time. The Club has 93 DAs spread across 13 Regions.   They offer some of the most inexpensive camping available and you’ll always be guaranteed a warm friendly welcome. Members are welcome to attend any Meet, whether it’s organised by your own DA or a different DA elsewhere in the country.

  Your local DA is shown on your membership card and is based on your home postcode. To belong to the same DA as family or friends it's easy to change or ‘opt’ to a different DA. Simply contact the Secretary of the District Association you would like to move to and they will send you an Opting Form to complete and return to them together with your Membership Cards.  

DAs are governed by the Camping and Caravanning Club but the day to day business is managed by voluntary committees. The committee is responsible for organising meets and events, booking sites, maintaining equipment belonging to the DA, managing finances and ensuring that members adhere to club rules...plus lots of other things!

Here is a link to a short video about DA Camping.

 Frequently Asked Questions

What can your District Association offer you?

 Regular Meets held throughout the season, often on specially negotiated sites, such as parks and stately homes. Temporary Holiday Sites or basic sites with minimum facilities are held all year in a wide variety of locations, often close to major tourist attractions and are ideal for an economical family holiday or weekend break . Social events where you can meet other members and make new friends. A wide variety of events are organised including BBQ’s, themed events, dinner dances, games and competitions as well as a whole host of activities to keep the children entertained.

Where do I find out about DA meets and events?

 You receive a monthly Camping and Caravanning Magazine, the back section of the magazine is called Out & About and is dedicated to DAs and special interest sections. In here, you will find information about meets taking place over the coming month. The listing will state whether or not you need to book and other useful, general information. There is an Introduction to Out & About on the first few pages which is also very useful if you're reading for the first time. Abbreviations are common in the listings because the amount of characters is limited - you'll soon get used to them and there's a key to help you. You can also visit the DAs website for the latest information about their meets.

Do I need to book or can I just turn up?

 Each meet is different, but it will indicate it the meet listing whether you need to book. Bkg Ess means Booking Essential - you must contact the meet organiser to book a place. Bkg Adv means Booking Advisable - in order to guarantee a space, you should pre-book to avoid being turned away. Usually, if it doesn't say anything about pre-booking you can simply turn up on the day. If you are unsure - contact the DA they'll be happy to help, or visit their website.

What can I expect when i arrive on site?

 Expect the basics - added luxuries are a bonus. DAs offer the most inexpensive camping available; the meets are at basic venues with minimum facilities, normally there are no toilet or shower blocks and no electric hook ups. Fresh drinking water is always available along with toilet disposal point(s). When you arrive on site, you must report to the meet Steward - the person who is ultimately responsible for the meet - they will take your details and guide you to your pitch.

What can I expect from the meet?

 Meets vary from week to week, sometimes it is a quiet weekend, other times the marquee goes up and visitors are welcome to join us in the evening. Bring your chairs and drinks along. Sometimes we have themed weekends and/or activities arranged for both adults and children. You are never obliged to take part in any of the activities, if you'd prefer to sit back and relax, that's fine too. At a normal weekend meet, we hold a Coffee Morning on a Sunday at 11am. Visitors are invited to bring their chairs and cups, we provide tea, coffee and biscuits, for an update of what's scheduled for the coming weeks. One thing's for certain - you will always receive a warm welcome from Fenland DA and there is always someone who will offer help if you need it.