Hardstandings again

baileybear
baileybear Forum Participant Posts: 19
edited January 2016 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

So after last year we were told that the option to book hardstandings would be extended to other sites. This is qiute clearly not the case, as the only sites that allow you to book H/S pitches are the same ones as last year. When  will the Club extend this
option, as from previous discussions here, it is clearly something lots of us want to do, but never gets a response from Club officials.

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Comments

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,312 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #2

    On another thread Ro said it would be continuing at the original sites this year, whilst they decided what to do.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,392 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #3

    They obviously have misgivings about it. I have a large motorhome and prefer hardstandings but I have never had a problem with the current system. I don't mind grass pitches and sometimes I have taken them simply for their location. Usually it they are too
    wet to use they are usually closed anyway. Nowt wrong with the current system.

    peedee

  • volvoman9
    volvoman9 Forum Participant Posts: 1,053
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    edited January 2016 #4

    I use H/S all the time but i dont agree you should be able too book them as i,m a great believer in the first come first served way of working.Its the only fair way IMO.

    peter.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,662 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #5

    Agree with you, Peter, re first come first serve. We will use H/S if available but have no problems with using grass pitches. 

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585
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    edited January 2016 #6

    It has never been a problem either way for us but we tend to take hard standings unless the grass ones are in a better position.

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited January 2016 #7

    Agree with you, Peter, re first come first serve. We will use H/S if available but have no problems with using grass pitches. 

    Write your comments here...I would agree with that. I bet there would be less use of the sites if you could pre book pitches.

  • TheAdmiral
    TheAdmiral Forum Participant Posts: 506
    edited January 2016 #8

    I use H/S all the time but i dont agree you should be able too book them as i,m a great believer in the first come first served way of working.Its the only fair way IMO.

    peter.

    Agree Peter.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #9

    The only time I would choose HS is if the only other choice was the 'Paschendale' option. Much prefer grass.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,392 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #10

    Don't forget the Club is trialing the laying down of grid mats in some form. I have only seen a brief note about it but perhaps this could have an influence on any final decision?

    peedee

  • David2115
    David2115 Club Member Posts: 548
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    edited January 2016 #11

    all the club sites I visit all seem to be mainly hard standing....is this not the case across the network. I don't care what I pitch on, I like grass if it's not muddy, in which case the pitch would probably be closed off 

  • volvoman9
    volvoman9 Forum Participant Posts: 1,053
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    edited January 2016 #12

    Don't forget the Club is trialing the laying down of grid mats in some form. I have only seen a brief note about it but perhaps this could have an influence on any final decision?

    peedee

    I have seen these type of mats at Burrs park and they seem too do a good job.The grass still grows through the mats and they stop vans from sinking if its wet.

    peter.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,392 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #13

    Don't forget the Club is trialing the laying down of grid mats in some form. I have only seen a brief note about it but perhaps this could have an influence on any final decision?

    peedee

    I have seen these type of mats at Burrs park and they seem too do a good job.The grass still grows through the mats and they stop vans from sinking if its wet.

    peter.

    Perhaps where it is not possible to get planning permission for hard standings this matting might succeed?

    peedee

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,700 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #14

    When I asked for an update on the trial allowing folk to book hardstandings,  I was told that the trial would continue as it is at present as it is too soon as yet to make a judgement.  I will report back any progress/ decisions as soon as I hear.  My sense
    is that they may have identified some problems, and I guess it certainly makes the admin  and forward planning a little more difficult to administer.  We will just have to wait and see what the final outcome is.

    David 

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #15

    Personally I would always have a hardstanding pitch if available. For several months of the year this is generally all that is available as sites with a mix of pitches tend to close the grass ones in the couple of months either side of Christmas. As you
    can already book an awing or non-awing pitch there can;t be an issue in being able to book the different types of surface. Perhaps the issue is not with being able to book a hardstanding but with being able to book the remaining pitches which by their nature
     are so dependent on better weather but could vary across the network?

    David

  • PITCHTOCLOSE
    PITCHTOCLOSE Forum Participant Posts: 658
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    edited January 2016 #16

    If they put two strips down for the wheels instead of acre's of gravel, you would then have the best of both worlds plus you would not need the market posts.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,312 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #17

    If they put two strips down for the wheels instead of acre's of gravel, you would then have the best of both worlds plus you would not need the market posts.

    Good for non awning, but on awning it would mean it always occupied the same piece of grass. There would be no scope for moving it about, as when you have a marker post on grass.

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited January 2016 #18

    With the weather we have had and if you believe the Global warming zealots its going to be wet throughout the year then hardstandings is the way to go. If the club are cutting down on warden hours again less mowing etc.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #19

     I would much prefer to have a choice at booking time and would always go for H/S.

     I don't mind using grass if its firm and not muddy, but as we have to book months ahead to guarentee a pitch when travelling down to the ferry, I like to know in advance that when I get there at tea time after 400 mile drive I'm not having to do battle
    with a soft bit of grass, because I didn't arrive at 12.00.

    If the club won't allow you to choose then they should at least allow the wardens to set aside H/S for heavy vehicles be it caravans or M/H when the conditions are not suitable for using grass with heavy vehicles.

    As the club won't pay for recovery if you get stuck on grass with a M/H neither will they tow you off, they should allow booking of H/S

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited January 2016 #20

     I would much prefer to have a choice at booking time and would always go for H/S.

     I don't mind using grass if its firm and not muddy, but as we have to book months ahead to guarentee a pitch when travelling down to the ferry, I like to know in advance that when I get there at tea time after 400 mile drive I'm not having to do battle
    with a soft bit of grass, because I didn't arrive at 12.00.

    If the club won't allow you to choose then they should at least allow the wardens to set aside H/S for heavy vehicles be it caravans or M/H when the conditions are not suitable for using grass with heavy vehicles.

    As the club won't pay for recovery if you get stuck on grass with a M/H neither will they tow you off, they should allow booking of H/S

    Write your comments here...I'm sure they will tow you off TG.   After all, if the warden has not taken a pitch out of use it will be deemed " Fit for Purpose "  Therefore if a Customer uses that pitch in all innocence and finds themselves stuck, Surely it's
    the CC's responsibility to get you off the pitch. 

    Wink

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited January 2016 #21

    I would not bet on the CC towing anybody off or on pitches. Through the Health & Safety rule things have changed.

  • volvoman9
    volvoman9 Forum Participant Posts: 1,053
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    edited January 2016 #22

    Thats exactly what i heard if you get stuck its your problem Sad H/S strikes again.

    peter.

  • Unknown
    edited January 2016 #23
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  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited January 2016 #24

    we were on a reinforced grass pitch at a C&CC site over New Year, grass was a bit mucky and i had a word with the warden prior to my attempt at leaving the pitch...

    .he said, no prob, if i needed a tow with his little tractor that would be fine....no mention of H/s.

    as it happened, we were fine, nice smooth roll off (and traction control)Happy

    Write your comments here...BB I may be wrong,but I think you will find it is different with the CC. We don't use the C&CC so would'nt know. As their are many of us with 4x4 vehicles help would not be far away.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited January 2016 #25

    I would not bet on the CC towing anybody off or on pitches. Through the Health & Safety rule things have changed.

    The story I was told by the then warden at Gwern y bwlch, Llanbrynmair in June 2012 was slightly different. He said that they were not allowed to tow motorhomes. He said that the reason was a warden was towing off a large motorhome and the person sat in
    the motorhome turned the steering hard in the opposite direction to the tractors movement in attempting to get onto hard ground quicker rather than fokkow the tractor. The warden said that because of the resultant damage they were not allowed to tow. However
    he did not clarify whether that was just motorhomes. If it was all motorhomes and caravans at the time that may well have changed. Certainly I have seen tractors pulling caravans on at least 3 occasions since. .

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited January 2016 #26

    As the club won't pay for recovery if you get stuck on grass with a M/H neither will they tow you off, they should allow booking of H/S

    Mayday will tow you off.

  • Biggarmac
    Biggarmac Forum Participant Posts: 364
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    edited January 2016 #27

    When I had my Shogun I towed people on many occasions.  Some people can get stuck on a hardstanding!  Also there are some people who are incapable of listening to instructions. They know better.  They dig a hole as they seem to think that reving their engine
    and spinning their wheels will get them moving.  I'm not surprised that the default instruction to wardens is not to tow.  This allows the warden to look at the situation, assess the person as well as the outfit and use their discretion. 

  • rogher
    rogher Forum Participant Posts: 609
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    edited January 2016 #28

    Wardens must have the details of the outfits they are expecting on their schedule. I was told, once, that they had saved a hard standing pitch for me, which I thought was considerate. H/S would always be my first choice but I’m happy to take whatever comes.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited January 2016 #29

    I was told, once, that they had saved a hard standing pitch for me, which I thought was considerate. 

    If it were 'my' hardstanding that they had given you I would consider it inconsiderate. Winking

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2016 #30

    Easy is correct with what the warden told him,it also happened at Top Lodge when a m/v did not listen when told not to drive onto the grass and then sunk and was damaged on the attempts to get it out,

  • Aspenshaw
    Aspenshaw Forum Participant Posts: 611
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    edited January 2016 #31

    Most motorhomers would prefer hard standing to avoid damaging the grass whether they get stuck or not. I do wish, though, that the CC would be more creative when using hard sytanding because the sites often end up with looking like military bases.

    I've found wardens will always advise me on suitability of pitches for my motorhome when I arrive.