Grass pitch re-opening
We have just stayed for the Easter weekend at Pembrey Park in Carmarthenshire. The site details stated that grass pitches close on 31st October, but disn't say when they re-open. I booked, mistakingly thinking the grass pitches would still be closed. We
ended up on sodden, muddy grass pitching area, where motor homes were getting bogged down requiring assistance to get out. I wonder if the pitches were only open because of the early Easter, as a money making exercise, or if they would normally be open so
early... Any ideas or opinions?
Comments
-
Given that the weekend was predicted wet 5 days before, I would have thought it sensible that those who had booked last were given the option of cancelling, or informed they would be on grass. Either that or just cancel the last booked and only use the hardstanding.
If the pitches have been damaged at the start of the season they may take a long time to recover, which will be to the detriment of all future visitors.0 -
grass - hate the stuff, no place on a caravan site in the 21st century, its OK between pitches but otherwise no
Unfortunate but luck of the draw, I only book sites where I am sure to get a HS or go on sites where the percentage of HS is high and avoid these sites in high demand weekends.
0 -
grass - hate the stuff, no place on a caravan site in the 21st century, its OK between pitches but otherwise no
Unfortunate but luck of the draw, I only book sites where I am sure to get a HS or go on sites where the percentage of HS is high and avoid these sites in high demand weekends.
Agree 100%
David
0 -
grass - hate the stuff, no place on a caravan site in the 21st century, its OK between pitches but otherwise no
Unfortunate but luck of the draw, I only book sites where I am sure to get a HS or go on sites where the percentage of HS is high and avoid these sites in high demand weekends.
Agree 100%
David
I don't
The CL we were on last week was a reasonable compromise, there two rows of paving stones for the caravan wheels in an other wise all grass field. Awning pegged out on grass ......
0 -
Given the amount of rain we haver had this winter, I would imagine it will be some time before grass pitches dry out to a reasonable level.
0 -
It was mid April last year when they started to open the grass pitches at Bladon Chains.
The year before at Henley, the grass pitches were still closed mid April.
It all depends on the type of winter we've had and this year it has been a very wet one. A cursory 'walk test' on any grass will tell you that, unless it's exceptionally well drained, it won't be suitable for caravans and heavy motorhomes for a good while yet.
Time to get rid of grass pitches and accept that we now have a year-round activity but, in many cases, we don't have year-round pitching facilities.....more hardstandings, please.
0 -
Thanks all... I appreciate it is somewhat luck of the draw with the weather. But pitches were already wet and soft when we arrived, and the damage caused by cars and motorhomes during the weekend was significant. Grass pitches should have remained closed
in my view... but then I am one of the pro hardstanding brigade so am very much biased... I also have a major issue with people arriving before the permitted arrival time snatching all the HS pitches, but lets not go there... ;o)0 -
It does seem lax that where a site has awning and non-awning pitches one can book accordingly, but not grass and non-grass.
Whether a site can get planning permission to create permanent hard surfaces should no affect there being adequate drainage.
0 -
I don't
The CL we were on last week was a reasonable compromise, there two rows of paving stones for the caravan wheels in an other wise all grass field. Awning pegged out on grass ......
Not a suitable compromise for me however. Generally I don't want a grass pitch. Not bothered that the caravan is on grass. I like the hard sanding around the van or at least on what would be the awning side.
0 -
We booked a service pitch on our chosen site for the weekend. It was the only way to guarantee a hardstanding. It's a good job we did as by the time storm Katie had dumped an inch of water on us things were getting a little boggy. As we were leaving one
motorhome had become stuck on the grass. Time to do away with grass and make all pitches hardstanding.0 -
That's very true Hakinbush......but is it practical to have pitches that are only good for two months of the year?
Wouldn't it be better to have all hardstandings, but have plenty of grass and planted areas around them?
More trees between pitches always looks really good.
0 -
I don't
The CL we were on last week was a reasonable compromise, there two rows of paving stones for the caravan wheels in an other wise all grass field. Awning pegged out on grass ......
Not a suitable compromise for me however. Generally I don't want a grass pitch. Not bothered that the caravan is on grass. I like the hard sanding around the van or at least on what would be the awning side.
Doesn't surprise me from you Easy ......
0 -
Agree fully with my learned friend above. All new club sites in the past few years have been all HS and there is a rolling programme of turning grass pitches into HS on others. Grass would be great if it never rained (or only rained a bit)
0 -
That's very true Hakinbush......but is it practical to have pitches that are only good for two months of the year?
Wouldn't it be better to have all hardstandings, but have plenty of grass and planted areas around them?
More trees between pitches always looks really good.
Plenty of Tesco & Asda car parks that go by that description around our way
0 -
Agree fully with my learned friend above. All new club sites in the past few years have been all HS and there is a rolling programme of turning grass pitches into HS on others. Grass would be great if it never rained (or only rained a bit)
Not so, actually......the New Forest Centenary site has a load of grass pitches. Some of them have been converted to hardstanding recently, but there are still a large number of grass pitches.
Primitive......
0 -
The problem with coverting grass pitches to hardstandings is that it needs the space of about 3 grass to make two hardstands with a grassed area between ,so sites then have less pitches,which then brings in the "always full" to more sites
0 -
The problem with coverting grass pitches to hardstandings is that it needs the space of about 3 grass to make two hardstands with a grassed area between ,so sites then have less pitches,which then brings in the "always full" to more sites
I suspect there are very very few sites on the Network that are full for more than a few nights per year, a couple of weeks at a push, so giving up a few pitches in favour of easier maintenance and all year round usage seems a reasonable approach....
0 -
I am afraid virtually the whole of club sites are full at weekends so reducing pitch numbers would be a major problem. Again in peak season during the week a large proprtion of sites are full or virtually full so I would not agree with Nick.
0 -
But taking a load of pitches out of use, because they are water-logged or destroyed by people driving on them, won't help if sites are popular.....
True, the wardens presumably check the pitches to see if they are usable and in this case got it wrong.
0
