Blue peg/White peg!

TJ49
TJ49 Forum Participant Posts: 39
edited May 2016 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

When making a booking online you can choose standard pitch or standard with awning, or ??

How do you book a 'pitch' so that when you arrive in your motorhome yo can decide which pitch you actually want based on level, orientation, view etc rather than having to choose based on the type of pitch you have booked.

I would like to choose from ANY free pitch, be it blue peg, white peg, pink peg, etc.

Comments

  • groovy cleaner
    groovy cleaner Forum Participant Posts: 208
    100 Comments
    edited May 2016 #2

    ask the wardens when you arrive ,some sites not have non awning pitches ,if you chose a blue peg pitch which is non awning pitch but booked an awning pitch the warden will amend your booking ,I did this recently at Hebden Bridge as it is such a small site the warden pointed out the best place to go as it would catch the early morn sun and defrost me ,she adjusted my booking accordingley ,also had it happen at carsington Water I moved as I was parked under a tree so moved onto a blue peg wardens adjusted my booking ..

    Moderator Edit:

    The warden can can only adjust the booking if there happens to be an alternative pitch type available when you arrive.

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,485 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #3

    Hi TJ49.  When you book you are ensuring that you have a pitch.  

    It is at that point that you need to specify which 'type' of pitch you require i.e. standard with awning (white peg) or standard without awning  (blue peg).   Some sites are offering the facility to book a hardstanding.

    On arrival you are then free to choose any empty pitch of the appropriate type as per your booking.  

    You can't book any specific pitch on any site; only pitch type and you're free to select your preference once on site from those available and obviously of the specified type.  If you booked, for example, a standard non-awning pitch then you must
    select a pitch with a blue peg.

    The wardens will explain this to you on arrival though.

    Hope this helps.

    photo 78301b06-7bdd-45fe-8ae2-d4d2cae14135_zpssi5htrez.jpg

  • Geejay
    Geejay Forum Participant Posts: 232
    100 Comments
    edited May 2016 #4

    In future I will book a pitch "with awning".  I was recently at Coniston and there are few blue pegs but lots of the other colour for awnings.  So even though I don't have an awning I'll book as though I do as there will be a lot more choice and they are
    the same price.

    Incidentally, there were 80 pre-booked pitches for a Airstream Rally which further reduced the pitches available, but no mention of this when I booked.

  • groovy cleaner
    groovy cleaner Forum Participant Posts: 208
    100 Comments
    edited May 2016 #5

    ask the wardens when you arrive ,some sites not have non awning pitches ,if you chose a blue peg pitch which is non awning pitch but booked an awning pitch the warden will amend your booking ,I did this recently at Hebden Bridge as it is such a small site
    the warden pointed out the best place to go as it would catch the early morn sun and defrost me ,she adjusted my booking accordingley ,also had it happen at carsington Water I moved as I was parked under a tree so moved onto a blue peg wardens adjusted my
    booking ..

    Moderator Edit:

    The warden can can only adjust the booking if there happens to be an alternative pitch type available when you arrive.

    Write your comments here...that's what I meant ask the wardens if there are any pitches free ,if the site is full you can't do it obviously 

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,485 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #6

    No probs Groovy Cleaner.  Just wanted to be sure that the OP understands the situation when he arrives.

    photo 78301b06-7bdd-45fe-8ae2-d4d2cae14135_zpssi5htrez.jpg

     

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,485 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #7

    In future I will book a pitch "with awning".  I was recently at Coniston and there are few blue pegs but lots of the other colour for awnings.  So even though I don't have an awning I'll book as though I do as there will be a lot more choice and
    they are the same price.

    Incidentally, there were 80 pre-booked pitches for a Airstream Rally which further reduced the pitches available, but no mention of this when I booked.

    Many people do just that, me included.  At least I know I've got space for a table and chairs if I want them.

    photo 78301b06-7bdd-45fe-8ae2-d4d2cae14135_zpssi5htrez.jpg

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585
    1000 Comments 250 Likes Photogenic
    edited May 2016 #8

    On sites with some sloping pitches probably the best bet is to get there as early as possible as in the main tbe level ones will go first. Having said that many sites are all flat pitches so you will not have a problem whatever you book. 

    The difference between awning and non awning pitches though is usually size and either can be flat or sloping.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #9

    I was chatting with a warden(ess) and she told be about the lady who phoned and booked a pitch with awning.  As arranged, she arrived, paid the money and went off to choose which pitch.  Ten minutes later she was back to point out she had booked a pitch
    with awning and none of the pitches she had been told she might use had an awning.  So where was it, she asked.

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,485 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #10

    Unbelievable.

    photo 78301b06-7bdd-45fe-8ae2-d4d2cae14135_zpssi5htrez.jpg

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #11

    I'm starting to think that the ability to have an option to book a specific pitch would be a good thing......

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,485 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #12

    Hi Ian,

    I'm adding a link
    here
    to your new thread on "Booking a specific pitch" so that discussion can continue there rather than it get mixed up with this one.

    photo 78301b06-7bdd-45fe-8ae2-d4d2cae14135_zpssi5htrez.jpg

     

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #13

    Thanks Jill.

    On the subject of awning / non awning pitches, we often look at the site plan (or even Google earth) and decide which pitch type might suit us best based on locations. We don't have an awning and, under current pricing, can book either type.

    Despite the opinion of many that awning pitches are usually "better" than non awning pitches, we have often booked non awning pitches and have been happy with the choice when we arrived.

  • PITCHTOCLOSE
    PITCHTOCLOSE Forum Participant Posts: 658
    500 Comments
    edited May 2016 #14

    I think all non awning pitches should be scrapped, you do not need to put up an awning if you do not want to, this may lead to less pitches but i think three non awning will make two awning pitches.

  • anothersunrise
    anothersunrise Forum Participant Posts: 264
    edited May 2016 #15

    We recently stayed on a site and I hadn't realised that I had booked a non awning pitch.  The one we chose was quite a nice pitch.  

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585
    1000 Comments 250 Likes Photogenic
    edited May 2016 #16

    I think all non awning pitches should be scrapped, you do not need to put up an awning if you do not want to, this may lead to less pitches but i think three non awning will make two awning pitches.

    We are short enough on pitches as it is. If the club follows your advice then the situation would be worse. Many people book awning pitches but have no awning so if anything I would reduce the numbers of awning pitches if posdible. Adjusting the numbers
    either way would usually involve expensive alterations to the site so probably neither is a realistic option on most sites.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited May 2016 #17

    Personally I think the whole concept is flawed, as an awful lot of the CC's awning pitches are anything but, if you have a full awning. All the designation awning pitch really means, is that the spacing will allow one to be erected. Not that it will adequately
    fit on the pitch.

  • IamtheGaitor
    IamtheGaitor Forum Participant Posts: 529
    edited May 2016 #18

    Incidentally, there were 80 pre-booked pitches for a Airstream Rally which further reduced the pitches available, but no mention of this when I booked.

    To me this is wrong -  if all those people made their bookings individually then fair enough but they shouldnt have pitches coned off for them.

    To be able to block book for a rally - and from what we have seen on sites usually get a specific area allocated to you - when families  cant do this to ensure they can get two pitches together is just not right.

  • Geejay
    Geejay Forum Participant Posts: 232
    100 Comments
    edited May 2016 #19

    My view exactly, bmbonanza.  I suppose it gets the Club revenue, but it means the members are at the end of the queue of priorities.  I have written to the Club and they will reply within 20 working days ie 4 weeks - yes that quickYell

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,657 ✭✭✭
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited May 2016 #20

    Incidentally, there were 80 pre-booked pitches for a Airstream Rally which further reduced the pitches available, but no mention of this when I booked.

    I wonder if that rally was organised by the CC's Patron who just happens to own an Airstream!! Doub't that they woudn't have allowed a Bailey Owners rally of 80 vans on.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #21

    If the site has available pitches on arrival then, in my experience, you may be able to swap from one to the other at the wardens discretion, afterall, they will know what the forward booking situation is like and whether it is possible. 

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #22

    I think all non awning pitches should be scrapped, you do not need to put up an awning if you do not want to, this may lead to less pitches but i think three non awning will make two awning pitches.

    We are short enough on pitches as it is. If the club follows your advice then the situation would be worse. Many people book awning pitches but have no awning so if anything I would reduce the numbers of awning pitches if posdible. Adjusting the numbers
    either way would usually involve expensive alterations to the site so probably neither is a realistic option on most sites.

    Well, they could always do as they did at York Rowntree......simply re-allocate a load of non-awning pitches as awning pitches without making any alteration to the site layout for all but a handful of them (incidently, these were the same pitches that were
    changed to non-awning in the H&S cull of awning pitches a few months prior!)

  • Gandam
    Gandam Forum Participant Posts: 23
    edited May 2016 #23

    I recently tried to book 3 nights at a site. I would have gone for a non-awning pitch as we werent going to be using one. However, on a non-awning pitch only 2 of the 3 nights we wanted were available but all 3 were on a 'with awning' pitch. We would have
    been happy with either. If someone is on an awning pitch without an awning it does not necessarily mean they purposely chose to just have a possibly bigger pitch.

  • Waffler
    Waffler Forum Participant Posts: 149
    edited May 2016 #24

    There are many reasons for the distinction which the club does not explain.  Some pitches are too close to meet the 6 m rules if an awning is used. (High Onn and Hebden Bridge).  Some have unusual ground, (Chapel Lane has some concrete pitches).  On others
    there are other reasons, (Uttoxeter has a restriction because of the racing). The club should state on each site's page what the restrictions are so we can make informed choices. (I use non-awning pitches in most places but not Uttoxeter becaause of their
    position.) The club might also take account of total size- an Eriba with a lightweight is a different object to an 8 foot caravan with a 3 metre deep awning.

  • Aspenshaw
    Aspenshaw Forum Participant Posts: 611
    500 Comments
    edited May 2016 #25

    As motorhomers with no awning we book non awning pitches when we can. The quality of such pitches does vary enormously from glorious front rows with perfect vistas to something resembling the dark and dingy naughty corner tucked away with the bins.

  • AnnB
    AnnB Forum Participant Posts: 226
    edited May 2016 #26

    If we are booking Southport site we go for a non-awning pitch, therefore guaranteeing we are on the older part of the site.  Most other places we book an awning pitch as this gives us more room for us and the dog.