Haven ....never again

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  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #152

    If someone coud show me how to post a picture on this site I would put one up of Hafan y Mor.

    ..Looked on lineUndecided ok possibly for a couple , no pup tents,   no awning annexes, no using awning for sleeping,  dogs extra and it looks clinicalFrownbut as new see what its like after a few years useWink

     

    Ps the pitches look as if with minimul work, can be converted to their core biusinessCool

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited October 2016 #153

    My point is that all grass pitches have the potential to end up like this at any time of the year

    Potential maybe but on a well managed site it doesn't have to happen and some sites are very well drained so short of a monsoon there shouldn't be a problem - Dunnet Head CC for example appeared to be very well drained when we were there, others of course
    are not so well drained.  The thing is not everyone wants to pitch on a car park and that is just what some sites look like on the other hand if the site is in a wet area on boggy clay then clearly more use of HS is needed.  It's nice to have a mix.

    I would also stick my neck out and say the the majority of caravanners (not motorhomes) would prefer to be on grass during the summer rather than HS.

    B/Billy don't count me in the 'majority' I'm with HS everytime. Grass is more trouble than it's worth. Give me something reliable. . . .Not grassSad

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited October 2016 #154

    Here's our pitch at Bladon Chains CC site.

    The assistant warden placed our caravan on the pitch with his little tractor:

    Here's your image Ian.  I've Deleted User your code.

    photo 3452ee6a-3c49-4b47-bb37-5ab028ab22df_zpsnwpuyfsk.jpg

    Firstly, thank you Jill for sorting out my inability to post photos.....much appreciated!

    To clarify the picture......this was the pitch we were forced to use at Bladon Chains that I mentioned on another thread. The warden said that we had to use grass, as he was saving the hardstandings for twin axles. We had booked over 6 months earlier, on the first day of booking.

    His reasoning was that he wanted to save any damage to the grass pitches!

    The only alternative he offered was to go elsewhere. This was a Bank Holiday weekend. I tried ringing a couple of sites, but they were (unsurprisingly) full - and we had, after all, booked this site because we wanted to go to this area.

    He also insisted that the assistant warden put our caravan on the pitch with his little tractor. The pitch was in good condition (although wet) before he started. The picture shows the pitch just after he had finished going backwards and forwards about 20 times to try to position the caravan. Numpty!

    Needless to say, if this ever happens again, I will simply nod my head and then proceed to pitch on a hardstanding.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #155

    That's a shocking tale, Ian. If you took it further you'd only be told by CC that the warden has the right to organise pitching in the way he feels is best. 

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited October 2016 #156

    That is the gist or the reply I received from Grimstead when I wrote to them, Tin.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #157

    My crystal ball is working well tonight.Sad

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,657 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #158

    Please pardon my ignorance but what is THS? I see it often on here. I presume that HS is holiday site.

    Thanks.

    John, HS stands for Hardstanding pitches which you find on Club and Commercial sites, and also on CL's (certificated locations - small 5 van only sites). The hard standing can be concrete, stones, such as linestone chippings, or reinforced plastice through
    which grass can grow. Hope this helps.

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited October 2016 #159

    I think in this case it's Temporary Holiday Sites.

    I think they are something thst the Camping & Caravanning Club site does, but not sure of the details

  • anothersunrise
    anothersunrise Forum Participant Posts: 264
    edited October 2016 #160

    Here's our pitch at Bladon Chains CC site.

    The assistant warden placed our caravan on the pitch with his little tractor:

    Here's your image Ian.  I've Deleted User your code.

    photo 3452ee6a-3c49-4b47-bb37-5ab028ab22df_zpsnwpuyfsk.jpg

    Firstly, thank you Jill for sorting out my inability to post photos.....much appreciated!

    To clarify the picture......this was the pitch we were forced to use at Bladon Chains that I mentioned on another thread. The warden said that we had to use grass, as he was saving the hardstandings for twin axles. We had booked over 6 months earlier, on
    the first day of booking.

    His reasoning was that he wanted to save any damage to the grass pitches!

    The only alternative he offered was to go elsewhere. This was a Bank Holiday weekend. I tried ringing a couple of sites, but they were (unsurprisingly) full - and we had, after all, booked this site because we wanted to go to this area.

    He also insisted that the assistant warden put our caravan on the pitch with his little tractor. The pitch was in good condition (although wet) before he started. The picture shows the pitch just after he had finished going backwards and forwards about 20
    times to try to position the caravan. Numpty!

    Needless to say, if this ever happens again, I will simply nod my head and then proceed to pitch on a hardstanding.

    Write your comments here...hope he cleaned his towball before he used it. 

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited October 2016 #161

    The worst conditions in the last 10 years was a CC site which I think was in Cornwall. There was a long approach road and a few vans parked up in front with plenty of room and so, unusually I ambled down to the office instead of waiting whilst the
    other vans moved. The warden was telling everybody that they would be taken on and positioned with the site tractor. I saw the main part of the site on my stroll to the office, It looked like the Somme. When the warden was asking people where they wanted to
    go one chap suggested a location he might like but was told that there was no TV reception on those few pitches, When I got to the desk I asked for one of those pitches as nobody wanted them and the turf was not cut up. We only watch TV when away on a few
    nights over Christmas. The warden also agreed that as I had the X-Trail and 4 wheel drive I could site myself. The ground was so bad and access good that I 
    decided to park across the pitch alongside the hedge. Even manouvering with
    the mover would have ripped the turf. It was so sodden that when I stepped out of the car my weight was enough to bring muddy water to the top. We did not cut up the turf but the ground conditions were horrendous, 

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited October 2016 #162
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • tigerfish
    tigerfish Forum Participant Posts: 1,362
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    edited October 2016 #163

    I think that this has been my first year with No Club site stays at all.  43 nights in total. The majority on CL's but 14 nights on a commercial site Nr St Buryan in Cornwall and 4 nights on a C&CC site Nr Chichester in West Sussex.

    TF

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited October 2016 #164

    Although I generally avoid Grass I have used some all grass sites as I expect there to be no hard standing but good ground. 

  • HelenandTrevor
    HelenandTrevor Forum Participant Posts: 3,221
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    edited October 2016 #165

    The ground  under at Bladon Chains doesn't drain very  well, we have had a couple of breaks cancelled there in the past. It's our local site so have used it quite a few times. I think the Blenheim Estate are reluctant to renew the lease long term, so improvments
    by the CC arent possible. The estate seem to want to sell off land around Woodstock for housing, locals are fighting the planning permision. 

    As for Haven, we had a break at Seaview in a static, when the children were young, the site flooded and we couldn't get to the caravan, it was in a small lake, I don't fancy going back! 

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570
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    edited October 2016 #166

    I think in this case it's Temporary Holiday Sites.

    I think they are something thst the Camping & Caravanning Club site does, but not sure of the details

    They are like rally sites in interesting locations where you can come and go as you please without booking. Usually about £8 per night and are excellent. Use your own facilities. Same spacing as club sites or often quite a bit more. 

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,392 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #167

    Plemty of room on this THS

     

    I have not used a Haven site but have used Park Resorts a couple of times and they have been fine.

    peedee

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited October 2016 #168

    Do you have to be a CC & C member to use THS.Where do you find details? Coincidentally I use my own field in summer for my mates to come fishing, mountain lakes in days and seatrout at night. Never had a problem with planning or Nat Park.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #169

    You need to be a member, they are an easy going type of rally, they tend to run the popular ones year after year.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #170

    Do you have to be a CC & C member to use THS.Where do you find details? Coincidentally I use my own field in summer for my mates to come fishing, mountain lakes in days and seatrout at night. Never had a problem with planning or Nat Park.

    ..That depends on How you use your land 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #171

    We are going to try another comercial organisations site in November (Hoseasons) as we are meeting up wth some friends who say its "good?"

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited October 2016 #172

    We can have 4/6 vans at times.Some come for weeks others for a few days.  No EHu or hard standings but quite dry.Waste is burried and we have a near water supply

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,392 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #173

    I didn't think you were allowed to bury waste anymore. The practice has certainly been stopped on rally fields.

    peedee

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #174

    I didn't think you were allowed to bury waste anymore. The practice has certainly been stopped on rally fields.

    peedee

    Write your comments here...Undecided

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #175

    We can have 4/6 vans at times.Some come for weeks others for a few days.  No EHu or hard standings but quite dry.Waste is burried and we have a near water supply

    Write your comments here...Surprised

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #176

    I didn't think you were allowed to bury waste anymore. The practice has certainly been stopped on rally fields.

    peedee

    ..Its now a "brownfield site".Undecided

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited October 2016 #177

    Its like everything else.Easy to legislate difficult to enforce. Never had a problem with anyone in over 20 years.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2016 #178

    Its like everything else.Easy to legislate difficult to enforce. Never had a problem with anyone in over 20 years.

    ...Why should some one have to enforce it? ,a responsible land owner would complyUndecided 

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited October 2016 #179

    Shows how easy it is to get off post. Gone through Grass ptches and now wild camping.Someone has a bee in his bonet. Wll go off this thread in defference to the originalposter and if I have any comments will be in "Wild camping"

  • birderbilly
    birderbilly Forum Participant Posts: 349
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    edited October 2016 #180

    I think you are ok to do this so long as it is no more than 1 cubic meter in 12 months and not within a certain distance of a watercourse which from memory I think is 10 meters.  As for planning consent for such a site you don't need it so long it is not
    for more than 28 days. Boy Scout RulesHappy

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited October 2016 #181

    I leave the technicalities to the Bar room lawyers. I just get on with life.