Gazebos
Hi all,
We recently enjoyed another stay at the lovely Coniston Park Coppice club site. The weather, on the whole, was lovely and the grounds and facilities up to there usual high standard. Unfortunately, as happens in the lakes, it rained some of the time. One such occasion was early evening after cooking on the cadac outside so, as we had a nice secluded corner location with our friends (and their caravan), we thought we'd make the best of it and put up a small gazebo so we could still enjoy the great outdoors while it rained.
The next day whilst the warden was on his rounds he asked us to remove the gazebo as they weren't allowed under the rules. He was polite and courteous about it and we duly obliged albeit somewhat confused as all we wanted to do was to enjoy outdoor living - which caravanning is all about!
I agree that wild parties and noise should not be encouraged/allowed but a gazebo (after all it's just an umbrella with four legs) I would have thought should be permitted in order to keep dry and enjoy the great outdoors.
Was this an over zealous decision by the warden or is it really a big no no?
Regards,
Andy.
Comments
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Did you or your friends also have an awning up?
David
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Rule 5(a) of Club site rules seems relevant
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Hi, yes we had a small porch awning. Not really big enough or suitable for outdoor cooking and eating. Used more to keeping outdoor gear and chairs etc dry. Regarding rule 5a, this would suggest that we should have been ok with the gazebo perhaps? After all, it doesn't explicitly say you can't use a gazebo. Again, I'm all for respecting your neighbours etc so wouldn't want to do anything to upset however I think a small gazebo should be ok - even on a temporary basis when the heavens open.
Andy.
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Hi Andy, I mentioned Rule 5(a) because it does clearly say that you can put up a kitchen tent as well as having an awning, so I sympathise with you.
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Oh dear, what a shame you couldn't enjoy it. We've been on sites where people had gazebos. And you are probably members who keep all the rules. We thought the new image of the new club this year was for members to enjoy the outdoors and to feel the spirit of adventure. We are presently on a beautiful site in France and are certainly feeling the sense of adventure and freedom here. A lovely welcome when we arrived and no list of rules and threats of having to move if we were to pitch cms away from the peg. In fact a huge pitch and you can park on it anywhere you like. It took us ages to decide where to pitch, we're so accustomed to parking on the peg! The toilet blocks never close and they are very clean.Although we think rules are necessary, the club seems to be stifling the sense of adventure & freedom. What a shame! No list of rules here and yet it is tidy, not one piece of litter, very peaceful, everyone enjoying themselves while being mindful of others.
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As a non-member it is not my place to comment on the various and often complex 'rules'.
However, it is certainly a factor when I consider whether or not I might wish to join this 'Club'.
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We heard a warden tell someone to take their gazebo down at a site, he told them it was because they werent secured to anything and they had had them blowing off in the past and causing damage.
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Tying down a gazebo seems to me to be a crutial part of erecting it properly. Apart from blowing over/away there is a danger of it being knocked and collapsing, especially if it is one of the early ones with the 80 tubes in the frame. It is just as flamable as a tent/awning if not more so.
I use one in my garden and have found tent pegs to be useless as the gazebo pulls upwards on them and they come out. I use four old curling stones, but I dont think anyone would be wanting to carry them around when camping.
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No tin hat needed I reckon, TS-good post
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Not seen gazebos erected on club sites but several years ago when on a well known commercial site at Breen during a very windy afternoon looked out to see a gazebo 'walk' like a praying mantis over the top of several caravans, whilst being chased by frantic owners.
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Agree, some are not anchored down correctly and the build quality of some of the units is questionable, leave them in back garden where they belong.
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Hi everyone,
So to add some clarity on the situation, there is no blanket guideline against gazebos. They can be used on pitches however the fire spacing ruling states that there must be 3m between an item on a pitch and any on an adjacent pitch (and 6m betweeen actual outfit walls).
From what you have described Maxheadroom, the gazebo was placed between your pitches (you and your friend) which wouldn't comply with that ruling. It might have been that the gazebo was entirely within your pitch boundary but too close to an adjacent awning/ canopy. It all depends on the situation but essentially you can use the gazebo as long as it fits within the boundary of your own pitch with a 3m space around it.
Our "rules" are more guidelines as all sites, pitches, outfits and awnings (and wardens!) are different. You have the perfect attitude towards this Maxheadroom in that you understand the bigger picture but just wanted clarity on your situation. I hope I've provided this - and yes! all awnings, tents & shelters do need to be pegged down properly for obvious reasons.
Thanks all,
Helen
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if it was your gazebo you would.
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Gazebo's are not part of caravaning, a tent without the sides, unstable, unattractive and unusable in any wind. Warden gets ten points.👍
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We had a gazebo when we first started caravanning, as it was what we had and we couldn't afford an awning... having said that it was one of the easy up ones and we put it up when needed and put away when not ...
please remember that for some it's all they have, especially if they are trying out caravanning for the first time, and whatever van they have got didn't come with an awning left by a previous owner
i checked when booking that first holiday that a gazebo was permitted, and we upgraded to a small porch awning the next year. The welcome and assistance from those first wardens ensured we weren't put off, and two vans later we now have a full awning and a far more family nights away than I could have ever imagined.
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I'm not a fan of gazebos, mainly for the reasons stated. With a strong gust of wind it is possible for it to take flight and could subsequently cause damage. I think windbrakes are also prone to collapse under strong gusts, but probably less prone to 'travel' - gazebos have a roof which can have more of a balloon effect.
We've stopped using parasols too (the sort that go in the middle of a table or into sand on a beach). We once experienced a mass flight of parasols some years ago on a beach in France which could very well have caused personal injury - I certainly wouldn't leave one up unattended. I'm neurotic enough about the awning, and that usually has the sides in and is attached to the caravan, so is less subject to a balloon effect and less likely to travel.
Personally, If I was using a gazebo, I'd take I'd down immediately after use.
David
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I can remember chasing a somersaulting brolly across a French beach.
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To Add to the confusion.
Next year we are planning a family get together while out in the van. I was on the same site we will be on recently so took the opportunity to ask a member of the warden team if we would be allowed to put up a shelter behind our awning.
His clear answer was YES.
I do have enough common sense to 1, Peg it down well or 2, Take it down if very windy which knowing the site well would be a possibility.0
