Wardens Reserving Pitches for MHs in Wet Weather
I was reading a review recently where the poster was saying how great it was that the warden had reserved 4 hard standings for motorhomes. Maybe great if you are one with a reserved hard standing but not otherwise. I can fully understand a warden wishing to protect pitches but as far as I am concerned I prefer the alternative solution.
From my point of view I have absolutely no desire to spend time on a sodden grass pitch. I would rather be phoned and told that there was no pitch available than to be greeted with a demand that I use a pitch which is sodden and muddy.
A reason, and probably the only reason that I would prefer being able to book pitch type.
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Have to agree fully, for one we all pay the same membership fee and site fees and one group of member should not have any greater advantage over another in terms of pitch choice. Until you can reserve a particular pitch or type of pitch then it's first come first served.
What site was this ET?
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Wardens have to manage their site. Whilst a caravan (as a vehicle) could probably cope on a wet pitch it's more than likely that a motorhome could not. I suppose there are two ways of tackling the situation. You either take all the grass pitches out of operation despite some units being able to cope with wetter conditions or you manage what you have available. In the first case you disadvantage a lot more people than the second. Not sure it should be seen as a caravan v motorhome issue of one of weight and potential damage to the site which could have a much longer acting inconvenience to members than allocating pitches on the day. My preferred option would be to be able to book a pitch surface which would solve the issue. However it would be likely that all those that had not booked a hardstanding would be cancelled at short notice.
David
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It's a tricky one isn't it? I agree with David that wardens have to be able to manage the site given particular circumstances, but as ET and Corners have said, it's a bit unfair to give preference to any one section or type of unit. I'm not sure which site is being referred to and, given the recent weather I'm a bit surprised that grass pitches would be in use anyway. The club appear to have turned their backs on pitch type choice at least for the present. In which case, if there have to be late cancellations, the only fair solution would be to cancel bookings starting with the most recent. Can't see the club booking system being able to cope with that, though!
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I agree entirely with EasyT. It would make matters a lot easier if members were allowed to book pitch types. I can see where the warden is coming from, but I do thing we are going to have big problems if motorhomers were essentially allowed to book hardstanding and caravans not.
David
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Yes, book pitch type for all.
This is not about Motorhome or Caravan, it is the wellbeing of the inhabitants irrespective of what they arrived in. Just because a certain type of habitation may be more suited to a soft ground, I as a person am not especially if my unit gets clagged up with muck inside and outside.
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There is an argument in favour of a ban on caravan awnings on grass pitches. The mess and extensive damage done to the grass left by awning groundsheets and the awning skirt can take months to repair.
As far as allocating Motorhomes on hard standings is concerned, it seems infinitely suitable, as a motorhome exiting and returning every day would do much more damage to grass than a towcar.
I expect that some traditional Caravanners may have not considered the need for sites where there are a mix of H/S and Grass to be well managed by the on-site employees. But having been both a caravanner and motorhomer, I am acutely aware of the unsustainable damage which can occur to the sites when the wrong vehicles are put on the wrong pitches.
K
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Some years ago when we had a 1500kg caravan and hefty 4wd we were directed to a grass pitch at Hurn Lane as the HS pitches were being kept tor MHs. We complied but were not happy and made our feelings known but they were dismissed without serious consideration.
The outcome was that some HS pitches remained empty overnight while others of us with caravans put up with the mud and our cars chewed up the grass every time we went in and out.
There's good pitch management and there’s bad.
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Wardens frequently reserve pitches for both caravans and motorhomes, as said, they have to manage the site.
Bring on more pitch type reservations and prices adjustments according to pitch. It cannot continue with people paying the same for a manicured hardstanding and a muddy piece of grass (or even a nice piece of grass in good weather.
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My take is that if some of the capacity is unavailable to use the takings are down, it's business ! I know of many CL owners who this last weekend have had to make a choice, have the weekends takings and have the grass ruined for maybe the season or allow people with bookings to know as soon as possible the pitches are not available.
Happy caravanning.
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It would be interesting to know exactly what information wardens are given about bookings. Are arrivals listed by booking number? In other words, earliest to latest booking dates? In which case it would be relatively easy in these circumstances to cancel the later bookings where a number of pitches turn out to be unusable. Fair for all, regardless of what type of unit they're using.
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Didn't that happen a while back? It started out like you desribe but caused a bit of a 'rumpus' as families were given preference over singles? Sorry allegedly given preference
so what about a heavy twin axle caravan v a lighter MH, does that get a space on HS?
anyway as soon as grass pitches are gone forever in a few years time...
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Funnily enough, we were on a hardstanding pitch last week and we traipsed more muck in the van than we did in February when we were on a grass pitch. The pitch was more grit than gravel and was well overdue for a revamp. Several other pitches on the site, Graffam Water, were the same.
There isn't really an answer that can be deemed fair to all by all, but I do think that sites should be managed when conditions are less than ideal.
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I have no idea how many hard stands there are on this site as it must be 25 years ago that I was last on this lovely site.
I has been suggested not to use hard standings on other sites though. At least I took it as suggestion only
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Have you read the Nunnykirk statement? At present they aren't taking bookings due to waterlogged pitches. I think ABM posted that he'd changed his bookings due to this happening.
I don't think there are any hardstandings there and the reviewer states "that suitable pitches had been reserved" I would take that to mean the wardens had to find the best available spots for all recent arrivals due to waterlogging.
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But he wasn't and said that they were reserved for motorhomes. The simple fact is that I have known the site staff to attempt to reserve hard standing for motorhomes. Understandable to a large extent but not acceptable to me as I would prefer to be turned away or. at the very least, advised in advance so that I can maje alternative plans if possible
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Nunnykirk is a grass only site and has a river running through the three pitching areas and on the first day of opening had to move outfits/seasonals due to a flood alert as posted on this forum by a seasonal on this site, not sure about the wardens reserving pitches could be the wardens advising which pitches to use due to site conditions.
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I suppose there are two ways of tackling the situation. You either take all the grass pitches out of operation despite some units being able to cope with wetter conditions or you manage what you have available. In the first case you disadvantage a lot more people than the second.
I consider myself disadvantaged David if I have to use a muddy pitch.
Not sure it should be seen as a caravan v motorhome issue of one of weight and potential damage to the site
Having been asked in the past if I would leave hard standing for motorhomes I would say that it is caravan v motorhome David.
If I am phoned ahead I can look elsewhere.
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I've been to Bladon Chains and hardstanding pitches have had cones on them and then they have then been used by a motorhome. The ground at Bladon doesn't drain well, I've even seen a twin axle van pitched on the roadway leading to the grass at the end of the site, when grass pitches at that end not in use.
Edit.. We have had breaks cancelled there due to wet pitches too.
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The way it's going there'll be another name change shortly to the Motorhome and Dry Weather Only Caravan Club!!
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