Pitching continental caravans...
Hello everyone
I currently have my Hymer 2 berth on a seasonal pitch, but next season I am looking to tour in it as my working pattern has changed.
As the caravan is continental spec (door on the 'wrong' side) I wondered how I will get on pitching it at sites?
When I pitched it on the seasonal pitch, I was asked to go nose in, as the space wouldn't be correct if I had reversed in and put an awning up. Unfortunately that means I am facing a hedge from the lounge area. Is this the same on all club sites?
This may have been asked before but I have only found a couple of old posts so just wondering what the current rules are.
Looking forward to touring, hopefully going to do some winter sites too from November!
Thanks 
Comments
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As far as I am aware you can have it hitch in or hitch out. Obviously using it hitch in you maintain door to side wall position with your neighbour which gives you and them a bit more privacy.
David
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As David says, I don't think it would make a lot of difference, but you would really need to discuss it with the site staff. In the end of the day, it is their call. I guess it could depend upon the location of different pitches, e.g. on the Site where I am staying at the moment, there is one very large looking pitch at the end of the row. In this case, I would doubt if it would make much difference which way you pitched.
Just for information, this is what it says in the Site rules:
b. The site staff will advise you where your outfit should go in relation to the marker. If you wish to pitch in any other way please ask the site staff.
c. To avoid the spread of fire, there must be at least 6 metres spacing between facing walls of adjacent caravans, motorhomes or trailer tents and a minimum clear space of 3 metres between adjoining outfits in any direction.
As far as I can see, it is basically up to the site staff for interpretation.
David
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Yes, I reckon David is spot on. As (b) says, ask if it is possible to pitch differently. Don't just assume mind as if you get those '6&3s' wrong you will rightly be asked to reposition. That would be particularly frustrating if you've already put that awning up mind!
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I think some consideration should be given to your neighbour(s). We were on a pitch in Bunree this spring and a British built van pitched alongside us nose in, although this gave them absolutely no advantage regarding the views as we were well back from the lochside. The result was that they put up an awning which just fitted the available remaining hard standing space, but was still extremely close to our van, with the guy ropes stretching almost onto our pitch.
To make matters worse, they were extremely unsociable, but quite content to sit silently within feet of us whilst outside, barely even acknowledging our “hello”.
The warden said they hadn’t broken the rules, but agreed that it was “a bit inconsiderate”
How much nicer to be a bit more thoughtful, and at least friendly?
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The pic below shows the current instructions for pitching. It’s crystal clear. This system of pitching is designed to naintain spacing on 6m between caravans/MHs and 3m between cars/awnings and any other ancillary equipment.
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So can the awning and car be swapped around? as it should make no difference to the spacing measurements as long as the correct corner of the van is to the peg.
Awning to awning would still be the 3m gap, and it wouldn't bother me if my neighbour didn't like it, they could pitch the other way around if it bothered them.
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If 3 UK vans were parked nose out, nose in, nose out then the order would be -
car, caravan, awning; awning, caravan, car; car caravan awning.
So, yes, that’s swapping car and awning around and maintaining the required gap is all that matters. 👍🏻
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Yes. 👍🏻
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I’ve been in the situation where a warden, wrongly, stated awning to awning was not allowed. It pays to know the rules.👍🏻
All this does raise the question of what happens if someone has a hugely deep awning which would intrude into the 3m space. I guess they either can’t erect it or have to pay for two pitches.😮
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Unless they had an uncommonly wide awning, this does not sound right, sounds as though someone has possibly not placed their van in the correct position relative to the peg to start with.
For awning pitches the pegs should be in positions that will maintain the minimum 3m awning to car, awning to awning, or car to car spacing.
The grass between hard standings is "no man's land" and can be used to peg guylines on IMO. Also available for non permanent things such as chairs.
Even when not on a lochside pitch, I would choose to face the loch if possible as there is not much of a view the opposite way if I remember correctly.
Pity your neighbours were not more friendly, but it takes all sorts.
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What we do when someone has a deep awning is try and get them pitching on an end pitch so they can either move the unit away from the peg to allow the awning or keep unit on the peg and stretch out the awning to an empty space.
If the member doesn’t ask about it and puts up a deep awning which would encroach another pitch (3 Mtr rule) they would have to move pitch or remove the awning.
Some manufactures are making deeper and deeper awnings and I find it to be the case more on camper vans than other outfits.
Kev
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I’ve got a Hymer with a nearside door on clubsites I never ask because I would hate for them to give me the wrong answer. The pitching rules are to ensure safety not privacy. Of course if some felt I was invading there privacy, I would, as a sensitive individual, assist them in turning their caravan arround.
I am currently on a French site parked nose in so it depends on the pitch.
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Quoted email I received June 2013:
"I can confirm that, on directy owned Caravan Club sites, the ruling accepts outfits either being pitched nose in or reversed on as long as the safety spacing requirement is adhered to."
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It took 5 years for them to update the pitching diagrams, Jill. Like you, I carried a print of the rules with me. Hopefully, it’s no longer needed.
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I tend not to use an awning, occasionally a sunshade, and will often park up 'nose in', if that optimises MOH's viewpoint when sitting inside.
Usually I will talk to any neighbours to see if they have any violent objection to the juxtaposition of the doors.
However, I have yet to encounter any particular animosity and will continue to pitch up as we see fit, unless specifically denied by the wardens. Most of whom are usually agreeable.
Should you want total privacy then feel free to move elsewhere.
Sounds harsh - but not intended to be so.
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Oh, where has that camaraderie gone? Many of us started this outdoor passtime of ours in tents, was there a wrong and right way to face then? As long as those 6&3s are maintained what is the issue? Have we really become that territorial and retentive about our own little temporary space in the great outdoors? It seems so!
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It will depend on the size of the hard standing and or the grass finger, as long as the 3m rule is in place and it looks like they have tried to be near the peg personally I’m happy 😀
grass pitches are different as here they are all 12m so you need to be pretty close as there is no grass finger between so to speek
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