Groundsheets
We usually prefer a hard standing pitch but would like to know if using a grass pitch, is it acceptable to use breathable groundsheets without having to lift them? On some CAMC sites people use groundsheets, breathable and non breathable and don't seem to lift them during their stay.
I know that site rules say lifting them is required and also lifting the mud flaps of awnings, tents etc but i have never seen this done.
Thoughts would be appreciated.
Comments
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I have to say that, in all the times I've stayed on club sites, I've never seen anybody lift a groundsheet either but I'd check with site staff if you have concerns.
With the amount of equipment some people have set up in their awnings, I imagine lifting a groundsheet on a daily basis would be quite a chore.
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Damaged grass on pitches is a pet hate of mine whether caused by groundsheets or skidding and I do everything I can to prevent it. It makes me sad for the extra work it gives the wardens and may even mean taking the pitch out of service. For that reason I don't use a groundsheet on grass but do on hard standing if I'm there for any length of time.
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None breathable ground sheets should be banned from grass pitches. If you want to see the damage they cause visit the Godrevy site in September. Members using non breathabale ground sheets on grass should be asked to take them up or leave.
peedee
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Thing is, the first you know of a non breathable groundsheet being used is after the user has left. Reactive measures do take place then but that doesn't help the next visitor. A fully booked site can't take pitches out of use either.
To me groundsheet of any sort is an eleven letter swearword
JK
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Seems like we are all singing from the same hymn sheet. It's yet another breech of requests. I haven't said the 'R' word.
And what about the person who puts down a plastic sheet and covers it with a breathable sheet probably because they don't want mud on the mat. Disgusting.
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Has the club ever trialled a non groundsheet site? Quite a few CLs ban them. The only thing where they might be needed is in awning sleep compartments. We stopped using any type of groundsheet years ago, haven't miss them at all but hate being offered a dry or wet mud pitch!
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What exactly is being classed as a groundsheet as I have one of those weavable carpet jobs and wouldn't dream of using my awning without it
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I did say earlier that reactive measures are taken
JK
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We have used groundsheets in the past. We used to stay for up to four weeks on a grass pitch at our favourite CL. Van had a full length awning, but we only used to use a half length groundsheet, and every few days, 3/4 at the most, we would move the groundsheet around. Also any containers or other heavy stuff that limited grass growth. After a fortnight, we used to reposition the van and awning, and this rested the grass. It was something we and other friends that used to use the CL would do, help move van around, but lift awning so that it didn’t have to be taken down. It kept the grass pitches in the best condition we could for the next visitors. In fine weather, we stopped using an awning all together, just a square with van step on it.
We did think the Club created a problem itself a few years ago, when it crammed a few more pitches onto all grass sites like Marazion. The tighter spacing gave no leaway for moving pegs slightly, as used to happen sometimes.
Groundsheet uses come under the R for Respect category for us. Use carefully, and have respect who might have to use the pitch next.😁
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My opinion the club should ban there use on grass, members cannot be trusted not use polythene under their breathable ground sheet ect and the use of those tiles that click together is another, I remember the warden going around the site telling people to lift the ground sheet , they would get too much Agro these days.
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I bought a breathable years ago ,as was the trend at the time , it still ruined the grass ,with grass growing around it ,so when you took it up ,you pulled grass up with it . Its much nicer sitting on grass anyway . Granddaughter likes it on my slabs at home .
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It's not just separate g/sheets in the awning though, is it. Where is the difference between a g/sheet & the floor of a pup-tent ??
I'm not saying Pup tents should be banned, far from it but they should certainly be lifted and / or moved around the awning.
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we dont have an awning so don't do groundsheets, we just thought those large bright green (or brown) areas were there to brighten up the site
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With grass can't the pegs be moved around the area during times of heavy use thus helping rejuvenation? I quess the problems occur mind with the longer stayers. Surely it is incumbent upon them to do the right thing and do their very best to leave the pitch in good condition for the next person. If this means limiting length of stay in one place, using breathable sheets or lifting and moving items sobeit. Trouble is some I guess, just a very few, don't care about their fellow members to follow. Shouldn't we just promote good practice rather than focus on the negative. After all, we are the members!
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looks like they already have....
ah, we don't have a dog, or an awning or a caravan....probably the wrong club?
perhaps awnings (and weeing dogs) to be allowed on HS pitches only...?
if the club would allow them to be booked then the right customers (dog and awning owners) might get the right pitches...
leaving the nice (lush and green) pitches for those who don't do awnings nor have a liking for dog wee?0 -
We have a Kampa awning and a Kampa breathable carpet. The carpet doesn't damage the grass - but what does, are the large triangular pieces of canvas underneath the corner poles that are used to position the whole awning correctly.
After two weeks on a grass pitch, the area underneath the carpet is hardly affected but sadly, the grass underneath the corners is severely yellowed and I suspect, may take a week or two to recover.
Other than not using an awning on a grass pitch (which I am not going to do), I don't know what the solution is.
Tents do far more damage - and often over an area far greater than any caravan awning - are they going to be banned as well?
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When Wincanton site was on the club's network is was a no groundsheet site and that was the racecourse policy not the club's.
We do use a groundsheet on h/standings but very rarely on grass, also depends on length of stay.
Agree with R&R re tents they have fixed groundsheets in a lot of the smaller ones and have seen the damage they do.
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"....Tents do far more damage - and often over an area far greater than any caravan awning - are they going to be banned as well?"
...but other non tent users don't use tent pitches, do they?
the issue with grass pitches spoilt by awnings is they these pitches can be used by other campers (MHers and caravanners) who don't have awnings yet have to put up with a yellowed or (approaching) dead section of grass pitch...
when I park my MH (no awning) on a grass pitch, why should I have to step out onto a bare or yellowed/dying area because awning users have been there before and wrecked it?.....ill still be charged the same as an awning user.......
if awnings were kept to HS pitches then there wouldn't be an issue with what groundsheets might do and users of grass pitches would get a nice pristine pitch....not some grubby area...
if the club want to be able to prolong the season span of its grass pitches, the first obvious change is to keep the things that damage grass away from them...awnings for a start...
where these a choice of surface, it wouldn't be difficult to set up the pitch selection to only designate grass pitches as non awning.
BTW, I thought (almost) everyone wanted a HS (with a tap/drain) these days..
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We camped (tent) for around five or six years, every year at an all grass campsite in Cornwall, along with a lot of other folks who camped because they towed boats rather than vans. What I cannot recall is that any of us left areas of the site looking poached or misused. We’ve camped at Wincanton Racecourse a few times as well, again we and the Dutch folk next to us barely bent a blade of grass.
The Cornish campsite we used didn’t pack folks in, the marker pegs that gave a rough idea of which pitch number you used was regularly shuffled along so that areas of grass were rested. No one dumped their hot water tanks onto the pitch like some folks do nowadays in vans. The problem on Club Sites is that almost every user turns up, has to pitch their van in the same place, has to erect their awning almost in the same place, with a door and step out almost in the same place. Foriegn vans excepted.
We stayed at Nunnykirk last year, couple of times. It’s all grass, and gets quite a bit of rain. Yet we saw no poaching or mud anywhere.
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