Pitch Types
We are currently visiting Cirencester Park site. I booked a standard pitch with awning but on arrival was shocked to find that some of the pitches would only just fit my caravan and half the car on, never mind trying to get an awning on. Why do they not sell these as no awning pitches? At all other CAMC sites we have been to these would be blue pegs. It is very deceiving to mark them as white.
Comments
-
I agree. They should really market them as small / porch awning. I’ve noticed they have started marketing a few of them as multi surface, at £1 extra a night, where if the ground conditions are suitable you can erect an awning on the grass divide. Presumably there must be enough clearance.
1 -
Awning/non-awning is very often decided by the gap between pitches rather than the size of the pitch itself. Having said that, the HS's are small at that site.
0 -
Seems very unfair. You book expecting a standard pitch. CAMC are usually very reliable for that. Lovely location but a lot of the pitches let it down.
0 -
Fortunately as a motorhomer it doesn't have the same impact on us as someone needing to get car, caravan and awning on the pitch. Another site we use regularly is Moreton in Marsh and many pitches there are on the small size although I understand they have been upgrading them over the last couple of years. I thought the same was happening at Cirencester as the last time we were there we had a pretty decent pitch. However if the site is busy all the best pitches will be taken, probably leaving only the smaller pitches?
David
0 -
There is one section, first right turn after the entrance where they are larger and of course the service pitches they put in a few years ago. However, there are still a lot of the narrow variety where you park across the front. Some of which, as I mentioned, they have made multi surface. However, like yourself with a MH and no desire to have anything but a wind out awning, it isn’t the same problem.
0 -
Distance between awnings/cars certainly does come into the equation.
0 -
It is already stressful arriving at CAMC sites when you don’t know where you will be pitched but to then find you can’t fit on a pitch because they are not big enough think it’s time to give CAMC sites a miss. When you are staying for 12 nights you don’t want to dump your van on any old pitch.
0 -
A white peg pitch that we used at Castleton a few years back had turned into a blue peg pitch by the next time we went. That's why I suggested that there should be a price difference between white & blue pegs .... it might deter the little VW camper from being sat in the middle of a huge awning pitch while that car/caravan/awning are trying to squeeze onto to some of the smaller awning pitches ....
sits back with pop corn waiting for the barrage of 'opinions' of how a small camper is perfectly entitled to use the huge awning pitches etc etc etc 🍿🍿🍿
0 -
'Twas ever thus, Burgundy. You might find exactly the same situation if you were able to book a specific pitch as others could have booked ahead of you. It's no problem as you can move to another pitch later, although you probably wouldn’t be able to with specific pitch booking.
1 -
We have also fallen foul of the old narrow awning pitches at Cirencester, all the decent sized ones being (of course) already occupied when we arrived.
While a small campervan may be entitled to use the biggest pitch on the site, assuming they have booked an awning pitch, are wardens not expected to also manage their site to ensure that all those who have booked have a suitable pitch? Why else are we asked for outfit length on booking?
Having been directed to the narrow pitches, OH went back to ask where we were supposed to park our car. "Across the front of the van" was the answer. She pointed out that if we did that, it would block the road.
The other choice offered was to take a grass pitch. Being late spring, they were open, but the weather was not ideal for manoeuvring a twin axle on a grass pitch.
Instead, as there was plenty of room behind the van, we went well back so the van wheels were right at the edge of the gravel, leaving enough space to get the car onto the pitch in front of the van.
We had a similar experience several years back at M-in-M, arriving at a weekend and the only remaining awning pitch being a strange shape, rather muddy, and difficult to access. We decided not to put up the awning as there would have then been no space for the car.
0 -
I think the issue could be the size of the HS rather than the spacing between pitches. 🤷🏻♂️
0 -
I don't why this should be so at Cirencester. A few years ago they had the same problem at Meathop Fell (Grange-over-Sands).
Following a fire on site to one of the units the site was reconfigured so that the smaller sized ones were made non awnings pitches and quite suitable for all outfits if no awning required. Mind you there are still some awning pitches particularly at the bottom end of the site that still have their problems with trying to find enough space for car, caravan and awning.
It's not unique to the club. I have come across these sort of problems on independents, CLs and, whisper it, over there sites as well.
0 -
I agree entirely. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for the Club to charge more for the larger pitches.
0 -
Exactly. They know which vans are coming because like you say you have to tell them your outfit size on booking.
0
