I've read this thread through, honestly, and the point does seem to have meandered a bit; from caravanners and folks with motorhomes receiving preferential treatment regarding pitches, through to claiming they should stay at home if they want to watch telly in their vans and let true campers have the pitches, then it has turned again and seems to be focusing on campsites not honouring pre-booked arrangements.
Personally, I hate the 'us' and 'them' stuff which permeates some threads about tenters and caravanners. We've been both, and never been prejudiced against either camp, and I couldn't give two hoots what unit anyone has (I'm interested in them all, though! ) or if caravanners want to watch telly, since at least caravans are insulated and we can't hear them (unlike tents, but don't get me started on that one! ). I don't understand why some folk seemingly want to sit in their vans instead of outside, but it's their choice, at the end of the day.
As for saying the site felt like a 'car park' because of all the caravans and motorhomes, well that's the nature of some sites which accept all types of units, and not really a case of 'favouritism' by the site, IMHO, esp if it is operated on a 'first come, first served' basis. We once were camping in our little Quechua pop ups for an overnight in France, turned in early for a snooze and awoke to find ourselves surrounded by motorhomes and caravans, which were very close indeed and had hemmed us in on three sides. My main concern was that someone wouldn't see us and would run over us thinking our unlit pitch area was free! But, to be fair, everyone was lovely and friendly and, although I'd have preferred to be in a field of tents, it was more from the safety aspect than from any perceived social angle! I have no idea why anyone differentiates or makes negative attributions because of the unit a fellow camper chooses to use and wish sincerely that this broad brush approach regarding caravanners would bite the dust.
If, however, the main issue here is that the site didn't honour your specified booking requirements, esp in respect of a disability, that is another matter entirely and should be a matter for complaint. I'm glad to hear you had a good weekend, despite the pitch disappointment, dezzie. Have you actually complained to them about your booking, by the way? What was their response?
P.S. Apologies for all the edits - spelling mistakes - tired tonight methinks!
Quote: Originally posted by Fat Bum on 06/5/2009
Many caravanners, including us, prefer to pitch on grass if possible especially if we want to erect an awning or pup tent. I'm afraid on a site where you choose your own pitch, especially on a busy bank holiday weekend, you have to take what is available when you arrive. I actually think it looks quite a nice site. We were tent campers for 6 years before getting our caravan nearly 3 years ago and we pitched our tent on far worse than that. It looks quite level too.
Have you read my posts Fatbum? I booked WELL in ADVANCE for a superior pitch solely because my wife is disabled and needs to be within easy reach of the facilities. I was told I would be reserved the said pitch, but when I got there it was a different story. They offered me 3 pitches - Of the 3 the pitch I chose was the best of a bad bunch. It may look quite level, but I can assure you it wasnt. It was also soaking, as drainage was not too good - Things that i am more than willing to tolerate when camping. I have been camping for nearly 35 years, so Im not a novice. When you book a pitch with specific requirements and are promised them, you expect to get what you are paying for, not what I was given. Had I not bothered booking a pitch and just turned up, then you would indeed be right and I'd have had to take what was there. That is NOT the case here.
Are the 'superior pitches' near to the sanitary blocks on this site? Does the term 'superior pitch' relate to position, or does it just mean it has EHU and on-pitch water and / or drainage?
Quote: Originally posted by dadsbeaniemad on 05/5/2009
As for snobbery , it does excists even on here between tenters .
Not that I have seen anywhere in the time I have been a member of the site. Nor between the different units.
No snobbery at all just good advise that hopefully will save new campers the expense and mistakes that some of the seasoned campers have already experienced be it buying a tent or a washing up bowl.
Everyone is as good as everyone else and every unit is individual and as good as the next.
I was incensed at first because it appeared to me that all the prime pitches were hard standing and very near the facilities. I also overheard a group of gentlemen discussing a couple of the motorhomes adjacent to the toilet block and how they spent all day and all night just sitting in thier units watching telly - only leaving to use the toilet. I had a nosey (as we do) and noticed this myself not only on a couple of the units, but quite a few. I admit that this made my blood boil, because had we been given one of these pitches it would have been very beneficial for my wife. Given time to think about it and taking on board others opinions on this thread, it gave me another perspective on this. I still stand by the fact that I feel that Motor homes and Caravans are given preference over tents in more than a few sites. Something I just have to live with and will live with. It wasn't intended to have a go at Caravanners or Motor homers and what they do in their units. I have on numerous occasions (As you know) defended the actions of what campers do on their holidays. Without sounding condescending or making excuses, when you live with a disability, it tends to make you look at things in a certain way (not always the right way), and make assumptions just as others make assumptions of my wife's disability). You cant see MS, so a lot of the time they see a young woman who looks great, but struggles to walk all the time. My main gripe was about the booking and the fact that I paid extra for a premium pitch with electric and also requested to be nearby the facilities for my wife. The site were fully aware of this and infact my wife called them on Friday night to make sure all was well with our booking - and according to them it was. The rest is in my posts. I truly mean no offence to any camper no matter what unit they choose to camp in. Sometimes though my frustrations get the better of me. I hope that puts it into a better perspective for everyone.
I will be complaining to forest holidays and have contacted the C&CC to find out how to complain, as I booked through my membership. The positive is that we did enjoy ourselves despite the pitch.
------------- Always forgive,Never forget;Learn from mistakes,But Never regret;People change,Things go wrong;Just remember life goes on
Cool campers use Delta Pegs.
The happiest people aren't the ones who have everything they are the ones who make the most of everything they have
Quote: Originally posted by dezzie on 06/5/2009
Liddenham.
I was incensed at first because it appeared to me that all the prime pitches were hard standing and very near the facilities. I also overheard a group of gentlemen discussing a couple of the motorhomes adjacent to the toilet block and how they spent all day and all night just sitting in thier units watching telly - only leaving to use the toilet. I had a nosey (as we do) and noticed this myself not only on a couple of the units, but quite a few. I admit that this made my blood boil, because had we been given one of these pitches it would have been very beneficial for my wife. Given time to think about it and taking on board others opinions on this thread, it gave me another perspective on this. I still stand by the fact that I feel that Motor homes and Caravans are given preference over tents in more than a few sites. Something I just have to live with and will live with. It wasn't intended to have a go at Caravanners or Motor homers and what they do in their units. I have on numerous occasions (As you know) defended the actions of what campers do on their holidays. Without sounding condescending or making excuses, when you live with a disability, it tends to make you look at things in a certain way (not always the right way), and make assumptions just as others make assumptions of my wife's disability). You cant see MS, so a lot of the time they see a young woman who looks great, but struggles to walk all the time. My main gripe was about the booking and the fact that I paid extra for a premium pitch with electric and also requested to be nearby the facilities for my wife. The site were fully aware of this and infact my wife called them on Friday night to make sure all was well with our booking - and according to them it was. The rest is in my posts. I truly mean no offence to any camper no matter what unit they choose to camp in. Sometimes though my frustrations get the better of me. I hope that puts it into a better perspective for everyone. I will be complaining to forest holidays and have contacted the C&CC to find out how to complain, as I booked through my membership. The positive is that we did enjoy ourselves despite the pitch.
I honestly meant no disrespect to your wife, Dezzie, and appreciate how frustrating it must sometimes be for you both as my brother and has a 'hidden disability' too and it can become maddening when total strangers make assumptions that there is nothing wrong with him and he is somehow abusing the system at the expense of other folk with 'real' disabilities. Life can be crap, eh?
I hope the site takes on board that they let your wife down by not honouring the terms of your booking, and make sure they pull their socks up a bit more in future.
Glad you both had a good time, in the end. Better without having to suffer the aggro first, eh?
We are off to a site this year. It has two fields. One contains the toilet/shower block and has EHU the other doesn't have either. Guess which one is for tents?
We asked if we could camp in the EHU field, but Nooooo, that is caravans and motorhomes only!
------------- If you see a family struggling to put up the tent then it must be us!
Quote: Originally posted by Surfspud on 07/5/2009
We are off to a site this year. It has two fields. One contains the toilet/shower block and has EHU the other doesn't have either. Guess which one is for tents?
We asked if we could camp in the EHU field, but Nooooo, that is caravans and motorhomes only!
So why are you going then, enough "good" sites about without having second class citizen rubbed in.
Dezzie, I totally understand what you are trying to say and sympathise. After booking and asking for your pitch to be close to the shower/toilet block, I feel that it isn't good enough for you to be given otherwise. If they are not able to accomodate your request, they should have said so at the time.
Talking about caravans and tents though - last year we went to a site in Cornwall during one of the worst weeks of the year - our pitch was between a caravan on one side and a motorhome on the other, both the people in the caravan and then the couple in the motorhome came out and offered us cups of tea to keep us going whilst we pitched our tent. The gale force winds came on the day after and we were really glad that both units helped to shelter our tent from some of the force. I think everyone should treat each other with due respect, and we were really grateful for those cups of tea.
I also feel that if you are paying for EHU etc. nomatter if you are in a caravan, tent, motorhome or tin hat, you should all be given the same standard of pitch.
Quote: Originally posted by Cliff n Pat on 07/5/2009
Quote: Originally posted by Surfspud on 07/5/2009We are off to a site this year. It has two fields. One contains the toilet/shower block and has EHU the other doesn't have either. Guess which one is for tents?
We asked if we could camp in the EHU field, but Nooooo, that is caravans and motorhomes only!
So why are you going then, enough "good" sites about without having second class citizen rubbed in.
When we originally booked they had EHU for tents as well, and reviews on here sounded good. We were asked to phone back this year for prices, that was when we were told things had changed.
We could have gone elsewhere but it is on the doorstep of where we want to go and is very reasonable so have kept with it as it will only be the first 5 days of our holiday as we are then moving on to somewhere else.
------------- If you see a family struggling to put up the tent then it must be us!
We were thinking of going to Castle Bay Holiday Park in Portpatrick, having been there many times before it changed hands some months ago.
Don't know about a preference for caravans but they certainly now have a preference for caravanners' money:
Tent (no EHU) = £8.00
Caravan (no EHU) = £14.00
Tent with EHU = £11.00
Caravan with EHU £17.00
We camp and caravan but need the caravan on this trip so we won't be going to Castle Bay. We all know which group will make most use of the facilities (not a dig or complaint, just a statement of fact) so why the huge difference in prices. There's no separate camping area and all pitches are grass so why charge £6.00 per night more for caravans?
Taking our two dogs will add £2.00 per night despite there being no on-site dog walk, and the awning would be another £2.50 per night. £21.50 per night - don't think so!
We'll be going to Port o' Spittal CC CL (or CS, I can never remember which club has which) for £8.50 per night including dogs and EHU. An extra £1.00 per night for the awning seems fair enough and there are showers and toilets available. They take tents, too!
We're voting with our wallets on that company's preference for tents!!
------------- Best Wishes and Happy Travels,
Feecamp
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Campsites preference to Caravans
) or if caravanners want to watch telly, since at least caravans are insulated and we can't hear them (unlike tents, but don't get me started on that one! 
