Hedgerows on caravan sites..........

[Pat_374304630]

Reading the various topics I can see that most of you have been abroad.Have you noticed that on a lot of sites the pitches are surrounded on 3 sides by hedges.

This must surely stop people cutting across the pitches,stop kids cycling through pitches,and prevent(or at least limit)ball games.

Should we be encouraging site owners in the UK to do the same and put hedges around the pitches as most sites seem to be open.

What do you think?????

 

[LMH]

Forget the hedges. Site owners should just put large enclosed structures on pitches with roller shutter doors so caravans and the occupiers can be totally enclosed.

That should prevent anyone from getting upset by people cutting through pitches, children cycling across pitches and limit damage done by ball games.

The anti fun brigade should be happy then. (Well, maybe not).

Lisa

 

[parker1158]

You beat me to it Lisa!

I agree I think there should also be a hedge section hinged on the front so that once you are in your 'cocoon' you can close off the front get in your van close the blinds and get the tele on.

Sorry Pat I only meant it as a joke. I'm afraid I am one of the, it seems few, who like the open space. I do not subscribe to windbreaks, I do not mind if children want to ride their bikes through my 'territory', I would positively encourage controlled ball games and if my van picked up a couple of scars because of it (and it has) then so be it. We never take a tele away with us and we encourage our children to make as many friends as they like and, if they desire, to bring them back and play. Recently on the isle-of-Wight on one particular evening we had more than a dozen children of various ages and colour in our awning playing various games, we even had the people in the van next door share our barbi because they had run out of gas. In my opinion by 'shutting' yourself off you are saying 'keep away, leave me alone and don't come near'

To me that is not what vanning is about. I accept and fully appreciate we are not all the same and some people like their privacy so I guess the answer is for sites to have a choice or for folk to opt for the sites that cater for their likes and dislikes.

 

[Icemaker]

I don't like sites with hedges unless they very low.

I like to speak to my neighbours and everyone on site, in france last year the hedges where over 6 foot and stopped the sun shinning on our pitch which spoilt the holiday for us.

Lisa do you really think the pc brigade now what happy is ?.

Ive got two living next door to me who think all oxygen should be restricted to teenagers but at the moment i am listening to theire music through my wall and theire dog barking in the garden.

Our cavaliers have not got up yet lazy so and so's.

 

[ThePlotter]

Like you Icemaker if there are hedges then low ones are fine not ones like the Berlin Wall.

You can now of course buy windbreaks with a design that looks like a hedge so three or four of these and you could create your own virtual hedge around your van.

 

[Damian]

I prefer open spaces too, spend too long "enclosed" at home, but also have a bit of a quandry, as we have dogs which always come with us, so have to use windbreaks to create a safe area for them, and stop them wanting to go and greet everyone who happens to walk by!!

I do not, however, use the breaks to indicate that I do not want to be friendly, far from it, so do explain to others why they are there, which seems to work.

So, if you see me on site, and want to be licked to death, come and meet the "family"!!!

 

[Parksy]

My three sons have now grown up and Carole never had children. there have been many threads on the forum about children and play areas and no doubt somebody will start foaming at the mouth before too long.

Children are always going to walk through 'your' pitch on a campsite and I cant see any harm in it, as long as they are not rude. Children learn from interacting with other people, including adults, and they are not a seperate species.

There is no need for hedges on caravan parks except maybe as windbreaks in places because parents need to be able to see where their kids are and what they are doing.

Its nice to see children making friends with each other although I have some reservations about what Martyn says. If your van picks up a few scars as a result of you playing ball games so be it but what if my van picks up a few scars as well?

Is that just a price we have to pay because you decide that you want to play ball with your children?

I dont want to harp on about ball games because that particular subject has been done to death, and this thread is about hedges on campsites.

As a nation we have become frightened of our own children and somehow feel threatened by them.

I regularly see a load of teenagers hanging about by the shops of an evening and always speak to them and if they see me about they speak to me.They have always shown me the utmost respect and they are just doing what every young lad has always done, having a laugh with each other and trying ( and failing) to get girls.

If kids wander through our pitch we usually strike up a conversation or say hello at least.

Not every couple who dont have children with them are 'the enemy'.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Well said Steve, I agree with all you said.

I don't like open spaces though if that means camping in a field, I like trees, shrubs etc.

I don't hate children having had them myself and now grandchildren.

I don't mind kids riding their bikes or playing football.

I do mind kids riding their bikes or playing football around my van or as the thread says, on my"pitch". Unlike Martyn I would certainly mind if my van got damaged from the two above activities. If my van was damaged I'm afraid I couldn't just laugh it off and say "well it's only a material possession", so that would make me a member of the anti-fun brigade, sorry :O(

As I said, have fun in a controlled way, not at the expense of others and expect them to subsidise your holidays by paying for your childs damage to their van. It all boils down to simple respect for others :O)

 

[parker1158]

While I appreciate (hope) some of the above comments were not malicious can I just re-iterate I stated 'controlled' ball games and '.if MY van picked up a couple of scars.in no way would I wish damage to another persons property or would I put myself in a position where my actions could cause damage. It's just that I personally am not materialistic and the very light damage my van has suffered (I have seen worse) through the years is of little consequence to me. But hey we are all different :0)

 

[ThePlotter]

Like you LB I too love kiddies but I couldnt eat a whole one.

 

[RiaandJames_374303418]

One moment you have members here moaning that some UK commercial sites pitch vans to close together and then having hedged plots is wrong.

Having hedged plots has never stopped us being friendly or talking with neighbouring pitches and attractive hedged and well planted site is a lot more attractive than multi coulored and dayglo beach windbreaks used to coral pitches here in the UK.

Also, at least campsites with well manicured vegetation shows the owners are making an effort for their clients in return for what they spend visiting sites.

Ria

 

[Parksy]

Hi Martyn,

My previous comments contained no malicious intent and I am not trying to suggest that you would allow your actions to cause damage or distress to other caravanners.

The fact that people air their views on forums such as this one at least proves that they care enough to at least hold a view. I find that caravanners on the whole do look after their kids, obviously there are always going to be people who dont.

I always try not to blame children for their parents misdeeds or apathy, after all it's not a kids fault if his parents dont care enough about him, or her.

On a seasonal site that we occupied there was one little chap who was a little swine. He used to throw stones and torment dogs and his parents used to send him out if their van in the morning and they didn't want to see him again all day.

He used to call me names and pull rude faces, which I must admit, I found slightly amusing.

One day he was at the tap collecting water in the aquaroll and when he saw me coming I could see that he didn't know whether to run off, light a fire, laugh or cry. Anyhow while we were at the tap I said something that made him laugh and do you know............................................................................................................................. He was still a little sod. :0) not really, he started to talk to people and spend time with them, I think that he thought that he was 'looking after' me, and he always wanted to 'help' me if I was doing something. I hope that as he grows older that he carries on being the nice kid that below the surface he is. The are nice lightly toasted though Mr Plotter.

 

[Soozeeg]

Personally, I like hedges or shrubs around the pitch.......gives you a little more privacy. It doesn't stop us from being sociable though!

 

[kathryn_5122141]

Not sure about having them around each pitch but I agree that it is nice to have greenery about the place. The more the site is broken up with trees shrubs etc and the less it resembles a carpark the happier I am

I am not bothered though about people cutting through "my" pitch - I go caravanning to meet people so if someone passes by it is nice to have a chat.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

If they are only walking across the pich fair enough, it's when bikes are rode that I don't like it. Saying that I cannot bring myself to walk across anyone elses pitch though and neither can my wife, the way our parents brought us up I suppose. I would think that the majority of people from my generation would be the same.

 

[Pat_374304630]

Thank you all for your replies.Very interesting reading.Like the idea of moveable hedges.As for toasting kids,a bit on the dodgey side.

Personally after 25 years of caravanning,having kids,and now grandkids,I would prefer to see low hedges,which has already been pointed out will never interfere with socialising.

And as I do my customary walk around the site,hedges will never stop me from being friendly to other caravanners.

Hedges or no hedges carry on enjoying caravanning!!!

 

[Surfer]

I like the idea of low hedges as it probably means that your pitch is larger than the average sardine pitch.