Jobsworth Wardens

[Ian341]

Our last trip away was to a CC site and we always follow the 12:00 rule.

On the Sunday we left the site at 11:15, we eventually cleared the site entrance at 12:30!!! The CC site we stayed at had a single lane to the entrance, it wasn't really that long, probably 40 foot but because around 15 outfits had arrived before 12:00 it meant that the entrance lane was completely blocked.

The wardens wouldn't let anyone in until 12:00 so all the outgoing outfits were jammed as they couldn't get through the lane due to the queueing incoming traffic.

SWMBO had a completely different opinion on it to me, she thought that it was the site wardens to blame as the site was empty and to prevent this queue they could have just let the people in. The site was all hardstanding pitches so there was no mowing etc. to be done.

I thought that it was the fault of the people arriving. Surely they knew of the 12:00 rule and there was a massive car park just outside the site lane so they could easily have waited here until 12:00, allowing the people on the site to get out.

Even though nobody was able to get out of the site the wardens still waited till 12:00 to allow the visitors in.

Personally I would have waited outside until 12:00, mainly to reduce the risk of any damage to the outfit as some of the cars getting out of the site without caravans were squeezing through the lane within cm's of the caravans queueing to get in.

Ian

 

[Bannedtom]

Too right Ian, I just don't get it with these people?? On one occasion late last summer we arrived at a CC site at around 2o'clock and went into the wardens hut to book in and pay. He told us that there was onlt 3 pitches left and that there wasn't any difference between any of them other than one being nearer to the toilet block so I thought that one would do for me, not that we use the toilet block much it's just at the time my wife was recovering from a hip replacement and the other two pitches were on the next level up. No contest.

So I left the hut and drove around the site to pitch number 24 and started to reverse on, about halfway onto the pitch a woman came from nowhere and started banging on the side of the caravan telling me to stop!

My heart was in my mouth wondering if I had run over someones pet or worse!. I got out of the car to investigate and she promptly told me that this pitch was taken and her husband was on his way with the outfit. He had arrived minutes behind me amd she had legged it on to the site to nab the pitch they wanted.

I wasn't about to start explaining why I had chosen this pitch not that it was any of her business and promptly told her to get out of the way or be run over by 1500kgs of caravan.

After a little rain dance she left withsmoke coming from her ears!

My wife and I did have a laugh at it later on.

 

[jacky3]

hi,

had a goodn this weekend,toilets cleaned 11-30---1200.had to be off site by 12 noon.went to toilet and warden was finished cleaning the toilet 1155am but said i was to early and made me wait till 12 noon to use the toilet,just as well i could wait or i would have done summit i would have regretted,what an absolute ##??.

 

[Rioja]

Very early arrival if they were there at 12am!

I get confused easily !

 

[john_374575932]

Have you ever considered a career as a CC site warden Tom? :0)

Hi Tom,

I have written to the Caravan Club I e-mailed & posted it on 14th June and still waiting to hear from them.

 

[john_374575932]

Pitches may need to be empty between departing and arriving occupants for mowing or even slight repositioning to allow grass to recover. With 183 pitches - according to the handbook -to check on this might take some time so 11.55 to 12.05 is hardly generous.

The wardens do mow the grass at any time of the day and also there are 6 wardens at Clumber so they do not have to rush any task.Also the majority are now hard standing pitches. Maybe you have missed the point being made.

 

[john_374575932]

John

It might be good to get it off your chest here but you really do need to write/e-mail to the Caravan Club on issues like this. We all know the rules, no prior midday arrival. 1.00pm on some sites with difficult access and midday leaving on the day of departure. We also don't know how many incoming units there are so just because the site seemed half empty at your departure point a couple of hours later it could have been full. I am sure the wardens will be able to justify their stance to their managers, you might findout if you write!

Regarding the Firs, if you mean the chap with the wife in a wheelchair I would totally agree. He spent quite a lot of time helping me with my hitch lock on a new caravan, I was very greatful.

David

Hi David

I was so annoyed that I checked the internet for availibility, this was when I knew the site would not be full.

 

[john_374575932]

I do not expect the rules to be bent but a degree of common sense to be used. I walked around the site prior to booking in it was a third full.

 

[john_374575932]

John, The issue at Chatsworth is the sinlge carriageway road to get in and out of the site.The passing places only allow cars to pass.If you had made your "rant" to the warden, he would have explained this to you.

Bernie

You need to read more carefully, the issues I mention are at CLUMBER PARK not chatsworth.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Too right Ian, I just don't get it with these people?? On one occasion late last summer we arrived at a CC site at around 2o'clock and went into the wardens hut to book in and pay. He told us that there was onlt 3 pitches left and that there wasn't any difference between any of them other than one being nearer to the toilet block so I thought that one would do for me, not that we use the toilet block much it's just at the time my wife was recovering from a hip replacement and the other two pitches were on the next level up. No contest.

So I left the hut and drove around the site to pitch number 24 and started to reverse on, about halfway onto the pitch a woman came from nowhere and started banging on the side of the caravan telling me to stop!

My heart was in my mouth wondering if I had run over someones pet or worse!. I got out of the car to investigate and she promptly told me that this pitch was taken and her husband was on his way with the outfit. He had arrived minutes behind me amd she had legged it on to the site to nab the pitch they wanted.

I wasn't about to start explaining why I had chosen this pitch not that it was any of her business and promptly told her to get out of the way or be run over by 1500kgs of caravan.

After a little rain dance she left withsmoke coming from her ears!

My wife and I did have a laugh at it later on.

Well done Tom. I saw exactly what you described at Black Knowl.

An out arrived behind another that was booking in and the wife ran across and stood on a pitch, even cutting through other pitches to get there.

 

[Paul_5064559]

John,

I have no problem with this rule so long as it is observed at all cc sites. My experience over many years is that whilst it is strictly observed at some sites eg Chatsworth/Houghton Mill to name just 2 on others it is not. I remember waiting in a layby to let time elapse before entering Trewethett Farm on time only to find no favoured pitches available. Next morning at 08.30 there were 3 outfits waiting at the gates to be let in and an hour later all the most desirable pitches had gone.

Needless to say we now operate a different policy like if you can't beat em join em......

 

[Surfer]

What is the thing about "favoured" pitches. All pitches are the same so why worry about were it is located unless you have a disability.

After all, hopefully you are not going to sit in your caravan all weekend or is a "favoured" pitch one where every one can see you?

 

[Trevor_374569540]

I have belonged to both clubs for around 25 years, I arrived at one site at around 1150 and was promptly informed that the fine for arriving early was

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Surfer,

You say all pitches are the same. Except for one commercial site, were i can go horse riding as they have stables and horse rides, i only use full facility Caravan Club sites and have done for the past 30 plus years.

Pitches are not all the same.

I could name a few caravan club sites with pitches which flood after heavy rain. Caravanners in the know will try to avoid them.

On some sites television reception is far better on some pitches than others. Both Freeview and saterlite for obvious reasons.

Dongle wi-fi signal is far better on certain areas of some sites than others.

Mobile phone signal varies on your position on site.

My wife and i have what we call a green book in which we note how the pitch we are on covers the above points from our stay on each pitch on each site. We and other caravanners have done this for quite a few years.

If the pitch you are on does not fulfill all your wishes, talking to other caravanners on site can help you for your next visit.

If like us you are on a pitch for say 10 to 20 nights a favoured pitch is a blessing.

Hamer

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

We cannot get anything but a snowy analogue picture on one channel but three pitches down they can get clear digital. At the end of the site they can only get 2 stations digital but at the opposite end the warden can't even get a satellite picture.

On this small 39 pitch site some pitches are hardstanding, some are on grass. Some are in the open whilst some are under trees.

Some get the sun in the morning whilst others get it in the afternoon. There are pitches that get the sun all day so yes, there are favoured pitches as Hamer correctly pointed out.

 

[joeby]

about favourite pitches ,i wont pitch under tree's i have had enough of cleaning out leaves and seeds from the rooflights , and if you have spent the night under a tree when its been raining ,the constant drip on the van for hours will send you around the bend , i have another posting which i will post in the morning when i get home and the broadband is better ,

 

[joeby]

this is a site at Brecon i stayed on this week it was a former railway station ,on reception it said pitches are allocated on arrival there were 2 pitches vacant so having a twin axle i thought i would have the larger one , i was actually given the smallest one in fact i was the larges unit there , so i thought she was saving the larger for there friends , but whe the people arrived for the other pitch they said they didnt know them and they didnt ask for that pitch ,so the only thing i can think of it was done out of spite

 

[joeby]

where the date is on the photo is the pitch i thought we would get ,and you can see how big that pitch is as you can just about see the awning of the caravan that turned up later , and as i said the sign in reception said pitches will be allocated on arrival , so how come the other pitch was allocated when nobody had arrive ,they should have a sign saying pitches will be allocated before arrival

 

[joeby]

this is a site at Brecon i stayed on this week it was a former railway station ,on reception it said pitches are allocated on arrival there were 2 pitches vacant so having a twin axle i thought i would have the larger one , i was actually given the smallest one in fact i was the larges unit there , so i thought she was saving the larger for there friends , but whe the people arrived for the other pitch they said they didnt know them and they didnt ask for that pitch ,so the only thing i can think of it was done out of spite

dont think looking at the photo that you can drive forward ,because you cant there is a raised bank where the platform used to be , but i must say i have been there before and the wardens have allways been great

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Joby, is this Aberbran?

We've used this site before without problems. It was run by volunteer wardens and if it still is maybe the power has gone to their head ;O)

 

[joeby]

i dont think we allowed to mention the site , but we have been to the site you mentioned and the wardens have allways been fantastic , in fact in 15 years of caravanning i have never had a complaint against the warden ,only on this one , the womens husband was ok ,it was her formerly joby now joeboy

 

[Chris_374413356]

I'll let you know I'm going next week.

 

[baileyman]

hi I am new to this forum bit but not caravanning I read the thread above with a bit of suprise in so much as why do people think that rules any rules dont apply to them and blame someone else like the wardens or site managers for not accomadating their wishes.

joining a club like the C&C must mean accepting the rules of the club when joining doesn't it I have had a van 12 years and up to 2 years ago were not affiliated to any club but stuck to using private sites without any problems associated with arrival or departure times these were accepted when booking or enquiring about a pitch.

2 years ago I joined the caravan club mainly because of the price of the club insurance and recovery from greenflag mayday which were a lot cheaper even after the price of the membership was taken into account.

I have only used 2 club sites since then and both times were informed of the club rules regarding arrival and departure times when booking which I stuck to without any problems so why is it such an issue for some people to accept, if you have to leave before 11am and not arrive before 12noon so be it, whats the problem surely the problems only start if a pitch to which someone has booked on to is occupied by someone not leaving on time or arriving before your pitch has been vacated.

I am sorry but I just dont get the point of blaming the wardens for upholding the rules that you accepted when joining and booking a pitch on a club site.

or is this just me being naive

 

[Philspadders]

As a very large outfit do you pay more for your pitch?.

If you do then i would expect a larger pitch and advised the site at the time of booking.

If you had not asked at booking did you go an ask if the pitches could be swapped before before unhitching.

Large outfits can and do cause issues on many sites so often its best to advise the site prior to arriving.

There opens another debate,should you pay for a large outfit, and perhaps get a discount if you only have a little bitty van?.

 

[joeby]

I'll let you know I'm going next week.

may not be the same warden there next week , they are changed on a a regular basis