store and pitch

[Mel]

Toying with the idea of putting our van on a site that does a store and pitch service over the spring/summer. We both work FT and think it may mean we would get away more often if van was waiting for us on a pitch on a Friday night.

However, I suspect there are disadvantages that I haven't thought of.

veiws and opinions please.

mel

 

[forestgump]

yes price

 

[Suzac]

For several years we had a "part-season" arrangement with a privately owned site in North Devon, approx 50 miles from home, whereby we had the sole use of a pitch out of the main season i.e school holidays and the Whitsun week.We used to make use of the carvan most weekends and for a full spring week and sometimes autumn week. The price for the whole period was much less than half of the full season when most sites are chock-a-block any way. In June we used to have three weeks in France also and then take the van back until the scholl holidays started. We used to go down on Friday nights and return home Sunday's p.m.

Have a look to find somewhere you like then have a word with the proprietors.

Alternatively the Caravan Club do seasonal and part-seasonal pitches. For instance their Willingcott site at Woolacombe is

 

[Suzac]

Also - just to get an idea of price ring someone like the Stowford Meadows Site at Ilfracombe as I know of several people who use their facilities on a store and pitch arrangement.

 

[cara89]

good question..we often weigh up situation.We go away a lot at weekends to a few certain sites about an hour away and only go further afield July and August. We keep our van instorageclose to home but a Friday is a hassle!! Hitch up and all the rest.Worth it plus, plus plus I add but interested in this topic x

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi Mel

the advantage is quite obvious really it's quicker and cheaper to get there once there you can be having the first cuppa 15mins after arriving and because it is allready there you will go more often and is less hassle than towing it there.

however you must also consider it may cost more depending how often you go and wether the owner has a reduced tarrif for on site vans, you must also consider while it is there you will probably also be paying for a storage spot that you are not using so you are effectivly paying twice.

it is worth remembering that once on site you are no longer in charge of its storage or siting or how it is moved about, the way some vans are handled on fri afternoon before the rush can be frightning with little care given to your property. some vans on site will have alko or winterhoff hitches some will not but all will be towed by the same vehicle so expect some contamination of your hitch pads. and lastly do you remove anything from your van or leave it in all summer security will not be as good on site as it is in a secure storage area.

we thought about leaving ours on a nice site in cornwall that was not much dearer than a single long stay and the reduction in travling cost of towing the van but in the end decided not to as we could not bear to leave it behind and hand it over to somebody else to look after plus it meant going to the same site all summer over 400 miles away.

colin

 

[Heethers]

The C&CC do store and pitch but agree with Colin on how they are handled.

We watched several vans being sited for the weekend, they were all moved with a small Kubota tractor regardless if the had the ALKO Hitch or the standard hitch.

One fault moving vans with this tractor was that the jockey wheel did not clear the ground even though it was locked in its towing position, thus resulting it dragging along the ground causing damage to the jockey wheel.

We didn't think they took much care when transporting the vans to the pitches.

Wouldn't do for me not after laying out 14k on a van

 

[deejay]

Hi Mel,

Four years ago we moved from touring to a store and pitch, and have since moved to a seasonal siting arrangement. agree with much of above regarding move and pitch, and certainly would'nt be entertained by us again. one weekend we returned to our van to find the front panel cracked-was'nt us and of course the tractor driver that moved the van denied responsibility!

Seasonal suits our family for the time being as we have found a site we like, the advantages for us are as you suggest, we both work FT and have two pre school children-we feel that we get away more with the van waiting for us set up on a friday night after we finish work-we did 75+ nights away last year, much of the time "spur of the moment".

From our experience store and pitch sites arent much cheaper than full seasonal sites when the annual fees are added to the nightly fees plus winter storage. We currently pay

 

[Mel]

Thanks everyone. I knew there would be things I hadn't thought of; in particular the rough handling by pitchers. The C&CC do a store and pitch for around

 

[Heethers]

Mel it was at aC&CC site we saw the rough handling,l wont name the site.

It may have been a one off but l certailey was put off from ever thinking of having storage and pitch at sites, due to seeing the vans being pitched.

NigelH

 

[Mel]

Thanks Nigel. pretty much discounted store and pitch now, based on that very factor. Considering a part seasonal pitch with C&CC to have a taster of seasonal pitching. If anyone is going to move the van around badly it'll be us!!

Thanks again to all for suggestions.

mel