Saving pitch on site

[carol b]

having only caravanned before, can you experienced folk tell us how you save your pitch when on a site where you have prebooked your pitch?

 

do you put a 'lollipop' out with your number plate on? seem vaguely to remember seeing that sort of thing.

 

 

[George]

Yes carol, you can leave a small sign with perhaps your reg number or you can buy motorhome shaped pitch signs which have 'reserved' printed on them - advertised under accessories in MMM. This is'nt a big problem but obviously it helps others who are looking for a pitch to know which are taken. Some people simply leave something such as an outside chair etc.

[david lloyd]

Hi carol

 

Have seen all sorts of things left on a pitch - hook-up lead (still connected to the live post!), table, chairs, waste container etc etc

 

I do remember rading a post where someone had left a small itme like a waste container though and,on returning to the site, not only was the pitch taken but so had whatever it was they had left out!!

 

I have a spare number plate held in place with an awning peg.

 

Regards, David

[b6x]

We once left a couple of chairs and a table out at a quiet site in the New Forest. Returned two hours later to find it all gone.

 

Unfortunately, the family of 6 "living" in an unconverted Transit Van next door saw nothing.

[Terrytraveller]

I have a sign similar to the one below which I use when I want to reserve the pitch - although it seems to be a joke..........

 

Regards Terry :D

 

[Way2Go]

While we were away recently we saw two instances of people leaving their orange hook up cable still attached to the post.

On arriving at a site I would have considered that this looks like someone has driven off and forgotten their cable and what about the owner of the cable coming back and finding their cable missing?

Wot no telly?

[Terrytraveller]

Hi W2G,

 

If you do stay on camps sites instead of Aires, you may find that your cable is taken hostage, and locked into the camp site socket, with no way to turn the power off when leaving the pitch for a day trip.

 

Regards Terry

[Way2Go]

Cooo . . . I don't think I'd leave my cable behind Terry and may choose something less expensive and not quite so useful ;-)

I seem to remmber that Dave Newell added a comment to a similar thread some time ago questioning why people went back to the same pitch anyway.  I think his view was that you either went on to another site or picked a different pitch if someone moved on to yours in your absence.

We haven't really decided what to do yet ;-)

[Terrytraveller]

Hi W2G,

 

If I'm staying for a few days I always go back the same pitch, usually mark the nearside tyre position with a pile of fag ends, the satellite dish is then always pointing 'over that tree just to the right of that funny looking twig' for best reception. :-)

 

Regards Terry

[tonyishuk]

I made up a rather smart sign using A CC green "motor home pitched here" and my number plate.

 

We returned to find it, rather broken, under another motorhome.

 

Didn't see with the reversing camera was the excuse offered.

 

Anyone here ???

[Clive]

We leave the motorhome and go shopping on the motorbikes!

 

I do like terry,s sign though.

 

[Fetch Carry]

We have a green 'Motorhome Using this pitch sign' and then put a stinger across the front of the pitch to kill the tyres of anyone that does try to pinch it :-D

[Dave Newell]

Way2Go - 2007-04-18 2:47 PM

Cooo . . . I don't think I'd leave my cable behind Terry and may choose something less expensive and not quite so useful ;-)

I seem to remmber that Dave Newell added a comment to a similar thread some time ago questioning why people went back to the same pitch anyway. I think his view was that you either went on to another site or picked a different pitch if someone moved on to yours in your absence.

We haven't really decided what to do yet ;-)

What I said was that if we had left site for a day out and on return found someone else on our pitch I wouldn't be overly bothered as long as there was another pitch available. If it was the only pitch available and someone took it, leaving me nowhere to go, then I would be not very pleased and would take it up with the wardens. My view is that they should know how many pitches they have and how many are in use, if they have twenty pitches and let twenty one units on then obviously they have a problem.Having said all that we rarely move off our pitch nutil we are leaving the site completely, we tend to use public transport/shanks's pony to get around the local area.D.

[Way2Go]

Thanks for that Dave, I hope you don't think I mis-quoted you?

I agree that the wardens should know how many people fit into how many places.  We started our Easter break at the C & CC Chipping Norton site and were shown to a quiet area with something like 6 or 7 consecutive empty pitches.  We were shown to pitch two and later had company with the first, third and forth occupied by caravans.

Around 5pm a motorhome 'returned' and tried to get back on his pitch by parking between us and the 10ft away caravan.  After a brief conversation the driver sought out the warden who said he'd forgotten he was occupying the pitch and could he move to another vacant pitch.

Fortunately the motorhome driver was a reasonable guy (as you'd expect :-)) and found somewhere else to park as he was off the following day anyway.

What this illustrated was that we should have a sign which says "Toucha my pitch and Big Louis will break your legs, capisch?"  signed the Mob

[Mel B]

Whatever you leave, make sure that if it is nicked you ain't going to miss it.

 

I've just had an idea ... what about a nice big dollop of dog poo! Plastic of course!!!! Can you still get them in joke shops perchance? *-)

[Dave Newell]

Dog poo is an interesting idea but why use plastic stuff when I've got such a ready supply of the real thing? >:-)

 

No Probs W2G.

 

Of course, as I said on another thread, the one thing you can leave on your pitch to prevent anyone else taking it is your motorhome! (lol)

 

D.

[Brian Kirby]

If you stop at Pompeii you'll be able to collect any amound of dog poo for future use elsewhere.  The sites are all frequented by feral dogs, and their poos are everywhere!  They even leave you new ones overnight, so don't put a groundsheet under your awning.  Nice!

But really, why bother over this, or that, pitch.  Some sites leave you to choose, some allocate a pitch.  You didn't know where you'd go when you first arrived, so why bother when you arrive again? 

Just make sure the site managers know you'll be back when you leave, so they 1) don't assume you've left without paying, and 2) don't re-allocate your space so that there's no room for you when you get back!

After all, there's as much chance you'll get a better pitch second time around, as a worse one!

[icelander]

Have never moved off a pitch as have wanderlust after a maximum of five days. If it was good pitch with a view and I had to then I guess I would leave my beloved on the pitch with strict instructions.

 

Then again how about a sign

 

RESERVED FOR DOCTOR - NO PARKING

 

Terry

 

Your first post - had me grinning - trust you

 

Your second post - startled me

 

Your third post - I hope it was not true

[Terrytraveller]

Evening Rob,

 

A sign with RESERVED FOR DOCTOR - NO PARKING , might have you up all night on emergency calls.

 

Pleased you liked my signage, I was working in Duseldorf in 2001, staying at Stalag 17 (camp site) at Oberlörick, and used it to reserve a pitch while away for the day, many people thought it amusing.

 

Regards Terry

 

[alan k]

I have a largish door mat about 6x4ft or 1.8x1.3m which sits outside the sliding door. Its made from one of those see through ground sheets which doesn't harm the grass.

 

I've spray painted a picture of the campervan outline (using a simple mask) so we've got a yellow border on a green sheet and used the same technique for the registration and "reserved" in french, itlian and english.

 

I often leave the small table on it and sometimes the hookup if it needs a key to totally remove it.

 

However on 2 different Italian campsites we returned to find Italian families set up for their 3 weeks with the kitchen sink and the whole pitch covered by a ground sheet, caravan+awning, plus cook tent etc. Our stuff was behind their caravan. Both campsites said both times they thought we had left! I offered to leave without paying but they weren't keen

[Rayjsj]

tonyishuk - 2007-04-18 4:06 PM

 

I made up a rather smart sign using A CC green "motor home pitched here" and my number plate.

 

We returned to find it, rather broken, under another motorhome.

 

Didn't see with the reversing camera was the excuse offered.

 

Anyone here ???

 

Did he have the the good manners to apologise and move to another site ? (if not,i would have been tempted to 'break' something of his... >:-)

[Rayjsj]

When we arrive on site my Missus has me drive around (sometimes twice !!) until 'we' find the 'pitch perfect'. If after going out sight-seeing we came back to find the pitch (we had now paid for) occupied by someone else, we would not be best pleased. A refund would be EXPECTED or the Warden clears our pitch ! one or 'tother. If it was a 'pay as leave' site. Then I would pay for how long we had been there AND GO.

Whether I had asked for 3 days or 3 Weeks.

Perhaps a 'Beware Plague Ship' sign on the site might keep 'Claim jumpers' off ??? :D