Posted on 19/12/2015 20:43
If I failed to arrive on my intended day, I assume that my name would go into the little (but expanding) “black book” as a “no show”, but I wonder what would happen to my booking. At what stage should a warden consider my vacant pitch becomes available for someone else’s use?
Posted on 27/01/2016 09:10
I'm not so sure BB, many have their vans in storage so there can be a fair bit of preparation involved in going away, spur of the moment is not always possible.
No doubt a bit easier with a MH.
Even with our van being right outside the house, we would need at least 2 days to prepare for any trip at this time of year as we do not leave anything much in the van over winter.
And with the recent rain, getting anything out to the van without stuff getting soaked would not be easy!
I do keep an eye on the forecast, and though they usually get the type of weather correct, often the timing is wrong, which of course would also influence the decision to travel, or not.
If you have booked, then deciding today not to travel tomorrow is no use when 72 hours notice is needed. only
It would depend on where you wanted to go, some sites would need to be booked, others are less busy. For us the weekends would be the problem as we just don't do short trips/midweek, so mainly we would have a plan in mind and would book in advance.
Write your comments here...Couldn't you just phone the warden to check whether the site is full and whether a booking is necessary? If there are plenty of vacant pitches, there should be no need to book. Just exercise the freedom of the road and turn up!
Posted on 27/01/2016 09:16
If all the site were open all year , there would be many empty pitches due to their location, with the recent high winds no way would I want to be on an open exposed site, with the heavy rain no way would I want to be in flood area, and if we had snow I would not like to be in a remote area, and sometime the route to the site can be an issue. Who is going to absorb the extra cost of staffing and maintaining a half empty site, and the extra draw on the electricity.
Write your comments here...I agree, cariadon, that we have had rather a lot of storms this winter and severe flooding in some areas but this may not necessarily be the norm. On the plus side, it has also been a very mild winter and I have spent some mornings or afternoons sitting in the warm sunshine of the awning feeling as though it's summer!
If more sites stayed open in the winter, there would be more choice of sites and pitches and maybe no need to book or cancel a booking. People could just turn up like they used to do in the good old days!
Posted on 27/01/2016 12:06
I'm not so sure BB, many have their vans in storage so there can be a fair bit of preparation involved in going away, spur of the moment is not always possible.
No doubt a bit easier with a MH.
Even with our van being right outside the house, we would need at least 2 days to prepare for any trip at this time of year as we do not leave anything much in the van over winter.
And with the recent rain, getting anything out to the van without stuff getting soaked would not be easy!
I do keep an eye on the forecast, and though they usually get the type of weather correct, often the timing is wrong, which of course would also influence the decision to travel, or not.
If you have booked, then deciding today not to travel tomorrow is no use when 72 hours notice is needed. only
It would depend on where you wanted to go, some sites would need to be booked, others are less busy. For us the weekends would be the problem as we just don't do short trips/midweek, so mainly we would have a plan in mind and would book in advance.
Write your comments here...Couldn't you just phone the warden to check whether the site is full and whether a booking is necessary? If there are plenty of vacant pitches, there should be no need to book. Just exercise the freedom of the road and turn up!
That would very much depend on where one was going to, but with the preparation needed for setting out, as far as we are concerned we would need to be very sure we had both a pitch, and some reasonably decent weather!
Hence the reason we don't often go away between November and mid March........the weather!
Why go in winter when you can go in Spring and Autumn when the days are longer, more NT places are open, and the weather is hopefully better?
Plus, even retired people have commitments, some look after grandchildren, some do voluntary work......my OH is the Treasurer and Hall Keeper of our local Guide Hall, a voluntary post that needs her to visit the building at least once a week, so for us to go away she needs to find someone willing to take over......not easy. We cannot just up-stakes and head off.
Caravan may be spacious and warm, but we prefer our home comforts at this time of the year.
Posted on 27/01/2016 12:26
I'm not so sure BB, many have their vans in storage so there can be a fair bit of preparation involved in going away, spur of the moment is not always possible.
No doubt a bit easier with a MH.
Even with our van being right outside the house, we would need at least 2 days to prepare for any trip at this time of year as we do not leave anything much in the van over winter.
And with the recent rain, getting anything out to the van without stuff getting soaked would not be easy!
I do keep an eye on the forecast, and though they usually get the type of weather correct, often the timing is wrong, which of course would also influence the decision to travel, or not.
If you have booked, then deciding today not to travel tomorrow is no use when 72 hours notice is needed. only
It would depend on where you wanted to go, some sites would need to be booked, others are less busy. For us the weekends would be the problem as we just don't do short trips/midweek, so mainly we would have a plan in mind and would book in advance.
Write your comments here...Couldn't you just phone the warden to check whether the site is full and whether a booking is necessary? If there are plenty of vacant pitches, there should be no need to book. Just exercise the freedom of the road and turn up!
That would very much depend on where one was going to, but with the preparation needed for setting out, as far as we are concerned we would need to be very sure we had both a pitch, and some reasonably decent weather!
Hence the reason we don't often go away between November and mid March........the weather!
Why go in winter when you can go in Spring and Autumn when the days are longer, more NT places are open, and the weather is hopefully better?
Plus, even retired people have commitments, some look after grandchildren, some do voluntary work......my OH is the Treasurer and Hall Keeper of our local Guide Hall, a voluntary post that needs her to visit the building at least once a week, so for us to go away she needs to find someone willing to take over......not easy. We cannot just up-stakes and head off.
Caravan may be spacious and warm, but we prefer our home comforts at this time of the year.
Write your comments here...I remember years ago in the 1980s when I worked in the Londis offices wages department, one of my colleagues described herself and her husband as fair weather caravanners. They would never set out in the rain. She said it did sometimes happen that the weather was ok when they set out but later developed in to rain. To do that, they would not have been able to advance book sites at all. That's what it was like then. You could just turn up and a pitch would be available. Advance booking was almost unheard of!
Posted on 27/01/2016 12:33
....but you cant expect all the 'risk' to be on the CC side of the agreement.....
you want to book and the cc to guarantee a place (as its a hassle to get going) yet you want to cancel 'on the day' (without penalty?) if its raining.....
Write your comments here...If it's winter and sites are half empty in certain areas, like others have said on here, and you are happy to stay on such sites, the best thing is don't advance book. Make your decision on the day, according to the weather and just hitch up and go. Then there's no question of 72 hours notice to cancel. All you have to do is arrive at reception and the warden will check you in without any advance booking.
If you want a guaranteed pitch then simply book it on your day of departure.
Posted on 27/01/2016 14:10
....but you cant expect all the 'risk' to be on the CC side of the agreement.....
you want to book and the cc to guarantee a place (as its a hassle to get going) yet you want to cancel 'on the day' (without penalty?) if its raining.....
Write your comments here...If it's winter and sites are half empty in certain areas, like others have said on here, and you are happy to stay on such sites, the best thing is don't advance book. Make your decision on the day, according to the weather and just hitch up and go. Then there's no question of 72 hours notice to cancel. All you have to do is arrive at reception and the warden will check you in without any advance booking.
If you want a guaranteed pitch then simply book it on your day of departure.
That is certainly what we did a week ago. We wanted to air the van out after we picked it up from service, as it is kept in storage. Service department phoned up at 10 am Friday to say it was ready, I phoned the site and booked Friday and Saturday nights. We arrived at 2pm. Even on the weekend Clumber was only about half full.
Posted on 27/01/2016 14:57
...... we would need at least 2 days to prepare for any trip at this time of year as we do not leave anything much in the van over winter.
Blimey ..... what am I missing ??
I decided to come away on Sunday evening. Logged onto site and booked onto Meathop Fell, from where I write this reply
Monday, went to caravan & within 35 mins was hitched, lights checked and on my way
Two hours to site including a coffee & loo break (for me and the dog) and then 45 mins to pitch, fill the aquaroll, erect the canopy and I've been chilling out ever since
What am I missing that takes 2 days to get ready ??
rogher
Motorhomer