CL Hardstandings

Personally don't like hard standings.  It spoils the look of rural sites. A nice level well drained field of level grass is my choice.  

DianneT

Easiest way of finding out about hard standings if they are a definite need is to either phone and ask, or email and ask? We are happier on grass if we can get it, and weather isn't a problem. Not been an issue for us touring throughout last two Winters thankfully.

If CL's become "all singing all dancing" camping sites, the beauty. of CL caravanning will be destroyed.

CL's are unique as they provide a natural environment in rural unspoilt pictuesque areas.

All that is required is a camping field .  A water supply Somewhere to dump grey and black waste and five electric bollards.

Anybody wanting facilities blocks, cafes  and tarmac all over the place should IMO  leave CLs to those who enjoy country living in a natural environment and use club sites instead.

K

The electric bollards are an optional extra not necessarily required.

Our nearest two CLs (Dunallan and Gartfairn) are 'part hardstanding', with 3 and 2 hardstanding pitches respectively.  Apart from peak times, it means you often have a choice so everyone is happy, including the farmers as they are less likely to need to tow anyone out mid-winter!

M/H like mine are notoriously difficult on Grass.The slightest gradiemt or wetness leads to spinning. with consequential damage to the site and likelyhood of getting stuck. Would not contemplate using grass Cl in winter and would always look for H/S as a must.

ours has 'traction control', a sort of electronic diff lock, so that you dont (generally) get the single wheel spinning, going nowhere, scenario.

having said that, if it looks at all dodgy, i almost always put the front wheels on ramps which point towards the direction i will want to go to get out....

this will give sufficient impetus to get the van rolling, and one this is happening, they can be gently coaxed along.....

weve been on many flat grass THS sites out of season and these havent proved a problem.....yet! 

We started off all grass and the first winter was a nightmare as we are on clay. The following Spring we installed three hardstandings (with a roadway to access them) and wow, the response was quite unexpected. Everyone who phoned/emailed to book wanted a hard standing to the point where I had to say we couldn't guarantee a caravan getting one if I then had a motorhome who would need it.

Fast forward another year and that Spring we decided to intall another two hardstandings simply because it was too much juggling about with only three and everyone wanting one.  Since the installation of the last two we have never looked back and business increased enormously.  I've never had anyone ask for a grass pitch.  The same as I've probably had about two people in 3 years ask for a pitch without electric.

Following the hardstandings we decided to install WiFi because, again, so many visitors asked if we had it.  Once that was up and running it also attracted more business.

In my opinion, as an owner, in touch with some 50 other CL owners, the majority of members do want the added luxuries of hardstandings, EHU and WiFi etc and they are prepared to pay a realistic price for it.

Nicola
www.skybarnfarm.co.uk
Telephone: 01522 681218
Email: enquiries@skybarnfarm.co.uk
Site 1026, page 400 of the 2015/2016 Sites Directory
Read our many wonderful reviews!

That's fine Nicola but I wonder how many of the 50 strong owners only Facebook group have basic CL's?

If it's not that many, then the opinions gained are not representative of the overall camping membership.

Having had to design a survey for a recent business degree I now realise how difficult it is to get representative samples to draw statisticlly valid conclusions. In fact it was one of the most difficult parts of my dissertation.

If CL's become "all singing all dancing" camping sites, the beauty. of CL caravanning will be destroyed.

CL's are unique as they provide a natural environment in rural unspoilt pictuesque areas.

All that is required is a camping field .  A water supply Somewhere to dump grey and black waste and five electric bollards.

Anybody wanting facilities blocks, cafes  and tarmac all over the place should IMO  leave CLs to those who enjoy country living in a natural environment and use club sites instead.

K

The electric bollards are an optional extra not necessarily required.

Agree, not necessarily required but in this day and age we wouldn't go anywhere without mains electric. Got to the age where creature comforts are important!

I can fully understand open all year CLs opting for some form of H/s pitch, and given that there are lots more members swopping to MH's, then likely more and more all year visitors will request such. We know which of the CLs we use in Winter will have issues, and carry our own track mats at all times. Funnily enough we have had more use of them in Summer!