Increase size of CLs?

Hardstandings will destroy the whole concept of CL's

TF

Hardstandings will destroy the whole concept of CL's

TF

We have been to some lovely CLs with hardstandings. Surely the 'concept' of CLs is just to allow farms etc  to have a little site as a sideline which allows caravanners more choice of location and site type.  We only use CLs that have toilets and a shower - so they would be 'wrong' too?  If your concept of CL's is that they cannot evolve then no electric, just elsan hole and tap, would have to be the way they all are. 

Clearly we have a different approach to this, - which is fine.

Are you perhaps a Motor home user?  If so I can understand your need for a smoother surface!  

TF

i guess a lot it is to do with how well a site drains. weve been to some places with grass and, despite plenty of rain, the pitches are still firm...

location and type of substrata makes a large difference...

for us, grass nice as long as the drainage is good enough to leave a reasonably firm area to park on.... 

I guess that my attitude to hardstandings has been coloured by the sheer difficulty of getting awning pegs through club site "all weather" surfaces without bending like a banana. - and that includes so called Rock Pegs.

Another reason why I stopped using CC sites. It had become almost impossible to find sites with sufficient grass pitches.

This is clearly another difference between the traditional touring caravan user and the MH owner. As the former I am happy with a sloping or un even pitch. Whatever- as long as its Grass!  My 4x4 copes with all of it and wide tyres don't slip so the surface is not spoilt.

TF

Hardstandings will destroy the whole concept of CL's

TF

That statement is complete twaddle, TF. Sorry, but it is. How on earth can a bit of hardcore ruin the concept of CLs? 

Many CLs already have HS and they don't necessarily have to be the pristine manicured variety as used by CC. HS encourage me to use CLs whereas grass and mud send me elsewhere.

TW. Maybe my comment was a bit extreme, but I think I clarified it a little in my later posts.

I just want to preserve the informal nature of CL's but do accept that MH owners especially will be looking for something else.  It takes all types etc etc.

TF

I think we posted at the same time, TF. 

Yes, there is room for all and we all have differing requirements but the 'concept' of CLs is actually nothing do do with the type of ground but with the exemption from regulations allowing 5 vans. HS or grass cannot change that. What you mean is that grass is your ideal CL. 

I too look for hardstandings if at all possible but these tend to be on CLs where ground conditions mean that grass is easily damaged or ones that offer year round opening. There is a lot of choice out there but the beauty of a CL is that it's what the owner wants it to be and not restricted to a set formula. 

I've enjoyed being on spacious informal CLs (although less keen on the grass) and I've enjoyed being on smaller sites with defined hardstanding pitches. Most owners seem very flexible and if you want to pitch so your awning goes on grass (or vice versa in our case) they will help you

As I said previously, I think the requirement for more HS pitches is just the way the hobby is moving, whether you use a caravan or a MH. We have both, and use both. Our preference is for grass with both, and we have made provision via some off road waffles to enable us to go where other larger MH users would hardly dare, but even then we are sensible and firstly resist destroying someone's nice grass pitches ands secondly don't want to get stuck. We have learned which CLs we use have a good draining subsurface, or have plastic mesh with grass growing through, or might have a mix of grass and HS pitches, so we can continue to tour throughout the Winter months.

So, while enjoying grass more, we are grateful for the CLs with HS as well, so we can tour year round. It is just a natural evolvement to us. The worst pitches for us actually, are the horrible Club Site HS, where they use quite large steel slag type aggregate. Nasty to walk on, trails into van ,and downright nasty on tender dog paws! Looks unattractive as well. But cheap no doubt bought in bulk.