Marking Your Pitch

This story happened on: 13/08/2016

Just returned from a camping trip to the New Forest in a motorhome. When I went out for the day I left my waste water trolley and a metal stool out to mark my pitch. As it was raining I did not want to leave my electric cable (unplugged at both ends of course!) or my camping chairs and table. When I returned to the site whilst my pitch had not been taken, the waste water trolley and stool had! I asked people staying nearby if they had seen anything and 1 person had seen someone walk past the pitch and then wheel the waste water trolley away. The Reception was closed when I returned to the site but when I went down the next morning to see if the trolley and stool had been handed in the staff were mortified by what had happened. As one lady said,  "I've been working here 4 years and not even a stone has been taken before!" and added that they always advise people with motorhomes to leave something to mark their pitch when they go out for the day. In fact she was so upset by what had happened that she arranged for another member of staff to make me a sign too keep so that this would never happen again (see photo) It took the member of staff 2 days to make and was such a lovely gesture that it actually made me cry when I went to say 'thank you'.

Whilst most people follow the rule 'If it's not your's don't touch it' it has made me think twice about what I leave on a pitch when I take the motorhome off site for the day. Hopefully my story will stop the same thing happening to someone else.

The Meek Family commented on 13/08/2016 21:16

Commented on 13/08/2016 21:16

This is awful! I'm sorry to hear your unfortunate story. I know motorhomes regularly leave cables, tables and chairs etc to mark the pitch and I've always thought how wonderful it is that it can be done. It'll make us think carefully about what we leave.
Love the sign! How thoughtful of the wardens.

brue commented on 14/08/2016 09:41

Commented on 14/08/2016 09:41

It's an unfortunate story that crops up now and again and the only solution is not to leave anything out except the M/H notice. It happens to caravanners too but thankfully not very often.

JillwithaJay commented on 14/08/2016 13:39

Commented on 14/08/2016 13:39

Sory to read of your plight but this needs to go in the main Discussion area in the UK Sites and Touring Section.  I'll leave it for a short while before deleting it to give you time to repost it.

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JillwithaJay commented on 18/08/2016 09:25

Commented on 18/08/2016 09:25

Will someone be able to reproduce the photo Jill as it forms part of the story?

I'm hoping that the OP will repost the story along with the photograph.  I can screencap the entire article with picture but it's really up to the OP to do that.

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Astro76 commented on 23/08/2016 21:04

Commented on 23/08/2016 21:04

I don't understand why this needs to be removed from the stories.  That's exactly how I'm reading it.  Also as a newbie, i'm enjoying reading through lots of stories.  Whilst this one isn't about a lovely subject, I think it'a still a great story and it's given me a task to add to my todo list....

Mark the stuff that will be left outside of my caravan, whether in or out of the awning.

Woman sitting in camping chair by Wastwater in the Lake District with her two dogs and picnic blanket

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Photo of Wast Water, Lake District by Sue Peace
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