Getting stuck on first trip?

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Newbie2021

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Ready for our first trip this weekend and I’m getting really nervous. I’m now panicking as we are on grass and I’m worried about getting stuck.
I’ve bought a couple of flamma mats but don’t think that’s enough

Any advice or product recommendations would be greatly appreciated
 
Yes we are on grass. It’s all we could get
 
Don’t panic Captain Mainwaring!

Firstly,you may be on well drained land so it won’t be a problem
Secondly,on a lot of sites/fields,the ground is so hard due to be driven on by lots of vans,you won’t sink in.

If you use as low revs as possible you reduce the risk of losing grip. I’ve got out of mud with the engine on tick over a few times,and that’s on Michelin Agilis tyres that some folk say have poor grip.

Your mats may be useful. Some folk put them under the driving wheels when they arrive on a muddy site.

Other folk will always be around to help you. DO NOT WORRY!!!!!! :giggle: :giggle:(y)(y)

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These are better grip mats.

<Broken link removed>

Better tyres, park so you can drive straight off no messing about. Know where you tow eye is and how it works.

if you are on site trying to get off, and the wheels spin, stop immediately and tell them at reception. They will get a tractor to gently pull you out. Otherwise you will just dig big holes. Bad for you, bad for them, and makes recovery worse.
 
Robert Clark said:
If you’re at a campsite on grass you’re unlikely to get stuck as the grass will be compacted.

Try not to worry and just enjoy yourselves
Click to expand...
What he said (y)

I wild camp mainly and find it useful to check the ground before parking, I carry 4 rubber door mats and they have always been good enough.
 
Just go and have fun.

We haven’t been stuck yet.

As others have said, if it starts to slip then stop straight away. Even a push from a few people can be enough then. Dig a hole by spinning and it’s tractor territory to pull you up and out.

There are those that have got stuck and those that haven’t yet. :-)

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Unless it's hard baked ground I always put bread crates under all 4 wheels. Even if you are FWD you should put them under the rear wheels as well, as if the ground is soft the rear wheels will sink into a hollow making driving off difficult.

You can normally scrounge a couple of bread crates from a local shop, cut the sides off then cut the base in two.
 
Googlebot said:
We haven’t been stuck yet.
Click to expand...
You are living on borrowed time. :LOL:

We had to be towed out at the New Forest Show meet a few weeks ago. Had the bread crates under the wheels we had been told the site had very good drainage, grass had been lifted & replaced with gravel under it, it was all lies. Drove off the crates, put them away, went to drive off and the front wheels buried themself.

Now if I hadn't been told about the drainage I would have driven straight off to the road and gone back for the crates.

It was an I credibly wet week I should have known better. It was so soggy winter tyres & Traction Plus didn't help.
 
…we went to a site not long ago, v basic, no hard standing, in a field on a slope. Had been raining for ages. Told not to worry as the owner had been pulling out vans back onto the hard track with his large 4x4 or if needed, tractor. We saw him pull 3 out no probs. Had a couple of days sun and dried out enough by the time we left not to need help.

I’d say any where you stay with a slight possibility of getting stuck, the owners would have seen it all before and will have systems in place to get you in and get you out if need be!!

you just have to get over any feeling of embarrassment or anxiety that may be welling deep within you…!

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We got stuck 2nd time out but it was totally are fault. We arrived in December at night and drove right past are hardstanding. Co Pilot directing me.... Got towed out in the morning and still enjoyed are night. Was very wet and soft but didn't spoil are trip. Hope you enjoy your trip and follow the advise here and you will be fine :)
 
I carry 4 pieces of 18mm marine ply 800mm x 400mm & park on them if on grass.
 
Lenny HB said:
You are living on borrowed time. :LOL:

We had to be towed out at the New Forest Show meet a few weeks ago. Had the bread crates under the wheels we had been told the site had very good drainage, grass had been lifted & replaced with gravel under it, it was all lies. Drove off the crates, put them away, went to drive off and the front wheels buried themself.

Now if I hadn't been told about the drainage I would have driven straight off to the road and gone back for the crates.

It was an I credibly wet week I should have known better. It was so soggy winter tyres & Traction Plus didn't help.
Click to expand...

Now, if only you’d had Michelin Agilis on you’d not have had any problems. 😉😎🤣

Ian
 
simbadog said:
I carry 4 pieces of 18mm marine ply 800mm x 400mm & park on them if on grass.
Click to expand...

Yes, that’s our strategy too. Spread the load and drive straight off. Never had a problem leaving a site but did once have a problem getting on a site.

Ian

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Newbie2021 said:
Ready for our first trip this weekend and I’m getting really nervous. I’m now panicking as we are on grass and I’m worried about getting stuck.
I’ve bought a couple of flamma mats but don’t think that’s enough

Any advice or product recommendations would be greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
I know that you've been having some teething issues with your van, which have probably added to your worries and maybe frustration. Honestly though, while yes, it is possible to get stuck in wet grass, you would also be surprised by what you van CAN drive through sometimes. As others have said, if you are on a site, there's going to be other people around to help should the worst come to the worst. Just stop as soon as you begin to slip and don't be too proud to ask for help!
Enjoy your first weekend in your new van and don't forget to let us know how it all goes!
 
I read some great advice from a member on here, to always get out and walk around a grass pitch before you drive onto it, so we always do that now. A couple of times we've found a pitch a bit spongy, so have found another pitch on the site that is absolutely fine. Also, if possible find a pitch on the site where you can drive off the pitch on a downward slope.

We were at St Agnes Beacon CAMC Site on Cornwall (great site btw) a few weeks ago, and as the site was almost full when we arrived we ended up with a pitch which involved having quite an upward incline to get back onto the site road. After 24hrs of heavy rain, I must admit we did hold our breath when we came to leave, but it was absolutely fine, just took our time. 😊

I hope you have a great first trip! 😊
 
TT paddock 2017 was a bit muddy
 

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Lenny HB said:
You are living on borrowed time. :LOL:

We had to be towed out at the New Forest Show meet a few weeks ago. Had the bread crates under the wheels we had been told the site had very good drainage, grass had been lifted & replaced with gravel under it, it was all lies. Drove off the crates, put them away, went to drive off and the front wheels buried themself.

Now if I hadn't been told about the drainage I would have driven straight off to the road and gone back for the crates.

It was an I credibly wet week I should have known better. It was so soggy winter tyres & Traction Plus didn't help.
Click to expand...
It wasn't lies! It turns out that most of the Showground (including all the arena areas) did have this done & we did see ground draining incredibly well - think you were just unlucky with your spot.

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Wombles said:
It wasn't lies! It turns out that most of the Showground (including all the arena areas) did have this done & we did see ground draining incredibly well - think you were just unlucky with your spot.
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The guy that towed us told us it was only the showground areas had been done & none of the camping areas had.
 
1-if its been raining recently walk the pitch first

2- carry a towrope and make sure you have your toweye handy.
make sure the rope is rated to the weight of your van. (£5 Amazon ropes probably no use)
you wont always find someone carrying a rope but will nearly always find someone with a vehicle willing to give a pull .

3- relax ; we’ve been camping mainly on grass for 20 years , been stuck just once 3 weeks ago in the New forest after a week of biblical rain.
 
Don’t drive across other areas of grass.

We sat once in the pizzing rain on a site in France when a UK motorhome turned up. He was driving slowly checking which spot was his, he then decided to make a big loop to get into his spot for some unknown reason. Recking two pitches, and putting himself at a very odd position where then then had to try recovery from a third spot ruining that one too. The UK motorhome didn’t have a towing eye, or didn’t know where it was, so I dug mine out. The site owner didn’t speak English and didn’t need too you could see what his was thinking. 🙈🙈
 
You are not a proper MHer until you have been stuck somewhere look at it this way if it happens there will be lots a friendly people to help you out and it will make great story telling ......... ;)
 
I remember this fear and other MH related concerns before we really got out and about

avoid pitching where you need to leave via an up slope where possible, if unavoidable park so you leave without manoeuvre , but mainly don’t worry so much you spoil your first trip

that said, it really is t much fun if really wet, we have aborted trips where on grass and heavy rain either been or forecast or both 😳

next year you will be offering words of comfort to other then newbie MHers in your position now 👍

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