Large motorhome small or awkward pitches

[ShiftZZ]

Just a quick note, our van is big. Not massive 7.6m long, buy some campsite advise they can take large vans, but, when you get there its virtually impossible to get onto a pitch, the angles are all wrong, fine for smaller van.
I suspect some of the older sites were designed for sub 6 m or Vw camper size.

Has anyone else experience the same.

 

[bigalw35]

had it on some sites/pitches, even worse if your designated pitch has someone opposite with a big van

 

[buttons]

The answer shiftzz is downsize. Do you really need such silver spoon opulence.

 

[MichaelT]

Only on sites in Spain where the roads are just wide enough to go down and no turning room plus they have trees overhanging.

 

[AlunandFelicie]

We’re a 7.4 A class and struggle at times , especially when we ask are there any access issues to invariably be told ‘no’ only to drive down a single track lane designed for a pony and trap.

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[PP Bear]

Went to one site and the warden expressly stated that you mustn’t drive on the grass at all costs. When I got to the pitch, via the concrete road that was just wide enough for the van, the hard standing was tiny, but wide enough to park if you could physically pick up the van, turn it through 90* and drop it again.

Yep, I had to go on the grass, as it was impossible to get on the pitch without doing it. Designers need to think about this for the future and why not have the pitches at a 45* angle, so that people could follow their wishes, bit like the car parks in Germany, all angled for easy reversing and driving out again.

When I went for the first walk around the site, there were loads of damaged grass around the run in or out areas, so obviously I wasn’t the only one to have issues. They could have also added small concrete areas to allow the steered wheels to travel and then no one would hopefully made a mess

 

[Jim]

Downsize or driving Lessons

 

[Paulypaul]

You know what they say..."there's drivers, and, there's drivers?"

 

[Fulham Dave]

Our van is 8.7m and we tow a bike on trailer, so I always email the site beforehand and enquire about a certain size pitch and ask the question about access. No issues so far, but there will be one I am sure

 

[Lenny HB]

I suspect some of the older sites were designed for sub 6 m or Vw camper size.

They were designed for caravans & tents.

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[Winger]

You know what they say..."there's drivers, and, there's drivers?"

I always heard it as “ there are drivers and there are screwdrivers

 

[ShiftZZ]

Some roads on sites are very narrow. Leaving our last pitch the exit corner was not possible to get around. We had to leave via the one way entrance. Even the staff were having to move branches and signs for other campers. The next few days the staff were pruning branches etc..


One aire we visited in Portugal, the angles on the base was so acute even PVC were grouning.

Caravans were easy, as one vmcMoer said, he was here 30 years ago in a caravan, no problem then , so no change in design..

We are 2.9m high, some supermarkets have a barrier at 3 meters. Must be a nightmare..

 

[Ian.s]

Im 9.1m. If they except the booking then on I go. Here in Italy I have had to park sideways as the pitch is 10m wide and 9m long. Im sure the people behind may have had a better view if Id been able to park differently but what can you do

 

[ChrisL]

My van is 8.3 mtrs, so far i've only had an issue at one site in Spain where the only way i could get on the pitch was to reverse onto it, at the same site the road to the service point was very narrow and tree lined so I collected a few marks down the side of the van, easily removed with t-cut but a pain never the less, the site was excellent other then that.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Just a quick note, our van is big. Not massive 7.6m long, buy some campsite advise they can take large vans, but, when you get there its virtually impossible to get onto a pitch, the angles are all wrong, fine for smaller van.
I suspect some of the older sites were designed for sub 6 m or Vw camper size.

Has anyone else experience the same.

Yep

Every site in Croatia and Italy that said we take larger vans we’re tight, unfortunately the staff have not got a clue how much space you need to manoeuvre

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[Lenny HB]

Car parks are another problem the average car driver appears to be totally unaware that a large vehicle has a bigger turning circle and an overhanging that swings out. Worse in Spain & France where they see a Motorhome and park as close as they can to it for the shade.
We have been stuck a few times because of the idots.

 

[joe and sue]

We’re a 7.4 A class and struggle at times , especially when we ask are there any access issues to invariably be told ‘no’ only to drive down a single track lane designed for a pony and trap.

But do you tell them what you need access for, they might think that you do have a pony and trap

 

[Chris]

My wife decided she wanted a particular pitch on a site in Northern Spain about 5 years ago.

Our van was 8M and I told her it was too long to manoeuvre around a narrow sharp bend which led to this desired pitch.

She insisted and off we went and got massively stuck. This led to lots of swearing, sweating,a burning clutch and a bloody great big audience of campers

She did the same to me in a car in very narrow streets in a village above Lake Garda the following year. I was stuck for ages while a local guy tried to get me unstuck.

This eventually led to a large round of applause from a big group of cyclists having a beer in the village bar.

 

[PP Bear]

.

 

[Phill D]

I find that it's not only the narrow access to the pitch but the trees that overhang some pitches for shade. They are so low its impossible even to shuffle around on the pitch to get into place.

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[The Wino]

Maybe they ought to have a few larger pitches at higher cost

 

[olley]

This one in France was tight, if you look on the roof you can see the site owner cutting branches so I could reverse in.

 

[scotzsue]

What I hate is booking a pitch telling them the size of the van and get there to find a microcamper is pitched in a massive pitch and the only one left would be pushed to fit a. VW camper. Would never do that in the doblo, in fact have refused an allocated pitch in case I stopped a bigger van from getting a decent pitch.

 

[Coolcats]

Just a quick note, our van is big. Not massive 7.6m long, buy some campsite advise they can take large vans, but, when you get there its virtually impossible to get onto a pitch, the angles are all wrong, fine for smaller van.
I suspect some of the older sites were designed for sub 6 m or Vw camper size.

Has anyone else experience the same.

Just remember if you get enough speed up you can take everything with you…therefore parking shouldn’t be a problem as you will have cleared a path.

 

[bigwood]

Our motorhome is 6.1 Mtrs long so not normally a problem getting on pitches. We we’re given a pitch on a site that was in a corner making the pitch L shaped. The guy in the office said don’t drive on the grass. After a couple of tries I found I couldnt get on to the pitch without putting one front wheel on the grass. When I went to the office the guy said you find another pitch so we left.

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[bobnick]

Still relatively new at this game.
On this trip we are 8.5mts including fixed scooter rack.
To date only one site has been a bit tight..................................but then again i'm probably the best driver in the world.

 

[ShiftZZ]

Still relatively new at this game.
On this trip we are 8.5mts including fixed scooter rack.
To date only one site has been a bit tight..................................but then again i'm probably the best driver in the world.

Famous last words

 

[almichie]

We were worried about having a motorhome having come from a caravan - ie getting out and about. But we have found with a little bit of planning and fortune, that pretty much anything is possible… I’ve always towed and driven vans so maybe it’s an experience thing but getting down lanes and in to difficult pitches have never been an issue. Our MH is 2.35 wide and 7.5m long. We’ve even been on the beach in Wales!

 

[Phill D]

We were worried about having a motorhome having come from a caravan - ie getting out and about. But we have found with a little bit of planning and fortune, that pretty much anything is possible… I’ve always towed and driven vans so maybe it’s an experience thing but getting down lanes and in to difficult pitches have never been an issue. Our MH is 2.35 wide and 7.5m long. We’ve even been on the beach in Wales!

Have you tried some of the pitches in souther France or Spain where the have mulberry trees pruned to over hang the pitch for shade.
Our van is the same size as your and only 2.8m high.
Often the pitch is big enough, but the combination of very narrow site roads and trees that are often 2.5m high to the overhang is the problem.
Not normally a problem for caravans.

 

[MichaelT]

Have you tried some of the pitches in souther France or Spain where the have mulberry trees pruned to over hang the pitch for shade.
Our van is the same size as your and only 2.8m high.
Often the pitch is big enough, but the combination of very narrow site roads and trees that are often 2.5m high to the overhang is the problem.
Not normally a problem for caravans.

Exactly

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