How big does your tent have to be before campsites charge you for two pitches?

[Yeni]

I've heard that campsites are starting to charge extra now that bigger tents are becoming more popular. I'm trying to persuade DH that we need a bigger tent this year and I know I'll never hear the end of it if we end up having to pay more to use it.

What's the biggest size I can realistically get and still be charged the standard rate? I'm looking for a tent that can comfortably accommodate 6 people (my DH thinks our 3 man tent will be just fine)

Yeni, I've been wondering this too, as we are planning to buy a bigger tent. I think it depends where you go, but look forward to seeing the replies on here.

it depends on the site

Search on ukcampsite message boards, lots of threads about this. I think (from lurking on way too many ukcs threads) is that the tunnel type tents are OK, it is the geodesic multi pod ones that stick out at all angles that camsites get sniffy about, partly I think because of the 6m (is it 6m ) rule between tents inc guy ropes.

I think the camping and caravvaning club have a rule somewhere...oooh eck is it 5m x 9m.

tunnel tents, good. huge mofo multi pods, bad.

hth

The C&CC club are super paranoid about fire so they insist on the gaps between tents to act as a fire break - but tbh sites differ. Our tent is not little - she's on my profile - and we've never been charge double - we do get charged for a 'family tent' rather a 3 man type but that's only fair.

Outwell Nevada XXXXL (or whatever it is) has problems but as slubber says tunnels ok, mofo domes baaad

Although.... don't get me started on caravan + awning + windbreak corrale + 4 wheel drive all on one pitch

gwaan have a caravan rant LC

ouch - not the spikey end!

shed-draggers do my ead in

When we camped at Durinell we saw the most amazing caravan get ups.

HUGE caravan plus giant awning plus same sized awning porch plus the garden fence of wind breaks.

These are the people that have a satellite dish the size of Jodrell bank a top their tin homes.

I KNOW!!!
Last year at hell Trevornick we spotted a 16 pole windbreak! - it was surrounding a mahoosive caravan with big-dog-on-a-spike.>>

see I've started you off too

lol @ 16 pole wind break. That surely is the camping equivalent of a red porche being driven by a balding 50 year old bloke.

Thanks for the advice. I'm looking at tunnel tents now, and I'm still working on DH!

we've had probs with a tunnel (7.5) on 3 occasions but never been unable to find an alternative

My friend has just come back from a site where she had to pay for two pitches - she has a 9 man pod type

I do think this is excessive as there are 7 in her family so couldn't really have a smaller tent and isn't technically taking up two spaces

We have a wynnster satelite 12 which has 3 big pods. The t&c's at lots of campsites say that we'll be charged double but we've always got away with it so far.

However we only stay at sites that are just fields rather than marked pitches.

We've got an 8 man tunnel tent. Never been charged extra, but have only been to one site where the pitches were marked out.

MM know what you mean - there's 6 of us (c&cc and forest holidays wont take famillies over 6 bte what a load of bollocks), theyre quite happy to take per person fees for 6 but the tent gets commented on.

What did they expect, a Quechua PopUp?

I do understand when you see couples or whatever in munsta tents (my sister and her dh / one child have a 12 man tent) but for big famillies- what're we supposed to do?

That's right Peachy, and often if you are a large family, you go camping cos you can't afford to go anywhere else.

I'm happy to pay extra for having a large tent but feel double is unfair

you do pay extra ayway if you have a bif family ecause al ost everywhere adds a per head fee

u am happy t pay extra but 2X is too much imo because A) even if i used ehi i'd still be running only 1 fridge etc, so paying twice the ehu bill would be unfair; B) the tin tenter brigade seem to get away with far bigger motorhomes (i notice a very real tin tenter bias within C&cc); C) we stillonly need one 6m firebreak etc so I cannot imagine what tent - apart from the vago nile lol- that would need 2 full pitches.

150% of pitc fee would seem reasonaqble imo

Will say though that some sites (park resorts) have waived pitch restrictions when they were told thar part of the reason we have big tebt is sn kids; haven, however, would not.

Oh peachy... I have just bought a ?2005 Khyam Ultimate Deluxe for £100 second hand with footprint groundsheet. Any opinion or tips on this?

is that the quick erect?

if so you're lauguhing, great tent, seem to last for ages. make sure joints on poles completely dry to pack away and you'll be fine.

if its 2005 is it non-sig? if so flooring is essential- if you've youngsters i would buy a second groundshheet to make a double layer, then use picnic rubs to create a carpet to insulate.

very good choice.

have you found the uk campsite website yet? great for tent info

Hi, thank you! Yes, I have seen your posts on ukcampsite (not stalking you, honest). We have DD1 (2.6) and DD2 (10mo). It is non-sig, but the sellers included the footprint groundsheet. Would you put the second groundsheet under the footprint or over it? (bit stupid emoticon)

I was chuffed with the price - it is pristine in and out, right down to the glistening guy ropes!

Oh, and yes it has the 6 spider poles with a central hub that you pull up, then additional poles you thread in to give the bedrooms shape.

i'd put over- ots of ayers = warmth

I've not been charged extra for my 'big mofo dome' (loving that!) although I do sometimes struggle to get a pitch as they insist I need a 'large pitch' - I think it's taking the mick personally cos I'm pretty sure my tent isn't bigger than the caravan and awning next door, and as we pay for a leccy hookup we're obviously getting a caravan sized pitch.

I do find C&CC do be rather jobsworth about it sometimes, particularly their bigger sites.