How close it too close?

[BayeauxT]

Just got back from camping in Dorset - great site, really relaxed... however, despite the fact the owner put up a 'site full' sign on Friday, people kept on coming in. We got back to our tent on Friday evening to find someone had squeezed their tent inbetween us and our (previous neighbours) - basically, there wasn't even space to park a car between us and them. I didn't say anything, and as it turned out they were very friendly and quiet and happy to chat with our very inquisitive DD, but just wondering what you would consider too close?

There are regulations about how close tents should be, in case of fire. Don't know what the distance actually is.

Too close for me is when someone else is on the campsite too!!! I vant to be alone!

I thought there were fire regulations about pitching tents too close together? I have 6 metres in my head but that may be wrong. One campsite we stayed in last summer had very close together pitches - we had a little two man tent only a few feet from ours and I did feel a bit intruded upon (we were there first!) But they packed up and went after one night - I think dh's snoring drove them away

oo that sounds too close. i've read about 6m somewhere too. we have three under 5 so i doubt anyone would want to be close to us

Hi, The regulation distance should be 6 metres between tents however on some sites they just let you pitch where you like.

I would just ask them politely to move or suggest to the warden that they have pitched too close.

you never know....they might just not realise that they shouldnt have pitched there...

We all have to start sometime!

Emma

Bayeaux - that is too close both socially and for safety! Emma's right - the recommended distance between tents is 6m. But as far as I'm aware it's not a regulation just a 'best practice'. It's so if someones tent/caravan catches fire it doesn't set everyone elses on fire too. On the campsites we've been on I've seen people stake out a boundary with windbreaks, folding camping chairs, bbqs, swingballs etc.. Whenever we know a 'neighbour' is leaving and we go out for the day we are always a little nervous as to what we'll come back to i.e. will the new campers be on top of us in a huge van with a loud stereo/TV etc... So far we haven't had any probs.

In the New Forest I think they insist on 6m for fire safety. And one windbreak per camp! Wardens patrol the site to insist and one told me he really did tell people to move their tents! HOWEVER there were some folk pitched way too close together near us BUT in one group whom he didn't tell to respect the 6m rule, I noted! Sadly I suspect that on commercial sites, it's going to take a disaster with loss of life before local councils MAKE campsite owners comply with any by-laws.

We're going to find in the next couple of years many of our favourite sites heavily overcrowded, sadly, with the credit crunch keeping the Benidorm squad at home. Whilst I don't blame the owners for making hay whilst the sun shines (figuratively speaking!), on the other hand, once the craze ends or the economy frees up again, they'll have the task of rebuilding their loyal fan base who will have deserted them by then. The upside is there'll be loads of 'used once' camping gear available on eBay come September!

I HATE that windbreak corral thing BUT I've started to do it in a small way because there do seem to be more and more people who don't understand the concept of personal space.

recently went to portugal and the first sute we stayed on was a pitch anywhere but leave 1 metre

was allover the place at starnge angles no vehicles allowed tho