Johnaldo

Ah! Now I understand John PS Have you actually seen the van?

I’d stay the night on a site near to the dealer so that you can return the next day if anything isn’t working or as promised. Also, I add on at least 10 minutes per hour when towing, so a solo 3’15” becomes nearer the 4 hour mark. John

I have a recollection of reading that covering tyres with plastic is not a good idea because it generates heat, and the advice was to use a sheet of plywood or similar which allows the air to flow. John

No, not changed Griff - and I found the west side just as bad - tiny pitch and impossible to insert rock pegs (the only time I’ve ever given up!) John

Yes, CN - may be worth checking the seating of rubbers around that front window, and not just at the bottom corner but also higher up in case of run-down. John

Plan of pitches - here. 28 new ones, but one old one lost due to new access road. John.

According to the Lake District Planning website the new pitches will be "on scrub land adjacent to the existing caravan site" ... marked with a star ... Reading some of the paperwork I get the impression that it’s council-owned land. John

Craig, first off, are you sure it's not just a low battery in the handset? If not, you may be able to perform a reset by switching off the big red key for 5 minutes, then switching back on. Also, I seem to remember that one of these models had a reset button either on or under the cover of the main control box, usually found under a bed quite near the van battery. (There may be a hole that you push an unbent paper clip into). You may have to press a button on the handset at the same time. Good luck, John.

Bolingbroke, I regularly use motorway services up and down the country and I always park in the caravan area ... and I have never come across one of these 'direct access' doors. So in my experience you always have to walk past these 'outlets' to get to the toilets (I've never been to Leigh Delamere though), so there's no advantage to parking a car or van in the caravan area. John

Thanks for all the useful info so far. It seems I don't have to worry about on-site dog walks! Glad to hear Lyndhurst isn't too bad to negotiaate, and I've noted details of the route throgh Brockenhurst. Hadn't thought of the ship-spotting, Grandpa Steve, but I know my mate will be interested in that. LTC, where's your blog, please? Anymore info gladly received. Thanks, John.

I think it is Borussia ... but it's not a legal requirement (it's a bit like the 85% 'rule' in that respect). Many private sites pretend they've never heard of it and just cram in as many as possible (as I found out one time when I returned to site after a day out to find a tent under my sun awning and using 2 of my pegs for their guy ropes!!) I certainly know which situation I prefer, and have never used a large private site since. John

I always understood that the Car-Caravan-Awning set-up only applies when you erect an awning - so I'm pretty sure what you'd like to do is okay, BG - I always park on the nearside if we don't have an awning up, and have yet to be told off. Keith, I don't think the peg positions are at all random, and I think convenience is a secondary consideration. I saw surveyors on a site one time measuring out the exact positions for the pegs, and, as mentioned above, this is all in the interests of fire safety measures. John

to Caravan Talk, Si - I'm sure you'll find plenty of good advice here. John

I was talking to a warden about 10 years ago about the exent of a 'pitch' - he pointed to my gravelled area and said "that's yours", then he pointed to my neighbour's gravel and said "that's his", then he pointed to the grass in between us and said "and that's mine". And that's how I've thought of it since. I wouldn't dream of parking on the grass in between unless told to by the warden. Also, here's the C&CC's official definition of the 6-metre rule - If the CMC employ the same definition, then there's no way they can be using it against the OP, as there is clearly a 3-metre gap between his car and the adjacent awning. John

Tradewinds, sorry to contradict , but this is my outfit at Start Bay a couple of years ago ... John (PS, before anyone comments - the white peg had been moved by the previous occupant of that pitch, and the warden had moved it back to the tell-tale marker disk, ready for the next occupant).