The Camping Forum

[in-a-tent]

this is something that I've seen mentioned on another thread and something we've been caught by in the past.

the last couple of times we've been away it's been 2pm and 12noon and that was fine but we've been to sites where it's been 10 am and that gives problems in the early and late season because the dew might not have cleared off the tent by then.

[Donnelly69]

I've never understood or liked that rule, as I go away for the weekend, not just to sleep out at night and then go home before lunch

Fair enough if you've been away for a week or two and you've a long journey to get home, but not on a short weekend. We've now found a couple of farm sites in the lakes which happily let you stay all afternoon, so they see us more and more now. Especially if you want to go for a decent walk on the Sunday, I'd rather leave my tent set up on a site than a car full of gear in a isolated car park. There are a couple of commercial site which let you stay later - at a price!!!!!

[Donnelly69]

I haven't voted as there's no 6.00pm option

[in-a-tent]

have added up to 6 pm just for you

i guess the site owners have to balance new ppl coming in with those leaving and give time between to allow them to do any upkeep like mowing the pitches that needs to be done.

our next trip has a leave by 12 don't arrive before 2pm rule which i guess is for this reason.

[Admin]

Voted 12, although we are often away between 10 and 11 simply because of the drive to the next destination before its to late to pitch..

So not having done any weekend camping its difficult to say so voted 12 on the basis much like a hotel they need to accomodate the next people inbound.. however.. im sure some sites would be good enough to let you know that they not fully booked so can relax a little?

[Gillsy]

I've been lucky this year, at Folkestone Warren when i asked if we could stay late, they said we could stay until 6, they just asked for a £1 contribution to the plant box. At Hidden Springs there was a notice up to say leave when you want, i think this was because Sunday is their family day, & it was all very laid back.
As it was, it was so hot on both occasions we were packed up & home by lunch time ( nothing to do with the F1 )

I think 12 is a resonable time,with the option of staying late if the pitch is available.

[Rob-merlin1973]

I voted for 12

I think this gives you just enough time to pack, if it was any later then the site would not be able to let people on till later, e.g if you are allowed to stay till six then the rule would have to be that you can not come until 6, so i think midday is a good compramise.

[Wayne]

I voted 12, but in doing so I am considering a weeks holiday where you might want to be away and all your stuff packed away by Sunday night for work the next morning. Donnelly has a very valid point and one I haven't considered before. If you do go for just the weekend then you might want to stay until later Sunday evening.

[jubbababy]

I said 12 midday. We recently came back from Hope Valley and they had a 12 o'clock leaving rule (nice of them, since they squeezed everything out of you in other ways! ). It was nice to chat to the people either side (leaving Wayne to it ) and not feel rushed which you feel when it is a 10am leaving time. Giving you till 12 allows you to get over any problems that might come up as you are packing away, ie, kids falling over and requiring first aid, problems with getting everything to go back into the car , wet / dew to dry off the tent, pots from breakfast to wash, etc, etc.

[chy carne]

Departure times is a difficult one, we have thought long and hard about it this year.

Out of season we have plenty of pitches and we allow arrival/departure time to be anytime as we always have some spare pitches, however, during July/August we are at our busiest.

People always want to arrive as early as possible on site, many driving during the night to beat traffic etc (we had people arriving from 6am last year )

We like to allow at least a couple of hours to let the grass breath a little, cut grass etc so for this year we have said departures by 12 noon, of course this then means that arrivals cant be before 2pm, but feel that people prefer a later departure time allowing drying of tents, packing up etc. ?????????

No doubt however, we shall still have people arriving during the early hours LOL

Its difficult to have both, you cant have a early arrival time and late departure time as sites do not have the pitches available during the busiest dates.

[Rob-merlin1973]

Hi
Welcome to the forum

Post on the introduce yourself section ... i am sure you will grab a lot of interested members

Love the site mate... only had a brief look so will look more tomorrow.
I agree .... as campers we want to get on and be set up asap ... but we also want to wait for the tent to dry before leaving .........

[Wayne]

Departure times is a difficult one, we have thought long and hard about it this year.

Out of season we have plenty of pitches and we allow arrival/departure time to be anytime as we always have some spare pitches, however, during July/August we are at our busiest.

People always want to arrive as early as possible on site, many driving during the night to beat traffic etc (we had people arriving from 6am last year )

We like to allow at least a couple of hours to let the grass breath a little, cut grass etc so for this year we have said departures by 12 noon, of course this then means that arrivals cant be before 2pm, but feel that people prefer a later departure time allowing drying of tents, packing up etc. ?????????

No doubt however, we shall still have people arriving during the early hours LOL

Its difficult to have both, you cant have a early arrival time and late departure time as sites do not have the pitches available during the busiest dates.

Hello and a very warm welcome to the forum. I can see from a park owners point of view its a bit of a catch 22

[in-a-tent]

i think 12 noon is fine, it's early morning vacating that is a pain because of getting the dew off the tent before it's packed away.

i'm not fussed with an early start tbh if we go away for a weekend it's usually quite close and we arrive late-ish friday, if we go away for a week we go further afield so we've got a longer journey and so don't arrive until mid afternoon at the earliest. either way we don't arrive too early.

[Wayne]

i think 12 noon is fine, it's early morning vacating that is a pain because of getting the dew off the tent before it's packed away.

i'm not fussed with an early start tbh if we go away for a weekend it's usually quite close and we arrive late-ish friday, if we go away for a week we go further afield so we've got a longer journey and so don't arrive until mid afternoon at the earliest. either way we don't arrive too early.

That echoes my camping style too, thinking about it.