If you are new to caravanning – perhaps the successive lockdowns have highlighted the benefits of having your own ‘van so you can “staycation” – you may wonder what the different pitch types are. You may wonder- what are you going to find when you arrive at the caravan site? If you’ve not been caravanning before, you might have very little idea about just what to expect.
This brief blog is intended to help by filling in the details about some of the most common arrangements that may be available.
Your caravan pitch
You have chosen your touring site with care, but the pitch you choose is almost as critical as the location of the site itself – especially during inclement weather or if you are planning to spend a lot of time in and around the caravan while you are there.
At the time of booking, you are likely to be offered the type of pitch – and will probably pay the pitch fees according to the standard of the associated facilities. Different sites may categorise their pitches differently but a good place to start is the range of options offered at Caravan and Motorhome Club sites:
Grass
- once upon a time, of course, you would have had little option but to pitch your caravan on a patch of grass, with no facilities immediately nearby, but the toilet block across the field;
- grass pitches continue to be used for fine-weather caravanning today;
- you might regard them as the economy option in choosing your caravan pitch;
Mixed, multi-surface pitch
- pay a little more for your pitch and you get hardstanding on which you park your caravan and an area of grass alongside it – which you might use as part of the pitch covered by your caravan awning;
- these pitches are almost certain to offer shared electric hook-up;
Standard pitches
- as a discussion thread on the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s website reveals, there is probably no hard and fast rule on the standards offered by a standard pitch – although practically every touring site you see listed will offer what it designates as standard pitches;
- as the slightly catchall term suggests, these pitches can be on either grass or hardstanding and may or may not have an electric hook-up or offer a shared connection point;
- standard pitches might sometimes offer space over which to erect your caravan awning – but others may not. When booking your spot, if you are going to use an awning, make sure you select a pitch that mentions awnings or says something like pitch with awning;
Premium pitches
- by paying an additional pitch fee premium, you may be able to get still more space around the berth for your caravan on an all-weather hardstanding, a grassed area for your awning, and electric hook-up – with some sites offering drinking water standpipe, greywater disposal point, and extra amenities such as picnic tables and built-in barbeques;
- note that where extra facilities are available, you may need your own equipment too – e.g. an Aquaroll mains water adapter kit/float valve, a mains water connection, and a drain adapter;
Serviced pitches
- you are also likely to see reference to serviced pitches offered by the larger and sites;
- typically, these offer an all-weather surface on which to pitch your caravan, electric hook-up, drinking water connection, and waste- or greywater outlet;
Super pitches
- super pitches are likely to be just that – offering all the facilities and connections for your caravan that you can imagine;
- that includes an all-weather pitch, electric hook-up, drinking water, wastewater and chemical toilet disposal outlet, connection to a TV aerial booster, and hedging around your pitch to ensure a greater sense of privacy.
As you can see, therefore, caravan pitches may come in all shapes and sizes, offering a range of facilities from the simplest open patch of grass to those on hardstanding and connections to all manner of services.
You’ll get what you pay for, of course, so be certain to choose the type of pitch most likely to suit your needs when you make your booking.