We are going to quite a commercial site in late July. When I booked we didn't have the Monty 6 and so I wasn't sure of the dimensions. We have been told that the max size of tents in high season should be 4m x 7m. The Monty is 4.15m x 5.85m without the porch erected. Should I phone and confess the extra 15cm and risk losing £50 deposit or hope they won't notice. Would the side entrance porch which is attached to the tent count, or is it just the footprint size they consider. I could leave the porch unerected. I did tell them I may be using the Monty and they didn't say anything at booking stage, but they may deny this.
15 cm is six inches, so I would just wing it there if that was the only problem. They won`t be giving you a pitch exactly 4m x 7M...at least I hope not! They`ll have allowed for guylines and a car too.
The side porch however...if a porch is permenantly attached it is part of your footprint, so you should include it into your width measurements. So you might be in trouble there.
I can pitch the tent without erecting the side porch ,it would just hang down. But we were in the Lakes over the weekend and couldn't use this door because it overhung a slope, so we can live without it for 4 nights.
Thanks Val I think I'll risk it. Like you say there has to be room for the car and guylines. And I have two other doors I can use. The thing is there is no limit on the size of the caravans or TTents, some of those are quite large. And we are on EHU so not just pitched with the tents it's a mixture as far as I know. It's not fair that tents are singled out for size.
Caravans and trailer tents tend to come in easily regimented rectangular shapes, though, while some of the big star shaped domes can need a space 11m x 11m to pitch in. My TT is 4.2 m x 5.2 m and that`s pretty average for a TT. Even with a sun canopy and kitchen extension, there`s no TT in the UK that would need an 11m x 11m pitch.
There does seem to be a general shift back to tents with mor rectangular footprints though, so hopefully the campsite owners will calm down a bit.
We try to avoid the commercial sites for just this reason. Our Vango Aspen 700DLX needs a bit of space. We booked into Peartree Farm in Dorset for the summer and told them which tent we have - the pitch is 12 x 9mtrs and no extra cost. Every site we have booked has had no problem with us having a big tent.
The issue you may get is turning up and not having enough space to pitch. It's a bit like paper, stone, scissors - your Monty outdoes anything smaller.
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We must be experts - we are out standing in our chosen fields!
The monty has got a rectangular footprint. If I put up the side entrance then it has an extra square bit, but this is not attached to the SIG. With regards to not having enough space to pitch, do you think the margins would be a tight as 15cm. In length we are actually shorter by 1.15m. Are they really that strict. I feel that if I phone they will cancel me just to keep the deposit and then relet that pitch.
If I were you I would phone them but not say that its you if you are worried - say you are making general enquiries in the area at the moment, give them your measurements and see what they say. That way you know whether you would be allowed to use the side entrance.
Phone them up as a new enquiry and find out before you start worrying.
Incidentally, whether your porch is part of the SIG or not is irrelevant. It still occupies space on the pitch. None of my tents have SIGs, but they still take up space when pitched out!
I would say that you told them what tent you had when you booked and see if there is some leeway to be honest - I have been to sites that give maximum pitch sizes and when you get there you see some tents that are almost circus tent sized pitched! (useful for pitching near to protect you from the elements though lol)
But I would seriously see how much leeway they are prepared to give before phoning back as yourself if necessay (hope that makes sense)
Yes it does Kwelchick . With regards to Val, I am thinking that I won't pitch the side entrance, it is sealed from the inside and so it won't be a problem if I don't pitch it. Then it will be a perfect rectangle of 4.15 x 5.85. Only 15 cm over! I will phone them as a potential new customer and see what they say! It's just if they say no I will be guilt ridden if I still go. No more commercial sites after this one.
Quote: Originally posted by Muzzy71 on 01/6/2007
Yes it does Kwelchick . With regards to Val, I am thinking that I won't pitch the side entrance, it is sealed from the inside and so it won't be a problem if I don't pitch it. Then it will be a perfect rectangle of 4.15 x 5.85. Only 15 cm over! I will phone them as a potential new customer and see what they say! It's just if they say no I will be guilt ridden if I still go. No more commercial sites after this one.
You could do that. With the flexible porch pole in place the side s of the porch will roll up and can be tied back to the main tent. There's fittings on the porch/tent to do this.
Thanks Stevie, thats an even better idea. I'll still be able to use the side door then, but it won't increase the footprint dimensions. I have emailed them as a new customer and they didn't blankly refuse just wanted to know which dates I had in mind. I'm still waiting for a response. When I have looked in the review section on here, some people went in an Hartford XL surely bigger than the monty 6.