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We have a lovely big family tent - Killington 900, which we bought to be able to have family holidays throughout the years while the kids are growing (we have 3).  It would also accommodate any friends they may want to bring too.

I joined the Camping and Caravanning Club ready for the 2008 season only to find we can't go on any of their sites as the tent is too wide!!  Apparently there may be some sites which can fit us on but we would have to phone round them all to find out as they don't highlight which sites offer this service.  I have since cancelled the membership as it is a waste of time and money.

Does anyone know of ANY sites that accommodate larger family tents please?  Or know of how I can find any.  I am beginning to wonder if we are going to get anywhere.  It seems mad given the number of large family tents on the market - we can't be the only people in this situation???

Any help gratefully received.

This is always a hotly debated topic - tents are getting larger but pitches are staying the same size, presumably because the more pitches a site has the more money they make!

Try looking here:
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=4&TopicID=27296&PagePosition=1
It may be a bit out of date now so you'll still have to ring and check they could accommodate your tent but at least it's a starting point for you.

Alternatively, try looking for sites that don't have marked pitches - often farm sites are able to accommodate larger units as you just pitch in a field and take up as much room as you like!

Thanks everyone for the tips so far and the various queries.

We were told by CCC that pitches were 8m*5m for health and safety reasons???!!!  Not quite sure of the logic of that one but hey its what they are going with!!

Shops certainly don't mention that large tents may have a problem finding pitches.  Funnily enough we haveb't had any problems with booking our summer holiday in France (Eurocamp Independent were fabulous!) - it just seems to be the Brits that can't cope with bigger tents!

Will check out the site mentioned above and look for farm sites.  Ideally I was hoping for sites which had a bit more than just a field as I do like a shower!!!

If I find anything positive on my travels I shall post details so that other can make use of it too.

We have booked a site!  Thank you to HEJC72 for the extensive list on sites that take larger tents!!  Wonderful resource and much appreciated.

Have booked into Townsend site in Herefordshire - just praying for some good weather now.

Many many thanks folks.

To caz36

Yes that is the size of the pitches with CCC I am afraid.  When I queried it with them given the number of larger tents these days they just said that they appreciated that tents were getting bigger but that was the size of the pitches for health and safety reasons!!!!

I was informed that some sites do take larger tents in low season but that these are not indicated on the CCC website and I would have to just ring any site I was interested in and see if they did this?!!  - like I have the time to ring round God knows how many sites to find ones that do!!!!  It would be helpful if CCC had one of their symbols which showed which sites might be able to accommodate larger tents should space/time of season allow.

Check out the link provided by HEJC72 above.  Absolutely brilliant list of sites who are not restricted by health and bloody safety (sorry!!)