Hi, I'm new here I've been looking at the Maryland XL , which looks really good and spacious, but I'm a bit concerned about whether we'd be able to find many campsites that will let us put it up without paying for two pitches. What have other owners of this tent found? Is it really hard to find campsites with pitches big enough?
Also, is there anywhere you can do a campsite search for certain pitch sizes?
TIA
Apple
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------------- Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Everything has been said before, but since nobody ever listens we have to keep going back and saying it all over again and again and again
Hi, We have a Maryland XL plus front awning and have always found campsites to accommodate, if we haven't been before we ring when booking and they can usually find us a suitable pitch. It's 9m x 6.1m without the front awning (9m x 6m for the purposes of some sites!!). I can let you know the sites we have pitched at, mostly Devon and Cornwall. It really is a fantastic home from home once pitched and for a very large tent it's suprisingly easy to pitch too, we brought a Tennessee 6 recently and really struggled pitching it 1st time both myself and my partner, with the Maryland he only needs me to help with the centre poles and can do the rest himself! They're an absolute bargain at the moment too I think Yeomans are selling for £529. Nearly half of what we paid. The link in the post above is a real help too. Welcome to the Maryland family, you definately won't be disappointed!
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Tents over 5m wide can experience problems on sites.
Some sites will simply refuse you, others will charge an extra premium (for example, on C&CC sites you would have to book a jumbo pitch) and some will charge you for 2 pitches.
As arsenaldes has shown, there are sites that happily accept very large units but you may find your choice is more limited or you have to do some extra leg work to find suitable sites.
There is no "standard" pitch size as each site will differ. Some sites we have looked at only allow 6m x 6m whilst the C&CC allow 9m x 5m (excluding the firebreak) With an extra large unit like the Maryland XL, you may be better off looking for sites that don't have marked out pitches as they seem to be more accommodating!
The best thing would probably be to compile a list of potential sites you would like to camp at and then ring them and see what they say.
I've been looking at that tent too, and that's the main reason that's putting me off - the fact that it may e just too big? I know for a fact we wouldn't be able to go to one of the sites we've already booked for next year....my other 2 choices (so far!) to replace our Gelert Horizon 8 are the Outwell Vermont XL (my number 1 choice) and the Vango Maritsa 700....decisions decisions!!!
------------- Bev :o)
2013
March - Pooley Bridge (Pod booked!)
May - Spiers House, Pickering
June - La Garangeoire, Vendee, France
Aug - The Cotswolds?
I would never worry about campsites that charge extra or don't allow onto there sites because" I buy the tent I want" and not to suit gobs--t campsite. There are plenty of really great sites as arsenaldes has shown. So therefore buy the tent you want and appreciate it. Bring on 2012........
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This was one of the reasons we went for a Montana + Awning setup. The total rig is over 8.5m and offers a great space, but it also allows you to use the Montana on its own for a 6m tent.
I have to say that if sites choose to play greedy by hiking the prices we tend to walk away, in fact if more folk did this perhaps we could teach them that this is supposed to be an inexpensive form of accommodation. It is strange that when speaking of size limits and extra charges we see mention on the Caravan & Camping sites....... this to me is strange when I can stay on fantastic independent commercial sites with my 8.5m tent and pay £10 a night with EHU. I have been a member of C&C in the past but expected this membership to buy me rights extra to those of the public, not less ! I have also recently seen a site that stated that anything over 6m including guy ropes would be surcharged, needless to say I would NEVER stay there on principal. The more we accept and reinforce this the more it will be embraced.
I just bought a second hand Maryland XL.. did I make the wrong decision? Anyone able to list a few sites that would take it? I also just joined the C&CC!