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Hi Jakers,

We have just returned from Moorview Campsite in Devon (yes Ratty I will do a review shortly) where we had our tent on a double hard standing fully serviced pitch for our Cabanon Biscaya tent. The hardstanding was large non rounded chippings with sharp edges. Although they have a camping field they have only 2 EHU and if you want more than 3 nights they like you to move so the hardstanding was our only option.

We had put a reinforced plastic sheet from Lidl (actually a cover for garden furniture) down first and then a breathable jute groundsheet which didn't quite fit the full width of the tent but covered the areas where we walked. We then had the ZIG of the tent on top.

There was no problem at all and no penetration of any of the sheets. You could feel the stones if you were in stockined feet but as we use slippers, no problem. We had a tremendous thunderstorm whilst we were there and also one other night of very heavy rain. Being on the hardstanding it drained incredably well and we had no mud or anything. We were well impressed with the hardstanding so yours with the pea gravel should be really easy.

You are on our list for visiting and we would have no problem with an all weather pitch, and we will request one when we visit. 

Quote: Originally posted by jandjstott on 10/5/2011

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Hi Jakers,

We have just returned from Moorview Campsite in Devon (yes Ratty I will do a review shortly) where we had our tent on a double hard standing fully serviced pitch for our Cabanon Biscaya tent. The hardstanding was large non rounded chippings with sharp edges. Although they have a camping field they have only 2 EHU and if you want more than 3 nights they like you to move so the hardstanding was our only option.

We had put a reinforced plastic sheet from Lidl (actually a cover for garden furniture) down first and then a breathable jute groundsheet which didn't quite fit the full width of the tent but covered the areas where we walked. We then had the ZIG of the tent on top.

There was no problem at all and no penetration of any of the sheets. You could feel the stones if you were in stockined feet but as we use slippers, no problem. We had a tremendous thunderstorm whilst we were there and also one other night of very heavy rain. Being on the hardstanding it drained incredably well and we had no mud or anything. We were well impressed with the hardstanding so yours with the pea gravel should be really easy.

You are on our list for visiting and we would have no problem with an all weather pitch, and we will request one when we visit. 

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Quote: Originally posted by Bob61 on 07/5/2011

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There was a thread quite recently on these boards that suggested a shingle AWP was responsible for a hole in somebody's groundsheet. When you have a SIG on an expensive tent that is not something you particularly want.

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Certainly looks like something sharpe under pressure punctured your SIG, hope your holiday insurance will cover the cost of a replacement.

Goes to show that there are various standards of AWP across the different sites and for site owners we really are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea!

Quote: Originally posted by Jakers on 09/5/2011

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..... all done due to customer demands too, certainly not installed just for the fun of it, despite what Bob61 may believe

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Don't you just hate it when people put words in your mouth simply because you have a different point of view? I don't believe I said that or suggested it.

I have a lot of experience with pea shingle because at various properties I have lived at, it has been the cheapest method of covering an area of pathway or between patio slabs etc; etc; and I have grown to hate the stuff.

It has nothing to do with 'change'. It has plenty to do with people's preferences but in some cases things become popular because they simply have no choice.

I have not seen an AWP made of the stuff so I cannot make an informed comment, however, I have seen the photo on your website, Jakers, and be it an ever so small photo the gravel looks no different to any other general use pea shingle...a combination of rounded and angular stones. However, I am aware that peas shingle can be obtained in various grades and the larger the stones the more rounded they can be.

As for walking barefooted on general purpose pea shingle...easy peasy. It doesn't hurt for the same reasons a Fakir can lay on a bed of nails...too close together...but I wouldn't put my tent on a bed of nails just because somebody lay on it......and then there are fire walkers of course but that might be different  

Quote: Originally posted by Bob61 on 11/5/2011

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Quote: Originally posted by Jakers on 09/5/2011

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..... all done due to customer demands too, certainly not installed just for the fun of it, despite what Bob61 may believe

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Don't you just hate it when people put words in your mouth simply because you have a different point of view? I don't believe I said that or suggested it.

I have a lot of experience with pea shingle because at various properties I have lived at, it has been the cheapest method of covering an area of pathway or between patio slabs etc; etc; and I have grown to hate the stuff.

It has nothing to do with 'change'. It has plenty to do with people's preferences but in some cases things become popular because they simply have no choice.

I have not seen an AWP made of the stuff so I cannot make an informed comment, however, I have seen the photo on your website, Jakers, and be it an ever so small photo the gravel looks no different to any other general use pea shingle...a combination of rounded and angular stones. However, I am aware that peas shingle can be obtained in various grades and the larger the stones the more rounded they can be.

As for walking barefooted on general purpose pea shingle...easy peasy. It doesn't hurt for the same reasons a Fakir can lay on a bed of nails...too close together...but I wouldn't put my tent on a bed of nails just because somebody lay on it......and then there are fire walkers of course but that might be different  

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Oh Bob you quoted this "Perhaps you should have asked before you did" if you read my opening post I actually in the first line stated that after much research of what campers wanted, hence my sarcastic comment above!  Nothing to do with a varied opinion what so ever nor putting words into your mouth........

We looked at the various options available and 'stone' even rounded was too big and hard, sand was too small and would simply leave a muddy mess and 'walk' everywhere, the composit plastics/rubber you can now get both proved expensive and also the groundworks required to get anything like a peg to stay in it was unreal, so a 6mm single size rounded 'pea shingle' was all we were left with as a suitable material, washed not crushed so I have been told by my civil engineering husband.

We give our customers choice, we even involve our 'regulars' in our decision making processes as it is indeed those people whom are using the facilities for long periods.  At the end of the day we are trying to do the best by those very people who provide our business, responding to their demands within reason.   The damage attained to the groundsheet pictured could easily be attained on a grass pitch with a sharpe stone poking through or a thorn in the grass that had gone undectected, or indeed a table leg bursting through on hard ground, no different on an AWP or hardstand with a rogue sharpe stone/thorn or table leg.  The person experiencing this obviously will not want to camp on AWPs again, and nor would I were that my experience, however as I have said above each sites AWPs can be very different.

Those that have used ours have been very happy with them, even commenting that it is much nicer than thinking you are leaving a boggy mess to those who may follow on and in periods of heavy rain have commented that they don't walk lots of grassy mud into the tent.

We have, as John suggested, invested in some good old Terram to offer those whom are apprehensive of the idea, which on looking at those who baulk appear to be relatively new campers.

We shall as I have said stay with the grass pitches also, my opening gambit was purely because I had noted a change in attitude with this years custom, which I now no was due to the hot spell, although the AWPs are also handy when the ground is rock hard, the AWP is not compacted and thus tent pegs glide nice and easy into them.  I'm pleased to advised that after some pretty awful great british weather our whitsun campers are crying out for our AWPs.

Happy Camping one and all

Quote: Originally posted by PinkPanther on 13/6/2011

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I have never experienced an all weather pitch, but at this current time I would avoid them like the plague. I have a 5 year old and 3 year old and I would have a nightmare with them on that type of pitch. First thing, they LOVE stones and would be rummaging around in them (and probably flinging them and getting them all over the place). More importantly, they do tend to run about and pay less attention to things and I know for a fact they would end up with grazed knee's and elbows on a gravel pitch. So from a child friendliness perspective I would not be attracted to that type of pitch.

The other reasons are the same as previous comments ie. concerns about the SIG and underfoot comfort. Finally, I just like to sit out on the grass and look at green. Gravel just seems urban and I go camping to get away from that. I can handle mud, it is part of the experience.

Jakers, I don't want to sound like I am being negative as everyone has different circumstances and looks for different things in a site. I just wanted to give you my perspective, which may (or may not!) reflect the opinion of families with younger children.

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Everyones entitled to an opinion and we do have some grass pitches also for those who really don't want an AWP - we are child and dog friendly and have had both types of campers camp on these pitches, one very recently with a toddler who's comments were that they had never seen such a pitch type but were 'converted' as they put it as they did have some adverse weather to contend with where the AWPs come into their own.  The appreciated not having mud to arrive to and camp on and no mud to have to contend with on departure...

Our site is in a rural area so you really can't get more 'green' than being surrounded by fields!!  We have a 'gravel' roadway around the site so no matter what we did grass or not the 'urban' look would ensue.

As it happens we have had some reviews about our AWPs specifically always going on what others say I can only extract the relevant bits:

"The all-weather pitches are fantastic, the pea-gravel is very small and surprisingly comfortable! I had a footprint groundsheet then my tent (Outwell Virginia 5) then a carpet, and I couldn't tell I was pitched on pea gravel, if I didn't know it I'd have just assumed it was grass. I wish all campsites had these, they are fabulous for the often wet UK weather and meant I didn't have to pitch on mud - also meant that I could pick up my footprint at the end of the weekend and pop it straight in the car, no brushing mud or grass off it. There was plenty of room at the side of the gravel part for me to park the car, store the trailer, pitch a kitchen tent, and stake the dogs out."

Note : the AWPs are surrounded by grass...

We can only respond to customer demands in the majority and for the majority these seem to be working out I'm pleased to report.

Jakers,

Jessie Jane is asking about AWP over on camping under canvas HERE

I did point her in this direction, but maybe if you can spare the time you could answer any questions she has

xx

why not have some artificial grass to put down over the top of the awp, that would make it nice and soft