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Topic: Gazebo/ Awning?

TravellinPam

17/5/2016 at 12:40pm
Location: County Armagh
Outfit: Hobby 700

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Has anyone ever used a gazebo instead of a full awning when touring? It'll be for France/Italy in June/July. We don't have a sun awning or fiamma, but we do have a 2x2m pop up garden gazebo with removable sides and tie back door which is very easy and quick to put up. Thinking it might be handy as a sun awning pitched right up close to the caravan. Advantages are its a lot lighter to carry in the van than our full awning,is quite robust and has survived quite strong winds and rain in the garden at home. Are there any disadvantages?
Are there any rules on campsites about gazebos?

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pepe63

17/5/2016 at 1:20pm
Location: Shropshire
Outfit: Toyota Granvia (Wellhouse)

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To counter any doubt, could you not just look at using a simple, lightweight canopy, just slid into the 'rail?...

eg- Easi Canopy

https://www.norwichcamping.co.uk/shop/category/awnings-sun-canopies-20/

Fiona W

17/5/2016 at 1:31pm
Location: Ayrshire
Outfit: Auto-Sleeper MHs

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Many sites up here don't take gazebos due to the risk of their blowing away & damaging other units or people in the process. You could just put your seats on the shady side of the van or sit inside with all the windows wide open. We have a motorhome & sometimes use a tarp attached to its roof bars, but that doesn't work for a caravan.

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2024 = 20 sites / 41 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.

TravellinPam

17/5/2016 at 2:09pm
Location: County Armagh
Outfit: Hobby 700

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Quote: Originally posted by pepe63 on 17/5/2016
To counter any doubt, could you not just look at using a simple, lightweight canopy, just slid into the 'rail?...

Those look ideal pepe63. The Kampa one is a good price too. might be able to slide that amount past OH lol

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Sometimes You're the windscreen; sometimes the fly

74giggles

17/5/2016 at 2:18pm
Location: Suffolk
Outfit: Eriba Famila 320

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We were at the Battlesbridge VW show last year, someone near us had a gazebo they were using as an awning with their Campervan. Not sure if it was properly guy roped out, but it nearly landed on top of our friends van when a gust of wind sent the gazebo flying.

pepe63

17/5/2016 at 3:11pm
Location: Shropshire
Outfit: Toyota Granvia (Wellhouse)

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Quote: Originally posted by TravellinPam on 17/5/2016
Those look ideal pepe63. The Kampa one is a good price too. might be able to slide that amount past OH lol

Hi...

I've only really just taken a closer look at that Kampa shade, and as you say, it does appear to be pretty good, especially as it has mesh-shades on all sides..
(..obviously, 'no idea what the "quality" is like tho').

We've got the older version of the Outdoor Revolution EasiCanopy and although it's okay and is sturdy enough, it can get a bit "excitable" if/when the wind gets up!

One "issue"(for want of a better word)that I've found when ever I've faffed around with our combination(s) of canopies/tarps/"windbreaks" etc in the UK, is that in some instances, for just a few minutes more I could've put up a lightweight, versatile awning, which would come complete with door(s) and roll up sides/front!

As for "gazebos", they shouldn't really be allowed to be used anywhere other than in someone's back garden...

TravellinPam

17/5/2016 at 3:40pm
Location: County Armagh
Outfit: Hobby 700

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I guess you're right pepe63. I'm just trying to avoid spending even more money this year than I already have. The caravan came with no awning so had to fork out for one of those. It's a Kampa and very pleased with the quality but don't think we'd bother putting it up for one or even two nights. We had a Eurotrail Sunroof with our last caravan and now you mention it we let it go with the van when we sold it cos it was faffy to put up - always fiddling with guy ropes etc. and it too got flighty in a bit of a breeze. hmmmm. might just take the beach umbrella and stand and leave the 'gazbo' at home.

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pepe63

17/5/2016 at 4:03pm
Location: Shropshire
Outfit: Toyota Granvia (Wellhouse)

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Quote: Originally posted by TravellinPam on 17/5/2016
...I'm just trying to avoid spending even more money this year than I already have...

Maybe update us, around Nov-Dec time, on how that has panned out for you?...

TravellinPam

18/5/2016 at 4:55pm
Location: County Armagh
Outfit: Hobby 700

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Maybe update us, around Nov-Dec time, on how that has panned out for you?...

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Ewen c

18/5/2016 at 8:28pm
Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Outfit: Tents

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Please don't go for a gazebo. Our wee Coleman Caucasus 3 was hit by a flying pop up gazebo at the beginning of this month.. Wife and daughter were sleeping inside. I had to replace 2 aluminium alloy pole sections as they were bent from the impact.
It could Have been much worse.

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DollyDabbler

19/5/2016 at 7:28pm
Location: None Entered
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What about making a sun shade that fts into your awning rail and just has a couple of poles to keep it upright?

Lightweight waterproof fabric and a length of awning rail cord, borrow two poles from your existing awning.

I made one for when we go to Italy, cost less than £25.

Hairywol

20/5/2016 at 5:19pm
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Challenger Sport 524 + Volvo V90 D5

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Hi Pam,

Sites in France are much more laid-back about gazebos than in the UK - I suppose it's because they have more sun and less wind.

Depending where you are in Italy I suspect that the small sizes of many pitches (the Italians and Spanish don't seem to mind cheek-to-jowl camping) will be the determining factor.

As some posters have mentioned, badly secured gazebos can cause damage and even injury when airborne, so just 4 corner guys with thin wire pegs is nowhere near enough.

My own solution when we used to have tents was to use a tarp with poles and guys, clipped to the tent with market-stall spring clips. Not only did it not get past the gazebo police, it was never charged extra either.

Check out my gallery to see what I mean.

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miss baritone

20/5/2016 at 8:34pm
Location: hartlepool
Outfit: Sterling Excel 520

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If you go for a gazebo get some leg weights. We have a trade stand that we take around shows. I have the cheapest gazebo I could find but with the leg weights on it never moves. It's stood up to really strong winds. Other stands with professional quality gazebos have been wrecked when ours haven't moved. They are like a cone that fastened round each leg and you fill them with water

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