I have been to many caravan sites where the departure time is before 12 o'clock on Sunday, one of our favourite sites is usually 11am. I am going there this weekend, and have just noticed on the booking form that they have changed the departure time to 10am on Sunday!!
Now I realise that they have to cut the grass, and that some tourers travel each day and need to arrive at a reasonable time but I feel that this is ridiculous.
I mainly use the van at weekends, and after everyone is home from school/work, and everything is packed up we travel there (max 1 1/2 hours for me as a rule!) It can easily be 8pm before we arrive. We get all day Saturday, then if we leave at 10am Sunday we will be home and sorted out by 1pm. I feel that we are missing a day from our weekend away!
I think that all sites should be encouraged to change the departure times on Sundays 4pm to allow everyone a fair weekend away.
I will of course ask the site staff tonight when I arrive why so early, and will post back here on Sunday (maybe early afternoon!)
Is it just me expecting too much, or do you agree?
I wouldn't go for a weekend to a site where you had to vacate it at 10 am, thats far too early.
It's bad enough having to leave at 12 when your not far from home.
Try C.L.sites they often let you stay longer by overlapping, there are only supposed to be 5 vans but what harm is it doing if they have the space, to let you stay a little longer.
I like to leave reasonably early, but 10 does seem a bit early. Particularly for someone who has a lot of packing up to do. I used to use a trailer tent and it could take an hour and a half to pack it all up. Who wants to be packing up by half eight on Sunday morning? Hardly seems worth having a weekend away if you worked on Friday you won't arrive until Friday night and have to pack up first thing on Sunday. You may as well have had a day trip and not paid a penny in site fees.
I usually aim to get away by 10 or soon after, but that's out of choice. I think to expect everyone to be off by 10 is totally unreasonable.
However, I do think mid-day is reasonable to be off or to arrive. Apart from anything else, think of the entrances to some sites - I've been one some where there is a long narrow drive. Imagine if everyone was coming and going at any old time, it could get very difficult.
I suppose the rule is because if it was changed to around miday people would start doing some sort of dinner and moan if they were reminded to be away on time.
I too don't see why i should have to vacate a weekend pitch when i haven't even been there 48 hours. I would rather they had a later arrival time on a Friday with a later vacation time on the Sunday but i do think that people would then complain that they couldn't get on their pitch till later. Still think a 2pm arrival time would be better and wish the campsites would give it a try...
I dont like to leave to early but think about this way, you imagine your abroad or in a b&b. You have to be out by 12 so they can get it ready for new people coming. But 10am is abit harsh, i would have to be packing up at 7 with all the kit we have and the 2 kids running around.
A agree that 10 am is too early and I wouldn't give such sites my business. I can't think of any reason/excuse for it to be as early (grass cutting etc not a good enough excuse for me) except that those sites want the money without the actual hassle of campers! I don't have any children but I imagine for those that do they have the washing/toilet/breakfast routine and to expect them to do all this and pack up before 10 is unreasonable. I have a dog and his routine every day in life and ESPECIALLY before a long drive home is a good walk in the morning and to fit this in and pack up we would have to be up at the crack of dawn - sort of spoils a relaxing weekend which realistically is only one full day on site. Departures at 12 or 1 pm arrivals at 1 or 2 pm would be ideal. I say vote with your purse!!