Can i pitch a tent on a gravel pitch?
The answer is most definitely YES !!!!!
This is a question that we get asked numerous times so we thought it would be a good idea to do a little post about it so if you are thinking of booking one of our gravel pitches with a tent you'll know what to expect.
So what is the benefit of camping on gravel you ask? This one is pretty simple ...... NO MUD!
Although we would love to say that our grass pitches stay lush and green all summer we have to be realistic, after you've had 6 weeks of back to back bookings with tents pitching on exactly the same spot there usually isn't much grass left, and if we have a particularly wet summer then the grass pitches can become boggy - you'll find this on all campsites, not just us!
Some people worry about sleeping on the gravel, our answer to this is if you are a 'back to basics' camper who sleeps on the floor then book a grass pitch. BUT if you are like most modern campers who put down a carpet and use camp beds then there's no difference if your tent is on gravel or on grass.
Do i need any extra equipment?
We would say yes.......to be on the safe side!
All of our gravel pitches that are suitable for tents are finished with small pea gravel, what this means for your tent is there are no big sharp stones to make holes. We do however recommend using an extra piece of tarp as a barrier between the gravel and your ground sheet just to make double sure, tents can be expensive so a cheap bit a tarp can put your mind at ease.
One thing that most people worry about is being able to peg it into the ground. We recommend investing in some hard ground pegs (they are pretty much big nails and can be purchased on amazon or any camping shop - we also keep some here to purchase if you forget to bring some with you) and trust us you won't be disappointed, these pegs are not only great for gravel pitches they are brilliant on grass pitches too and keep your tent really secure to the ground, great if there is a chance of high winds!
At the end of the day it is your decision. Some people have strong views about pitching on gravel and will never be pursuaded otherwise. Others will opt for gravel every time, especially if you are not a fair weather camper - we are in England after all so things can get pretty wet and muddy at certain times of the year!