We've just returned from 6 nights at the CC's Cae Mawr site on Anglesey.

Up until yesterday afternoon we'd had an unused hardstanding pitch to our left, but on our return from wanderings we were delighted to see a Troll 540 parked there. Or rather we were partly delighted, you see the owner had decided to park sideways across the rear of the pitch with the rear window towards our awning. He'd then parked his car at right angles across the front of his van on the other side of his pitch.

This had the effect of his car being out of synch with all the rest as they are usually on the right/offside of the van. The more important effect was that the rear of the Troll was just the width of the grass away from our awning, I estimate possibly about 2 metres.

Now according to the CC rules there must be 6 metres between facing walls of adjacent caravans and 3 metres clear space between adjoining outfits in any direction. I'm not sure what the difference is between these two definitions but I suspect our Troll friend was not compliant.

Funnily enough the Wardens were buzzing about because the site was getting very full and they even had to instruct one over zealous member in the twilight to move because he'd decided to use a pitch that had been roped off all week and had a big dustbin with hi-vis tape in the middle of it. Possibly they were so busy they didn't have time to sort our neighbour out.

Anyway nobody went up in flames and we're all back safe and sound, but I wonder if the next users of our pitch will be as sympathetic as us.

PS it was a hard Troll to date as it had pre '05 lights and no. plate thing and pre '05 rear manoeuvring handles, but it had red vinyl in the midrail, which wasn't fitted 'til '05. So somebody must've replaced the white vinyl with red. It also had no Eriba Ltd alloy plate below the back window so it's likely it wasn't originally a UK supplied van.

We only use CC sites and I always ask at the reception how they would like my van to be positioned before I set it up, there are one or two sites such as York Rowntree will insist as per the diagram on the site map, which with an Eriba as you look at the pitch it is the car, caravan with the tow bar in, and then awning. however most CC sites will let me change it around such as Awning, caravan and then car as long as the van has the corner to the peg.
I will use use a bit of common sense as if the awnings look as though they might be a bit too close for privacy I will put my van in nose first and comply to the CC pitch format. I have only had one CC site say to me you can put it sideways, it was from one of the wardens as I was waiting to get in whilst sat in my car, and then when I was booking in his wife said I had to set up as per the diagram
With having a motor mover its easy to go in nose first if that is what the site wants, however if I didn't have a motor mover I know that myself and the wife would struggle to get the van in the required position. I don't find the CC rules an issue and by asking before I set up it avoids any upsets, it is a can of worms regarding the door set up with non British made vans and CC pitching

I wonder if your Troll neighbour had asked the wardens before he pitched up?

For the five seasons we had Troll 540's we always pitched nose in, except occasionally at Old Oaks where they don't mind how you pitch and some of their pitches are so big you can keep well away from neighbours.

I've got no issue with pitching sideways but I wish the guy had parked his car between us and his van, that would've been very acceptable. Parking it the other side meant the pitch the other side had the benefit of the length of towhitch, space for car doors to open, then car itself before the regulation grass space. As it was they obviously realised the problem because they'd removed the nets, but kept the flynet down on the rear window otherwise we couldn't help but see inside.

The separation between units is not just CC standards (I am not defending the CC, as I have found some sit wardens to be anally retentive over the issue). It comes from Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 section 5 and subsequent guidance in the form of Model Standards. Every caravan site requires licensing by the local authority and these standards are applies as conditions within the licence.

As with all legislation providing you achieve the requirements and comply with the spirit of the law then I can see it hard for the CC to further gold plate statutory acts and the provision or any guidance made under them. Perhaps the wardens should be checking if everyone has their own fire fighting equipment in the first place as part of their due diligence !!!!!

Sorry I've started so I will finish.

Do wardens regulate the siting of LPG cylinders for BBQ'S? potential time bombs, I think not, obviously not been addressed under their fire risk assessment.

If you are parked nose in and you have to be towed off quickly this will only hinder the process.

Ill stop now and get off my soap box

just wondering if it was the one AL had for ages with different back lights to the ones on the 01 troll and the traffic light ones there was no front fairing on the one am describing

Funnily enough I don't think I saw the front as their car was parked across the bows as it were and I never had reason to approach from that direction. Rear lights, handles, number plate fairing, no roof ventilator all said pre '05 model year, red vinyl in mid/waist rail said post '05.

Nobody in any way should want to flout safety rules, but the cc do gold plate them and add others (I have been a member for 25 years) We pull the puck with our vdub Camper we cannot stop on club sites because we sleep in both which makes them 2 separate units which have to be 6 metres apart ie on separate pitches according to their own rules. On C&CC sites as long as they fit within the pitch then gaps are maintained and we can even Park at right angles which we do. Guess which one we use!

Is that a definitive ruling from CC Operations at HQ or the interpretation by a warden Simon? If it affected me I'd get it formally clarified and a written clearance from the CC if they were willing to provide it.

I'm not sure if CC sites and CC wardens are actually like that in reality or we'd like to think they are and caravanning myths have been created.

I've never come across a jobsworth warden in 6 years, although admittedly we've also used loads of non CC sites as well. Out of about 50 stays at CC sites I reckon only half a dozen have ever bothered to refer to the peg and parking diagram when we booked in and none have even cast an eye over how we were pitched.

I've come across one person who complained about the positioning of our motorhome six years back but as it was parked correctly to the peg the warden blew them away.

If you look closely Col. Randa's rig is stood on bricks