Looking for a seasonal pitch?

Seasonal pitches certainly have their advantages and right now they’re in high demand at our adult only touring parks. Would you like to reduce the hassle and expense of towing? Does a more relaxed start to your breaks appeal to you? Then a seasonal pitch could be the answer.

A seasonal pitch is yours either for a park’s entire open season or for a set number of months, depending on whether the park closes over the winter or stays open for all or most of the year.

If you want to take frequent breaks in your caravan, a seasonal pitch means a super easy quick and worry-free set up. You can forget about packing everything up, stressful journeys, pitching up, putting up the awning and packing down every time you go away.

Or perhaps you’ve fallen in love with an area and discovered the Tranquil Park that ticks all your boxes. Why go anywhere else? And what if you need to keep going back to the same area to be near family or friends, or to search for a retirement home?

All of the above make seasonal pitches very appealing, added to which is the friendship and community that you may get to enjoy with other seasonal guests. And if you choose to renew your agreement at the end of the season, you might be able to leave your caravan on the pitch over the winter.

There are currently 19 Tranquil Parks with pitches occupied by seasonal guests. You can see them on our seasonals page.

Read on to find out

• Why seasonal pitches are in short supply
• Where you might be able to find one
• How to get hold of one
• What to expect as a seasonal guest

 (Top photo: Parkland Caravan, Camping & Glamping Site in Devon.)

Why don’t parks offer more seasonal pitches?

At present, there are many more people wanting seasonal pitches at Tranquil Parks than there are pitches available. With seasonal pitches in such high demand, it may seem surprising that less than half of our 43 member parks offer them. 

While there are key advantages for parks, such as those listed here, there are also disadvantages, which we go into further on. The main advantages (depending on the the park’s open season) include:

• A guaranteed income for seasonal pitches
• A cash injection after the winter when there will have been few or no touring guests, and when the park is most likely to have invested in winter works and upgrades
• Seasonal guests can bring life to a park in low season and their caravans can make a park seem less empty
• Seasonals can use spaces where pitching up is not so easy

The big disadvantage for parks, however, is that pitches allocated to seasonal guests earn less than pitches that are rented out by the night. The difference could be as much as 50%. Another drawback is that touring guests might think that seasonal guests are cliquey or affecting the park’s atmosphere.

How much does a seasonal pitch cost?

At the time of researching this report, prices started at around £2,000 and went up to £4,000. This covers different types of contracts ranging from a set number of months to a full year. Some parks include the electric, while others have meters. 

Payment requirements differ between parks too. You’re likely to be able to pay in 2 installments, or even 3 in some cases, and the park will probably ask for a deposit (either a fixed sum or a percentage of the fee) to secure the seasonal pitch ahead of the start of your agreement.

Tips for getting a seasonal pitch

Tip 1: Start early, well before you need one

Be prepared to be on a waiting list for a seasonal pitch. It could take well over a year or two to get to the top of the list. One popular park told us that you’d be looking at the 2028 or 2029 season if you went on the waiting list now.

Tip 2: Be very patient

Most people keep hold of their seasonal pitches when they come up for renewal. While some guests may keep them for just a couple of years, 5 to 10 years seems pretty standard. The longest example we came across was 20 years! With those figures in mind, you can see why patience is needed to wait for seasonal pitches to become available.

Tip 2: Get to know the park and the park team

A seasonal pitch is a big commitment, not just financially, but in terms of going back to the same park time and time again. It’s a commitment for the park too. One park owner told us “We need to be absolutely sure that our park is right for the guests before allocating them a seasonal pitch.” 

What to expect with a seasonal pitch

Every Tranquil Park is an independent business with its own way of running seasonal pitches. If any of the following points are important to you, you’ll need to check with the park directly. 

• Type of vehicle – Seasonal pitches are normally for caravans. Not all parks allow motorhomes. Commercial vehicles are not normally accepted.
• Maintenance – The park will expect you to keep your unit in good order and may want you to look after the pitch (although they’ll be happy to help if you need it). Other parks will take care of maintaining the pitch.
• Personalisation – Most parks don’t seem to object to the odd plant pot on a seasonal pitch, but don’t expect ornaments and gnomes to be welcome. When it comes to outside storage boxes, you may have to use the ones available through the park so that they all look the same. 

Could caravan storage be the answer?

If your main issue is towing, storing your caravan at the park could be a solution. You can see all the parks with storage here, and we’ll be covering this in more detail in a future report. You might also want to look out for ‘Store and Stay’ where the park will site your caravan for you prior to your arrival.