Queensberry Bay Holiday Park, Powfoot, Annan, Dumfriesshire DG12 5PN, Scotland [MAP]

Seasonal Touring

Questions about Seasonal Touring at Queensberry Bay Holiday Park ...

Seasonal Touring Frequently Asked Questions (and answers) ... we've set out the questions we're asked most often – and our replies:

What is seasonal touring?
Do you do storage?
Do you do full year seasonals?
What is the "seasonal season"?
Is there a waiting list?
Can I sublet my touring van?
Can I have an awning?
Can children stay in my van?
Can I leave my fridge plugged in?
Can I have flags / gravel / beautiful painted concrete rabbits?
Can I have a washing line?
Can I bring my pet?

1. What is seasonal touring?

Cathy says: we get all sorts of people ask about seasonal touring and often it turns out they mean something quite different – they mean storage.

Nicola says: yeah – I get that too. And of course by the time you've explained what seasonal touring is and what it costs, they get really annoyed with you because it wasn't what they wanted in the first place!

Lauren says: I struggled with this though – my gran used to have a touring van on a park and she parked it up and they towed it forwards for her when she wanted it. They charged, like. I always thought that was a seasonal pitch.

Cathy says: but that's storage. When they park it up they're "storing" it. And when you want to use it you have to book in advance and the park tows it onto a pitch that you then pay for in addition to the move itself.

Nicola says: so that's completely different. A seasonal pitch for us is where a tourer pays in advance and his or her touring van (or camper) stays on the pitch they've been allocated for the time they've paid for.

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2. Do you Do Storage?

Cathy says: no – we do seasonal touring for anyone wanting to stay for more than 1 month.

Lauren says: have we ever done storage?

Nicola says: yeah – we used to do it but I was told it always got abused.

Lauren says: how can you abuse storing a van?

Joanne says: if you look at the parks that offer storage, they usually have a separate, enclosed area to store the vans. They say this is for increased security.

As Lauren says, if you want to use the van you usually have to pay for the park to bring it out and then you pay for the pitch. A secure compound's not a pretty thing – and we don’t have any hills or cliffs to hide things behind.

When we've offered storage in the past, no matter how tightly packed the units were, there were always some owners trying to stay in them in the storage area and avoid the nightly pitch fee - and it just wasn't worth the hassle! That, and people turning up at 11pm without pre booking, wanting their van taken out of storage. . .

Lauren says: but you can't get on the park after 9pm.

Joanne says: that was before we put in the security barrier.

Cathy says: so that was a long time ago – would we look at it again?

Joanne Says: I guess the park is a very different place now – we forget how awful it was back then! Yeah – we should probably review that.

Cathy says: what does that mean??

Joanne says: if anyone is interested in storage, call us and we'll see what we can do.

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3. do you do full year seasonals?

Cathy says: this must be the most asked question ever. And usually it comes from people who have never even been here!

Lauren says: That's right - why would you want to commit to a full year on a park that you've never been to?

Nicola says: Isn't it that people think if they come for a full year they'll get a better deal?

Cathy says: Maybe - and they're right to some extent because the longer you stay the better value it is (per night that is). But I still always suggest people come and stay for a shorter period first.

Nicola says: So do I.

Joanne says: Could we perhaps answer the question ...

Lauren says: Sorry - we do offer full year seasonals but there are very few pitches, there is a waiting list, and we always recommend coming on a part year first as existing seasonals get first option for the full year pitches.

Joanne says: Thank you!

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4. what is the "seasonal season"?

Cathy says: We're open to tourers from 17 February to 30 November. If you're on a seasonal pitch though you can come in January. We're closed entirely in December.

Lauren says: I'm always amazed how many seasonals do come in January.

Joanne says: With the summers we've had lately, January and February have sometimes been better months! Cold – but in a tourer you're warm and cosy.

Nicola says: So if you want a seasonal pitch you tell us how long you want to stay and when you want to start. Seasonals have to be off the park by 30 November.

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5. is there a waiting list?

Cathy says: I hate this one!

Joanne says: Why?

Cathy says: Because every year we start out with a waiting list and tell people we'll get back to them and, by the time the people at the top of the list have answered their phones and said they've changed their minds, the people lower down the list have found somewhere else to go and our list disappears.

Lauren says: It does depend on what you're looking for though. We always have a waiting list for the 12 month pitches – it’s the shorter seasonals that come and go.

Cathy says: That's true. That's why we always recommend that people wanting 12 months come on as a part year seasonal first. It gives them first option on the 12 month pitches.

Joanne says: So – do we have a waiting list or not??

Lauren says: Yes - for 12 month pitches. Otherwise call us and we'll see what we can do at that time.

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6. Can I sublet my touring van?

Cathy says: No – we don't allow subletting on the park at all.

Nicola says: Can friends and family use it?

Cathy says: No - a seasonal tourer is just that - and our agreement is with the unit owners. If friends are going to use your touring van they have to check in like normal touring guests pay the normal nightly pitch fee. Otherwise we haven't a clue who's on the park.

Joanne says: That's a good point Cathy. Insurers don't like tents and tourers at the best of times – and we can't have the situation whereby a complete stranger's staying on the park without registering. Also, your guests will be using our electricity and water – and it’s only right that they pay a pitch fee towards that.

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7. Can I have an awning?

lauren says: we do allow awnings. BUT you can't leave it up when you're not here (even overnight) and you have to give the grass a 2 week rest every month when you are here.

Cathy says: I get a lot of flak about this. People just don't seem to understand how windy it can get here.

Nicola says: And the wind comes from no-where! Often it's when the tide turns. It can be perfectly calm in Annan say - and really windy here.

Pauline says:I remember when John had to take down an awning that someone had left up like and the wind had got up and the awning was going to hit another van and there he was struggling and he got hit on the head and Joanne thought he was going to sue her.

Cathy says: Oh – hello Pauline!

Pauline says: Hiya!

Lauren says: So what happened?

Pauline says: She sacked him – it was easier than getting sued. But he said he'd resigned first so it didn't count.

Lauren says: No – what happened about the awning.

Pauline says: I think it got thrown away.

Joanne says: Thanks for that brief moment of enlightenment Pauline!

So that's when we brought in the rule about awnings. In high winds they can be dangerous – yes your awning will get damaged but more importantly, the owner of the unit it hits will be looking for compensation from the awning owner. That's how it works. And he didn't resign first.

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8. Can children stay in my van?

Lauren says: Yes, if you're on a family pitch and subject to the subletting bit above. Otherwise no. We will move you if you have children on an adult only pitch.

Cathy says: You know what; these really are the most frequently asked questions. I could rhyme off my answers now!

Pauline says: OMG here she goes again, rhyming off. You know that reminds me of a time when Dolly – you won’t remember her but she was behind me – had about 17 kids staying in her van – it was a static like - and there were so many kids that the police got called because Edna – you won't know her but she was along from me - thought it was a rave.

Joanne says: How long ago was that???

Pauline says: It were a bit like.

Joanne says: Well we've been here 10 years so it must have been "a bit".

Pauline says: Right. There's no need to get funny. I'm only trying to help. And he did resign first.

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9. Can I leave my fridge plugged in?

Joanne says: Are we really asked this? It is in our rules you know!

Lauren says: Not everyone reads the rules.

Cathy says: Talking of not reading rules, has anyone seen Mick lately?

Joanne says: ... and returning to the question in point please ...

Nicola says: No - you can't leave your fridge plugged in. Unlike static caravans, tourers aren't plumbed in and their electric cable runs across the grass. We cut the grass. If you leave your cable plugged in we have keep getting on and off the mower – or we die from an electric shock.

Joanne says: Perhaps we should ask one of the grounds staff for comment here. Colin – what do you think?

Colin says: Ohhhh ... what have I done now?

Joanne says: Nothing – yet. . . that I know of anyway. Tell us why tourers can't leave their fridges plugged in.

Colin says: Because the electric cable gets hidden in the grass. So when I’m mowing I'll be so busy looking for cables that I'll run someone over, or I'll be so busy looking out for people I could run over that I'll run over a live cable and die.

Joanne says: You see? It's even in his contract. So if you want to kill our Colin by all means leave your electric cables plugged in. Or you could avoid all that litigation and simply unplug and tidy away when you go home.

Pauline says: My Jim used to cut the grass. He once ...

Joanne says: Are you about to tell us the story about the small dog on the lead flying past his ear?

Pauline says: Yes.

Joanne says: I'm not sure that gives the right impression ...

Pauline says: It certainly left an impression on the dog ... never went near a mower again like.

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10. Can I have flags / gravel / beautiful Painted concrete rabbits?

Joanne says: This is a wind up. You know how I felt about those concrete rabbits!

Cathy says: No – this is a genuine question. Although admittedly only one person wanted the concrete rabbits and he's gone now ...

Joanne says: Right – so the question is really about "developing" a seasonal pitch.

Lauren says: That's easy – the answer is no.

Cathy says: The clue's in the question isn't it – it's a seasonal pitch that might not be there next season depending on what we're doing on the park. And if you start laying flags and putting in concrete steps and pots and ornaments, you're going to find yourself with a bill for clearing it all up. So Lauren's right – the answer's no.

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11. Can I have a washing line?

Cathy says: No, no and no.

Lauren says: So that's a no then?!!

Cathy says: Too right. This isn't Coronation Street. It’s a holiday park. We've got a laundry you can use. And last year I had to chase someone who was hanging their washing from one of our decorative ropes for goodness sake.

Joanne says: You should have taken a photo and entered it for the Turner prize.

Pauline says: I used to do some painting. I were never that good at it like. But someone said my "Rain at Powfoot" had a certain something about it. Wetness I think they said.

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12. Can I bring my pet?

Joanne says: please click here for information on pets >>