How to pitch

That's going to be a big heavy bulky awning that you will most probably have to carry in the car because of its weight. Do you really need one that's almost twice as wide as your van?

You do have to put back off side, or front near side of your outfit to the peg. The car usually goes one side and the awning the other. Although there are site variations. On some for instance, the pitch is narrower and the car goes in front. Due to fire break spacing the peg isn’t always in the optimum position on the pitch and can give you a reduced space on one side of the van. I can think of many pitches we have been on where it would have been very difficult / impossible to fit in a 3.6 awning. Not so bad if there is plenty of choice when you arrive, but could be a problem if just a few pitches left.

As far as the grass strip is concerned this is not part of your pitch and strictly you should not put anything permanent into / on it.  It mucks up cutting the grass.😀

I don’t know how many of you there are but if only two, I would give it a season without. Or perhaps with a simple roll out. Plus ask the question, do you really want to be spending hours putting up a tent after you arrive.

I would go for the narrower awning as the whole idea of touring is to set up ASAP and crack open a bottle of wine and relax rather than having to look for wider pitch that will accommodate that size of awning and if you do need more space buy one to which you can fit an annexe at a later date  

Steve.  It certainly does not take me, and I suspect everyone after a bit of practise,  'Hours putting up a tent'!   Back to the OP, yes I think you could have a problem on some Club sites with such a large awning.  Do you really need such an enormous extension to your living area?  It is a vast bulk of canvas to heave around and travel with.  Suggest you go to a dealer and have a look at other smaller awning.

Agreed, we could also put up our tents very quickly. I have noticed some folk taking ages but most seem to accomplish it fairly quickly. It’s just my bias showing through. We tented for over 30 years and although we enjoyed it immensely, when we bought a caravan I had no intention of ever putting one up again.😂

Figbat, I'd have a look around at second hand awnings. People tend to buy them and then find they're a pain so sell them again. There's a lesson in that 🙂

Thanks all - good input received all round.  The one I had identified was a second hand one on eBay - it looked good until I realised how big it was.  Anyway, I've found a much shallower one (2.4m) so hopefully this will be easier to handle and fit on pitches.  With a family of 4 we feel it will add an overspill space, storage, boot room, drying room kind of area as an airlock between outside and the van.

I come to caravans from tents, so the pitching is not an issue and will, no doubt, be easier and quicker than the 6-berth tent plus extension we used to have to put up.  Plus, if the weather is inclement, you can always sit in the van and not bother until later, which isn't an option when all you have to live in is a tent.

I think you've made a wise decision to buy secondhand and the shallower version, FB. 👍

 Figbat,

           If I was you I would try and have a look at a Caravan site near where you live, ask if you can have a stroll around and note others awnings. We always chose an Isabella Awning full and Porch and they tend to be on the large side, but never had difficulty in erecting them or dismantling them. For a family of four the few extra pegs for the gained width will be a plus I would have thought. We have been with the club for43 years and never came across a pitch that was too small to fit our awnings if they needed to be used. The most important thing to do is enjoy yourselves and don't worry about your new adventure there will be a lot of help and advice around.

I have a 3m deep Isabella full size awning and never had a problem regarding pitch size.

As for erecting it, I have to do this completely by myself and it takes me about 2 - 21/2  hours including putting all the equipment in it. Most times the hardest part is driving the pegs in solid ground and this would be the same with all awnings.