Instead of tents, wooded sites can be equipped with open-fronted camping shelters. These are constructed from timber with asymmetrically pitched roofs. They have a wooden floor, and are raised off the ground. In front of the open side is placed the campfire. In the USA these are often called ‘Adirondack’ shelters after their origins in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State.
Spur sites for trailer caravans/camper
vans/RVs
This layout is similar to that for tent spurs accessed by car, except that the spur has to be longer to accommodate the larger vehicle combinations, but adjoining space does not have to be so large or so flat. Spurs must have gentler gradients, and should be set out to be reversed into at an oblique angle to a one-way loop, or be arranged parallel to the road to allow vehicles to pull through them to leave. Because of the increased length, extra cut and fill may be necessary on steeper or more variable terrain, and so careful surveying of sites is prudent.
In North America all camping spurs of this kind can be arranged so that the caravan/trailer/RV doors open onto the picnic and fireplace clearing or access to it. In Britain and Europe, because of the variations in position of doors on vehicles, spurs should have sufficient width for the vehicle to be parked more to one side than another for convenient access to surrounding and larger open spaces.
Each spur can be fitted with an electrical hook-up. The loop arrangements make cable routeing much easier than with more randomly spread trailer caravan sites. Grey water and chemical toilet disposal points can be located at the entrance to the trailer loop, where access is easier both for campers to pump out their units and for maintenance staff to pump out the collecting cisterns. The same criteria apply for rubbish disposal and collection.
Spur sites of all types are particularly well suited to wooded landscapes, where they gain most visual separation from one another, and where the forest floor is unsuited to free access by vehicle. The quantity of surfacing can look very intrusive in open sites, although this might be necessary to prevent too much site wear and tear.
Youth camping sites
These generally need more open space. If they are not of the primitive variety where the group rents a field from a farmer, digs its own latrines and so on, then a central parking and administrative area with toilets and showers or several small units of these are provided. Larger spaces near these and separated from one another permit each patrol or other subgroup to pitch their tents in a cluster. A central larger area is needed for group activities. This should be arranged for easy access from tents, vehicular access and parking. With children participating in active games, good access for emergency purposes is essential. Spaces must have good separation between cooking fires and tents, which also allow the formation of large campfire circles for the evening storytelling and singing that is a tradition.
As large, relatively level open areas may be difficult to find in some places, it may be advantageous to develop and maintain permanent youth campsites in suitable locations.
