Hi Happy new year to all !
We are a couple of ancient but reasonably healthy caravaners, for a number of years we have followed the Vintage steam rallies up and down the country and have been involved by showing our vintage Tilley lamps and pressure stoves etc in our Caravan Awning display however we now find that it’s got a bit too much to keep settling up and then moving on and having to pack it all up, so we’re looking for a different way to enjoy our Van , and would welcome any suggestions and ideas that you could share to give us something to think about
------------- Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow
My trip in Scotland in July 2025 taught me a valuable lesson, in that 4 nights were not enough to wind-down and enjoy my stay if it took 4+ hours (including pit stops) to drive between sites on roads/routes that were new to me.
Hence I have planned to stay a minimum of 5 nights at sites that involve a long drive to get there from now on. Time will tell if that works when I go to Europe for nearly 3 weeks next year.
My advice would be to stay for longer per trip and cut down the number of rallies to attend.
Perhaps a different awning that is smaller and/or easier to put up and take down.
Good luck!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
All the setting up and packing away of the caravan was getting a bit much for my husband last year. Our normal practice was to spend about a week on a site and then move on to another, however for the coming year, we have chosen to have 3 main breaks, 2 weeks in May, 3 weeks in July and 2 weeks in September. For each of these breaks we have booked to spend the entire time on one site (a different one for each break). This means we will only have the big set up and pack down once per holiday although we will still have to have a couple of overnight stops to get to and from a couple of them. Hopefully this won’t be too difficult as we won’t be setting anything up for the overnight stops, just putting the legs down. Hopefully this will make this years holidays a bit easier for us.
We will also have a number of other local short breaks throughout the spring and autumn but we won’t use the awning for these so they should be easy to manage.
If this works for us then this will become our pattern for the next few years but if this also proves to be too much for my husband, then we will look at finding a seasonal pitch for the following year.
After an adult lifetime of 'doing things', clubs, activities, 'organising things for others', pushing my own limits etc., running a often challenging business, really was burning the candle at both ends on many an occasion, plus near 20 years of being a carer for aging/needy parents where not much time was spent on 'me', I've rediscovered something from my teens - just chill out!
It's marvellous to just do what you want, or don't do anything much at all, at YOUR pace, no great agenda! You'll be amazed at how much you can just watch nature doing it's thing all around you, instead of rushing past it on a 'task'!
I still take the dog on half decent walks in the country, maybe 8 or 10 miles, but it's not the trek across barren terrain, battling bogs, streams and invisible paths etc. that used to be my hill walking 'fun'! Both I and my old mutt are showing our age now, so no desire to prove anything, just plod along enjoying ourselves with some peaceful stops along the way.
The caravan is no great challenge for me to tow and pitch, so quite happy to drag that to far flung bits of the country, but tending to make my stays longer now so that I DON'T have an agenda, making time to pootle and dawdle, quite common now that if the weather is good, or I'm particularly enjoying myself, I extend my stay.
No it's not boring 'doing nothing' time wasting, it's just doing things, and there are always things to do/see, at a more relaxed pace and less formal planned times/dates, far more 'as the mood takes me'.
It's been quite a high pressured life, so I've always had to find an 'off switch' for a little time out, otherwise I'd have crashed and burned long ago, not something everyone can do, but now the world is different, the switch is mostly 'off' and only get's flicked on briefly for when life get's 'awkward'.
Quote: Originally posted by Mrs. Bonce on 31/12/2025
I am glad you agree with me Monty! We both had challenging jobs, retirement is a time to switch off. I also had a difficult demanding Mother.
I am still working part time, and am definitely taking it easy!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by Capt Lightning on 31/12/2025
Join the national trust and visit historic buildings through the UK - that's what we do.
Or Historic Houses Association - more properties (certainly in Scotland) and they’re all lived in: we went to a moated Manor House & the dog’s basket was the hall. Includes entrance to Longleat, Castle Howard, Blenheim, Inveraray & Highcliffe (Downtown Abbey sets), Dunrobin, Etc.
(We are in NTS too, only because Culzean country park is the dog’s favourite walk. Adjacent to Culzean CCC & opposite Thomaston Farm CS.)
Quote: Originally posted by Capt Lightning on 31/12/2025
Join the national trust and visit historic buildings through the UK - that's what we do.
Or Historic Houses Association - more properties (certainly in Scotland) and they’re all lived in: we went to a moated Manor House & the dog’s basket was the hall. Includes entrance to Longleat, Castle Howard, Blenheim, Inveraray & Highcliffe (Downtown Abbey sets), Dunrobin, Etc.
(We are in NTS too, only because Culzean country park is the dog’s favourite walk. Adjacent to Culzean CCC & opposite Thomaston Farm CS.)
We joined Historic Houses a few years ago (on Fiona’s recommendation) and visited some lovely places in the scheme. However, it is important to note that a number of larger properties have now pulled out of the part of the scheme that allows members to visit for free. Longleat, Blenheim, Castle Howard and Highclere, which were some of the best places in the scheme, have all pulled out. It won’t stop us renewing this year as there are still a good number of larger properties in the scheme and we have found some really interesting small properties to visit as well. For example, we had a delightful tour of a small Manor House that was taken by the lady of the house herself who gave a very entertaining account of the family history.
Quote: Originally posted by Capt Lightning on 31/12/2025
Join the national trust and visit historic buildings through the UK - that's what we do.
Or Historic Houses Association - more properties (certainly in Scotland) and they’re all lived in: we went to a moated Manor House & the dog’s basket was the hall. Includes entrance to Longleat, Castle Howard, Blenheim, Inveraray & Highcliffe (Downtown Abbey sets), Dunrobin, Etc.
(We are in NTS too, only because Culzean country park is the dog’s favourite walk. Adjacent to Culzean CCC & opposite Thomaston Farm CS.)
When I went to Orkney and Shetland a few years ago National Trust had reciprocal arrangement with National Trust Scotland and English Heritage had one with Historic Scotland.
English Heritage members get access to CADW (Wales) which I made good use of last year.
Quote: Originally posted by Pixie_Hez on 03/1/2026
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 03/1/2026
Quote: Originally posted by Capt Lightning on 31/12/2025
Join the national trust and visit historic buildings through the UK - that's what we do.
Or Historic Houses Association - more properties (certainly in Scotland) and they’re all lived in: we went to a moated Manor House & the dog’s basket was the hall. Includes entrance to Longleat, Castle Howard, Blenheim, Inveraray & Highcliffe (Downtown Abbey sets), Dunrobin, Etc.
We joined Historic Houses a few years ago (on Fiona’s recommendation) and visited some lovely places in the scheme. However, it is important to note that a number of larger properties have now pulled out of the part of the scheme that allows members to visit for free. Longleat, Blenheim, Castle Howard and Highclere, which were some of the best places in the scheme, have all pulled out.
Yes, it comes & goes. I see several of the famous large English properties you mention are still in HHA as owners - for the tax advice or public liability advice etc - but they are also in other umbrella visitor organisations, so they’re not free to HHA visitors any more. Won’t affect us as we’re rarely that far south, nothing so big up here. Thirlstane near Lauder was like this for several years & we opted out of paying to visit - but they’re back to being free to HHA members again so it must be worthwhile for some places.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Ideas on what to do next
via mobile 31/12/2025 at 7:53am
