8 weeks away this year and the fun is over for us for the time being ...Caravan cleaned and put inside, .Wheels off and dust cover to go on and she will be snuggled up for the winter...
This has been a hell of a year , best summer since 1976 and I was working most of it but managed to sneak some time off before and after the heatwave...Still enjoyed the break though. But its possibly the end of caravanning for us...A new motorhome and retirement is on the horizon but sadness in that I will miss our caravan...I am undecided whether or not to sell the van or keep her...She is 15 yrs old now and still looks new despite her age...No damp, everything works as it should....All new LED lights inside and out. Paintwork sparkles like new ( Autoglym applied regularly to all surfaces including the roof - via a scaffold tower - ) New taps all round..So I will ponder over the winter and make a decision next year meanwhile she is warm and toasty in a heated garage all winter...
PS you may gather we don't do WINTER / ALL YEAR caravanning :)
I think if I had a caravan or a motorhome I would certainly be camping all year. Caravans are much easier to keep warm than a tent and it doesn't matter if it rains.
There is an old saying that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing but although tents can be kept warm and dry, winter tent camping has it's problems regarding keeping the tent dry...a caravan isn't likely to go mildew if put away wet.
We are away now, will have been away for 5 weeks in all, Newcastle under Lyme, Kendal, Sanquhar, Largs, Arran, near Paisley, near Linlithgow, Dunbar, Morpeth, now at Bedale, Alfreton and then home, hope to be away somewhere soon and definitely over Christmas and New Year. Me 71 (just), OH 70. We will carry on for as long as possible, and as Bob says, you can go any time.
Why do you feel the need for a motorhome now you are retiring?
Another option is a seasonal pitch, we have one on our favourite site not too far away. As long as you don't mind being in the same location every time it is quite comforting to arrive at the van, all set up, awning erected. We are over 70 now and enjoy the homeliness of meeting the same people on seasonal pitches whilst still chatting to tourers. So much traffic these days our taste for travelling has diminished. We still have our little Wisp in the back garden though and have a couple of weeks away each year so have the best of both worlds.
We too have an Elddis Wisp, but it's now stood up until spring. I know you can keep a caravan nice and cosy on cold, wet days, but it's a very small space to be cooped up in for any length of time, and these days we find it no pleasure going out when the weather is horrible.
We are nice and cosy at home, have plenty of space to move around, and lots to keep us busy, so we will just look forward to the coming of spring when we can get out and about again. Each to their own, I suppose, but we both hate winter.
Mrs.Bonce, sometimes I wonder if you have a home or you're a full time caravanner
I'm a fair weather 'camper', but we use the van all year for day outings, shopping etc... It's small enough to use as a large car and parking is not an issue in this area. I'm a believer in keeping the van in use all year and not let it 'get stiff' through lack of use.
However, we still holiday over the winter and we're off to Berlin next week. Christmas and New year are at home with the family.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
I hate winter too and don't have an awful lot to do at home so winter can become very long and boring. I used to camp in all weathers but can't stand the cold and damp any more. However, if we get a warmer sunny spell in winter which occasionally we do, and I get the chance, I try to get a trip in.
I used to have a small caravan which was brilliant but mainly for financial reason I decided to sell it and went back to a tent. I certainly wish I still had it but my ideal would be a small campervan...I probably wouldn't spend much time at home then.
When the clocks go back, mid winter, we'll have daylight 10am - 3 pm. Sites shut. It's hard to find somewhere open over winter with things to do when it's dark.
Some years ago we went to a C&CC site near Malvern around Christmastime. Whilst there it snowed heavily and everywhere iced up. Our stay coincided with the site closing for the end of the season, and we had to leave in conditions where I would have preferred not to tow a van. So now, April is our first month to venture onto the roads, and October the last month before laying the van up for the winter.
Bertie.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: I hate this time of year :(
