We are planning to buy a caravan and take a year out from May next year to tour. We will tour round the coast of the UK until September and then move to Europe to find warmer weather. I need help firstly with a book generally advising about caravaning and then a really good book showing the best campsites in the UK and Europe. These can be separate books. Quite a daunting task for us so your vast knowledge will be invaluable to us. We will be visiting the Birmingham show to pick our new twin axle van, but may opt for second hand. Because we will spend all of out time in the caravan with two small dogs the bigger caravan the better. We are thinking Buccaneer.
------------- Lizzylee
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
I am not a caravanner but posts on here suggest twin axle vans are harder to accommodate on European pitches. I would also post this in camping abroad for more advice.
You can still get vans that would meet your needs without being a twin axle.
When you go to Europe, you will find that the pitches on campsites can be small, also getting round the site can be difficult, because the access roads can be narrow. This is not the case in all sites, but would limit your choice of sites.
Also it is easier to manoeuvre a single axle caravan onto a pitch by hand, if you are not confident at reversing. In some European sites that might be your only option,
Breakdown cover in Europe can also be a problem with a twin axle, you are again limited with choice of who you can get cover with. Our current van is 7.3m and despite being single axle, can only get the cover through Caravan and Camping Club, this is because it is over 7m. I am not a member of the caravan club, so I am guessing that they might also be able to cover a longer van.
IMO your ideal van would be a fixed bed, end bathroom four berth van, but as I said that is only my personal opinion.
The campsite search on here would be a very good place to start looking for sites.
Also going to the show to research vans shorter than 7m.
Quote: Originally posted by verona13 on 27/8/2014You can still get vans that would meet your needs without being a twin axle.
When you go to Europe, you will find that the pitches on campsites can be small, also getting round the site can be difficult, because the access roads can be narrow. This is not the case in all sites, but would limit your choice of sites.
Also it is easier to manoeuvre a single axle caravan onto a pitch by hand, if you are not confident at reversing. In some European sites that might be your only option,
Breakdown cover in Europe can also be a problem with a twin axle, you are again limited with choice of who you can get cover with. Our current van is 7.3m and despite being single axle, can only get the cover through Caravan and Camping Club, this is because it is over 7m. I am not a member of the caravan club, so I am guessing that they might also be able to cover a longer van.
IMO your ideal van would be a fixed bed, end bathroom four berth van, but as I said that is only my personal opinion.
The campsite search on here would be a very good place to start looking for sites.
Also going to the show to research vans shorter than 7m.
Our current van is 7.3m and despite being single axle, can only get the cover through Caravan and Camping Club, this is because it is over 7m.
I take it you mean the Camping and Caravanning Club, this is who we have ours insured with and it is just under 7.4M, but for breakdown cover whilst in France this is who we use.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
If you are planning to go to Europe between Oct and May you will be limited to a few campsites as most close the back end of September, although some stay open in Spain, la manga is one of them. There are plenty of books around. For Europe you could save money by using the ACSI card scheme, camping cheques or municipal sites which offer out of season discounts usually pitch plus electric and 2 persons for around 14 euros a night. If you join the caravan club or the camping and caravanning club which will cost about £40 a year each club you have access to a massive amount of sites around the uk. You can also search for sites in the places you wish to visit using the campsite search facility on this site, this also gives reviews from members. Good luck in your adventure.
I take it you mean the Camping and Caravanning Club, this is who we have ours insured with and it is just under 7.4M, but for breakdown cover whilst in France this is who we use.
Yes I always get it the wrong way round. We have free roadside breakdown cover with the AA because we have Hyundai, but when it came to European cover, for the car and caravan they wouldn't take us on because of the length of the van. Had it been under 7m it would have been OK.
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Topic: Caravan Adventure?!?!
