Hello all
Can anyone please give me advice on long term touring in my caravan . I would like to tour the UK and nip over the channel . Which sites are best to use .What equipment is best to take .Can i have my mail directed to me .has anyone wrote a book on this subject ?. You get the idea . Any advice will be most appreciated .
I suppose the first question is what sort of experience of caravanning have you got if completely new then there would be a bit to learn but if you are just extending what you normally do the differences won't be as great.
In the internet age the relevance of post is diminished as bills and payments can be paid by direct debit and administered from a laptop and a WiFi connection. If you are going to be away for months on end it might be an idea to get anypost you get diverted you your children if you have them or a relative so they can decide whether they need to contact you. In terms of equipment it won't be much different from what you would take now. You would have to make provision for a gas supply as the normal UK cylinders are not generally avaialable in Europe. You will need to think bout insurance, not only for the caravan and car but breakdown and medical as well as any house insurance if you are going to leave a property empty in the UK. There are lots of people that go to Europe for a couple of months at a time, are you thinking of longer?
Hi david
I would only go to europe for a short while ( probably one month mainly to cover the first and second world war sites ) my main aim would to to travel the coast of the UK . One of the main things is how far forward would i need to book sites in advance or is it best to book say one months worth and then book as you go along . The worry i would have is will i manage to get vacancies on sites especially in high season . I know i can find a lot of stuff on the internet but what im looking for is someone who has done this before . Experience can be everything .
Billy
oops! Sorry i nearly forgot to answer your first question. I have over 25 years experience in both camping and caravans but its the usual weekend or fortnight hols . Ive never been abroad with said units .
I don't think you have a problem with going to Europe. Being a free agent and being able to go out of the main season will enable you to use some of the low season discounts like Camping Cheques or the ACSI Card. I suspect that once you have tried it you will be tempted to go for longer and more often, at least thats how it worked for us!
Funnily enough it seems more difficult to tour in the UK without booking but this could just be a Caravan Club thing! Its the weekends that seem to be the problem. I suppose if you know where you want to go why not book for peace of mind. Commercial sites will often require a deposit which is non refundable which could work out expensive it you change you mind too often. The Caravan Club don't take deposits so there is a bit more flexibilty and whilst the Camping and Caravan Club do take deposits they will refund if a cancellation is made at least 7 days before arrival date.
Hi david
Thanks for the advice . Im a member of both clubs and your right the weekend is always a problem . Maybe it would be better using CL or CS sites .
Billy
It also depends on how long you want to stay in any one location. If you're happy to move regularly and aren't too fussy about facilities (at least, not all the time) it's easy enough to use CLs and CSs even at peak periods. You can always find somewhere that has a couple of nights, and even if you don't like the site you're not there for long.
If, however, you want to set up camp for weeks at a time at the same place you'll want to be more choosy, and then pre-booking's vital. Maybe a mixture of long and short-stay is the way to go - book a few long-stay pitches and then work your way between them on a more ad hoc basis.
------------- * You never know where you're going 'til you get there...
hi, if you go abroad out of season you may find most sites closed . lots free campan aires etc .(not supose to in a caravan bu lots french do out of season.)gas .you can buy a gas bottle filler off e bay and adapters to fill your bottle at the pumps. as for uk in winter its to cold. i normally disapear in nov and come back end may. get your mail redirected to family or friend . use internet if you have to. use mobile phones .tx only if abroad. as its costly . there is no probs . as for breakdown ins .dont bother get it fixed were it bnreaks down . use the european health ins card. hardly anybody long term travelling worries too much about health ins . we pay for dentists here and european country,s do look after you. get a good checkup before you go. you may find it easier in a motor home. having said that i use a mini artic conversion as my m,home. have fun . if you need more info ask . cheers alan.
I'd definitely book the bank hols in advance, you regularly see posts on here from people who have rang loads of sites and can't get in anywhere, it's take a bit of planning to make sure you'd be in the area at the time but definitely worth it.
Perhaps you could go to your local marina and speak to the people who live on the barges for any tips on living life "on the move"
Thanks for the advice guys ill be noting it all down. Just to let you all know that im not undertaking the trip just yet but i wanted to know what ill be up against because its a huge undertaking. Its the usual thing of fail to plan, plan to fail . The more info i get the better my chances are of getting it right.
We're just coming to the end of a month away in the van. The biggest problem has been with clothes. It's impossible to pack enough to last more than a couple of weeks, so having laundry facilities at a site (or nearby) is important. Getting clothes dry, depending on the weather, can be especially difficult, and using laundries is also very expensive, so beware the cost.
------------- * You never know where you're going 'til you get there...
i use a washing machine from spain takes small items or a pair of jeans use it through the invetrter . a friend as one of those blue twintubs .great piece of kit the spinner is nagic . he got it from the 12volt shop. wash small items often leave to dry over your sink overnight. like i say we go for 6 mnths and dont use laundries .if we did it would be impossible to afford it. no site ,no tolls .no laundry, no pay for parking . no pay for water .or you could not spend the time away.
Hi Viggo
Ill have to find campsites with a stream and a big rock to bash my clothes clean ! Only joking but i can see what you mean . I would deffinately need to keep an eye on costs.
Quote: Originally posted by vwalan on 29/7/2010
i use a washing machine from spain takes small items or a pair of jeans use it through the invetrter . a friend as one of those blue twintubs .great piece of kit the spinner is nagic . he got it from the 12volt shop. wash small items often leave to dry over your sink overnight. like i say we go for 6 mnths and dont use laundries .if we did it would be impossible to afford it. no site ,no tolls .no laundry, no pay for parking . no pay for water .or you could not spend the time away.
Yeah, keeping control of costs is a major difference. If you're on a fortnight's hol, then paying for this, that and the other is part of it - you're paying to avoid hassle, I suppose - but long-term it's too expensive for most people to do that. But you say you don't pay for sites - how?
------------- * You never know where you're going 'til you get there...
just dont use them .we leave here in november catch the ferry to spain take 6 weeks to get to algeciras stopping all over the med coast or a bit inland. .spend the next three months in maroc .again we may use a couple of sites but usually free camping all over the place.then come back to spain and spend the next 6 weeks drifting up portugal and spain. when touring in uk find lots places one night here one night there. last year did most or south wales and lots of yorkshire .free camping. been doing it since a small child with my parents in the early 60,s why stop now.
Don't think that would suit my missus. She fidgets if she thinks we're not pitched correctly on a campsite. Asking her to kip on a car park or in a field would not be conducive to a happy existence!
------------- * You never know where you're going 'til you get there...
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Topic: Long term touring
