Caravans, love them or hate them?

[spanner]

With all this in the news today about caravans how about we all discuss them on here ?
I personally am in the HATE corner.

Reason 1- Followed one for 40 miles on winding lanes in France last year, he must of been aware of the long tail back he was causing, he did not pull over once to let people past. Guess what it was an UK number plate, Ford Mondeo in fact. He ended up adding an hour to my jouney ( and 30+ other people)


Reason 2 - On the same holiday both my neighbours were British caravans, we had gorgeous evenings, still warm till 11pm, all the French, Dutch were outside playing board games and chatting however the brit caravans were all sitting inside watching Eastenders with their big satellite dishes.

I could go on :censor

 

[Californiaman]

Each to their own. If we were all the same wouldn't life be dull! I like caravans but they don't suit my current travel opportunities. One day when that work thing doesn't get in the way so much then I can imagine having one.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[GrannyJen]

I have had 5 caravans in my lifetime. All pulled by Range Rovers or Disco's so no one got held up. I loved every one of them. Not suited to my lifestyle now, which is move on each day or every other day, but then I loved it.

Why are they in the news?




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[david white]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30932747

 

[AlanC]

Silly boy!

Alan

 

[rippers]

For a lot of Caravaners I feel its a home from home, they generally have everything they want from home in the vans and usually stay at sites longer then Campervan's and thats cool if your into that.
I treat my Campervan the same as a cheap hotel, for sleeping, getting changed and knocking up a bit of grub. Then on the road again.

 

[Maud]

I agree with Rippers; they are a home from home and once set up on site the car is there for driving and the spacious, warm living accommodation, with all the essentials and many home comforts, is ready to return to each day, or spend the whole day in if you wish.

Each to their own but I am definitely in the love camp

Maud

Twin-axle tourer sitting on the drive, with Disco4 to tow her

 

[Hannsky]

For a lot of Caravaners I feel its a home from home

Stay at home then, I would much rather be surrounded by campervans and tents than big white tin boxes :evil:

 

[Maud]

Or, you could choose to camp on sites which don't accommodate caravans, Hannsky, then you wouldn't have to look at them and those who choose to own them can enjoy their own holiday too

We all make our own choices; life's too short to get :evil: about other people who are just trying to enjoy their own bit of freedom in the way that they choose

Maud

 

[WelshGas]

Is this called " trolling ". 1 vitriolic post , 8 replies and nothing further from the original poster.
:cool

 

[GrannyJen]

I don't see anything vitriolic.

Caravans are lovely but at present are not suitable for my lifestyle and I doubt if they ever will be again, all that faffing about, hitching up, 40 foot train length or whatever.

Some caravanners though are completely up their own...

I'm just following a thread on another forum where the "we spend our lives "abroad" brigade are sneering down their bifocal noses at the peasants who only tour the UK .. in fact I was just thinking how generally this forum is so much nicer to those caravan and motorhome forums where size matters ... "my 7 metres is better than your 5 metres" and "my german juggernaut pulled by my german panzer is better than your peasant adria pulled by japanese junk"...

Each to their own but I have some sympathy with some of the views expressed about the worst examples of caravaners, and I'm just back from Wester Ross where on a 2 metre wide road that had signs clearly saying "Narrow road with hairpins ..nothing over 28 feet" the road was blocked by something just over 35 feet and a shade wider than 2 metres.

I don't think caravaners are, in general, any worse than any other breed of leisure camper, just that with a big white box on the back they are a bit more noticeable when one does something daft or acts antisocially to everyone else on the road.

 

[gmymsx]

I had various caravans for some 20 years, kids grew up holidaying in them and we had some fantastic holidays, but each to their own. I now have a California and it's a different type of holiday, not better, different. With just 2 of us we can see more, do more and have more freedom to explore. Will I have another caravan?... don't think so, the effort and time lost setting up is too much.

 

[helmguy]

We've just sold our caravan and bought a California. We did love the caravan but just didn't use it enough. We did have room at home so had it in storage a d besides the coat it's extra effort to go get it, tow it and at it up. Wes be scares to just turn up somewhere without knowing we'd booked a pitch. With the new California the plan is we can use it a lot more for random weekends without worrying so much about where we will stay. Not quote there yet but getting there!

 

[marshian70]

We've just sold our caravan and bought a California. We did love the caravan but just didn't use it enough. We did have room at home so had it in storage a d besides the coat it's extra effort to go get it, tow it and at it up. Wes be scares to just turn up somewhere without knowing we'd booked a pitch. With the new California the plan is we can use it a lot more for random weekends without worrying so much about where we will stay. Not quote there yet but getting there!

With you Helmguy. We've just done exactly the same thing.

 

[GrannyJen]

My recreational lifestyle is wholly itinerant. Travel, explore, photograph, write. The more remote, the more off the beaten track, the better. My Cali is my hotel, my restaurant, my writing studio and my wholly fit for purpose escape vehicle. I rarely book my stops in advance,, I stop when the day has been long enough.

My previous caravans and motorhomes all had their uses and I loved every one as it suited my lifestyle then. Nothing suits my lifestyle better than my cali now.

 

[helmguy]

How do you decide where you can park up Jen? I'm still at the stage where I feel I need to know where I'm staying before I set off. I want to be able to just drive and see where I end up but how do I know where I can legally stop? For example I'm in Falmouth, Cornwall this weekend. Found the only campsite online that said there were open but it's horrible and I'd be better in a lay by. If I'd just driven here with out researching first where to stay what would I do. Can I just park up anywhere?

 

[GrannyJen]

How do you decide where you can park up Jen? I'm still at the stage where I feel I need to know where I'm staying before I set off. I want to be able to just drive and see where I end up but how do I know where I can legally stop? For example I'm in Falmouth, Cornwall this weekend. Found the only campsite online that said there were open but it's horrible and I'd be better in a lay by. If I'd just driven here with out researching first where to stay what would I do. Can I just park up anywhere?

Mostly, Yes. If it does not have a big "No overnight camping" sign on it then normally it's ok.

You also need to arm yourself with various campsite guides, but above all check a site called pubstopovers and get the britstops book, both fantastic for identifying friendly proprietors of various businesses with big car parks that will let you stop overnight in the hope that they will get some business off you.

If you are reasonably flexible with locations around Falmouth then there are at least 3 Bristops within 10 miles and looking on UKcampsite.co.uk dozens of east cornwall sites open.

The main problem with England is it is overcrowded. Scotland is delightful. They have a right to access law that means basically park up anywhere unless a bye law or a private land barrier states otherwise, and in the most scenic places with scores of sheltered lay-bys finding an overnight stop is basically being spoilt for choice.. I have just returned from 9 nights and only stopped on a campsite to wash my hair, otherwise it was all free.

Edit: Trewen Farm Campsite - Camping in Falmouth Cornwall looks nice

 

[helmguy]

Thanks. I did want to buy the britatops book but looks like I can't until the new one comes out.

I'm actually on the Trewen site as it happens ;-). It'll do but ita VERY basic. A field, one broken toilet and a sink with no working taps. Might just be the time of year but for £15 per night I may as well stayed in a layby. My ideal stopping point would be a pub car park!

 

[GrannyJen]

Google pubstopovers,

The countryman at four lanes ...

 

[GrannyJen]

Thanks. I did want to buy the britatops book but looks like I can't until the new one comes out.

I'm actually on the Trewen site as it happens ;-). It'll do but ita VERY basic. A field, one broken toilet and a sink with no working taps. Might just be the time of year but for £15 per night I may as well stayed in a layby. My ideal stopping point would be a pub car park!

That's no good.

Other side to you but last January I stopped at a CC CL in Delabole, cozy catz, every facility that you could want for £10 a night, and a nice pub five minutes walk away.

 

[helmguy]

I did look at pub stopovera but nothing near Falmouth. I'm tied to Falmouth as here for a course. Will try to see how far Four Lanes is and if worth driving there tomorrow night only to come back into Falmouth Sunday am. Might still be worth it to try it out.

 

[helmguy]

Also not sure if I can go on on CC sites as no longer a member of the caravan club. Don't think they'll let me rejoin as I have a beach so no fixes sink etc...

 

[helmguy]

Countryman is on 25 mins from where I am so might give it a go tomorrow night.

 

[helmguy]

Thanks for you help Jen!

 

[motacyclist]

My Cali is my hotel, my restaurant, my writing studio and my wholly fit for purpose escape vehicle. I rarely book my stops in advance,, I stop when the day has been long enough.
.

What sort of places do you stop if you can't find a pub stopover or CL?

We always worry about finding somewhere we will feel secure and find it hard to relax if we can't find a site. Sometimes think we would be better with something that doesn't look like a camper van, the awning is a giveaway on the Cali. I guess you wouldn't put the roof up if you stop in a lay-by or car park?