Is this an awesome idea or a dumb idea?

[Mehdime]

One other point: if you use the fridge, the leisure battery will last for 3/4 days max (perhaps less in the summer if it’s really hot). And you definitely don’t want to let it die as it will damage the battery. So you’ll want to take it for a short drive once every couple of days to topup the leisure battery if using the fridge (or leave the engine running for a bit).

 

[Barry Chuckle]

I stay in a camper 2-4 nights a week when I am working in London. I did this initially in a California, both wild camping and in sites.

Struggled after a while in the Cali, esp wild camping, so moved to a 5.4m Hymer Free 540. Having a ooo and shower was a game changer - I tend to use sites as only £25 a night and much less stressful. If I have to be away from home I really don’t like staying in random hotels and they’re ridiculously expensive in London now.
Having cooking facilities also much better than buying ready made crao all the time.

I’m without a van for the next few weeks until the new one arrives so I’m going have to endure a travellodge or similar…

As a matter of interest where can you stay in London in a camper? This is something I've considered but thought wild camping is out of the question and there seems very few sites around the outskirts?

 

[Azteccamper]

As a matter of interest where can you stay in London in a camper? This is something I've considered but thought wild camping is out of the question and there seems very few sites around the outskirts?

Recently stayed in the CAMC site at Crystal Palace. Trains into london to see Peter Kay. Great weekend - and a nice, if basic, site.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

It’s a great idea, just not in Edinburgh. The climate doesn’t lend itself well. Even our summer holidays abroad end with us bringing back wet clothes and towels that haven’t dried. On the third day of rain my whole family start to rebel.

 

[CamperFam]

For what it's worth, I used to do this, rather than pay for a B&B. You get aclimatised to it very quickly, but the whole shower faff was always a pain. Pre-kids/family etc, my setup was to live in the van, have a takeaway once a week, and had a very cheap/nasty gym membership for shower use mainly. The challenge is keeping yourself active - going places, etc. It was very easy to fall into the routine of netflix of a night and wait for the next day, with a rinse and repeat mindset. The other consideration with wild camping, is making sure you dont frequent the same places too often; both to avoid outstaying your welcome, but also to avoid criminality on your van etc.

 

[Barbara]

As a matter of interest where can you stay in London in a camper? This is something I've considered but thought wild camping is out of the question and there seems very few sites around the outskirts?

Abbey Wood on the Elizabeth line, https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-sites/england/south-east-england/london/abbey-wood-club-campsite/

 

[Camperfamily]

As long as you buy sensibly, you don’t stand to lose much (and might even save versus B&B) by giving it a try a seeing how it works for you.

Worst case, it doesn’t work for you, you sell up and revert to B&B. Best case…

 

[_Tom_]

I’d find a place, either airbnb or hotel and always go to the same place even it it costs a bit more.
The cali in town has no ventilation unless you crack a window so CO2 doesn’t build up and give a headache. The outside noises of just kids kicking a can is anything but relaxing especially if you can’t pinpoint exactly where said noise came from.
It’s possible to have a loo and shower inside the cali. From natural sort of toilet to the chemical one. A guy also made a shower inside with a pet cleaning 80cm diameter tub. You need the top up though. Gloomy af.
My ocean is being used for short city errands and some highway here in Brussels. Not really any camping at all. Not at all the scenario I convinced myself I’d be living with it. It holds its value and has no annual tax, which I guess is nice. Oh and I modified it with the best bed, the absolute5 signature stereo and soon CRS suspension setup.
Can’t you rent a room at one of your colleagues house? Or like I said earlier, the same place, with kitchen access, each time?
Sounds like trying to justify the California that you really want with an excuse. Get it if you want it, but please stay in a place where there’s a chance of decent rest

 

[Jay586]

You'd really have to know Edinburgh to avoid issues. We moved after our car was run over by a guy (we were in it at the time). £3000 of damage, quite a few years ago. I used to work in property for the Council & it can be pretty rough.

There's a couple of van people in my local town. Pretty much the same scenario. I can see the attraction.

 

[JollyGoodShow]

I hesitate to mention this (it may just be not your thing and is arguably elitist), but have you considered a club? The New Club in Edinburgh has single rooms for £70 per night, and they’d be very nice, and a “home from home”. My working circumstances are a bit similar to yours in that I have to be in London overnight fairly frequently and don’t want to be in cheap hotels. I have a locker in my club where I keep all my kit and I just need shirts and underwear with me. It’s a completely different type of solution and definitely not for everyone, but it can work superbly for someone in your circumstances. Being in the New Club also gets reciprocal membership to lots of London clubs and clubs in other countries, which might work for you when you’re abroad.

 

[Jay586]

Ha, ha, dont you have to donate a kidney to get nominated?

I actually got to go there once for lunch, very nice but it's not exactly open access.
Feel free to correct me tho.

 

[Azteccamper]

It might be a good idea or it might not, but do we really want to encourage living in a camper van on our city / town / village streets? It’s getting tougher to park places as it is, it won’t be long before campervans will be banned from certain areas. Just a bit of common sense?

 

[Jay586]

We have a lot of "wild" camping here, which given it's nose-to-tail on a road, isn't exactly idyllic.

It gets very lively. There's little separation between the vans either.

 

[hirsty]

I average 2 - 5 nights each month in London on weekly trips & understand the feeling of ‘not having a place’ (and feels like I’m working 100% of the time, not living), but I don’t think I’d want to leave a van there unattended.

Your situation may be the reverse of course, if going back to Edinburgh is more like “coming home”.

Nothing has to be forever & you could always just try it for a year and sell if it doesn’t work out for any reason.

 

[uniqueadventures]

I have spent large periods of the last two years living out of my 2017 Beach while at uni as a 45 y.o. mature student in Eastbourne. It's definitely possible but you have to find lots of work arounds and be prepared for plans to change. Been woken up and asked to move on from car parks at 4am and had the locals complaining that "you can't stay here" when parked on a public road - it's not worth arguing with them. Cheap gym membership for shower in the morning and exercise in the evening - the fittest I've been for a long time! I had access to the library until midnight so would often hang around in there until the last minute, especially in winter. I have no heater in the van, so I invested in a cheap kettle and a couple of hot water bottles which, before I went to bed, I would subtley fill up in the library along with a quality flask so I could make a coffee in the morning without needing to boil a kettle - that adds to the condensation. I had a thick down duvet rather than a sleeping bag because it just feels more homely to sleep with a proper duvet. In the depths of winter when it's below freezing it can get a bit depressing, but the rain is the worst. It's so difficult to dry out and the condensation builds up in such a small space pretty quickly, especially if living in the van longer term, and that's even with the front windows always open a crack behind wind deflectors. A diesel heater would definitely help with these issues but does rely on some battery and makes it much less "stealthy". I took to leaving my towel and gym kit in a locker at the gym (risking it being removed according to the warning signs!) so they were able to dry and not bring more moisture into the van.
Having to fold away the bed every day to have "living" space is tedious to start with but you get used to it and work out a system. I had a small plastic chest of drawers on the passenger seat for clothes and general storage. I have quite a large camping compressor fridge which works very well but the single aux battery only powered it for a max of 2-3 days in the summer. Solar panel would probably be good for this and the diesel heater if that was a possibilty. No toilet means planning last visit at night and first in the morning pretty accurately!
Water supply was easy enough, just filled up a couple of 2 litre bottles of water and kept them in the van.
I've already had the van for a long time and it's more than paid for itself in family holidays and general practicalities, I see this as getting even more of my moneys worth out of it - It is a brilliant vehicle.
In summary it's definitely possible to "live" out of a Beach, but don't expect it to be a fairy tale of joy and luxury! It depends on what your priorities are and how flexible you are prepared to be. There are definitley some good experiences to be had despite all the negatives that will crop up.

 

[VincentVan]

I bought VV for just that purpose- an affordable way to live whilst working away, for a job I really wanted. This was a 1 year contract but no travel or accommodation expenses, so staying in a hotel was not an option. We’d been casually thinking about a van for a while, so this was the right time! I worked in Ringwood in the New Forest and stayed in campsites. At first I drove to and from every day but after a few weeks took my bike down and chose ones which were about 10 miles from Ringwood. It was effort to organise but Wow was it worth it for the many mornings of cycling early through the forest. On many glorious mornings I often had to pinch myself realising I was being paid for this!

I tried wild parking but it’s no good when it’s a school day; I needed to know I would get a good nights sleep. The basic campsite facilities worked best for me. The great thing was there was a shower at work, so that issue was sorted. Unlike staying in a hotel I never got bored. The heater in the Cali was vital. I worked 2 weeks on and 1 off, which worked well. I found 3 on was more difficult and felt like a long stretch. At those basic campsites a collapsible bucket completely solved the toilet requirement. Overall, it was a great year, and felt a real privilege to wake up in the forest.

My next assignment was in Inverness. I used the same plan, but there were some differences. Main one being the shower- there was none easily accessible at work. Having a wet towel in the van didn’t dry well and produced significant condensation in November in Scotland. A small towel solved the problem but the unheated shower block remained character building! In January I used a mix of van and travel lodge, but that was fine because they were £30 a night at that time of year. Mixing things up was a great policy, I felt that was the best of both worlds.

Originally I thought I might sell VV after that period but of course that didn’t happen, he’s proved far too useful since then.

 

[turnitdown]

It’ll depend on your personality. But for me, I’d vote for awesome idea. Not necessarily cheaper as you mentioned. But so much better from a happiness point of view.

Last year, when we started our house renovation as a moment’s notice due to our builder having a last-minute availability for us in between two other projects, I lived in our California for 6 weeks in March and April in Ireland. Sometimes sleeping in town near the house, sometimes going spending the night by the sea or in the mountains nearby. It was amazing. Even now, I frequently go away to sleep in the van for one night mid-week somewhere near the house by the sea or in a park to get away from it all and reset.

Having the van as your a personal space instead of always staying in a different cheap hotel will definitely be a big relief. Being able to go sleep in nature when you want is just pure luxury compared to a cheap hotel. The sort of stuff most people can’t experience at all (assuming you love camping and nature - many don’t actually enjoy this so much).

RE: van size. For full-time vanlife, the small size would get tiresome quite quickly for sure I imagine. Given that you’d be only using it for a few days at a time a couple of month a year total, and with access to showers at work, I don’t see this as an issue at all. It’s plenty big for one person.

The small size means you can park in any car-size parking space and can go under any 2m high barrier. In Ireland, it means I could go sleep anywhere. With a higher van, many of the best seaside spots and some of the best mountain spot I stay at would be unavailable. But then, things might be different around Edinburgh.

RE: water issue that someone mentioned. Don’t think there’s an issue there. I keep this in the boot: https://www.omearacamping.com/product/10-ltr-water-container/ You can fill it at any tap and use it to fill the van’s water tank. I don’t drink from the tap - I have a separate drinking water bottle in the kitchen cupboard.

Given that you won’t have easy access to a chemical toilet disposal point, using a dry/compostable toilet like a Trelino is handier (https://www.trelino.com/collections...MI7Z6ersHchQMVNo9QBh09RQahEAAYASAAEgK1O_D_BwE - there are much cheaper options available. The Trelino just looks nice like a nice storage box with a wooden lid instead of looking like a plastic toilet). No chemicals. The pee just goes in a pee bottle.

If you’ll be using the van a few days here and there throughout the year, I imagine that the (valid) concern of leaving it sitting for extended periods of time don’t apply. Assuming you’ll take it for a drive everytime you stay there.

A few things to consider:
- when raining hard or very windy, it gets very noisy in the van (and the van can shake in strong wind). It can make getting a good sleep hard depending on how sensitive you are to noise and movement. Not much of an issue I imagine but worth noting.
- as others mentioned: where will you keep the van when you’re away?

Thanks, this is very helpful.

When I used to have a VW Beach, I would often drive just outside Edinburgh for the night, to the Pentlands or to the beaches. That is what I was imaging doing for the most part, not necessarily sleeping on city streets. I don't have the sense it's at all hard to find places to park up for the night close to Edinburgh, but still in a beautiful natural setting. Maybe it's different in the summer when demand is much higher (wouldn't affect me).

There are two campsites inside city limits, including on that is an hour's walk or a 20 minute bus ride from work. Those would be options.

Did you do this in a Beach or Ocean? I lean toward the beach because it feels like there is so much more room inside, plus the large bed makes it easy to keep the roof down if you're staying somewhere in high winds. Doesn't matter for one person but it would if I brought the kids along. That said, maybe for my purposes, where the majority of the time it would just be me, the additional space inside wouldn't matter. When I had a Beach I had young kids and used it most often as a day van.

 

[Mehdime]

Did you do this in a Beach or Ocean? I lean toward the beach because it feels like there is so much more room inside, plus the large bed makes it easy to keep the roof down if you're staying somewhere in high winds. Doesn't matter for one person but it would if I brought the kids along. That said, maybe for my purposes, where the majority of the time it would just be me, the additional space inside wouldn't matter. When I had a Beach I had young kids and used it most often as a day van.

We have an Ocean. For that use-case of staying only for a few days every now and then and only for sleeping with showers provided at work, I imagine a Beach would work just as well.

The sink is handy for cleaning teeth and washing hands. The fridge is great for the odd beer after work. And I did use the cooker a few times to boil and to cook once or twice. But I doubt you’d miss them if you didn’t have them given how you’ll use the van.

Mostly staying in nature sounds great. It’s what makes it special and such a luxury.

 

[aeicalifornia]

Thanks, this is very helpful.

When I used to have a VW Beach, I would often drive just outside Edinburgh for the night, to the Pentlands or to the beaches. That is what I was imaging doing for the most part, not necessarily sleeping on city streets. I don't have the sense it's at all hard to find places to park up for the night close to Edinburgh, but still in a beautiful natural setting. Maybe it's different in the summer when demand is much higher (wouldn't affect me).

There are two campsites inside city limits, including on that is an hour's walk or a 20 minute bus ride from work. Those would be options.

Did you do this in a Beach or Ocean? I lean toward the beach because it feels like there is so much more room inside, plus the large bed makes it easy to keep the roof down if you're staying somewhere in high winds. Doesn't matter for one person but it would if I brought the kids along. That said, maybe for my purposes, where the majority of the time it would just be me, the additional space inside wouldn't matter. When I had a Beach I had young kids and used it most often as a day van.

one more vote for Beach.
but utterly the Camper, not the Tour, as you will have the very useful and pretty large storages on the left side, a much lower, larger and comfortable bed that could be used without the pop top, and the cooker can be accessed with the unfold bed.

 

[HowieDog]

Abbey Wood on the Elizabeth line, https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-sites/england/south-east-england/london/abbey-wood-club-campsite/

Shhh, don't tell anyone...

 

[turnitdown]

one more vote for Beach.
but utterly the Camper, not the Tour, as you will have the very useful and pretty large storages on the left side, a much lower, larger and comfortable bed that could be used without the pop top, and the cooker can be accessed with the unfold bed.

I was leaning toward the Beach, because that's what we had before and I loved it - especially the wide bed and the glass all around. But I am starting to wonder if an Ocean would make a lot more sense given the use case. The main use of the van would be for one person, as a little home-away-from home. The Ocean would give me stove, sink, fridge, all right there without having to faff about in the boot, keep track of water bottles, etc. I'm guessing the wardrobe would be better for keeping clothes and other belongings and I'd have less of the feel of living out of a suitcase.

And an Ocean would still be fine with the family (2 kids, sometimes 2 kids plus mom), since that would always be holiday travel in summer, there would never be use of it as a day van.

 

[Kingfisher]

I was leaning toward the Beach, because that's what we had before and I loved it - especially the wide bed and the glass all around. But I am starting to wonder if an Ocean would make a lot more sense given the use case.

For me the Ocean works well as a home-away-from-home, because of the reasons you mentioned. I keep it fully stocked with everything I (might) need, including my favourite kinds of tea and a few nice books. By all means, get an extra of your home duvet and pillow to keep in the van.

 

[aeicalifornia]

I was leaning toward the Beach, because that's what we had before and I loved it - especially the wide bed and the glass all around. But I am starting to wonder if an Ocean would make a lot more sense given the use case. The main use of the van would be for one person, as a little home-away-from home. The Ocean would give me stove, sink, fridge, all right there without having to faff about in the boot, keep track of water bottles, etc. I'm guessing the wardrobe would be better for keeping clothes and other belongings and I'd have less of the feel of living out of a suitcase.

And an Ocean would still be fine with the family (2 kids, sometimes 2 kids plus mom), since that would always be holiday travel in summer, there would never be use of it as a day van.

now, better understanding your perspective, can I please change my vote for the Ocean?!
thanks

 

[KatyCherry]

I spend most of my time overseas for work, and perhaps 50 nights a year in Edinburgh (also for work), usually 3 to 5 nights at a time. Currently I rent out my flat in Edinburgh and just stay in hotels, as this makes far more financial sense than keeping my flat empty 300+ days of the year. I'm a previous VW Beach owner, however, and I am trying to think through the pros and cons of getting a VW Beach or Ocean and using that as my Edinburgh base.

Most of my time in Edinburgh is low season, so I can usually get a cheap hotel or airbnb room for about £60 a night, so perhaps £3000 to £3500 a year (currently, this will go up with inflation presumably). These are pretty downmarket places not super convenient for work (the price would double for that). They're fine, but the main thing I miss is a sense of familiarity, of 'arriving home', if you know what I mean. It's always some new cheap hotel in some new location, whatever I can find for the dates I need. I have no cooking facilities, just a kettle for instant coffee.

The thing is, my workplace is generously provisioned with showers, and wild/stealth camping is very easy in Edinburgh, either right in the city or in beautiful location just outside. Using a VW California as 'home' in Edinburgh would be worse in some ways (smaller, would have to shower at work), but also better in some ways (a sense of home/familiarity/arrival, ability to store basic toiletries, ability to make proper coffee and cook a simple meal if I wanted). I should also say I have a great office space in Edinburgh and typically am in the office 9am-8pm during my short visits, so only need a place to sleep and have morning coffee for the most part.

Thinking just about the frequent brief stays in Edinburgh, I suspect the hotel wins - it's a bit cheaper (for now - not sure how prices of hotels will go up over the next 5 to 10 years), and all things considered a bit easier/convenient. However, I realise with a California I could also (i) get out of Edinburgh to the beach and hills for walks, etc., on my short visits, which I would really enjoy, and (ii) bring my kids every summer for, say, a 2 or 3 week holiday, either touring around the UK or heading to a different European country every summer (they are currently both under 10, so presumably we could do this every year for the next 10 years or so).

I realise I'd have to sort out where to keep the van, insurance issues, etc. Setting those issues aside, does anyone have feedback on this idea? Or has someone been in a similar situation, and if so what did you do and what was your experience?

Absolutely awesome idea and is in fact " A THING " in the aviation industry particularly with engineers, so obviously we have to work at an airport so some people decide rather than up routing the whole family to change jobs every few years, or move from out in the country to the city for work people will commute to the airport and stay in the camper for a set of 4 shifts and then go home for their 4 off (rather than driving say 2 hours each way!)
contractors chasing the money moving from airport to airport every few months will also do this as saves massively on bills if still paying a motgauge at home.
although we can usually park in the airport staff carpark (and the security wardens are usually ok with it)
or pub carparks if you buy a beer and a meal, most local pub landlords will do meal deal if your a regular and working nearby. I spent many a night in my baywindow sundowner in pub car parks around castle Donnington back in the day.
we have microwaves and showers etc in the crew rooms at work etc so literaly just sleeping in van in-between 12 hr shifts. biggest problem is noisy aircraft!
one bloke even spent his set of 4 sleeping in a tent in farmers field - with permission of course.

 

[aeicalifornia]

Absolutely awesome idea and is in fact " A THING " in the aviation industry particularly with engineers, so obviously we have to work at an airport so some people decide rather than up routing the whole family to change jobs every few years, or move from out in the country to the city for work people will commute to the airport and stay in the camper for a set of 4 shifts and then go home for their 4 off (rather than driving say 2 hours each way!)
contractors chasing the money moving from airport to airport every few months will also do this as saves massively on bills if still paying a motgauge at home.
although we can usually park in the airport staff carpark (and the security wardens are usually ok with it)
or pub carparks if you buy a beer and a meal, most local pub landlords will do meal deal if your a regular and working nearby. I spent many a night in my baywindow sundowner in pub car parks around castle Donnington back in the day.
we have microwaves and showers etc in the crew rooms at work etc so literaly just sleeping in van in-between 12 hr shifts. biggest problem is noisy aircraft!
one bloke even spent his set of 4 sleeping in a tent in farmers field - with permission of course.

by the way, how many aircraft engineers or aviation personnel are around here, as I suspect many of us...
sorry for being out of topic, just out of curiosity.