Towing 8ft wide caravans
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We've got an 8' wide x 27' 9' long Adria.
Been on CL's with tight access, commercial sites with tight access, C&MC with tight access.
Beginning of October we stayed at non C&MC at Ullswater which has a lovely bridge over a stream to reception with just 2 inches either side due to the wooden fence erected.
Looking to go to Trethem Mill this year and having seen Flatcoats concerns I've just had a look via online mapping.Although I see what Flatcoat refers to, I can see no issues for me anymore so than someone with a 7' 6" wide 2 8' long twin-wheeler.
It's about awareness of what you are towing and embracing technological advances such as Google maps to take a view of where you are going. It is only 6 inches wider. If this extra gives you nightmares stick with the narrow van and perhaps take a towing course to enhance your skill set along with fitting mirrors that really do look down the side of your van, not just a token gesture to comply with the C&U Regs.
Me, I learned the hard way many years ago as a yard shunt driver of bulk load artics at a feed mill, whilst reversing rear steering trailers with a mind of their own into bays with only 1" either side. It wasn't a collision free career but it taught me to stop if in doubt and go see. So suppose I'm lucky in that sense.
In the meantime I'm going to sit in my 6" wider van and enjoy the space it affords me. Very roomy indeed
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Having visited Tretham Mill again in July i seem to recall there were a couple of 8’0” wide vans on site. If you can ‘walk’ it on Google street you will see where the tight spots (and evidence of close shaves) are. You might also want to stop as you pull into the lane off the St Mawes Road and literally walk it. This isn’t a few feet over a bridge or Through a gateway but a couple of hundred feet or so with a bend and a bit of a wiggle section. Given how some react to the Bolton Abbey arch i never make assumptions about what is easy! Enjoy your visit, fabulous site and area.
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Hi
We tow a Bailey Grande Messina with our MB E220 with no difficulty.
We have travelled up from the Wirral to Scotland via the A82 Loch ness route with no problems at all.
Having a 8ft wide caravan does make the standard of living more appreciative especially with 2 dogs. In our caravan we have th eluxury of a G shaed front lounge which really works well
I think people nervousness about towing an 8Ft is understandable but the way look at it, it is just 3" inches either side of a standard caravan
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I have also stayed at Trethem Mill and yes, the approach lane is narrow, but with care, negotiated without a problem.
It's incredible to think that many members on here are of a certain age, many began their driving careers in the sixties and seventies. Lots will have driven cars like the Mini, Hillman Imp, Ford Escort, Vauxhall Viva to mention a few. The Mini's width was 4' 7 1/2" (or 1.41m) The current Landrover Discovery measures 2m across, my own towcar 1.89m. How do we manage with these Goliaths? We adapted and evolved.
Yes, cars and caravans are wider (so are some roads). The only roads in the UK where I can't get down in my 8' wide caravan, are those with a 7'6" restriction, but then again, neither will most other tourers.
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I have to say David, as it would be remiss of me not to do so, that we humans are also 'increasing in size' Looking back at photos of when we were younger, portion sizes etc we could all manage with slimmer cars and caravans back then! Not so today, but that's another discussion
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I agree ,but then most modern cars are now more like a safety cage ,that we are locked inside with the same space as in older cars
Our Rover P4 100 2.6 was a big car when we had one, we have since followed one when in our Kia Sportage and it looked really small, it is lower and much narrower
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The extra few inches of width does make a significant difference internally and when we bought our new Eccles 580 last year we pondered long and hard about buying the ‘X’ version. However the deciding factor for us is parking at home. We park the van and one of the cars side by side in a double bay enclosed by a high wall. That loss of 6” or so is a dealbreaker such we would have to enter or exit the car through the tailgate..... From a towing aspect i was not concerned.
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In the 60s and 70s cars were kept in garages because otherwise they would rust away, modern cars however are built to last.
We have never put any of our cars in a garage, either because we didn't have one in our early years and now because it is too narrow.
For the vast majority of the people modern garages are just places to store stuff. Isn't storing your car in a garage what old people do?
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I don't know so much about caravan widths. My last caravan was 7'3" or 2.2m in new money. The motorhomes have been 2.14m & now 2.12m. Being a bit slimmer does give you a fighting chance of avoiding a clip alongside the ear/mirror from 'hombre de camiones blanco'. The requirement fort extra space may, of course, be dictated by your own girth. A work colleague once described me as 'built like a racing snake' so perhaps I have an evolutionary edge.
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I am shocked that,in the current world,where one cannot refer to MR.or MRS,or "breast milk" you have made such an age,ist remark!!I keep one of my cars in the garage and I am not even 76 until later in the year!
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You could go 8' plus a time of grease.
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Fife Council are widening the footpath along the A921 at Kinghorn by reducing the road width by 2 feet+, to create more space for pedestrians to pass [+ cyclists & joggers] without breathing all over each other. Driving solo makes the passing of a bus traveling in the opposite direction a close encounter; an 8ft wide caravan may well be too close to avoid damage. The existing road markings are covered by the car offside wheel. The road is hemmed in by The Bin Rockface on the 1 side and the rockface down to the Firth of Forth on the other.At present, it remains a 2 way road ...
Steve
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Hi, we have a Buccaneer Cruiser that's 8 foot wide, I always google sites before setting off and have a look at the approach roads because even some of the clubs main sites have bad approach roads, The Modbury site road is appalling ! So far we have had no problems.
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You towed an 8ft caravan to the Modbury site? That was brave🤣🤣
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It's not so much one's own ability, Surfer, but the ability of others you might meet in our back lanes and the tight access into some smaller sites. I would apply common sense and look at the bigger picture to decide whether such a van is suitable rather than only considering the driver's ability.
BTW, have you changed your van for an 8 footer?
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but irrespective of the width of the caravan, there seems to those than plan their journey to the Nth degree, search Google maps to check road widths etc .... what is difficult or tight access for some is just another access road for others. Many sites, whether club site or CLs have far bigger vehicles come & go than many of our cars and caravans.
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"Many sites, whether club site or CLs have far bigger vehicles come & go than many of our cars and caravans".
very true, after following a low loader last week in Dorset with a static caravan on the low loader, and shutting my eyes for the driver on the way down to the site, an 8ft caravan should be a piece of cake. The fact that the static was much wider than the low loader and seemed to be wobbling from side to side was a feat of driving in itself, but, the farmer will not have to trim the hedgerows this year
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Ah, I knew your van was a biggy but didn't know it was 8'.
Obviously, as with towing any caravan, sense is needed as some of our roads just aren't suitable. It's all very well ED talking about larger vehicles using them but there's a world of difference between our flimsy sided LVs and a farm tractor and trailer.
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