Changed to the dark side
Comments
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Think of MH as a car, and just close air vents on dash! Every little bit will help. We never use heating at night time, always find it too drying and tends to cook one of the dogs! So little radiator has been a great buy. Surprising just how much difference
it makes. We use it for drying things occasionally as well, out of way as it sits in footwell behind swivel seat.MH is brilliant for just pulling over in a picturesque spot and having a nice meal, hot or cold. Much cheaper than £20 on two coffees and cakes at NT cafe, and lovely and comfortable after a long walk, rather than juggling sandwiches on our knees with two
damp dogs drooling in the back seat!
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I think that if you like to do frequent sight-seeing trips in the car then a caravan is probably better. I know that there are ways around it - electric bikes, scooters, tow a car, use public transport, use Aires near towns etc. but they are just a compromise
and no real substitute. Caravan has to be best for that.0 -
Public transport (if it was even available) would have been a logistical nightmare. This would have reduced our scope massively, would have involved hours of standing at bus stops and would have been very expensive.
That is just part of the forward planning. There are loads of sites with good public transport links and if you are of a certain age travel, in England, will be free. Google Earth will show bus stops near to your intended campsite and a further search will
bring up the timetables. Just over a week ago we were at the Club's Hillhead site. We had access to buses going to Brixham, Kingswear/Dartmouth, Paignton from right outside the site entrance. Had we been there longer many other excursions would have been possible.
We didn't have to worry about finding anywhere to part nor pay for it.David
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We often ponder the motorhome question.
I like the idea of the quick set-up on site.......but that said, it only takes us about 20 minutes with the caravan. I've seen some motorhomers take that long, with their stop at the water / waste point and then the yellow ramp shuffle.
But then we look at the sort of holidays we have and just wonder how it would work.
Take a week in North Devon.
We visited places every single day.....often covering a good few miles.
Public transport (if it was even available) would have been a logistical nightmare. This would have reduced our scope massively, would have involved hours of standing at bus stops and would have been very expensive.
Driving everywhere in a motorhome would have been a terrible experience. Narrow roads (it was bad enough in the car, sometimes) and limited parking options (finding a space at the side of the road for a car is hard enough and barriers rule out a lot of
town centre car parks).Packing everything away every day would become a real chore.
Less internal space, unless paying out a (large) fortune. Most motorhomes costing about the same as a car and caravan are a little on the small side.
I do feel attracted to motorhomes and the idea of self sufficiency, but just cannot see how it would work for us.
You adapt quickly Ian, do a little more homework for certain places, particularly if you love them. We had a week in Cornwall in ours this year. Narrow roads can be a bit intimidating, but we found alternative routes. We have yet to find a place where parking
has been a major problem, although does depend on size. We travel light anyway, and keep things to a minimum and tidy, so set up and pack up is so easy. If you like sitting around on sites, then need to choose layout carefully. Certain places have superb public
transport if you need it, around Newcastle and along Hadrians Wall is just so easy. It has altered way we tour/holiday, we do more, see more, but we started off with a tiny camper van, so knew what to expect. Site arrival and departure times are not even a
factor with a MH, there is no rush to loose the tug on the back, and travel home day is just another day out! We keep ours at home, ready to roll at drop of a hat.0 -
That is just part of the forward planning. There are loads of sites with good public transport links and if you are of a certain age travel, in England, will be free. G
The trouble is I would not wish to be limited in location by the avalability of public transport.
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Just over a week ago we were at the Club's Hillhead site. We had access to buses going to Brixham, Kingswear/Dartmouth, Paignton from right outside the site entrance.
That bus journey from the site to Brixham
. I have never been on anything like it - it was tight even on the wide bits! When we got off asked the bus driver if he enjoyed doing that route - he replied "nah, I hate it - I dread this one" haha...ok then...
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Ian, I would have done the week in N Devon spread over the whole area using several sites and that would eliminate much of the travelling over the same little lanes. Move from site to site and stop at beaches, NT houses, Tesco or whatever takes your fancy on the way. We've not yet found a need to use public, or secondary, transport
The packing up to get underway is, as far as I'm concerned, a myth. We do the breakfast dishes, as you would in a cvan, put them away along with the kettle, secure the fridge door, unhook the EHU cable and that's it.
Instead of the daily shuffle of Aquaroll and Wastemaster, a drive to the MHSP on arrival at, or departure from, a site once every 3 days is all that's needed. We rarely need yellow wedges unless on a lumpy grass pitch.
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You won't be ET, unless you drive a very big MH. For example, we parked up in Richmond NYorks last Tuesday. Two hundred metres from castle and market square, £2 for all day, huge car park bays, us and at least five other much larger MH. One was a Winnebago!
Slap bang where we wanted to be, and only a half mile drive to get there from site we used. Previous day we drove from Rothbury over moors round Blanchland, down to Stanhope, up onto Weardale, picnic by river, walk dogs, on into Barnard Castle, park up free
on street, then across to site near Richmond for night. No having to turn around and retrace steps back to van, taking in glorious scenery, comfy picnic, roomy shelter in bit of rain, fresh meal and cup of tea.......It's not better than Caravanning, just a bit different. We love our van as well, but hate the towing.
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Just spent a week at Chatsworth and was thinking of renaming the club the Motorhome and 2nd car club. Far more MHs than caravans and over 50% with a car on the pitch as well. Hardly environmentally friendly.
Write your comments here... I dont think towing a caravan is exactly environmentally friendly either, but that is our pastime, and its less damaging than flying anywhere. They wouldnt have driven both the car AND the motorhome at the same time , so no worse
than a car and a caravan.Towing a small car behind a motorhome is being driven by local councils putting up height barriers on car parks...and even some Park & Rides ! What are motorhomers expected to do ? Cadge lifts from their caravanning neighbors !!!
No thanks.0 -
Just over a week ago we were at the Club's Hillhead site. We had access to buses going to Brixham, Kingswear/Dartmouth, Paignton from right outside the site entrance.
That bus journey from the site to Brixham
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I have never been on anything like it - it was tight even on the wide bits! When we got off asked the bus driver if he enjoyed doing that route - he replied "nah, I hate it - I dread this one" haha...ok then...
Those that take a car everywhere miss out on all this excitment
I don't think I have been on a bus before where the driver has had to get
off to organise the traffic so he can get through!!!David
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the 'de rigeur' Sevel (Fiat/peugeot/Citroen) cabs can be a bit draughty....
a couple of tips...
..turn the heater control to 'recycle' rather than 'fresh air' which will close the vent to the outside...
..the cab doors close onto some open grill vents....these can be covered with Gaffer Tape which seals another cold draught.
we dont have any Fiat doors now so dont get this issue any more
Write your comments here...for those who get cold cabs on their Fiat/ Peugeot cabbed motorhomes X250 s anyway, the metal seat boxes have large exterior rubber flapper vents directly under the van, look underneath the van directly in line with the rear door
pillar. You can Duct tape them over,or Fiat sell a rubber blanking cap that replaces them.Only on cabbed coachbuilts, not PVCs not sure about chassis cabs BB, you would have to look.They are fitted originally to provide through ventilation in a small cab area, but in a coachbuilt there are many other sources of ventilation. So are not needed and are a source of draughts.
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Ian, never say never, we once said that we would not want a M/H , but circumstances change and now we have one
As far as the "packing up" to go out ,it only takes us a couple of minutes,it all depends on how tidy you are , we wash up as soon as we have used it and every thing has its place
if ever we meet on site you would be welcomed to have a look inside .........and a cup of tea
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I definitely feel colder in the MH - thank you to those who repied re silver Screens - one is now ordered!
As well as silver screens have you tried a small oil filled radiator up at the cab end, our lounge is lovely and warm but the cab end of the van can get quite chilly when its freezing outside. We had a small radiator which we used in the caravan, what a
differance it makes.We've had our M/H for 4 years now and love it, getting frustrated just now as we want to go away but can't due to other commitments
hopefully
soon.Write your comments here...our van has 2 hot air ducts coming g out the seats I to the cab area, so far it seems to keep it warm but it's not been that cold yet so will see.
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The biggest difference I noticed with my M/H was the "set up" time , there is none ! ,just drive /reverse on to the pitch ignition off and handbrake on and that's it
cant say I miss all that unhitching and leg winding ,so last year..
Write your comments here...I agree HD but at some point you have to dump the grey and refill so although quicker it does somewhat even out as other takes longer (on our van) to empty 100l of waste and refill the same. Biggest bonus is stopping for tea break or lunch. We have also managed to stop at many more NT or EH sites en route that we could never have done with the caravan.
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Personally the biggest difference I've found is when travelling, the sheer amount of space around you allowing movement, (not walking around I hasten to add), and not being trapped in a restricted car seat was a relevation.
While I do tow a car sometimes, it's still much easier than towing a large van around.
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The biggest difference I noticed with my M/H was the "set up" time , there is none ! ,just drive /reverse on to the pitch ignition off and handbrake on and that's it
cant say I miss all that unhitching and leg winding ,so last year..
Write your comments here...I agree HD but at some point you have to dump the grey and refill so although quicker it does somewhat even out as other takes longer (on our van) to empty 100l of waste and refill the same. Biggest bonus is stopping for tea break
or lunch. We have also managed to stop at many more NT or EH sites en route that we could never have done with the caravan.When we leave from home i fill the fresh water tank with about 30l and we tend to empty the waste every time we go out for the day ,just my way of doing it (other ways are available).........
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Like tda we bought on our first look and have never regretted it. Neither of us ever fancied towing.
a couple of tips...
..turn the heater control to 'recycle' rather than 'fresh air' which will close the vent to the outside...
..the cab doors close onto some open grill vents....these can be covered with Gaffer Tape which seals another cold draught.
Interested in cool cab, something we've experienced badly on our last trip. Posted elsewhere that bought secondhand silver screen that wasn't as good quality our first was silver screen got fooled on site . We put heating on recirculate.
We have fiat base where are the open grill vents?
We don't have a socket anywhere near the cab can one be fitted without too much damage? We don't have the skill to diy it any idea of reasonable cost?
...as i say, we dont have these doors now but, from memory they are in the back of the doors where they close onto the wheel arch....sized about 8" by 4" or thereabouts.
re: a small heater.....just run an extension lead from another socket.....or even run a small gang of sockets to a convenient point, so that you have sufficient for your needs.
this will do until you work out how many more you need (and where) and can let an electrician pit them in for you.
good luck.
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The biggest difference I noticed with my M/H was the "set up" time , there is none ! ,just drive /reverse on to the pitch ignition off and handbrake on and that's it
cant say I miss all that unhitching and leg winding ,so last year..
Write your comments here...I agree HD but at some point you have to dump the grey and refill so although quicker it does somewhat even out as other takes longer (on our van) to empty 100l of waste and refill the same. Biggest bonus is stopping for tea break
or lunch. We have also managed to stop at many more NT or EH sites en route that we could never have done with the caravan.When we leave from home i fill the fresh water tank with about 30l and we tend to empty the waste every time we go out for the day ,just my way of doing it (other ways are available).........
Write your comments here...we do not "go out for days", I decided that if you are going out then why retrace steps and go back tothe same site, we try and plan our days out and move to a new site so we would empty/fill either on leaving site or ariving at
next one depending on sit e type CL, CC etc. If we stay on site for more than one night we try to make sure there is stuff to do in the area within walking distance (3-4 miles) or public transport.0 -
Just over a week ago we were at the Club's Hillhead site. We had access to buses going to Brixham, Kingswear/Dartmouth, Paignton from right outside the site entrance.
That bus journey from the site to Brixham
.
I have never been on anything like it - it was tight even on the wide bits! When we got off asked the bus driver if he enjoyed doing that route - he replied "nah, I hate it - I dread this one" haha...ok then...
Those that take a car everywhere miss out on all this excitment
I don't think I have been on a bus before where the driver has had to get
off to organise the traffic so he can get through!!!David
Whilst i realise there is an age/fitness requirement, we use our electric bikes and last week, pootling down the country lanes to the Exe Estuary cycle route and then on to Exmouth (or into Exeter, the pervious day) was a totally different (read miles better)
experience than driving a car would have been...being able to just stop and appreciate the view, wildlife etc is a wonderful upside of being outdoors....and not driving.
im so glad that our default choice of transport is not a car....we would miss so much of our lovely countryside.
the route we took to Ladram Bay would have scared a car driver witless...narrow, steep, twisty....but on the bikes it was truly part of the break.
we dont do busses, nor cadge lifts....nor feel the need to drive to the paper shop....and, yes, poor weather can be a pain in the butt, but a bit of rain doesnt stop all the dog walkers getting out there. like us, they just wear the right gear and, anyway,
we are usually 'elsewhere' during the wettest part of the year....if we had a car/caravan no doubt we would end up using the car more and more, because its there....and carrying bikes seems to be hindered by weight limits, location of bikes etc..
give it 20 years and i might be thinking differently.....perhaps a really small MH....with the bikes on the back
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we dont do busses, nor cadge lifts....nor feel the need to drive to the paper shop....and, yes, poor weather can be a pain in the butt, but a bit of rain doesnt stop all the dog walkers getting out there. like us, they just wear the right gear and, anyway, we are usually 'elsewhere' during the wettest part of the year....
So you go abroad in the summer then BB
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we dont do busses, nor cadge lifts....nor feel the need to drive to the paper shop....and, yes, poor weather can be a pain in the butt, but a bit of rain doesnt stop all the dog walkers getting out there. like us, they just wear the right gear and, anyway,
we are usuallySo you go abroad in the summer then BB
....only if i cant find my brolly...
due to circumstances, weve been vanning only in the UK this year, but we have enjoyed it and have been blessed woth some amazing weather, allowing us to take full advantage and rack up the miles on the bikes....
had mine 2 and a half years now and closing in on 10,000 km
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