From Caravan to Motor home any thoughts anyone
Hi All
After lots of thinking planning looking at different options we have finally committed ourselves to a motor caravan, picking it up in 2 weeks.
We are long standing caravan owners for many years but have found we now like to stay for shorter periods of a few days then move on to somewhere else rather than stay on one site for a week or more.
We no longer want to be driving from same base further and further afield from same point and we like the idea of a few days near a local town of vilage using bus or train then move on and do same in other places.
Just looking for any advice from anyone that has made the transition from caravan to motor home what you liked what you didn’t like did you regret it of wish you had made change years ago god or bad experiences welcome
We have first 4 day booked somewhere we know can catch a bus and walk to a shop and will take it from there
Many thanks and look forward to your thoughts and experiences
Roy and Bev (Roy speaking)
Comments
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Hi Roy & Bev,
Welcome to the world of motorhomes. Whilst I can't offer advice regarding the transition, your thoughts regarding short stays then moving on sums up most of our trips. You will find plenty of sites out there which offer a combination of walks and public
transport to explore the local area. A motorhome also makes single overnight stops somewhat easier if you want more of a tour. If we are on a particular site where there is a lot in the local area to see but not accessible by public transport, I'll hire a
car for a few days and do it that way. I have always found motorhomes more flexible as regards touring but respect the fact that caravans will have other plus points. As always, it's personal preference in the end but I am sure you won't be disappointed and
wish you well in your travels.0 -
It seems to me Roy and Bev, that you have thought it through well.
With regards to the transition, all you can do is try it and adapt as necessary. We found storage to be different - not necessarily less overall but it caused us to rethink what we carried and where we stored items. The biggest thing for us was tracking
down rattles and silencing them.We have no regrets at making the change. Life is easier on site without having the faff of water containers and corner steadies and the joy of pulling up at a picturesque spot to break a journey while relaxing in comfort with all your own facilities has
to be one of the best experiences.Enjoy your MH.
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There is only one drawback and that is finding somewhere to park on days out, especially for the larger vehicle but with good planning you can get round this by as you say using public transport. It is much less of a problem on the Continent where the motorhome is King not the caravan. I was partially forced into change 16 years ago and have no regrets, life is so much easier both in travel and on site.
There are other options than public transport, you could tow a small car or you could carry bicycles.
peedee
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First thing to remember is it's not a caravan. We use ours all the time. We find places to stop that are nothing to do with campsites. As for buses and walking we take the MH or get the bikes out. The idea of a MH is that it can go with you and not just be planted on a pitch. You can also find some nice pub stops. Have a look at www.wildcamping.co.uk lots of information and places to stop
.. We managed 15 days in March on the South Coast without visiting a site. Scottish National Trust is cheaper than NT and you can use all the NT car parks. Ours is 7.5m long one and we manage to park in most places. 0 -
We too have just made the move to a motorhome, having had a caravan for twenty years before swapping to a sea going caravan with sails for sixteen, and early impressions are that we will love it. My fears about day parking have thus far been needless as
we have not failed to find suitable spaces, even during the Spring half term week. It's magic being able to pop back to the van for a cup of tea and spot of lunch (saves a fortune) and being able to finish a days walking with somewhere comfortable to sit
down before returning to site is a real treat. Enjoy!0 -
You will have no problems Roy and Bev. It is rather different to a caravan in a number of ways, but if you like meandering about, then a MH is lovely as you can stop and have a meal, you have your own clean loo, all the stuff you need if the weather changes
is onboard, and the setting up and leaving a site is, if you choose to let it be, so much easier! Not knowing how large your new MH will be, then parking may or may not be an issue. But it is a lot easier than you might think. We have done city visits, rural
visits, headed off the beaten track to remote spots for a picnic, all done in comfort and ease. Wishing you joy of your new purchase!0 -
I'm a committed motorhomer. (6.1m).
As well the above mentioned aspects I find the freedom and flexibility a major advantage. I really wouldn't want to have to book sites and I just toddle along and if I see somewhere interesting I may decide to stop for a day or two or if my planned stopping place is unnattractive I can change plans without needing to rearrange bookings. Some days, particularly in France where I tour 80% of the time, I may drive only 20 or 30 miles. I can usually find somewhere to easily stop/manouevre in a village and town car park to do a bit of shopping our sightseeing.
If a local site was fully booked (never happened to me in France although I always stay at home in August) when I arrived on spec there are plenty of places where I could park and get my head down. I've found the French very laisser faire with regard to 'camping cars' and the Camping Municipal sites are often within a 10 or 15 minute riverside stroll of the local main street and shops.
I love it!
(Hmm, apologies, I seem to have wandered in foreign touring mode).
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Motorhome length does matter when it comes to getting into parking spaces. Usually when we manouvre, my wife gets out and checks that I am doing it right - we don't have a rear view camera. I rely on the wing mirrors and my wife's unambiguous instructions.
Join a dedicated motorhome forum. Motorhome Matters and Motorhomeowners are both free. Motorhome Fun allows you 5 free posts before you have to pay membership. There are other motorhome forums.
We changed from a caravan to a motorhome 20 years ago and have never regretted it even though we enjoyed caravanning.
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