Essex newbie

gingergeek75
gingergeek75 Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited January 2017 in Introductions #1

Hello All,

Just thought id say Hello... Proud owners of a Ford Transit LWB Camper van Conversion. Planing to spend many days and nights Drinking wine and eating Cheese enjoying the great outdoors.

Any advise would be very much appreciated... Wanting to plan our first trip overnight around Essex so the Wife, Kids and I can get to know our bus and whats what... Maybe a Pub Stopover.. Did I mention we like a vino or two.. lol smile

Comments

  • peegeenine
    peegeenine Forum Participant Posts: 548
    edited January 2017 #2

    Hi Gingergeek75, welcome to CT. Not any CC sites in Essex, but there are quite a few good CLs. As you have kids you may also like to consider Rallying, a great way to make friends.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,192 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #3

    Hello and welcome.  As has already been said no CC or C&CC sites in Essex.  However there are CL's and a couple of commercial sites.

    First trip out I'd say stay close to home, in case you have forgotten something, not far to go to retrieve smile.  Depending on your children's ages and likes I'm sure you'll find something suitable.

    Don't be tempted to buy too much too soon, take things from home and see what equipment your need - we have all got a store/stash of what looked like 'wows, great and useful' items that turned out not to be surprised.

    Ask about anything you're not sure about, there's lots of very knowledgable people on here who'll be happy to give pointers.  You'll probably get several different answers, showing there's no one way to go wink

  • N1805
    N1805 Forum Participant Posts: 1,092
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2017 #4

    You may find a search on ukcampsite.co.uk could help find somewhere.  Lots of various other useful info on here.  Good to see you’ve posted a picture.  Hope you all enjoy your time away.

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2017 #5

    Welcome  GG75,  the  CC  &  CT  are  both  full  of  Cheese 

    Lovers --  probably  the  best  things  to  be  found  at  The 

    N E C  caravan  shows  are  the  stalls  run  by  Snowdonia 

    Cheese,  with  which  I  have  no  business  connection,  just 

    a  liking  for  their  product  wink.  But  don't  over-load  your 

    Tranny  with  cheese,  it's  definitely  weighty  stuff,  or  so  my

    dietician  insists embarassed  !!

    Brian  A B M

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #6

    ....you just beat me to the Snowdonia Cheese advert, Brian. laughing

    Welcome to Club Together, gingergeek.  To keep us up to date how you ae doing.

    Best wishes 

    David 

    P.S.  I don't seem to be able to see your picture. frown

  • N1805
    N1805 Forum Participant Posts: 1,092
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2017 #7

    Interesting, I can no longer see the picture only click to view larger picture.

  • N1805
    N1805 Forum Participant Posts: 1,092
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2017 #8

    Really odd - 8.44am 17th Jan 2017 - picture is back again  white van taken from driver's side - 1 window with net curtains behind driver's door - decals on the side.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #9

    Welcome to CT and the wonderful world of vanning. smile

    (Photo missing for me too, another blip on the new web site?)

  • Bellsboy
    Bellsboy Forum Participant Posts: 68
    First Comment
    edited January 2017 #10

    Welcome from me too GG75, I hope you enjoy touring in your new van. Please keep us informed of your progress.

    Unfortunately the photograph is not available to me on my browser so I can't admire your outfit. 

  • N1805
    N1805 Forum Participant Posts: 1,092
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2017 #11

    Checked again picture not there - clicked on refresh button - picture appeared OK.

     

  • wye
    wye Forum Participant Posts: 241
    edited January 2017 #12

    Welcome to the wonderful world of touring .

    There are some excellent CL's n Essex , and Suffolk .

  • RowenaBCAMC
    RowenaBCAMC Forum Participant Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #13

    Welcome to The Caravan Club and Club Together - sounds like you have some good trips in your camper van planned for the future. As already mentioned, we have some really lovely CL Sites in Essex. These sites are small, privately owned sites with a maximum of 5 vans reserved exclusively for members. Many of these sites are in stunning locations and a great way to experience your new van. laughing

  • gingergeek75
    gingergeek75 Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited January 2017 #14

    Thank you all for the warm welcome, the wife and i are buzzing to get out there... Talking of which.... Wife needs to be in Colchester, Essex for 9am tomorrow morning, so was thinking off taking the bus out for the first time for an overnight stay at a campsite nearby... But With the -1 temperature outside I'm a little worried about the cold... We have a 800w oil filled heater which we can use via Hook up.. and lots of duvets??? Will the wife and two kids be warm enough??? 

  • peegeenine
    peegeenine Forum Participant Posts: 548
    edited January 2017 #15

    The answer is probably, but I would recommend that you keep your socks on!smile A 1kw fan heater may be useful as well depending on how many amps the EHU is, you don't want to trip it out. With all that breathing though you may wake up to a lot of condensation on the cab windows so my next recommendation, if you haven't already got them, is a good quality exterior windscreen cover. A bit late for tomorrow but a good investment for the future, search Silver Screens and Taylormade.

    Colchester traffic can be a bit of a nightmare that time of day so give yourself plenty of time to get where you need to be.

  • Merve
    Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2017 #16

    Welcome to the madhouse gg. Have a great time in your wagon. You'll find out soon enough regarding what you need for heating. Peegeenine mentions a useful tip re condensation. 

  • gingergeek75
    gingergeek75 Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited January 2017 #17

    Hi All, Decided against the overnight trip.. thought -1 was too low... going to wait till the weather improves ... Just can't wait to get out there.... Thanks for the advice .....

     

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2017 #18

    Welcome aboard, gingergeek75!

  • Outdoor Lady
    Outdoor Lady Forum Participant Posts: 127
    edited January 2017 #19

    Welcome, hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We're also fairly new,one year in Feb. There's a lovely cl outside Southend called Shopland Hall Equestrian Centre. As the name suggests it's a riding school so plenty to watch for the children, it has a lovely view over fields at the back, it also has one very basic shower/toilet facility that the equestrian centre also use. There is a little café on site that does light lunches. Maybe a good one to start with?

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