Touring UK without having to book

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  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #92

    Let's talk about the uk.

    Personally, if I want to "tour" I get a lot of pleasure in pre-planning routes, looking up sites and then, guess what, I book the sites and stick to a schedule because my time is limited to maybe two weeks, three at the most.

    If going abroad with lots of time to wander, yes, it would be nice to just turn up and find a pitch. But in the uk, with less space, some crowded holiday times my touring is pre-booked.

    I could wander but I don't need to, having seen a lot of places already, my tours are a bit more precise. I want to see something, somewhere, so I aim for certain places.

    smile

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #93

    Have you all taken a look at your self, it's like a school playground here . just accept we all do things differently ,end off yell

     

      

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,152 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #94

    At least as long as that.  What’s your point as I’ve not said anything about the length of tow? undecided

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,152 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #95

    I do, Husky. I’m very happy for others to spend their holidays in whichever way suits them and can’t understand why they don’t view other people’s choices in the same way instead of making derogatory remarks laden with innuendo. 

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,433 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #96

    I've no idea but could find out for you if you wish swifty?smile

    I don't do touring, I generally go somewhere and stay for a few weeks, usually within a day's towing (about 4 to 6 hours), If I was to do that sort of journey then I'd probably stop off for a few 5 day layover along the way. 

    But that's not my point, my point is do whatever you want, tour however you want but don't label and insult others who don't do things your way.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,433 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #97

    I agree, it is fun to choose a site then plan a route with possible stops, motorway or otherwise, along the way.

    I have more freedom now but still book a site to ensure a stress free stay.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #98

    I don't plan the motorway stops, they just happen. wink

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #99

    I agree 100% with that, brue. Our system is simple - we choose an area for a main stay of, maybe a week, and book the most attractive looking site in the area. Then we work out a route and book a couple of stops on the way and a couple more on the way back, often using CLS in areas where we probably wouldn't otherwise think of exploring. It's not so very different to what others would have us believe is the nirvana of touring "over there" (their choice, perfectly OK by me) but then accepting the UK norm of booking when over here.

    Each to their own; I get a bit fed up of the frequent implications that it's so much better "over there". It's only "better" if it suits you more, otherwise it's simply "different". smile

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #100

    Yes, "vive la difference"  otherwise it would be very dull indeed. laughing

  • Unknown
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    edited April 2018 #101
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  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #102

    I would think the answer is yes but you'd have to be a free spirit going where the pitches are at any one time. We often see people turning up at cub sites, most of the time they get a pitch but when it's busy we have seen them lose out.

  • Unknown
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    edited April 2018 #103
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  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #104

    AD, a question , would you say that the number of sites/pitches over seas far out weighs the number of carasvaners/motorhomers who want to use them , so making a surplus of sites/pitches ??

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #105

    If you count in the two clubs and all their CLs/CSs plus all other non club sites there's plenty to choose from in most areas. I probably wouldn't want to do it with a very large M/H or a twin axle caravan, especially down our narrow UK lanes but some might and I wouldn't want to be looking for a site late in the day. smile

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited April 2018 #106

    I work on the principle that there is something worth seeing nearly everywhere. 10 years ago I would book a series of 3 and 4 night stops generally and chop and change if I wanted longer somewhere or less time or even miss a site out. Now I I have slowed down and book a series of 5 nights but may still chop and change 

     

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #107

    Our stays are fairly short, some we want to leave fairly quickly, others we wish we could stay longer but we can always return. As you say there is something of interest everywhere, I think we've covered a lot of the UK but can still find "new" places. It's touring with some planning input first. wink

  • Unknown
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    edited April 2018 #108
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  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #109

    " I have a larger comfort zone than some  but I dont think I am qualifies as "free spirited "  enough to risk it with a large caravan knowing how thin on the ground sites in the UK are "

     

    Good point. And that is surely a crucial factor in why even the "freeest spirits" when travelling abroad do as the rest of us do and book when travelling "over here". smile

  • Unknown
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    edited April 2018 #110
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  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #111

    goodness me, how offensive. wink

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #112

    The same time it takes us to drive from the North of Scotland to the South of England I would think wink

    We can do it in 2 long days with 1 overnight stop, however we rarely do that these days as we have more time and it could (if just touring UK) take us 3 weeks to cover the same distance. 

    Just like over there we can get to the Med with 2 overnight stops from Zeebrugge but on the other hand it could take us 6 weeks.cool

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #113

    Steady on, David - that's twice this week! Folk will start talking. laughing

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #114

    "We can do it in 2 long days with 1 overnight stop ...."

     

    Possibly, in a MH with 2 drivers, TG. But I think you'd be pushed to do it towing a van in that time! wink

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited April 2018 #115

     You, Offensive?

    I decline to comment BB

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited April 2018 #116

    The furthest that I have travelled whilst towing in UK (before an arthritic spine) was just over 320 miles from Chester into Scotland

  • cariadon
    cariadon Forum Participant Posts: 861
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    edited April 2018 #117

    I think it's possible, as long as you are flexible and open to all type of sites, basic to all facilities. July and August could have limited choice, but we have found adult only site not always full. 

     

     

     

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited April 2018 #118

    The furthest abroad was with two drivers (6 of us) from outside Dunkirk to Prague. It would have been 666 miles but decided to go round the block a couple of times! laughing

  • cariadon
    cariadon Forum Participant Posts: 861
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    edited April 2018 #119

    Like you Tammygirl we used to rush to site, but now realise that the holidays start when we hitch up, We try and avoid motorways and enjoy the scenery and villages as we travel along.

     

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,152 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #120

    Cornwall to Dunnet Bay in 4-5 days in the MH but at least 1 day longer when towing. That’s a journey of near 800 miles with much of it not on motorways.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2018 #121

    Personally, I don't these days like to tow for more than a couple of hours at a time, 3 at a pinch. So if we're going further afield I'll plan my route to stop of at another site, very often a CL, for a night or two. I can see no pleasure in slogging on for hour after hour and arriving tired on site. But that's just me - easily irritable as Mrs M would no doubt say! wink