Long term motor caravanning
Comments
-
The thing is some folk have very long journeys to make to get to Spain.
Take Sweden, Norway and Denmark for instance, they set out for Spain around the end of August beginning of September. Yet they don't 'arrive' on site in Spain until October some towards the end of October. So they have spend 4-8 weeks just getting there, enjoying their hobby,exploring.
Once they get to their chosen site, they tend to meet up with friends that they have made over the years of travelling. They then spend some weeks getting re-acquainted. So some time towards the end of November they have settled down to a routine of 'just enjoying the better weather.
When we spent some months down there to try it out, we did ask lots of folk from different countries why they prefer to use campsites, rather than go to say an apartment. Without doubt the most consistent answer was that there is more 'life' on a campsite.
Travelling in a MH during the winter months to and from Spain is also a lot easier with a MH than with a caravan, should you have a problem finding a site, there is always the possibility of an Aire or wild camping for a night or two.
At the end of their time in Spain these same folk have the return journey to make which of course can take just as long or longer.
As to why they go and don't move around, many of them have been going for all their lives, as children, teenagers, parents and now grandparents they more than likely know more about Spain than many Spanish do
4 -
I have done it both ways InaD but never longer than 6 weeks or more than a month on any one site and the longer stays have always been booked. Even 10 years ago it wasn't easy to fine vacant pitches on the coast and those that were available were definitely not where I would want to stay for any length of time. It is now much busier and the police are also now clamping down on wild camping with the result there are even less pitches available for touring. There is no way I would attempt to tour Spain or the Algarve in the winter months anymore. This winter I am doing other things but if I decide on some Spanish winter sun in the future it will be with a booking.
peedee
1 -
Having toured all season, and thoroughly enjoyed it, why not take a more centre based holiday like many non caravaners do. Why not take your MH with you which then becomes that 'hotel room' or villa in the resort of your choice. What's more you can enjoy a leisurely tour down and back home stopping at interesting places on route. That makes sence to me.
1 -
Hi
You're quite correct there Lutz. We have a fifth wheeler based on a site in Spain and use that as a base to from with our PVC. There are at least a hundred there. I'll also agree with Tammygirl upthread regarding more life on a site. We've tried apartments in the past and while they are a lot cheaper to rent you can end up in a whole village on your own. The site we stay on is very large with over a thousand pitches so becomes full of life over winter. Doesn't suit everyone.
JK
0 -
I'm not sure that I would want to try and tour with a 5th wheel. Some of the sites we have been on just wouldn't have a pitch for them so more care and planning would need to be done.
We have had both caravan and a MH. Just recently moved back to a caravan again. IMO to get the best out of a MH like touring and long term staying then you either have to tow a car or rent a car.
The MH on its own is great for seeing things while still on the journey, if you can find somewhere to park it or don't mind staying on an aire.
We prefer to get somewhere and then explore hence the move back to a caravan. However the drawback is that we also like to go to France/Spain between Sep - Dec. With the MH this was never a problem but with a caravan I think you need to plan a lot more so have most of your sites booked ahead of time or make sure you phone ahead. Again this is ok if you've been previously and have a good idea of where you want to go.
We are still looking at doing a mix of rallies and own touring next year but it will mean booking ahead something I'm not keen on as I like to 'see' where I'm going to pitch and what the surrounding area of the site is like.
0 -
I don't quite share your concern regarding the need to book ahead in Spain between September and December. We arrived in Spain in mid-October and up to now we haven't had any problems getting a pitch for the caravan anywhere even though we have neither booked nor phoned ahead.
0 -
Of course there are others of us that suffer from rheumatic pain in cold wet weather who find that the Algarve being drier and warmer gives us the best of all possible winters.
And, as aforesaid, meeting up with regular friends down here.
Put me down for 6 months at a time.
0 -
That's good to hear, the last time we did it 2 years ago there were a number of sites that we could only get a few days on, nothing longer as they were fully booked.
This was ok at the time as we had a MH and were just testing the water. But if what we have been reading on this and many other threads on here is true, it has got worse since then.
With the caravan I wouldn't want to be having to move every couple of days.
We found that come mid to end October the most popular sites we fully booked by long stays, so trying to get a week or 2 on these sites was impossible during Nov/Dec.
0
