Parking a motorhome
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Generally I have a rough idea why I’m going somewhere and the only research I’ll do is to trawl the site reviews for some mention of shop/pub/bus stop nearby, within walking distance etc.
For me that’s the most important information a review can contain. Most of the other stuff is just subjective and of little interest. Published site information in that respect is generally poor and probably dates from the time when CMC was CC - it’s probably not a big deal for most caravaners?
I’d like to see more people taking opportunity to leave reviews making specific reference to local facilities and accessibility. Maybe the review page should be updated with some prompt questions to capture key information?
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"I would say don’t fall into the trap of dwelling too much on what others do, how they holiday, where they stay, how much planning or lack of planning goes into something. Everyone makes their own choices based upon their own wants and needs, and there is no right or wrong, just choice"
Agree 100% with that and thank goodness you wrote it TTDA! Bexcuse I was beginning to think we'd been doing it all wrong over the last 40+ years of touring. Our holidays are primariily based around walking so we do lots of planning and if staying somewhere for, say, a week we will have probadly 5 full days planned out in advance and a couple of fall backs if the weather is too bad to get out. And we still do that for trips abroad, even on package holidays we will have read up about places we're visiting and worked out what sites we most want to see.
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Regarding size, it seems to be universally acknowledged that those with smaller motorhomes tend to use them as transport whereas those with much larger motorhomes use them as caravans - I accept there are always exceptions but it is not far off the mark.
As a generality you are probably correct. We fully investigated MH's before we bought, as we intend it to see out or touring. In the end we decided the van type, were just to much of a compromise and opted for a coach built, 2.22 x 6.94. So a little bit narrower than our caravan but still oversize for a normal parking space, even if you can hang over the grass at the back.
However, in this country you can easily move on to a site close to where you want to visit. When we had the caravan we would have spent a week on each site and perhaps used the car on a couple of days. Now we might move on to 2 / 3, sites in the week. In the U.K. Of course often a little more planning is required. In France there are often Aires or even better municipal sites at the places we want to visit, so public transport is not required.
Given their cost and potential losses involved in changing, it was vital that we got it right. So far after a year using it both here and in France, we are happy with our choice and the minimal limitations it imposes.
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I do think if you refuse to take your MH off site after arriving then you have either, bought one that is too large, lost your nerve or touring in the wrong area/country.
"Refuse" for me is too strong a word, I would substitute "chose" While I do have a larger motrhome, that was my choice governed by a number of factors. I haven't lost my nerve, yet, but do acknowledge that ownership can be a bit fraught with a few difficulties that is why I will sometimes tow a small car in the UK and why I enlist the help of a truck sat nav. I like to minimise the stress of the unknown after all I am out to enjoy myself..
Even smaller motorhomes have difficulties in finding parking and getting down some of the narrower roads and avoiding height restrictions, It is not all about being too large or having no nerve. It is mostly down to the way our country is and to its attitude to providing adequate facilities for motorhomes of all sizes to tour in the UK.
peedee
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We've only had it a year and visited France once for 6 weeks. However, managed easily find sites or Aires within easy walking distance of what we wanted to visit, both rural and urban As in the case of Avignon, Bayeux and Bourges.
Would agree for the UK.
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Yes, that’s our experience. Almost always somewhere available wherever you want to visit. Such places are not always the nicest and cheapest sites you’ll visit, taking advantage of location, but they exist if you need them. European cities are generally well served, much more so than UK.
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Change is creeping in, PD.
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When we got our first motorhome (never had a caravan) our main thing was we did not want to use the vehicle once on site. We have toured the UK for the last 7 years. Most of our touring is 2 nights on a site then move on. Once on site we either walk, use public transport or we have a scooter on the back of the van for shopping trips or to go a bit further. We have never found this a problem and love the relaxation it brings, often we talk to people on site in caravans and ask have you seen something which is 10 minutes walk away and they will say "no but we have been to so and so" which is often 20 miles away. Often we only move 20 miles to the next site and then start again
There really is little need to use the van on a daily basis, your on holiday sit back relax and loose the stress that driving nearly always brings now days with busy roads and difficulty parking
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Sorry, forgot to add
Birmingham can be easily reached by public transport from the CMC site at Chapel Lane. No traffic stress, no parking stress on arrival and often the cost of public transport is cheaper than the cost of a days parking in the city
Sit back relax let someone else drive and you often see more as a passenger than you ever would as the driver
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Aye, but I bet you still visit public loos whilst off site, and pay for a meal in a cafe etc.... or eat your sandwiches in the rain! But that’s your choice, and I respect it. 😉
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One of the diminishing advantages of being old, a free bus pass
Both campsites within Cambridge City limits have good bus services fortunately.
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Think we have been here before but Gosport & Fareham BC's definitely not encouraging MH's well certainly not in the seafront areas, most car parks have height restricting barriers and those that dont have large signs saying "NO OVERNIGHT Human HABITATION".
Have to say though, MH's def on the increase, and this could be a cause of concern going foreward for those who own a MH and those that dont.
Spent the month of September on a site in Devon, lovely time, but did notice that lots of town car parks in Devon and Cornwall said no MH's e.g. Tavistock main town car park, and some that did welcome MH's were charging double the normal motor vehicle charge.
As somebody has said, in a lot of cases it is the few that spoil it for the many with their inconsiderate behaviour, we have our usual crop of lockdown illegals at Tichfield Haven claiming they have nowhere to go, what they really mean is nowhere to go which is free, these are mainly people in transit vans with a mattress thrown in the back, although unusually this year we have a transit van with a caravan in tow, looks like a very old swift.
Once again we have that old chestnut, what are they doing for toilet facilities?, public loo's closed. No doubt dumping in the sea
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Horses for courses, Dawn. You do it your way and we do the opposite and love it but there is no right or wrong and we're all happy.
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In my experience, the opening sentence is a generalisation and the first part of it is not true. There have been French cities and towns where we could find no where to park our 5.65 metres long van.
Also along much of the Riviera motorhome parking (apart from in the small number of aires de camping cars) was forbidden. Likewise, we understood that motorhome parking in Monte Carlo/ Monaco was not allowed. This was not a problem for us as we were staying on campsites and either cycled or used public transport.
On our last visit to France three years ago we found that there were more parking areas with height barriers than previously.
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I can't think exactly where we were, but went into Cambridge and used the P&R. Other places where we've done the same thing, the parking itself has been free or very little cost & the bus itself has been low cost. But at Cambridge's P&R neither was cheap. The next time we went into Cambridge, we drove, parked for free at the side of the road & walked the last bit into town.
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The opening words of your original post were:
"You will only encounter problems in this country."
That is the part which I indicated was untrue (as is implied in the first sentence of your reply) . If something is less of a problem elsewhere but that doesn't mean there aren't any problems there, then it cannot be true that people will only encounter such problems in the UK!
I have travelled extensively in much of mainland Europe, Ireland and the UK in the last 18 years and know that some parts of some countries are more "motorhome friendly" than others. However, I still maintain that to inform a would be owner of a motorhome that s/he will only encounter problems parking in the UK is not correct (as you seem to acknowledge in your reply).
Likewise, "The Continent" comprises a very large number of countries, each with their own arrangements for parking motorhomes or sleeping in them outside of authorised campsites. Indeed, in most countries I have visited, parking policies in cities and towns are decided by the individual local authorities not central Government, so arrangements can vary from one area to another.
Some countries in "The Continent" actually forbid "wild camping" and do not have aires or their equivalent. (I appreciate that the OP was about parking, not sleeping in the vehicle.)
Therefore, I believe it is a generalisation to comment on "The Continent" as a single entity with the same rules or arrangements throughout.
I hope I haven't bored you but have explained why I think the opening sentence of you original post was as I stated.
Hopefully, we won't fall out over this but I believe that facts are important rather than generalisations.
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I agree with your opening comment. I referenced it as one example refuting an idea that it is only in "this country" where someone would experience problems parking a motorhome. I think that it is too easy to make exaggerated or untrue statements which may give an enquirer a false impression.
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hope I haven't bored you but have explained why I think the opening sentence of you original post was as I stated.
Not boring at all dunelm, better than discussing COVID.
Even in the busiest places on the Continent, they do provide parking for motorhomes even if there are a few prohibitions. You cannot say that about the UK. Personally I have never had a problem in 20 years of visiting the Continent with motorhomes. I did qualify my opening words with reference to it being less of a problem.
peedee
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One thing tht most fail to "advise" about anything that paints continental europe as being better for all things , touring is that it seems most are talking OUT of the main holiday seaon ,which what we found when taking the children(even years ago when we went) it was just as busy in any of the popular holiday spots as the uk ,it does not feel so busy as there is far more space also the prices are not that "cheaper"
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Quite an encouraging list of aires type spots on the CampRA website.
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