UK staycation boom predicted
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"That coastal area has much to offer, stunning wild beaches between Nairn and Burghead including lovely Findhorn"
brings back memories, as a tick in the box for my bucket list I drove coaches in that area of Scotland for some time, we also lived in a place called Turriff for 12 years when i worked in Aberdeen.
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That would probably suit us David! But we won't be travelling quite as far this year...unless one of our lot decides they miss the far north and decamps further afield.
I'm going to look at a few more places this week, I don't want to be the popped cork that lands back at home.
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We found the sites good, David. OK, maybe they didn’t have serviced pitches but otherwise were absolutely fine. Some sites had modern facility blocks, others older ones but in every case they were clean, roomy and very fit for use. From Lewis down to Barra we didn't find one site we'd not happily use again. I'm sure you'd be fine another time.
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"Looks nice, but for the period we will be there it seems they are requiring a 7 day booking. Refused a 4 day one when OH tried."
this is def going to be a growing trend, was speaking to my SIL who is a manager within one of the largest holiday companies in the UK and she mentioned that they were looking to go either 5 or maybe 7 days minimum booking.
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Actually, I fibbed😀. We'd not use the West Harris Trust's Talla Na Mara site again but that's only for MHs anyway.
On Lewis we stayed at Eilean Fraoich and I've loads of others throughout the islands I can link to if you need them.
http://www.eileanfraoich.co.uk
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It's really sad if more sites go this way. Not only does it remove the flexibility, but if this is done on a large scale and should sites stipulate Saturday to Saturday bookings, than it has implications for road traffic. There are some sites who have always stipulated Saturday to Saturday bookings (usually the popular sites who have no difficulty in filling pitches), but, personally, I don't think this will become universal. Certainly not convenient for those motorhomers who move frequently between sites.
David
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OH thought it was possibly as our dates were in the school Easter break so tried a date in mid June, but the result was the same.
Would rule out sites doing that as far as we are concerned, we don't do weeks anywhere very often, maybe 3 times in the last 20+ years. We tour, usually max 5 days on a site.
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flatcoat......what is your opinion of the road down the east side of the loch?
It is not a road we have used before, so I was looking at it on Google Earth last night, it looks rather narrow, with some pretty skimpy passing places!
Is there much traffic on it in your experience? Obviously going to be some buses, lorries, caravans and MHs. And how good is the visibility of oncoming vehicles?
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Bit the bullet yesterday and booked a couple of 2/3 night breaks for end of March as I’m getting decidedly twitchy. Hope that by then we will have both had the vaccine and feeling a bit more confident although it maybe some time before we venture into restaurants etc.
We managed 8 breaks away once the sites reopened last year, all reasonably local (within an hour’s travel) and felt safe and relaxed.Got a call from Surgery this morning and they started by saying ‘ringing to book you for.....’. Unfortunately they carried on with ‘....for a Shingles vacination). I was so disappointed
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Buses? Oh the locals wish! There are 2 a day..... and one of those is the school bus..... (my sister’s hubby can no longer drive so journeys to Inverness need planning carefully). It is quiet, much quieter than the west side. We were towing a t/a the last time we were there, It is simply a case of steady as you go. It is not all single track and where it is there are generally good passing places. At Foyers it swings inland to get to Fort Augustus and that is a bit tight in places. You can cut also across to the Loch from the A9 south of Inverness and although that route has very little traffic (and is doable) am not sure i would want to without refreshing my memory on google street.
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Thanks! We would be coming from the north, and have read that that is a recommended route on the CCC website, the B852 I think, rather than down the west side and back up. Then ideally continuing south to Fort Augustus on departure as our next stop is Oban.
We too will be towing a twin axle, our total outfit length when hitched is 12.75m. So.....not really any buses......what about big lorries and tractors with trailers?
Having towed on plenty of single track roads in Scotland and Norway, it is mainly the frequency and width of the passing places that would worry me, as it looks like visibility ahead may be limited due to the trees either side of the road?
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We have booked June in Cornwall, cancelled from last year. Will it happen? Who knows? Hopefully we should have had both jabs by then but we will still be avoiding crowds and busy places. We have booked the Lakes in late April as well. It’s good to have something to look forward to and we just have to hope things improve for all.
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Haven't booked any sites anywhere yet.
I can't see us getting out until nearer Easter or just after.
We have a ferry booked for 3rd week of April carried over from last year, can't see us getting over there then so will need to move it to later in the year, when I think it will be ok to go. We still have a tunnel crossing to use before the end of June that may be doable.
When we do get out I think we will stay within Scotland like we did to start with last year. We have a few sites/CL's that we are happy to go to and comfortable with.
We have lost our 3 weeks in Lanzarote in early March, as the flights have been cancelled. Full refund from Jet2 and our weeks moved to Nov/Dec.
I agree with AD, give me quiet and boring any day to full on and buzzing. It will be the quiet sites in France that we will seek out when we return, Spain is a different story I'm not sure they do quiet
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Thanks Tricia. We live in Flintshire and still waiting to hear from Betsi Cadwaladr. Apparently they are the ones making the appointments and directing you to the jab centre.
There's a lot of elderly folk getting a bit twitchy. Seeing as a Care Home in Mold was the first in North Wales to get the BionTech vaccine there shouldn't be a logistical problem with storage hereabouts.
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Hope you're arranging to avoid the G7😂
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Couldn’t have chosen a lovelier venue. I took Mum and Dad there back in 2001. Only for a coffee and a look around the beautiful gardens😂 I could be tempted to stay there though.
We have promised ourselves The Fowey Hotel one day. Nearest we have got is a few nights in the Old Ferry Inn at Bodinnick. Food is lovely in there.....😁1 -
My SIL is manager at a holiday company who have a couple of sites in that area and she has had block bookings for 50 statics for 2 weeks before the G7 summit and 1 week after, she is expecting more, it would appear all the support staff are going to slum in in statics whilst those in the know will have a top hotel, are there any in Devon?
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It will be the press as well.
Any what in Devon?🤔
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Hi TDA, If you are referring to Tregenna there are often deals available, from the likes of Travelzoo etc, and often refer to a ‘Cornish castle’.
Fowey Hotel is now The Fowey Harbour Hotel and has been given a makeover inside which, my daughter tells me, is very nice, but the stunning views are still the same!
Old Ferry has changed hands a number of times and may even be up for sale now so, if you fancy a challenge!
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Yes I had a look at the Fowey last night. It’s the one with the big tea garden right on the waterfront, past “Q”s house. Gone rather modern inside, but it looks nice. Lovely location. Didn’t know it had changed it’s name. We were last in Fowey a couple of years ago, always interesting to see what’s changed. We know it reasonably well, we spent nearly 20 years visiting, all seasons, weeks on end sometimes. DF has possibly the most gorgeous house in Cornwall along the Esplanade!😁 Stayed a few times at the Old Ferry Inn, always good fun. We left our caravan up at Penmarlam Caravan Site all Summer, back when it used to be Yeate Farm. It’s not an area for the MH, much prefer to explore with car, some of the tiniest lanes end with the most beautiful of places. After a bit of walking of course👍
Thinking about it, I took Mum and Dad to Tregenna some 18 years ago, so I suspect it’s changed a bit. Nice though😁
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KjeIIN - depends on time of year, might be unlucky if the forestry commission are felling tress in the area however not much agriculture to generate tractor traffic. It is the usual post and delivery vans, locals and tourists. My bro-in-law was a nervous driver (wouldn't drive on m/ways.....) and managed it for 20 odd years until giving up driving. The trickiest bit of the route from Foyers to Fort Augustus is the initial stretch climbing out of the village and heading towards Whitebridge, a touch tight and winding in places. After that mostly ok and worth looking out for the view point approaching Fort Augustus. The descent needs a bit of care but just let the locals get on with trying to break speed limits and dodge the sheep. While you are in Foyers go upto the falls (spectacular) and if happy to walk (or drive) go upto Loch Bran, small loch but very peaceful. My sisters house overlooks the loch.
We are glad we booked Roseland for September this year - will be in Austria in June (if we can escape these shores) or on Isle of Wight if not.
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We used to stay at the "Fowey Hotel" when it was owned by the Richardsons but the Fowey Hall Hotel is also very good. We also rented a cottage on the Menabilly estate and that was an interesting experience, deep down in the woods with a footpath to Polridmouth beach (Keepers Cottage.) There is a nice CL within easy walking distance of the town if you want to go back with your van.
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There are a couple Brue. We use Toynes House, which I think is the one slightly further out, very nice. Been staying on and off for years, back before it had hook ups.
Love Polridmouth. We have done the walk all the way from Fowey, up and down the coastal path, emerging by the Lake. Tend to park up at the Barton nowadays, and down the sunken lane. It’s just so special that Cove. There was quite a bit of the wreck left when we first found it back in 1984, but I doubt there’s much left now. Happy days🥰
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Your sanctuary, my home😶
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