Retired from Motorhoming Today
Sad to say we have decided to call it a day on our touring activities. It’s not an altogether sudden decision as I think it’s been a few years in the making. We have had our current Bailey Alliance 66-2 since March 2019. We both now have hip or knee problems which means its not so easy to cope with the rigours of motorhoming and even if there are surgical remedies to our issues it would mean that both or either of us could be out of touring action for between three and six months and we are not getting any younger so that was the main reason behind our decision.
Cost through lack of use is another issue. I don’t mean the price of campsites but the general cost of keeping a motorhome on the road plus the depreciation. Prices are now coming down to more realistic levels. We have sold our motorhome to the dealer we originally purchased it from. Having made the decision, we wanted it resolved as soon as possible and I did not want the potential problems of selling it privately. It was with some trepidation we set out today to White Arches Motorhomes. We had been offered a sum over the phone subject to inspection. As it turned out the amount offered was honoured and the money is now in our bank so it was far less stressful than I imagined.
What of the future? I think we will hang onto our membership for a while as we might try Experience Freedom to see if we like it. We have been on a couple of cruises and I think they will figure in our holiday plans in the future. We are also fortunate that the company we worked for has a series of Country Clubs dotted around and as pensioners we have access to those. So, I don’t think there is any lack of alternative opportunities. After caravanning and motorhoming for the best part of 45 years change was bound to happen.
I plan to stay on the forum and contribute where I can. Not quite sure what I do about caravantravels.co.uk but the hosting is paid for the next two year so no rush on that score.
David
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It’s something that comes to us all eventually and is the reason we’ve downsized time and time again to the point of having something that’s virtually a full facility car for days out but could be used for staying in if necessary.
We looked at the Experience Freedom offerings and decided they’re not for us as they seem to offer less comfort than an LV. The C&CC have much better accommodation by way of lodges, in my opinion.
Add cottages into the mix, along with the likes of Premier Inn for breaking long journeys, and I find vanning is hardly missed at all after nigh on 50 years.
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All the very best from me , and I hope you enjoy your future holidays as much as you did touring in your caravans and motorhomes.
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The end of an era; I'm sorry to hear you've had to give up motorhoming and it must have been a sad day, taking it back to the dealer. It's something we all think about from time to time no doubt, but when the time comes, it must be hard to have to face up to the fact it's no longer viable.
But as you say, there are alternatives, and I wish you both well with your future holidays and breaks.
It seems many years ago that we met on the site at Montech in France, and then at the end of that holiday finding oursleves on the next pitch to you at Bearsted! Must be about 10 or 11 years ago now, time flies.
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A bit of a wrench but it comes to us all eventually. I am not far behind you David and I am certainly not looking forward to that day. Pleased to read you will continue to support CT, thanks, and all the best to you and Margaret for the future.
peedee
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Good morning David,
I am sorry to hear that health problems have brought both of you to the decision to end touring. I’m sure you will still have more adventures, just different.
I personally would like to thank you for the time & trouble you have taken both on this forum and your own website. We only started caravanning in 2018 and I have found your freely shared advice & experience invaluable. Your website in particular has been extremely helpful to us. I am aware this must take some considerable time and effort to maintain, but in no small part it gave us the confidence to broaden our horizons. Resulting in me currently writing this as I’m sat outside our caravan, enjoying a coffee on a site overlooking Lake Annecy
Glad your staying on the forum
Best wishes to you both.
Mark
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we are looking for another ccouple of years with the caravan and then we shall probably call it a day. We didn't go out last year as we were selling our bungalow . My OH has had both his hips done and the knees are not too good , but we shall keep going as long as we can. So I can understand where you're coming from. As in all things where there is an ending there is a new beginning and things to look forward to, so as well as helping out on here you can let us know what comes after selling up and moving on . Good Luck
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I’m sure you’ll find something you enjoy, and wish you both all the best.
We’ve had some fantastic times away in cottages and there are so many out there nowadays, of all shapes and sizes. Friends of ours have made great use of the EF glamping pods, and they do mean they can still visit a site alongside tourer owning family. The special offer prices are good, but not sure about an extended stay at full price.
I hope any health issues get sorted enough to let you get away successfully, must be a wrench for you. We have been using our MH mainly for short stays and days out these last 18 months (carer duties), but have found it such a boon having our own little base. Hopefully we are a very long way off giving up touring at the moment, but we shall mix in a host of other things once we can.
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Sorry to hear that David, but it is a decision we will all have to make eventually.
We are in year 17 of our present van, so it has served it well, and really we are only keeping it going for our daughter and family to use, getting ready and going away is becoming much more of a hassle for us these days.
I am fine, but OH has knee problems, so we are not getting out and about as much as we would like, but if the van holds together we may do another couple of years.
Best wishes to you and Margaret, I hope you get your health issues sorted soon.
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Au revoir, David and Margaret but not goodbye! It's a bit of a wrench giving up motorhoming, and we're still getting used to it. Just think of the money you're saving on tax, insurance and servicing!
We've managed to keep travelling by booking mobilhomes on French campsites in low season. They all speak english and are more than happy to take your booking. The loss of spontaneity and the need for detailed planning takes getting used to.
We sail from Portsmouth on Monday evening for St Malo for a 3 week, 2 site holiday in Brittany. Here we are having a no-expenses-spared lunch at Dinard last year!
Good luck to you both!
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DK, Thank you for keeping this forum afloat - and of course we wish you well, but a new world is opening up for you.
I don’t wish to pry, but guess you now have another £60,000 in the bank so the options for you are unlimited. There are all the places to visit which don’t have campsites. And all the ones which don’t have convenient buses - so no more hiking to bus stops and queuing till one turns up. And you need never go to Cayton Bay again. There are smarter places.
Forget pods. Forget Travellodge and even forget Premier Inn. Go posh. Enjoy yourselves. Good wishes.
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Reading between the lines on your posts this year meant that this hasn't really come as a surprise David.
I suppose the fact that we too have had to re-evaluate our own touring needs has meant that I've been thinking along parallel lines to yourself, only one that gives up caravanning to move into motorhome/pvc/campervan life. We did actually reach a final decision this week to sell our caravan, reluctantly one may add, and then look for a suitable replacement. In the meantime if we do manage any time away apart from the odd night then we'll use whatever fits the bill for where we want to be.
It's unfortunate that health issues has forced your hand but good that the sale has been resolved quickly. I do hope you'll continue to offer your advice on here and I appreciate your work as a moderator. Thank you and best wishes to you and Margaret for some sort of speedy treatment for your mobility problems.
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Oh dear, David - so sorry to hear you've had to give up but delighted that you will continue to contribute on here. Your common sense and vast experience would be sadly missed, otherwise. I know it's going to happen to us before too long as we're both in our mid / late(ish!) 70's. Erecting an awning will be the next thing to go and then I have it in mind to look for a seasonal pitch (our thinking when we bought the 8' wide van).
We wish you both all the very best for the future - whatever you decide to do - and - genuinely - look forward to reading about your travels elsewhere in the future. Take care - and keep well.
Richard & Rosamund
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David, thank you for keeping this forum afloat and for your posts.
Sadly, it realise it's almost 5 years since we, too, had to make that decision. We've had a couple of breaks away since. But there's health and house move in the mix as well. The bit I miss the most is knowing that everything is yours and the standard of cleanliness. Maybe my standards are too high...... oh and having a dog. I miss the mobile, changing room, rest area and facilities on days out. But we get there. Its certainly a wrench.
I wish both you and Margaret good health and happy times. Make the most of every opportunity. And keep posting please, it's nice to catch up with folks posts.
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Motorhoming just isn’t supported in the UK like it is on the continent, the UK costs of owning/using a motorhome are far in excess almost to the point of prohibitive to that of our continental friends, parking places are becoming less with many councils almost seeing the MH as either a revenue trap or the scourge of the earth
We had a motorhome, my children found the living area much less comfortable than that any of the caravans they’ve stayed in and so it had to go, we sold it for the same price as we purchased it for which as it was in Covid was a high price, but since then I’ve noticed prices dropping to something almost achievable for many.
I/we will return to Motorhoming when our children have decided they don’t want to holiday with us any more.
Good luck in moving forward, cannot have been an easy decision.0 -
Good luck in your next venture David. I must thank you as we have found your caravan travels blogs very helpful over many years and have visited a lot of great places on the back of some of your stories. May be a good idea to keep it going and update it even if away to a pod etc as I’m sure you will still visit many interesting places
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Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the kind thoughts and best wishes. As you can perhaps imagine its been a bit strange not seeing the motorhome parked in the back garden and knowing its a permanent change. We are still sorting out things from the van although in the end we did leave quite a bit for the new owners which we were encouraged to do by White Arches. Also saves me the need to dispose of things myself! We have some young neighbours with children who have recently got a caravan so will probably donate some stuff to them.
David
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Sorry to hear that you have had to give up David. Not an easy decision. We hope we have a few years left yet but I suppose it is something we will have to accept eventually. We enjoy the type of holiday so much that in our case I think it will be purely down to fitness both as in able to drive and carry out the tasks involved. I think we are prepared to take the cost hit, of probably using it much less and for shorter trips in the future. As long as we can afford it of course. We have occasionally tried cottages / gites in the past and although we enjoyed them, much prefer the freedom we have now and will be loath to give it up. Good fortune in whatever you choose for the future.
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David.I started 60 years ago in an old van and primus stove. Nothing else and wild camping every week end regardless of the weather. just climbing in North Wales with a lot of quite famous names in the climbing world. Moved on to a van with Porta Poti. Next proper bed and stove based on VW. Married, got kids, and a proper job. Still vanned extensively moving into hill walking and fishing. Eventually Kids " borrowed" the van. On retirement got a lovely "Rhythm" and a lot of touring. Supplemented my pension by breeding pedigree sheep which I still do. Time eventually caught up with us and like you sadly parted with the van. However the memories are still there and my wife kept an extensive diary which makes good reading. Not sure, with now having to plan things ahead, busy sites and rules if I would enjoy it as much. Nothing like a wild camp by a remote Assynt Loch. Keep going David plenty of other recreational things to do , just slower.
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Hi David. Sorry to be late to the post... and really sorry to read this. I did read that you had sold the MH via Facebook. I hope Margaret and yourself are able to get the medical things sorted. It is so distressing at the moment. Carol is also struggling with hip, knee and back pain, but it seems to be taking forever to get anything sorted out. As you may remember, I had both knees and shoulders done some years back - at a time when it didn't take so long to get it sorted. We are managing with the caravan at the moment, but tend to use serviced pitches most of the time, and never use a 'proper' awning these days. We hope we have a few more years left with the caravan, but none of us really know when it's the 'right time' until we get there.
All the best to you both, but I hope we will all still be able to benefit for your advice and wealth of experience on here and elsewhere.
All our continued good wishes,
Carol & David
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Oh David, I am so sorry to read this but not surprised. I only usually read the touring part of the forum so came across your post by accident while looking to see what there was on seasonal pitches.
Your blogs originally inspired me and my husband to travel further afield in France having tended to stay in the north, or no futher south than the Loire. Also when I started to write my own blog you helped me get started so I owe you a lot.
Sadly we came back from two weeks away last week and hubby told me he doesn't intend to go away any more as he wants to stay at home but I am not ready to do that. Luckily our son in law has offered to tow the van anywhere I want so I have booked a pitch at White House Beach for a week to see how I get on on my own. If successful I think I might try to find a seasonal pitch although I gather that they are scarcer than hens' teeth.
I wish you and Margaret a very happy time in however you choose to spend your time away in the future.
Jenny
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If successful I think I might try to find a seasonal pitch although I gather that they are scarcer than hens' teeth.
Longtimecaravanner if you are a member of the C&CC you might well find that they have seasonal pitches availab!e on some of their sites.
Hope you find that you are able to manage by yourself, and so are able to continue going away in your caravan.
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Hi Jenny
Thanks for the kind comments. I don' think it was a case of not wanting to go away but things seemed to increasingly get in the way of going away. You mentioned White House Beach, which is a site we liked. Some time ago we booked a week at this site with the £5 a night off in the first week of July. Unbeknown then we would have had to have cancel because Margaret is having an operation on her hand on 1st July! I don't think I am speaking out of turn but I suspect Margaret was less concerned about giving up but what worried her was how I might react having done it for so long and whether I would miss it? Jury still out on that! I think had we still had a caravan we may have been less worried about not using it so much but with the motorhome concerns about lack of use and the added expense sort of hastened the decision. In a strange way we seem to have been so busy since selling the motorhome that perhaps it hasn't hit home fully yet?
I hope you can find a solution to your problem and perhaps a seasonal might be the answer. It's just finding a site that you like and if you don't have transport with you somewhere that has reasonable public transport nearby. Follow up on Nellie's idea as I understand the C&CC have a slightly different way of doing things which might mean you don't have to commit for too long in any one place.
David
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Sorry to hear David, I hope we will still see you on CT. Best of luck with your new ventures.
Regards Richard
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David
A wise man once told me he was retiring and added "You will know when the right time comes"
And so I suspect it is equally the case with our hobby of (motor) caravanning. However if you find you are missing it too much there may be a way back, perhaps in the shape of a small automatic PVC. When I started 20 years ago I hoped that Britain would gradually go the way of Europe as regards the relative freedom and affordability but if anything it has gone the other way and the offerings of the main Clubs have changed scarcely at all, and as I see it they think demography has something to do with voting and that Caravans are still the main thing. We will keep our van for so long as we are able to go to Europe but could not justify it based on the UK.
For now all the best to you and Margaret in your "retirement" and special thanks for the calm fair and knowledgeable pronouncements both as a moderator and contributor, as well as a blogger.
All the best
BVM
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