1st Timer - Touring Continent (1 Viewer)

[Alkaz]

Hi,
Will be hiring a Motorhome in July 2013 and this will be my first time travelling in a Motorhome. I live in North East and my initial thoughts were to ferry from Hull to Belgium. Head to Luxemborg, Germany, Switzerland then in to France to head back home. I'll be away for 2 weeks. Am I being too ambitious??? Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated.
regards
Alkaz

 

[Wildman]

have you actually measured the mileage. Thats at least 1500 miles round trip to Rotterdam. that will entail driving several hours a day most days, not much chance of actually seeing anything or exploring. You could easily spend 2 weeks meandering down through the Netherlands to Germany then along the mosel valley popping into Luxembourg from the north come out south into France and Visit Metz, then Lille, Dunkirk and back through Belgium. Quite far enough for a 2 week trip. Don't rush you are on holiday. Visiting Germany you will need a sticker for the window stating your emmissions before you enter an umwelt zone or you will get fined. Switzerland is very expencive to travel through I believe you will need a go box.

From 1 January 2008 a total of 33 German cities will require all motorists to purchase a "Pollution Badge" in the form of a windscreen sticker in order to enter city centre ?Umwelt Zones? (green zones).

The participating cities are: Augsburg, Berlin, Braunschweig, K?ln (Cologne), Darmstadt, Dresden, D?sseldorf, Essen, Frankfurt am Main, Hannover, Heidelberg, Islfeld, Karlsruhe, Kassel, Leipzig, Leonburg, Ludwigsburg, Madgeburg, Mannheim, M?hlacker, M?nchen (Munich), Neu-Ulm, N?rnberg (Nuremberg), Pforzheim, Pleidelsheim, Regensburg, Reutlingen, Ruhr Area, Schw?bish-Gmund, Stuttgart, T?bingen and Ulm.

You must present your vehicle registration document at Pollution Badge (Umwelt Plakette) sales outlets, including vehicle repair centres, car dealers, MOT (T?v) stations and vehicle licensing offices, and you will be issued with a badge, coloured (Red/Yellow/Green) according to your vehicle?s Euro emission rating.

The cost of the badge is understood to be between ?5 and ?10 and, once issued, covers you throughout Germany for the life of your vehicle. Failure to display a badge could incur a fine of ?40. Enforcement will be managed by the police, local authorities and traffic wardens.

This website gives a lot of information (in German): http://www.umwelt-plakette.de
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[f6c]

That's one hell of a distance

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[FIDGET]

As said before a hell of a long way, better to plan shorter trip for first time, when we go, we only plan to travel max 200 miles a day, untill we get to the area that we want to go to i.e. Brittany ,then no more than 40/50 miles each day travelling from aire to aire allowing us time to explore the surrounding area, otherwise all you see is thru the windscreen (def not an enjoyable holiday unless all you want to do is driving).
Terry:sin:

 

[hilldweller]

Hi,
Will be hiring a Motorhome in July 2013 and this will be my first time travelling in a Motorhome. I live in North East and my initial thoughts were to ferry from Hull to Belgium. Head to Luxemborg, Germany, Switzerland then in to France to head back home. I'll be away for 2 weeks. Am I being too ambitious??? Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated.
regards
Alkaz

A bit ambitious. I'd limit myself to Germany and Switzerland. That way you'll not be driving every day. For that matter Germany is plenty for 2 weeks. Along the Moselle, down the Rhine to the Rhine Falls and back. Glorious. Chill out, it's what MHs are about.

 

[redchad]

It's a long drag that, I'd do a long drive down to Dover stay over night at the Canterbury aire then ferry over to France and bimble about in France for 2 week the cost of fuel to get to Dover would be far less than the overnight ferry cost.

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[ValinFrance]

It's a long drag that, I'd do a long drive down to Dover stay over night at the Canterbury aire then ferry over to France and bimble about in France for 2 week the cost of fuel to get to Dover would be far less than the overnight ferry cost.

Bimbling? Good word, know exactly what you mean, and good advice!

 

[Stonemags76]

I agree with Redchad - France is the easiest country for a newbie to visit, and you can wander around without an itinery. That way, if you fancy site seeing, there's plenty of time. We made the mistake of trying to much when we hired a van, and it was exhausting! France has few complications, lovely weather, empty roads, and more aires and campsites than you can shake a stick at!
Enjoy!

 

[steveclecy]

Truly sound advice here from some very experienced Motorhomers. I suspect your thoughts are that "I am paying a lot of money to hire a Motorhome, I want the most out of it".

However, just 1 hour per day driving (apart from Day 1) will give you a much varied experience.

Sometimes, less is more.

Steve

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[Bowman]

You don't say how many of you are travelling? Even the most loving family will start to revolt, if locked in a travelling motorhome

 

[Alkaz]

Many thanks for all your replies - it would appear I have been over ambitious!! Certainly has given me food for thought.
Thanks once again - very much appreciated.

 

[hilldweller]

Many thanks for all your replies - it would appear I have been over ambitious!!

I very common error.

Unless you have no need for fuel economy and just floor it at 20mpg then a top average is 50 mph. That's fine for an all day burst to break the back of a journey if you are on limited time, but every day, it does not qualify as holiday.

Our worst was Morocco. 1400 miles from Calais to Algecieras. We did it quickly and it took the edge off the holiday. We cam back needing a holiday.

I stick with my original advice, Calais - Koblenz - Rhine Falls = 600 miles. Glorious rivers to drive by. Glorious wine to buy. Castles to see. So 200 miles, stop, repeat 'till at Rhine Falls, then decide if you need to wander into Switzerland.

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[Abacist]

This website gives a lot of information (in German): http://www.umwelt-plakette.de
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DO NOT BUY YOUR UMWELT PLAKETTE FROM THIS SITE AS IT WILL COST YOU MORE THAN DOUBLE THE CORRECT CHARGE - ONLY BUY FROM TUV SITES

 

[Nasher]

Whilst I agree with many posters on here, that for a first time trip in a motorhome, less would be more & you would probably be better off with less driving on you first trip.

However, for me, I do not have a motorhome to 'bimble' I have it to get me where I want to be, to carry my toys & to provide accomodation when I'm there.

I'm quite content to drive from South Wales to Austria or Slovenia (over 1000 miles) only stopping for the ferry & fuel.

So, my advice would be to take it easy on your first trip and consider the options for your future adventures.

 

[Armytwowheels]

Hopefully they have been and come back by now as this thread is over 5 years old!

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[Gaston aires]

We never pre plan. Just stop in nice places, explore, enjoy and move on. 2 weeks isn't very long in a motorhome, just do the Mosel from Koblenz to Trier and the Alsace region. Beautiful and plenty to see. (lots of aires and stellplatz too).
Phil

 

[Gaston aires]

I just noticed this is 5 years old too. How did you get on ?
Phil again

 

[Lenny HB]

It's a long drag that, I'd do a long drive down to Dover stay over night at the Canterbury aire then ferry over to France and bimble about in France for 2 week the cost of fuel to get to Dover would be far less than the overnight ferry cost.

Agree, France is Motorhome heaven no better way of introducing yourself foreign touring.
A close second is Germany, best option for Germany is to hire the van in Germany ½ the price of the UK. We did it a couple of times before we bought our first van.

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