Dave & Delilah Going Full Time (1 Viewer)

[DavidAdamson]

Hey everyone, hows life in the motorhome world? I'm Dave from Stockport. Quite central, and I'm looking at the peak district for my first year full timing. I work in Hyde so can easily commute from most places around Glossop, Chapel, Hayfield, New Mills... Worlds my oyster as they say.

where do I start, successful web developer by trade, and have been running an online store since 2010, just paying my wages now! Happy days. However, been some trips n slips while contracting a few years ago, and I lost my house, GF etc, usual story, as I'm sure I'm not the only one and I'm not after sympathy.

Needless to say, the stress sleepless nights, worry, general feeling of worthlessness, sent me into a spiral of depression... which I've been battling since 2012... Now though, I'm in a good place.

So much so and since turning 40 I've decided the rat race for me is over... call it a midlife, call it what you want, I'm easy... I just know that I've been back at my mums for 9 months, and I'm ready to move on.

Although my mum loves having me around, since losing my dad to cancer, and my baby sister to alcoholism through losing her dad, she has my other siblings, and 16 grand kids... so its all good.

So what happened? Well I drove to Ringwood in a 2.5ltr S Type Sport and drove back in Delilah, and 1985 Bedford CF Coachbuilt Glendale, called Delilah. (for those wondering, the reg plate reads B**1 YYY) very apt.

So that was 6 months ago, and I've been planning ever since. a solar panel is my last purchase. I'm planning on full timing this year... So wish me luck.

I'll post a separate message in a forum, as I'm after some council tax / general advice on keeping my billing address etc. Plus if anyone knows of any good resident sites in the north of England.

I'm under no illuision its not all plain sailing guys, however, been in the army, had a feeling of isolation/missing family etc, but I also like my own company, so feel I'm half way there... Oh and I'm out walking every Saturday in the Peaks, why not make it my back garden...

Thanks and good luck to one and all...

Much Love,

Dave & Delilah.

 

[Jim]

Hi Dave,

Wishing you well in this new chapter. Delilah, looks warm cosy and accommodating, wishing you long and happy travels with her. Welcome to the fun

 

[Allan & Loren]

Hi Dave,

Good luck in your new adventure. Life can be tough at times but it's how you deal with it that counts. Glad to hear you're on the up. Keep going and hopefully we might bump into you on our travels.

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[laird of Dunstan]

Hi Dave
Welcome to the fun forum,there are a lot of answers on here to your questions and a lot of support,I spent 3 months in the Peaks and commuted into Sheffield on a daily basis to work i really enjoyed it ,i stayed in my caravan it was great.

 

[hilldweller]

So wish me luck.
Dave & Delilah.

Good luck.

One of "our lot" passes the summer on a hill over Glossop. They do it every year so must be good, then scarper to Spain for the Winter.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.4627518,-1.9430036,287m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

[Gromett]

Good luck on your new lifestyle and welcome to fun. I am coming up on 7 years of living in a van and can't see myself going back to a stationary house ever again..
It can be a hard life at times but on balance I much prefer it to the normal life....

I personally use CL's a lot these days. I did do a lot of wilding for the first 5 years but seemed to have settled into a routine now of finding CL's with Wifi. I do my 28 days then move onto the next one. I have now built up a group of about 8 which I frequent regularly and have a good relationship with the owners.

Ask your questions, there are a lot of fulltimers and ex fulltimers on here who will be happy to help you.

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[Anthea M]

Hello and welcome David . What a great lady Delilah looks ,she will make a lovely home for you! If you join here you will find the £15 money well spent as you will get lots of help ,advice and fun
Good luck with your new lifestyle and if you join you will find a thread about Ian who bought a van and is now in Spain keeping us up to date with his travels!!

 

[scousebird]

Good luck with your new life chapter - enjoy

 

[davanne]

Good luck in your new adventure

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[DavidAdamson]

Thanks Everyone... can't wait for this new chapter to start. I think I shall be investing the £15 to join.

 

[DavidAdamson]

Good luck on your new lifestyle and welcome to fun. I am coming up on 7 years of living in a van and can't see myself going back to a stationary house ever again..
It can be a hard life at times but on balance I much prefer it to the normal life....

I personally use CL's a lot these days. I did do a lot of wilding for the first 5 years but seemed to have settled into a routine now of finding CL's with Wifi. I do my 28 days then move onto the next one. I have now built up a group of about 8 which I frequent regularly and have a good relationship with the owners.

Ask your questions, there are a lot of fulltimers and ex fulltimers on here who will be happy to help you.

thanks for this, what are CLs ? also are there no places you can reside for say so many months at a time, then move or, stay the season or 9 months even...

Cheers,

 

[Viennese]

Thanks Everyone... can't wait for this new chapter to start. I think I shall be investing the £15 to join.

It will be the best £15 you ever spent!! Welcome Dave!

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[Taran_Las]

​

 

[DavidAdamson]

Hi Dave,

Good luck in your new adventure. Life can be tough at times but it's how you deal with it that counts. Glad to hear you're on the up. Keep going and hopefully we might bump into you on our travels.

Most definitely, I'd like to bump into fellow full timers. We can keep in contact. I'm on skype, d212Digital Or Facebook etc... and here obviously. :-0

 

[DavidAdamson]

Hi Dave
Welcome to the fun forum,there are a lot of answers on here to your questions and a lot of support,I spent 3 months in the Peaks and commuted into Sheffield on a daily basis to work i really enjoyed it ,i stayed in my caravan it was great.

Hi there, where did you stay in the Peak District are there places that allow more than one month or 28 days stay at a time?

cheers

Dave.

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[Gromett]

thanks for this, what are CLs ? also are there no places you can reside for say so many months at a time, then move or, stay the season or 9 months even...

Cheers,

Certified locations, They are a network of 5 pitch sites operated by the Caravan Club. They are set up and run by the owners of everything from farms to people back gardens... They vary in quality but start with just a grass pitch, fresh water and waste facilities. Up to fully serviced pitches etc. Prices can be as low as £8.

There are sites you can stop on for longer periods but these tend to be the bigger, busier ones. I avoid those because I like my peace and quiet.

 

[MC 55 FUN]

&

 

[maz]

thanks for this, what are CLs ? also are there no places you can reside for say so many months at a time, then move or, stay the season or 9 months even...

Cheers,

Hi David and welcome to the Fun.

CLs and CSs are 5-van sites in a network run by the Caravan Club and Camping & Caravanning Club respectively.

If you stay in one place for more than 28 days you become liable for Council Tax. However, you can always stay somewhere for 28 days, move out for a day of wild camping (or go to another CL or site, whatever) and then return to the same CL.

Any questions about fulltiming, ask away. I'm coming up to 5 years fulltiming - 3 years of which were as a solo.

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[DavidAdamson]

Hi David and welcome to the Fun.

CLs and CSs are 5-van sites in a network run by the Caravan Club and Camping & Caravanning Club respectively.

If you stay in one place for more than 28 days you become liable for Council Tax. However, you can always stay somewhere for 28 days, move out for a day of wild camping (or go to another CL or site, whatever) and then return to the same CL.

Any questions about fulltiming, ask away. I'm coming up to 5 years fulltiming - 3 years of which were as a solo.

Ah I see, so if I join this site, does that class me as a member so I can use such sites? Plus over 28 days, that's what I've been hearing too. thanks,

Dave.

 

[maz]

Ah I see, so if I join this site, does that class me as a member so I can use such sites? Plus over 28 days, that's what I've been hearing too. thanks,

Dave.

No, you'd have to join the Caravan Club and/or the Camping & Caravanning Club to access the CL/CS network. The individual CLs are supposed to take members only - tho' some are more inclined to ask for proof of membership than others.

There are 2 (as far as I know, but possibly more now) Fun CLs - one is that of our beloved leader Jim in Wales, the other by Glastonbury. Neither of which are likely to be useful for you in the Peak District - unless you fancy a holiday.

I don't know where you've been 'hearing' over 28 days. As mentioned before, staying in one place over 28 days means you become liable to pay Council Tax. I outlined one way of keeping to the letter of this requirement (if not quite the spirit). It's not difficult to either spread yourself around 2 or more CLs at 28 days each or pop out for an odd night.

 

[DavidAdamson]

No, you'd have to join the Caravan Club and/or the Camping & Caravanning Club to access the CL/CS network. The individual CLs are supposed to take members only - tho' some are more inclined to ask for proof of membership than others.

There are 2 (as far as I know, but possibly more now) Fun CLs - one is that of our beloved leader Jim in Wales, the other by Glastonbury. Neither of which are likely to be useful for you in the Peak District - unless you fancy a holiday.

I don't know where you've been 'hearing' over 28 days. As mentioned before, staying in one place over 28 days means you become liable to pay Council Tax. I outlined one way of keeping to the letter of this requirement (if not quite the spirit). It's not difficult to either spread yourself around 2 or more CLs at 28 days each or pop out for an odd night.

Excellent, I see. Ok so I'll Join either club. Once I've done this, do the club offer this info? Where can I get a list?

cheers,

David.

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[maz]

Excellent, I see. Ok so I'll Join either club. Once I've done this, do the club offer this info? Where can I get a list?

cheers,

David.

When you join one of the clubs you'll get given a handbook listing all their Club Sites and CLs. Once you're a member you'll also be able to register online and use their site search facilities.

I've put links to their site search pages below. You won't be able to see the detailed info for each site until you're a member but it will give you an idea of what sites are in your area.

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/uk-holidays/search-and-book/certificated-locations

http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/siteseekersearch/aspx/search.aspx

 

[Zilevets]

Hello and welcome, good luck in your new venture as you can see your not alone the advice on this site is priceless. well worth the membership fee.

Also a good bit of comedy coming from the threads and the banter between funster will keep your spirits up and you amused.

Keep posting and letting us know how you are getting on and if you have a chance to read Ian the builders thread you will see there is a lot of entertainment to be had with motorhoming.

Liz

 

[Carol]

Hello Dave and as others have said I see you have now joined and are a fully fledged Funster , do take advantage by asking all the questions you need, as a couple of others have said do look at @ianthebuilder story Ian and Helga go South. also interesting read @dippingatoe whose blog on Full timing makes an amazing read.

Good luck on your new chosen way of life and don't forget you will have many Funster friends at the tip of your finger

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[Bacchus]

Excellent, I see. Ok so I'll Join either club. Once I've done this, do the club offer this info? Where can I get a list?

cheers,

David.

Hi David,

You can also find info on sites on t'internet - I find http://www.searchforsites.co.uk/ a very good resource. If you search an area the cl/cs sites are identified by their flag but it shows data for all types of campsite.

I would have thought that one of the great advantages to full-timing will be the ability to move around rather than stay on one site for 9 months? If you stay in one place you may as well live in a shed (c:

 

[laird of Dunstan]

Hi there, where did you stay in the Peak District are there places that allow more than one month or 28 days stay at a time?

cheers

Dave.

I stayed at a cl site close to holmfield,the guy who runs it is called WYN,if you talk to him im sure he will let you stay longer than 1 month

 

[Just smiffy]

The fun starts today....

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[The Wino]

I would have a look at search for sites too before stumping up for the clubs the caravan club has cl,s the camping and caravan club cs's I think search for sites shows both so you could look at the locations before deciding if its one or the other or both or neither!!!! Another option is wild camping but in a tourist area in the summer could be difficuld and not that great if you are leaving your van in the daytime.

 

[movan]

Hi Dave, what an inspirational story. Welcome to the forum and maybe you will be able to meet up with so many of us when you make it to the rallies ...

You have a lot of heartache in your past but will now have lots of friends to help you get through the down times..

Good on you, young man.

 

[gus-lopez]

Hi & welcome. Delilah certainly looks good. Diesel I hope ?

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