Does Anybody Still Use Campsite Books And Area Guides?

[Folkranger]

Every year I print off a holiday/camping to-do list so that we don't forget anything. It includes everything from "Underpants" to "Unplug the hook up cable". It also still include "Maps/Campsite Books/Guide books". I have two bags of these depending one which area of Europe we might be travelling and they weigh a ton. I still carry them but find that I now just rely on the internet, apps and the trusty sat-nav.

Anybody else still use these? or even carry them "just in case"?

 

[chaser]

We have a Europe map book, 10 year old all the Aires, and a 5 year old France passion.
That's it.

 

[Folkranger]

I tend to use an old Caravan Club Europe route map as it's nice to just see where everything is all on one page, but everything else is planned on line and executed on sat-nav.

 

[chaser]

I tend to use an old Caravan Club Europe route map as it's nice to just see where everything is all on one page, but everything else is planned on line and executed on sat-nav.

In practice we rely on park4night and Google maps.
But it's nice to have a backup.

 

[Folkranger]

In practice we rely on park4night and Google maps.
But it's nice to have a backup.

But do you use the back up or is it just a comforter?

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[MikenPauline]

We prefer Apps, Park4night, Searchforsites, ACSI, Campy, Motorhome Club and Caravan and Camping Club. Also like UK Campsites, which also has sites in Europe.

 

[sueandjohn]

We have a red Michelin for France or Germany or Spain if we are touting to get a big overview / that’s all . Otherwise satnav or Apple Maps park4night etc

 

[berni109]

We meet an old couple (well younger than us actually) at the Ghent aire who were just off on a tour and the good lady had all her books and atlas out on the table. Sticky notes and tabs on the pages all planned out in maticulass detail. I gave them a German atlas that I had only ever used once a few years ago.
In this day and age why do you need a ton of books?
It's all online and mostly up-to-date.

 

[chaser]

But do you use the back up or is it just a comforter?

Well if we find an aire on park4night we sometimes just check it in all the Aires and also if we are in an area we like the look of also do a quick check to see if there is a France passion near.

 

[ORPP2]

For campsites, aires etc we tend to use apps.

For navigation, we always have a road atlas open as well as the sat nav. As the passenger/navigator, I like to see the 'big view' of our route. Also, there have been occasions when we've had to make a quick decision en route and having the road atlas open was much quicker and easier than me faffing with the sat nav.

We also carry the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide for the country we are visiting which, for us, have always proved invaluable.

Prior to motorhoming we were sailors so very much used to paper charts and guides. It's horses for courses and we all have our favourite tools but I wouldn't leave without a road atlas.

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[Jim]

Ive just dumped 50 or more OS maps, never used to go anywhere without one. Used to sit and read them for hours like others might read a book. Every OS map at every scale is on my phone now.

 

[rod_vw]

Ive just dumped 50 or more OS maps, never used to go anywhere without one. Used to sit and read them for hours like others might read a book. Every OS map at every scale is on my phone now.

Whilst I agree that it is all available digitally now I never ditch the old paper versions as they convey such a lot of history and as you say they are so 'readable', often fascinating.

As for using hard copy maps for travelling we never do and haven't for years. However I still have a working version of Autoroute on my laptop which has POIs showing the many hundreds of campsites & Aires that we have used over the years. With that if internet access fails we have the next best thing to hard copy maps as a standby. Using Autoroute with a Bluetooth connected GPS receiver it works well for navigation although some newer roads are not shown.

 

[Jim]

Whilst I agree that it is all available digitally now I never ditch the old paper versions as they convey such a lot of history and as you say they are so 'readable', often fascinating.

We are having a major de clutter. I've not touched the maps for over 5 years. So they are gone.

 

[cyberyacht]

I'm obviously a Luddite. Guides/ Atlas are invaluable at the planning stage. A spreadsheet with lat/long of stops, a few local notes printed on a sheet of A4 before we go. Just haven't got into the habit of using Apps although I have them on the phone.

 

[Reallyretired]

Never use these guides and don't carry them any more.

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[LesW]

I love a map or two, I always get a map, normally Michelin, for the area we plan to visit.

I rarely just follow satnav routes in Europe, instead I plot my routes on a map then create them in Mapsource to load into my unit.

It’s something I enjoy doing.

 

[Folkranger]

I'm obviously a Luddite. Guides/ Atlas are invaluable at the planning stage. A spreadsheet with lat/long of stops, a few local notes printed on a sheet of A4 before we go. Just haven't got into the habit of using Apps although I have them on the phone.

I would agree that maps are good at the planning stage, although we don't really plan much, more just use a whole country map to help us decide which area to head to next.

 

[Grianan]

I bought a Michelin fold out road map of France this year - route planner type thing. I find it’s great for the overview of where to go then use Sat Nav for more detailed drill down. I also put stickies of aires recommended by funsters on it but use Park4night and France Passion apps in the main.

 

[hja]

ever go any where without a map.

 

[Folkranger]

ever go any where without a map.

Yep. When we first got a sat-nav I decided we didn't need a map or even any idea where we were going so I just took a left into the unknown and kept driving secure in the knowledge that the sat nav would get me back if I got lost. Best experiance ever, found some great off the beaten track places and friendly campsites only used by locals where we were made more than welcome and found it difficult to buy a drink. (all on the house)

Since then I always try to include a similar mystery tour into our trips round Europe. It's the same fortuitous logic as picking books at random from the library. You find gems in sections that you would never have chosen.

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