Going on spec in school hols?? (1 Viewer)

[ClareE]

Hi there. Having dreamed about owning our own m/h for years and years we took the plunge in January and bought ourselves a lovely Chausson Flash 03. Its fab, and we have already been away on our first trip in the middle of Feb! We are so excited about going everywhere in it this year, like kids with too many presents at Xmas we can't decide what we should do first!Which brings me to my problem. School hols. We are pretty much tied to going away in the school holidays. One of our dreams was just to see where the weather looked good (in the uk that is, Spain not an option at the mo!) and to just take off in that general direction. Is this at all possible in peak holiday periods? or do you have to book everything ages in advance? (which isn't really what we wanted to do, not all the time at least).
Any advice most welcome. Nice forum by the way - we used it when making our decision to get the van. Very helpful and friendly.

 

[Blisters]

hi Claire

Congrats with your purchase we're sure you'll have many many happy trips both here and a broad.

If you like to fly by the seat of your pants why not join us on the uniffical meet this weekend at Southport, There about 6-8 vans going including us (we're Stokies) Friday-Sunday and just a fiver a night, there's bound to be a bottle or two of wine drunk and plenty of chats, you good get some go ideas from there, we have a Daughter 10, and there is a family from crewe coming with their youngsters

As for going away during the school hols in UK without booking, it can be done, but you will need to do some planning, its easier on the continent.:thumb:

 

[hilldweller]

Is this at all possible in peak holiday periods? or do you have to book everything ages in advance?

The first big surprise for us was trying to just book next day on CC sites. All the best sites are fully booked all weekends now. There is the disgraceful practice of booking every weekend and cancelling at the last minute with no penalty.

So you may have to be flexible and work hard on the www to find places.

I don't know the situation with non CC sites because we had the membership and expected to use it. We did, but not where we originally wanted to.

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[walburga]

The first big surprise for us was trying to just book next day on CC sites. All the best sites are fully booked all weekends now. There is the disgraceful practice of booking every weekend and cancelling at the last minute with no penalty.

I tried to book Rowntree Park in York. Full up, the web said, admittedly it was the recent school half-term hols. So I rang the site, several times, and got the answer phone saying 'if booking contact the caravan club etc'. We turned up anyway, quite a few pitches available, and the warden said that several had turned up that day with no booking. I told him about the site being full on the web & via CC phone, he couldn't (wouldn't) comment.

Anyway, get yourselves off to Southport this w/e, I'm going.
Allen

 

[Jim]

Pick an area with a few sites and just turn up on spec. Some wardens will suck on a lemon and then suck in through their teeth. but.... very often there is someone who hasn't turned up, or who went a day early. Apart from that there is normally always somewhere on a site that they can tuck you away. Normally the Warden that moans loudest is the one that eventually finds you a wonderful "emergency" pitch. Go for it.. have fun

 

[scotjimland]

Normally the Warden that moans loudest is the one that eventually finds you a wonderful "emergency" pitch.

It's an even louder sharp intake of breath and a vigorous shaking of head when your sat in the RV looking down into his little office and filling his reception with diesel fumes..

Don't you just luv em

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[Losos]

Clare, there's also this weird thing called 'wild camping' I don't know much about it but there is a seperate forum on here for such people of which I hope to be one after having my MH delivered.

Of course it might not be what responsible parents would do but it'll be interesting to see what comments you get if you post on that forum.

 

[Jim]

Clare, there's also this weird thing called 'wild camping' I don't know much about it but there is a seperate forum on here for such people of which I hope to be one after having my MH delivered.

Of course it might not be what responsible parents would do but it'll be interesting to see what comments you get if you post on that forum.

I'm a responsible parent and we wild camp all the time. have a look at the wildcamping section, there is plenty of good advice there. Wildcamping at this time of year is very good. For example if you came to West Wales, most of the roads adjacent to beaches etc are almost empty, even at half term, so wildcamping is a real possibility. However in August its almost impossible to find a nice place to spend the nightr

 

[ClareE]

Thanks guys.....some useful advice, will probably try a bit of everything! Looks like we might be investing in mobile broadband at some point to check late availability while we are on the road.:thumb:

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[hilldweller]

For example if you came to West Wales, most of the roads adjacent to beaches etc are almost empty, even at half term

Now I'm getting confused. Has there not been a thread about NOT camping legally in laybyes ?

I thought you could park anywhere not causing an obstruction - so why not in layby.

Can someone unconfuse me.

We drove through Delamere forest yesterday, a million little laybyes most empty and no-one wild camping. We paid £20 to C&CC for the use of their layby.

 

[haganap]

well we have been holidaying here and mainly abroad in school holidays in a MH for at leat 4years and 3 before that as a tugger

As Jim says, MHing is tooooootaaally a differnet cup of wine

it works like this, find an area you like the sound of, look for suitable sites in one of the many books available or aires abroad, give it a go. If you cant find anywhere then wild camp untill you can, it is certtainly not irresponsible to do with kids, we have always done it... no problem with it, the kids love it, the wallet loves it and seek it as an adventure. Abroad is the place to be, as for the mobile broadband? forget it, bu a tom tom, locate and load all the Mcdonalds POIs and bingo, instant wireless access, or just find your nearest housing estate and search,

Ok now to Brian our resident comedian I will now unconfuse you. There are loads of things that are illegal and you know it.:Blush: including putting potato peelings out on a sunday in Wiltshire.

If you are in a layby, or remote area, parked up and not causing any trouble then simply refuse to move untill a warrant has been issued. by the time it's sorted you will be long gone. No one realy wants the hassle, just promise you are going to pick your rubbish up and leave the place exactly how you found it. You will be truly amazed at peoples responses.