How do you motorhome in the UK? (1 Viewer)

[two]

I use aires en route to another location. Most of the time my UK trips are within a direct drive from home, so I have no need for a stopover. I simply go to a site. I understand people's desire to overnight on the cheap but the cost is not high in the scheme of things (just more visible).
The UK is geared for caravanners, so many sites are off the beaten track and you'll need to walk/cycle/use public transport or pull a Toad. The motorhome-friendly sites (on the doorstep of something) are so oversubscribed that you need to book well in advance. Spontaneous visits are not assured. So UK outings tend to be planned and booked ahead. 2020 is already sorted. Now planning for 2021.
In comparison, continental camping is a breeze.

 

[glenn2926]

For me it's the driving or rather the constant traffic jams that one encounters when trying to get anywhere worth visiting, I enjoy driving our van, and though Norfolk is ok to get to, almost anywhere else isn't very pleasant when compared with across the channel.

Nonetheless we do travel a bit in the UK, Chester, South Wales and generally west of where we live, of the 16000 miles done in three years about 1000 of that might be in Britain.

If there were more 'aires' available we might do more... it's the having to book up that I'm not happy with.

You do seem to pick the most crowded areas of the country to travel in. Try heading a hundred miles North. Much less traffic. You say that Norfolk is ok. We went to Norfolk last summer and thought compared to further North it was a bit busy. You really should go up to Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumbria and of course Scotland. Once you pass Manchester area even the M6 is fairly quiet. There are three Aires within 35 miles of my house. Namely Skipton, Settle and Ingleton all in the Yorkshire Dales. Go on give the North a try.

 

[Nirvanauk]

You do seem to pick the most crowded areas of the country to travel in. Try heading a hundred miles North. Much less traffic. You say that Norfolk is ok. We went to Norfolk last summer and thought compared to further North it was a bit busy. You really should go up to Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumbria and of course Scotland. Once you pass Manchester area even the M6 is fairly quiet. There are three Aires within 35 miles of my house. Namely Skipton, Settle and Ingleton all in the Yorkshire Dales. Go on give the North a try.

Where is the Aire in Settle please as I need a trip on a steam train.Thanks

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[glenn2926]

Where is the Aire in Settle please as I need a trip on a steam train.Thanks

It is in Greenfoot car park. Two or three minutes walk from the village centre. There are if I remember correctly three or four spaces marked out in green lines for motorhomes only. Hope you enjoy the steam train.

 

[LesW]

You do seem to pick the most crowded areas of the country to travel in. Try heading a hundred miles North. Much less traffic. You say that Norfolk is ok. We went to Norfolk last summer and thought compared to further North it was a bit busy. You really should go up to Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumbria and of course Scotland. Once you pass Manchester area even the M6 is fairly quiet. There are three Aires within 35 miles of my house. Namely Skipton, Settle and Ingleton all in the Yorkshire Dales. Go on give the North a try.

We do travel north, but at the moment it means using the godawful A14 for awhile, hopefully once the roadworks are completed it might be a bit more bearable.

Once on the A1 it's Ok-ish but not particularly enjoyable. We do intend to visit those places you mention at sometime in the future though..

 

[PeteH]

It is in Greenfoot car park. Two or three minutes walk from the village centre. There are if I remember correctly three or four spaces marked out in green lines for motorhomes only. Hope you enjoy the steam train.

When the Google Photo Was taken it looks as if a Rally was On? in the Rugby Club Traing Ground next door. Wonder which club uses it?.

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[denisejoe]

We tend to use CCC DA meets & THSs. Occasionally use CSs as well but a lot near us you need to book which defeats the object of having a MH!

We also use the Canterbury P&R as it's only an hour from home and we can get buses to so many other places from the city centre. In fact planning on going down for a couple of days next week.

Denise

 

[Mack100]

Our main criteria for a UK site would be good walking from the site preferably with a pub en route but the main obstacle I’ve come across is easy access to supermarkets. When in France, our usual destination, I almost never have to worry about access and parking, there are usually other motor homes in the parking area already.

On the relatively few occasions I’ve tried to shop when perhaps moving from one site to another I‘ve variously encountered height barriers, tiny car parks and on a couple of occasions mouthy and aggressive shoppers moaning about us taking up “too much room”.

We sometimes choose sites in walking distance from a town/village where we can shop, something I never think about on the continent.

 

[Tea Bag]

budge off site in their van.

Hi.
People could think that of us,three/4 days not moving off site. ... Bus stop just 100 yds away. Sister and mates,call in the cars and take us places. Often they will come to us and we have a BBQ.So really we are only visiting/catching up,using it as a base. New Forest..I am/was off with the growler,Jennifer read a book,walk to the local pub of a night. We have done 1.405 miles just getting here,doing three stops on route. That could be other peoples reasons as well.
Tea Bag

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[JFD]

We use CLs and CSs quite al lot, and have a couple of bikes on the back for trips further afield than walks. The dogs are small enough to go in padded boxes on the front of the bikes!

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Try getting a pitch in Keswick in August, they will quote you for 2031.

Last month we tried to book two nights midweek in July or August in Keswick as part of a tour and found out that even in midweek there was a minimum of 3 nights and even 5 nights at certain times. We then tried to book 5 nights just to see what was available ........ nothing! These rules seem to favour caravaners. We ended up booking an independent site just outside the town

 

[RidersofRohan]

Hi.
People could think that of us,three/4 days not moving off site. ... Bus stop just 100 yds away. Sister and mates,call in the cars and take us places. Often they will come to us and we have a BBQ.So really we are only visiting/catching up,using it as a base. New Forest..I am/was off with the growler,Jennifer read a book,walk to the local pub of a night. We have done 1.405 miles just getting here,doing three stops on route. That could be other peoples reasons as well.
Tea Bag

I know people use their vans in so many different ways, and whatever suits best for maximum enjoyment.

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[Wully]

OK...I’m new here... what is “CL and CS” ?

 

[138go]

Isn't "wilding" about being in the middle of nowhere. You will find that motorhomes outnumber caravans on touring sites nowadays. Surprisingly many have bus stops close-by which is normally stated in the site details.

I don't think wild camping is necessarily about being in the middle of nowhere. I think it's when you park up for the night somewhere that isn't an aire, pub stop or campsite but I could be wrong.

Yes, we've noticed how many motorhomes there are on sites these days.

As I said my husband can't walk far, so it wouldn't matter how close a bus stop was it wouldn't be helpful to us.

 

[138go]

What works best for us is a 20 mile drive to Newhaven and hop on a ferry.

We have a much longer drive but yes it's so much easier abroad.

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[irnbru]

OK...I’m new here... what is “CL and CS” ?

Google it, certified location and club site I think.

 

[138go]

OK...I’m new here... what is “CL and CS” ?

Certificated Locations (CL) are small privately owned sites with five pitches, they are for exclusive use by Caravan And Motorhome Club members. Each year the Caravan And Motorhome Club issues a certificate to those sites that continue to meet their standards.

Certified Sites (CS) are the same sort of thing but run in partnership with the Camping and Caravan Club,

 

[138go]

I use aires en route to another location. Most of the time my UK trips are within a direct drive from home, so I have no need for a stopover. I simply go to a site. I understand people's desire to overnight on the cheap but the cost is not high in the scheme of things (just more visible).
The UK is geared for caravanners, so many sites are off the beaten track and you'll need to walk/cycle/use public transport or pull a Toad. The motorhome-friendly sites (on the doorstep of something) are so oversubscribed that you need to book well in advance. Spontaneous visits are not assured. So UK outings tend to be planned and booked ahead. 2020 is already sorted. Now planning for 2021.
In comparison, continental camping is a breeze.

That pretty much sums up the situation as I see it.

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[138go]

You do seem to pick the most crowded areas of the country to travel in. Try heading a hundred miles North. Much less traffic. You say that Norfolk is ok. We went to Norfolk last summer and thought compared to further North it was a bit busy. You really should go up to Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumbria and of course Scotland. Once you pass Manchester area even the M6 is fairly quiet. There are three Aires within 35 miles of my house. Namely Skipton, Settle and Ingleton all in the Yorkshire Dales. Go on give the North a try.

We like Helmsley as well.

 

[138go]

We use CLs and CSs quite al lot, and have a couple of bikes on the back for trips further afield than walks. The dogs are small enough to go in padded boxes on the front of the bikes!

My dog is big enough to have her own bike lol.

 

[TUCANO]

WHAT, YOU ADMIT TO ROBBING CAMPSITES, shame on you

OK - first as ex caravanners we are well and truly fed up of robbing campsites.

We have to use them sometimes but we use ACSI to enable a lower price (just booked one to go to Shuttleworth Collection for their Biggles evening air display ACSI saved us £88 for 7 nights)
We use Search for Sites for other stops pubs and "wild" places bu this year we are going to more Rallies and airshows so .....

We dropped out of the CMC because comparing their sites to say Haven the costs were similar but what was provided was far superior at Haven and cheaper !!! we still use the C&CC for travel and insurances discount and the occasional CS

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[The Lord Squid]

Our No1 favourite in UK is Braithwaite Fold, it's very hard to get a pitch there. Very understandable, just a short walk to the delights of Bowness. After October there is overnight parking on the road outside the gate, so OK 'till your cassette is full.

Is the overnight parking after October official, and, if so, do you have to book ? I often go to Bowness in the car as a last minute decision depending on the time I finish work. It would be really convenient if I could overnight in the van midweek without booking ahead.

 

[hilldweller]

Is the overnight parking after October official, and, if so, do you have to book ?

This is just on road, so no booking.

It's council signposted, here:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.co.uk

 

[The Lord Squid]

This is just on road, so no booking.

It's council signposted, here:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.co.uk

Many thanks. I know the road - it never occurred to me to overnight there. I'm an amateur at this.

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[TUCANO]

Yeah me too

Many thanks. I know the road - it never occurred to me to overnight there. I'm an amateur at this.

 

[MyrtleGuru]

Most of our touring is done abroad but, when in the UK, we mostly use Caravan and Motorhome Club Certified Locations (CL) and Camping and Caravanning Club Certified Sites (CS) – the tiny 5-van operations. We usually just phone them on the day we want to turn up. Have also used Britstops and the occasional bigger commercial or club site. That’s when we are not at a music festivals: some of them are bargains for 3 or 4 night stays, if you compare them with what you would pay to see just one band and accommodation.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Try getting a pitch in Keswick in August, they will quote you for 2031.

Out of idle curiosity, I just tried to do a dummy booking - 11 Aug for 4 nts, no problem, hardstanding or grass... admittedly not over a weekend.
.

My annoyance is sites closing over Jan-Mar
I've not been brave enough to "wild"... nearest I've got is overnight at the Sealife carpark in Scarboro... and I didn't sleep well.

Must admit I don't get this "club sites are too regimented opinion nor too expensive". Perhaps because I'm solo but "commercial" sites are always more pricey.

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[Brains]

Yeah me too

Look at the name of the road
'Glebe Road'
Glebe land is Church land
Still at least it will be quiet at night..... quiet as the grave ......

 

[pelican]

I don't think wild camping is necessarily about being in the middle of nowhere. I think it's when you park up for the night somewhere that isn't an aire, pub stop or campsite but I could be wrong.

Yes, we've noticed how many motorhomes there are on sites these days.

As I said my husband can't walk far, so it wouldn't matter how close a bus stop was it wouldn't be helpful to us.

sorry not thinking straight about the other end of a bus journey for your husband

 

[ABZSteve]

I had one booked last August, but unfortunately couldn't use it as it was underwater.

I had one for the last 5 nights of July. Five days of glorious sunshine

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