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

[MyrtleGuru]

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 ......

Unless it has bells. Used to be a lovely free aire in Portugal at the Catholic pilgrimage destination, Fatima. It was superb in all respects apart from the incessant bells.

 

[Ivory55]

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..

Why not punch up through thetford, Kingslynn, on to the A17 and on to Newark and pick up the A1 and avoid the A14.

 

[Parrot Face]

Spring and Autumn on the continent. We might get home mid June and get the last of some uk ACSI sites like Cofton Park or Ladram Bay in East Devon. Then winter we mainly use C and CC or CCand M club sites close to towns...York, Castleton, Keswick etc.

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[Shrimp]

We tow a small car in the UK, don’t bother in France-don’t need it!
In UK we use CLs &CSs, Temp Hol sites where poss and occasional Pub car park, haven’t used a Clubsite for many years now!

 

[The Old Man]

As in the title. To clarify I'm wondering how people manage in the UK, as we don't really have aires, wilding isn't that easy and most campsites seem to be in the middle of nowhere. I think our sites were pretty much opened in the days of caravans only and if you are in a motorhome what do you do?

Freedom camping in places I've used for years.

Some sites that I have also used often.

When wandering in new areas I seem to have a knack of finding a quiet lane with a suitable pull over.

I'm ultra tidy, clean up all rubbish when I leave, even though it will not be mine.

 

[wiljoy]

Much easier in Europe. We only get persecuted in the UK. Gave up touring our beautiful country many years ago.

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[hilldweller]

Still at least it will be quiet at night..... quiet as the grave ......

Which if you look carefully in my link you'll see the graves.

We have overnighted there and it wasn't a grave mistake.

The overnight is available from Oct to Mar from memory.

 

[Lenny HB]

Unless it has bells. Used to be a lovely free aire in Portugal at the Catholic pilgrimage destination, Fatima. It was superb in all respects apart from the incessant bells.

This one, don't remember getting disturbed by bells.

 

[orridge]

We tend to use Temporarily Holiday Sites, District Association Meets and the odd pub stopover for a night or weekend for quick getaways during the year otherwise we are only an hour from the Tunnel so most of our longer trips are in that direction.

My sister lives on the Isle of Skye so hopefully head up there this year in the van but worked out is the same distance as driving to Switzerland but I suspect not quite as an easy drive.

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[Puddleduck]

We are thinking of touring Scotland in May to replace our normal Spring Tour,

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[Rayb182]

If you want somewhere to park for a night or two, try my facebook page, Motorhome sleepyspots.

 

[Wellington]

We have toured both in the U.K. and last year ventured Abroad as well. I didn’t find it much different, except for the turn-up-and-ride aspect of Aires, which I didn’t find any different to Britstops, except you pay £30 a year.

I book campsites with bustops that are close to where we want to go. Often, we are visiting family, so we will stay in the same place for a few days, either taking the bus or the bikes out with us, and for the evening, I will cheerfully fork out for a taxi and several gins. Then we move on and see a few sights and generally we can park there for the day, and go onto a nearby Bristop for the night.

It’s a pain with a child, because they want to go the beach and swimming and whatnot, and you have to carry so much clutter around with you, plus they are incapable of walking more that 5 minutes in a straight line without activating whine-mode, but if it were just me I’d spend a lot more time here. She can’t ride an electric bike (you have to be 12) so it’s even move faff connecting my bike to hers every time we need to go anywhere, and disconnecting them to park.

I don’t like CC sites either. It’s not really camping, there are so regimented - camping in rows, no fires and everything is very manicured. But their toilets are clean, and their showers are hot, and they have lots of facilities, which is what families want now. We stay there if they are near where we want to be. If I could, I would tow a car, because it would be much more convenient in the U.K. But more because our public transport is rather lacking and because I’m carting around swimming gear and extra snacks and what-have-you, and because it is a royal pita to have to pack up after a child every time you want to move on. To be fair, this has hugely improved lately (except for the swimming part) and will be even better when daughter doesn’t need a car seat.

When I was a kid, we camped and that’s what we did for our holidays, stayed on a campsite most of the time. Now, families stay on a campsite because it’s a lot cheaper than a hotel and they all go out for the day, all day, every day. I find it sad, but it’s how it is.

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[Lynne Roy]

I hate having to book in advance , pay in advance and to know how many nights I am stopping.
I have stayed on a couple of lovely CLs but mostly find it easier to cross the channel

 

[MyrtleGuru]

This one, don't remember getting disturbed by bells.
View attachment 357432

Maybe it was some kind of special day when we were there. Or maybe I am particularly sensitive. There were definitely very frequent bells

 

[Lenny HB]

Maybe it was some kind of special day when we were there. Or maybe I am particularly sensitive. There were definitely very frequent bells

Might have been but so used to Aires near churches probably wouldn't have noticed.

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[romany]

For FLT,ing church car parks are good their always empty these days and usually have a water supply and if your really lucky they l be a great big hole dug to dump your black waste in,

 

[PeteH]

Might have been but so used to Aires near churches probably wouldn't have noticed.

Reminds me:- In the USA, many of the Campgrounds near Major Routes are near the "Railroad Track". You can bet your life that at "stupid O`clock in the morning" a 2 mile long freight train "clank`s it way through, and by law has to sound its VERY loud horn at every one of the uncontrolled crossings!.. Sleep?, you just get back to sleep, AND. the next one comes! and, Repeat, sometimes 3 or 4 times per night!. after a while we only ever used such sites if desperate!.

 

[MyrtleGuru]

Reminds me:- In the USA, many of the Campgrounds near Major Routes are near the "Railroad Track". You can bet your life that at "stupid O`clock in the morning" a 2 mile long freight train "clank`s it way through, and by law has to sound its VERY loud horn at every one of the uncontrolled crossings!.. Sleep?, you just get back to sleep, AND. the next one comes! and, Repeat, sometimes 3 or 4 times per night!. after a while we only ever used such sites if desperate!.

And the train could be a mile long. Once finished a three-course meal in a restaurant by a rail road while the same train went past! Although that was Canada rather than the US.

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[68c]

Fun to watch folk racing like mad to get across the level crossing before a mile long trains gets there.

 

[PeteH]

Fun to watch folk racing like mad to get across the level crossing before a mile long trains gets there.

We just went for another beer!

 

[PeteH]

And the train could be a mile long. Once finished a three-course meal in a restaurant by a rail road while the same train went past! Although that was Canada rather than the US.

My sister and hubby, sat on the "Rocky Mountaineer", for several days, waving at You! seriously she thinks it was the best trip they did.

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[My Dog Likes Fishing]

Oh well, you'll have to cross your fingers for 2031.

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.

You will be able to park on the road a lot more as apparently the site is closing. Not sure how true that is but the that's what the gardner told me.

 

[JaG]

Thanks everyone. Perhaps I painted a worse picture than we actually have but I have a couple of drawbacks to getting out and about. My husband can't walk far although he can ride a bike. Our dog took an instant dislike to being towed in a trailer so, we tend to be ruled by how we get about with the dog, without walking, lol. We do use the C & MHC both the CLs and the club sites but many of them are in the middle of nowhere! We have used pub stops but that's okay just for a night, the same really for a wild stop.

We find it so much easier in Spain and France as many aires/sites are next to the beach. I do like the UK though!

We had the problem with the dog too. Not anymore. We bought the Buddyrider, expensive but perfect for our needs. never go anywhere without it. We are exactly the same as you...wife needs mobility scooter and me on electric bike with our Benji.

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[Caggsie1]

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.

You can also park overnight in the harbour car park,£15 I think. It’s just behind the campsite. Sometimes in CCC Braithwaite fold you can get a cancellation if you phone up. We go quite regularly and there is always the odd MH , sometimes more, parked up by the church.

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[Caggsie1]

You will be able to park on the road a lot more as apparently the site is closing. Not sure how true that is but the that's what the gardner told me.

Can’t see that, they’ve just spent thousands on a new area expanding the site. Although saying that, when there before Xmas the site wasn’t able to use the additional capacity because the council didn’t accommodate for the extra draw on the leccy.

 

[Khizzie]

Although I live partly in France and love the freedom to roam with my Motorhome. Britain has some beautiful countryside, villages, towns and cities. All very easy to get to from cl's or campsites. Most campsites have a bus stop nearby. So no issues getting about and using buses means no parking fees, or searching for somewhere to park.. Can't understand why people say they can't stand the UK because of the congestion and little or no FREE parking. Don't worry there are plenty of places to go to without spending a fortune.. Many Aires in France are now costing as much to stop overnight as a clubsite here and without the luxury of facilities.. Which like many of us I don't need but are included in the fees.. As a solo over the age of 60 it costs me on average £12 per night at c&cc sites. Camping carpark aires in France cost an average of €12 per night.. So very little in it for me..

 

[Karlb]

Lots of places North Devon/Somerset border. Top of Porlock Hill has great views across Bristol Channel. Can be windy at times. Some great walks from there too. Local taxi's are really cheap too into Porlock or Porlock Weir for lunch.

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[Skez]

As a solo over the age of 60 it costs me on average £12 per night at c&cc sites. Camping carpark aires in France cost an average of €12 per night.. So very little in it for me..

Last trip to France, Summer 2019, average cost per night over 30 nights using aires was around 2.50 Euros. That is the norm for us when travelling in Europe and we stay in some stunning places.

There are stunning places in Britain, of course, but an average of £2.50 per night?? Europe, hands down everytime for motorhomes.

 

[peterc10]

You can also park overnight in the harbour car park,£15 I think. It’s just behind the campsite.

Is that the one that says "No camping or overnight occupation of vehicles" on the sign? Is that enforced?

 

[Caggsie1]

My experience of being an outsider looking in as it were, as we haven’t done it. But we see at least one each time we go which can be 2-3 time a year. This is historical. I believe, but again no experience, talking to a guy who was parked up and clearly staying in van overnight, was that parking guy may possibly turning a blind eye so long as not camping as such. This time of year half the car park is taken up with boats so little actual parking spaces. So may be restricted. However the road outside of the campsite by the church will always have one Or more parked there., last time went in early Dec last year. Didn’t see any parked in harbour car park

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