Solo Motorhomers

[Brummie64]

Maybe a silly question, but I just wondered are there many solo funsters out there, and how do you manage?

My brief back story is, back in February 2024 myself and my wife, Denise, invested in a Burstner IXEO 590, with the drop down bed perfect size for the 2 of us and our 2 spaniels, we managed 3 main holidays that year, France, Scotland, and Belgium, and we both loved the freedom of touring in a compact 6 metre coachbuilt.
On 31st December Denise suffered a fatal heart attack, losing my soul mate and partner of 28 years is something I will never recover from.
I was thinking of selling the motorhome at one point, but decided to keep it, I have had a couple of weekends in Wales in it, just me and the 2 dogs, but now I’ve booked le shuttle and have 18 days in France, or further coming up later this week.
It’s just anything seems geared for couples, so I was just wondering how many other solo travelers are out there..

 

[Outdoors Dad]

I'm sure there is some solo adventurers who would like to meet up for a bit craic and beer. Watch this space I'd say and sorry for your loss.

 

[Bill-H]

I do half my travelling solo + two dogs and the other half with a friend and her dog.
They are both different experiences but equally as enjoyable

 

[Brummie64]

I do half my travelling solo + two dogs and the other half with a friend and her dog.
They are both different experiences but equally as enjoyable

Would be good to travel or meet up with other dog lovers.

 

[Grimsbygranny]

Hi, @ Brummie64, first let me say sorry for you sad loss, then explain that I camp solo as my husband hates holidays and loves TV. I've always had great fun ay MHF rallies and not been neglected cos I'm solo..
Please can I also recommend New Companions Camping Club? This is a club for anyone who camps alone, in a tent, caravan, or moho, mostly retired people and usually a good mix of both sexes! And absolutely no pressure to 'join in' but plenty of walks and pub lunches etc on their rallies. MHF also usually have an area at warners motorhome shows and that's a great place to meet other campers for a chat.
Take care,

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[The Old Man]

Sorry to hear of your circumstances but it appears you have a plan.

I'm a solo traveller by choice, a bit like life I seek solitude most of the time.

I'm also in Wales but having spent much of my life travelling I am as happy one hour from home, in a field in the Brecon Beacons as ranging miles abroad. My joy is being in my van no matter where the van is.

But if you do venture to Wales again, drop me a PM and we consider sharing a coffee or beer.

Also you may like to check out Coco's Wild Camping, they have lots of singles events!

Coco's Wild Camp

www.cocoswildcamp.com

 

[Brummie64]

Hi, @ Brummie64, first let me say sorry for you sad loss, then explain that I camp solo as my husband hates holidays and loves TV. I've always had great fun ay MHF rallies and not been neglected cos I'm solo..
Please can I also recommend New Companions Camping Club? This is a club for anyone who camps alone, in a tent, caravan, or moho, mostly retired people and usually a good mix of both sexes! And absolutely no pressure to 'join in' but plenty of walks and pub lunches etc on their rallies. MHF also usually have an area at warners motorhome shows and that's a great place to meet other campers for a chat.
Take care,

Thank you, a friend of mine did mention New Companions Club, and also Phoenix Club, and they are something I would definitely consider. I am 61 this year and still working full time, but planning to retire next year, then I will have more time for travels, and plan to explore Europe for 2 / 3 months at a time, and in between have shorter breaks in the UK.
At the moment it is getting used to it being just me, and my 2 spaniels. Last time it was just me l was in my 20’s
Thank you and take care.
Martin

 

[Brummie64]

Sorry to hear of your circumstances but it appears you have a plan.

I'm a solo traveller by choice, a bit like life I seek solitude most of the time.

I'm also in Wales but having spent much of my life travelling I am as happy one hour from home, in a field in the Brecon Beacons as ranging miles abroad. My joy is being in my van no matter where the van is.

But if you do venture to Wales again, drop me a PM and we consider sharing a coffee or beer.

Also you may like to check out Coco's Wild Camping, they have lots of singles events!

Coco's Wild Camp

www.cocoswildcamp.com

Cheers, that Coco’s looks interesting l’ll give you a shout if I decide to go.

 

[Tombola]

Ive done great solos, me and my 2 dogs, Wales, England, France spain belgium etc...can't beat it.
Always met plenty other like minded, and had plenty adventures crop up.

Even if you meet couples it's all good..keep going your doing the right thing

 

[The Old Man]

Also dogs are useful in opening social gulls!

I should had added that I've only been to Coco's once, during a very wet period so there was very soft ground.

Another place that I tend to use is:

Brecon Beacons Wild Camping | Belle Tent Hire, Camping, Motorhomes,

Explore the woods, relax around the campfire and sleep under the stars with a stay at Brecon Beacons Wild Camping. The campsite has amazing views of the Brecon Beacons and offers a fantastic option for those looking to relax or take that walk along the beacons.

www.breconbeaconswildcamping.co.uk

It's cheaper and I love the views;

Like Coco's no booking, roll up, pitch up and around 5-6pm the farmer passed by and collects your £7.50.

For me both are no go areas on Public Holidays and thought about at weekends.

Also worthy of a mention, Jim 's the Forum proprietor also runs Jasmin Camping;

Jasmin Camping – Fun in the Sun

jasmincamping.com

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[Waveski]

Yes there are many solos out there.
My wife died 10 years ago and I will never get over it, time does not heal but it enables you to find a way forward. Keep doing what you are doing until you need to change. After a year I sold ‘our’ caravan and bought ‘my’ motorhome. It takes some adjustment to make ‘your’ decisions and not ‘ours’. I travel to France every year and find people are generally very sociable to a solo traveller with very few exceptions.
One piece of advice I would give is to make sure someone can know where you are in case you need help, my daughter can track me by phone location.
I’m off to France next week, haven’t got a clue where I’m going

 

[Brummie64]

Yes there are many solos out there.
My wife died 10 years ago and I will never get over it, time does not heal but it enables you to find a way forward. Keep doing what you are doing until you need to change. After a year I sold ‘our’ caravan and bought ‘my’ motorhome. It takes some adjustment to make ‘your’ decisions and not ‘ours’. I travel to France every year and find people are generally very sociable to a solo traveller with very few exceptions.
One piece of advice I would give is to make sure someone can know where you are in case you need help, my daughter can track me by phone location.
I’m off to France next week, haven’t got a clue where I’m going

I am still having to remind myself to make ‘my’ decisions instead of ‘our’ decisions. I will be in contact with my step son and his wife, while I am away, I have also filled in the ICE (In Case of Emergency) on my phone.

Funnily enough I am off to France on Friday, and don’t have any concrete plans, other than maybe head along the Normandy/Brittany coast, or maybe head towards Bordeaux, or maybe inland to Burgundy!…

 

[ChrisL]

Very sorry to hear of your wife's passing, I can only imagine how devastating that must have been for you. I'm single, retired and live full-time in my motorhome, during the winter I stay at a site in Dorset and have made some friends that also do the same, during the spring and summer I travel around both in the UK and Europe and attend some Fun meets which are usually fun, as you might expect occasionally I might bump into someone I met at a previous site and then have a bit of a catch up, if you tend to sit outside with your dogs, people will come and chat to you about them or in my case as I don't have dogs they ask about my motorcycle and how I transport it etc. Keep well and enjoy your forthcoming trip, you could do a little blog about your travels with photos which I have no doubt will get lots of views and suggestions for places to visit on your journey.

 

[Jev88]

Good on you for not knee-jerk reaction selling the Motorhome. I'm sure she would want you to stay active and traveling.
There are solo traveller groups on FB but have no experience of them. You certainly won't be shunned at any Funster group meet or when we descend on Warner and Apple tree shows.

 

[Shango]

Sorry for your loss, but I too go solo. My husband came with me a handful of times since I purchased my MH in 2008, my sons came with me, one at a time when they were off from school but now one of my sons take's my MH maybe once a year with his friends and my youngest brother borrowed my MH once a year to attend the Electric Picnic festival with his friends for the weekend (and I'd get it back about a month later ), he did that from 2009 to 2016 and then got married in 2017 and his Mrs don't like camping but I know my brother misses it But my husband would rather stay home and work, where as I have to travel, I have to go somewhere, and as my mom said to my husband...I've 6 kids but Shango was the only child who was always missing. I said to her...mom I wasn't missing, I was off exploring My husband said to my mom...if the car is missing, she'll be back in a few minutes, but if the MH is missing, you can be sure she's out of the country and Lord knows when she'll be back.
But at the end of the day, if I wait for my husband to bring me anywhere, I'd never get any where...so, I just take off on my own and usually give them 5 mins notice that I'm heading off, or I'll text him while driving out the gate...I'm off, see yah in a week. I remind my hubby, I didn't buy it to leave it parked up at the back door
I had a sister one year older than me, I purchased the MH in 2008, she died 2009, a year after I purchased it. She had Cancer and she knew she was dieing. A few months after I purchased it she asked me where I had been in it, by then I had not gone any further than to the UK with it, she said to me...Oh for Gods sake go places while you can, look at me, I'm bed ridden, almost blind (she did go totally blind in the end) and I cant go anywhere, so go while you can and don't end up like me not being able to move. So I did travel more after she said that but back then I'd always double check with her husband if it was safe for me to go coz she was so ill at the time, I didn't want to be away if she passed. I was in Belgium when her hubby texted me to come home quick and I did, she died 2 weeks later. But my sister was right...if you're well enough to go - just go, do it while you can. She was 42 when she died.

It dont bother me being away on my own, actually I prefer it. If my hubby was with me, he'd rather stay parked up all day and not drive around and I like going off the beaten track...just to have a look see what's up that road ?

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[Brummie64]

Sorry for your loss, but I too go solo. My husband came with me a handful of times since I purchased my MH in 2008, my sons came with me, one at a time when they were off from school but now one of my sons take's my MH maybe once a year with his friends and my youngest brother borrowed my MH once a year to attend the Electric Picnic festival with his friends for the weekend (and I'd get it back about a month later ), he did that from 2009 to 2016 and then got married in 2017 and his Mrs don't like camping but I know my brother misses it But my husband would rather stay home and work, where as I have to travel, I have to go somewhere, and as my mom said to my husband...I've 6 kids but Shango was the only child who was always missing. I said to her...mom I wasn't missing, I was off exploring My husband said to my mom...if the car is missing, she'll be back in a few minutes, but if the MH is missing, you can be sure she's out of the country and Lord knows when she'll be back.
But at the end of the day, if I wait for my husband to bring me anywhere, I'd never get any where...so, I just take off on my own and usually give them 5 mins notice that I'm heading off, or I'll text him while driving out the gate...I'm off, see yah in a week. I remind my hubby, I didn't buy it to leave it parked up at the back door
I had a sister one year older than me, I purchased the MH in 2008, she died 2009, a year after I purchased it. She had Cancer and she knew she was dieing. A few months after I purchased it she asked me where I had been in it, by then I had not gone any further than to the UK with it, she said to me...Oh for Gods sake go places while you can, look at me, I'm bed ridden, almost blind (she did go totally blind in the end) and I cant go anywhere, so go while you can and don't end up like me not being able to move. So I did travel more after she said that but back then I'd always double check with her husband if it was safe for me to go coz she was so ill at the time, I didn't want to be away if she passed. I was in Belgium when her hubby texted me to come home quick and I did, she died 2 weeks later. But my sister was right...if you're well enough to go - just go, do it while you can. She was 42 when she died.

It dont bother me being away on my own, actually I prefer it. If my hubby was with me, he'd rather stay parked up all day and not drive around and I like going off the beaten track...just to have a look see what's up that road ?

Thank you, love your optimism and sense of adventure, that has cheered me up
But also so sorry your sister passed away so young….

 

[PlacidoD]

Another EU solo traveller here. It used to be on motorbikes but now a MoHo.

"Funnily enough I am off to France on Friday, and don’t have any concrete plans, other than maybe head along the Normandy/Brittany coast, or maybe head towards Bordeaux, or maybe inland to Burgundy!… "

A suggestion - I am recently back from a Normandy trip. I visited the D-Day landing sites and spent a few days at the excellent municipal site a Bayeux:

Campsite des Bords de l'Aure Bayeux

The campsite 'Les Bords de l'Aure' welcomes you in the heart of the city of Bayeux during your holiday in Normandy. Enjoy a break in your tent, caravan or camper van or if you prefer, you can also rent one of our mobile-homes

www.camping-bayeux.fr

I booked for one night there but ended up staying four!!

 

[Brummie64]

Another EU solo traveller here. It used to be on motorbikes but now a MoHo.

"Funnily enough I am off to France on Friday, and don’t have any concrete plans, other than maybe head along the Normandy/Brittany coast, or maybe head towards Bordeaux, or maybe inland to Burgundy!… "

A suggestion - I am recently back from a Normandy trip. I visited the D-Day landing sites and spent a few days at the excellent municipal site a Bayeux:

Campsite des Bords de l'Aure Bayeux

The campsite 'Les Bords de l'Aure' welcomes you in the heart of the city of Bayeux during your holiday in Normandy. Enjoy a break in your tent, caravan or camper van or if you prefer, you can also rent one of our mobile-homes

www.camping-bayeux.fr

I booked for one night there but ended up staying four!!

Thank you for campsite recommendation I might just check it out, I was thinking of staying a night or 2 at the camping car park aire in Caen anyway, and Bayeux is nearby.
I tend to look for Aires or Campsites that are in walking distance of town centres, or right on the coast, just makes life easier with 2 spaniels, although they are good on public transport, but that was with the 2 of us, on my own might be a pain.

 

[lindyloot]

Brummie64 Sorry for your loss, there are lots of us in the same sitution you have unfortunately found your self in. You may find this Facebook group helpful Mad Widows and Widowers with Motorhomes. They have meets and get togethers all over . In fact a few of them have gone in convoy to France. They even just meet up for a coffee and chat with those local to each other

 

[Brummie64]

Brummie64 Sorry for your loss, there are lots of us in the same sitution you have unfortunately found your self in. You may find this Facebook group helpful Mad Widows and Widowers with Motorhomes. They have meets and get togethers all over . In fact a few of them have gone in convoy to France. They even just meet up for a coffee and chat with those local to each other

Thank you, I will take a look at that Facebook group.

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[Shango]

Brummie64 Sorry for your loss, there are lots of us in the same sitution you have unfortunately found your self in. You may find this Facebook group helpful Mad Widows and Widowers with Motorhomes. They have meets and get togethers all over . In fact a few of them have gone in convoy to France. They even just meet up for a coffee and chat with those local to each other

There's another support web site here in Ireland called widow.ie , it was set up in January 2009 by my youngest sister Colette after her husband Peter died, he died instantly due to a road accident August 2008, he was only 32, their daughter was only 3 yrs old at the time. Actually, Colette is the sister I mentioned before who won a MH in 2020 and she's over the moon with it, I convinced her to go to France and her self and her daughter with their little dog Ruby went 2 years ago and they loved it. So if that web site is any good to anyone...have a wee look She's still single by the way...don't tell her I said that

 

[jennywren]

Maybe a silly question, but I just wondered are there many solo funsters out there, and how do you manage?

My brief back story is, back in February 2024 myself and my wife, Denise, invested in a Burstner IXEO 590, with the drop down bed perfect size for the 2 of us and our 2 spaniels, we managed 3 main holidays that year, France, Scotland, and Belgium, and we both loved the freedom of touring in a compact 6 metre coachbuilt.
On 31st December Denise suffered a fatal heart attack, losing my soul mate and partner of 28 years is something I will never recover from.
I was thinking of selling the motorhome at one point, but decided to keep it, I have had a couple of weekends in Wales in it, just me and the 2 dogs, but now I’ve booked le shuttle and have 18 days in France, or further coming up later this week.
It’s just anything seems geared for couples, so I was just wondering how many other solo travelers are out there..

So sorry to hear of your sad news. Cannot really add much as I have not suffered your misfortune and it is difficult to imagine how one would feel. But, hats off to you and good luck, give it a go and see how you feel. Sometimes, we need to push through until our heart tells us what to do. We have always found the vast majority we meet ready for a chat and to share stories.

Enjoy your upcoming trips, all the best.

 

[rusted]

Hi Brummie
I am sorry to hear of your wife's passing.
I have done a lot of solo motor homing I typically think of a theme cathar castles, peninsular war forts and battle fields Normandy d day stuff tops of mountains that sort of thing. Pack books, films and a fishing rod, buy a fishing licence for the whole of France and kinda wing it following the theme I picked.
You will meet many very nice people.

 

[Brummie64]

There's another support web site here in Ireland called widow.ie , it was set up in January 2009 by my youngest sister Colette after her husband Peter died, he died instantly due to a road accident August 2008, he was only 32, their daughter was only 3 yrs old at the time. Actually, Colette is the sister I mentioned before who won a MH in 2020 and she's over the moon with it, I convinced her to go to France and her self and her daughter with their little dog Ruby went 2 years ago and they loved it. So if that web site is any good to anyone...have a wee look She's still single by the way...don't tell her I said that

Thank you again Shango , I’ll take a look at your sister’s website, is it just for those resident in Ireland or can anyone join.

 

[Shango]

Thank you again Shango , I’ll take a look at your sister’s website, is it just for those resident in Ireland or can anyone join.

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you....it's support for anyone anywhere. Jump in there and have a look see.

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