Is motorhoming for me?

[kellyjohn]

i have been full time for a week or so and understand your concern about safety but after a few days you get used to it and now i sleep at least ten hours thats the trouble this time of year gets dark early but tend to read books etc i know its early for me but i really enjoy the freedom give it another go some good comments by all as always cheers john and shakey jakey

 

[RobKeeble]

Thank You All

Thank you for all your feedback and experiences.:cheers: It just shows how knowledgeable you all are.
Thought I would share our first three locations with you if you are in these areas in the future.

This was our first stop down a quiet winding lane to the beach car park at Catterline Harbour just south of Stonehaven.
A beautiful quiet spot with seals howling to wake you in the morning.

Next was this wooded car park on the banks of Loch Leven ...

... with a short stroll through to the Loch. WOW

And our third night back on the coast at Scremerston just south of Berwick upon Tweed. This was lovely and quiet
apart from when 3 cars of youngsters turned up for a laugh at 11pm, but at least it was only for 20 minutes.

So, some brilliant sites for our first motorhoming experience. Hope some of you get to enjoy them too.

Rob
:wave:

 

[vwalan]

so you found some really nice places ,thats what its all about. give it another try . after awhile the nerves calm down. personally i was brought up using places like them. travelling around uk and europe in the early 60,s . as i grew up it was all normal. think my kids were brought up like it as well.sleeping in park shelters when we were on the trike etc. try to park just abit out of the way so that the boy racers can play without putting you at any risk. dog on a long cord with loud bark helps. have fun there is lots to be had.

 

[Airecraft]

Hi Rob

For us motorhoming is about being in control. Even if you are in the hands of others, such as Ferry Companies, you have the opportunity to go to bed/ make a cup of tea/ watch TV which you can’t if your stuck in an airport or waiting around after an hotel has booted you out of your room 8 hours before your flight.
If you don’t like the domestic aspects, such as bed making or acquiring water, there is not much you can do, although we enjoy these aspects of motorhoming.
However, ask yourself if you have ever been disturbed by other guests or inconvenienced by faulty equipment in an hotel. We certainly have and the difference in a motorhome is that you can do something about – sit it out or move off or fix the part or bodge it (my favourite solution). You are not reliant on someone else who may not be very reliable. The decision is yours and you have POWER.

Andy

 

[kimbowbill]

we stayed at that last spot on new years day after watching the fireballs at Stonehaven ny eve, thanks for that, i have searched for ages on google maps looking for that spot, what a lovely place,

 

[Viktor]

Is this it? Shore Head 56.95806,-2.202185 - Google Maps

 

[Viktor]

Not sure if this is the Loch leven point or not either 56.200897,-3.407071 - Google Maps

 

[Viktor]

Scremerston? 55.725995,-1.951602 - Google Maps

 

[angelaa]

Perhaps for your first outing, going for a shorter length of time would have been better. We struggle to get time off work, as self emloyed and our busiest time is in the summer. During the summer months, we only get away about lunch time saturday, and have to be home sunday. Now work quieter, so we can go away for full weekends. Have had a motorhome for 1 year this week. My husband was ill with cancer last year, but ok now. Since march, we have been away every weekend, and only spent 1 night on a site. Its the best thing we could have done, gets us away from the phone, kids, grandchildren etc. Take our little dog and get back to nature. Brilliant.

 

[ickyackyad]

You do turn off the a1 at sremerston but the beach is cocklawburn a couple of spots along the sea front to park.Usually quiet and good walks along coastal path
kenny

 

[RobKeeble]

Is this it? Shore Head 56.95806,-2.202185 - Google Maps

Hi Viktor,

No we didn't stay there, we used the POI file for our first three nights and stayed further south in Catterline Harbour. Although, we did park just across the bay in the harbour car park and had an enjoyable stroll into Stonehaven from there and I just submitted that location for the POI file.

Rob

 

[Firefox]

Sorry to hear you had a bad time Rob. I would give it another go because a lot of your problems seemed to stem from your van not being quite right for you. Sounds like you need a fixed bed model, and one with working electrics. I'd stick with having the fridge on gas anyway when you are parked. It will retain the cold enough while you are touring in October. I always like two big leisure batteries for wilding, or you may be running the van engine every day unless you have genny, espec this time of year with not much solar charge coming through.

Also you will find that you both have learned a lot on your first trip so that you can overcome some pitfalls in future. The main thing is being able to cope in a limited space with limited possessions. If you can get over that hurdle, and the motorhome is working OK, you'll be fine. But there are some people who just can't cope in a limited space no matter, so any form of camping is probably not for them. That didn't sound to be your problem though.

 

[Drew]

It may be that you didn't do enough research before buying and that a different layout would suit you better. We spent over a year looking for our first Motorhome and were lucky enough to be allowed to borrow both a small VW camper and a huge A class before making a decision. Like you we bought second hand and had decided that we didn't want a fixed bed as we wanted a compact vehicle. Other requirements were for an on board toilet, space for a dog, lounging area, space for cooking and food prep plus all the usual stuff. Having borrowed the A class that was our preference, it having a fixed bed that didn't encroach on the living space. However finding one in our price bracket was not easy. Our second preference was for a rear lounge, theory being that if the weather was OK we could spend most of the time outside and so leave the bed made up. In the end an A class Hymer B544 appeared at the right time and so that was what we bought.
Our other reason for wanting a Motorhome is so that we can get away for long weekends with the dog and just go where the weather is good. We have found that CL's and CS's are very cheap and convenient so you have the facilities you need and the security your wife wants (we have yet to try wild-camping and I have to say that I am a bit apprehensive).
If you haven't been totally put off I would wait for better weather and venture out again, try a few local trips over a weekend to get used to the vehicle and how you use it, then if it is going wrong you can always go back home.

:goodluck:

 

[Bigpeetee]

Our first extended trip was a bit like yours, things went wrong, battery went flat, missus couldnt dry her hair DISASTER!!

A couple of short trips ironed out the problems. We joined the Camping & Caravan Club to use their farm sites which aren't too expensive and got my wife into "Roughing it"!! (anything less than a 4 star hotel was roughing it at one time)

Now she's much happier and will wildcamp. We bought a fixed bed MH as I was used to caravans, I knew I'd feel every joint and the Princess & the Pea syndrome would make my life a misery!! Bought a memory foam topper.

If you go out again, plan your stops ease into it by using farm sites then slip in a night on the road side.

Things will still go wrong occasionally, like stopping in Autumn like you did and finding out there's no TV reception or internet or mobile phone signals. Luckily a couple of DVD's are always to hand and we freesat+ the most important programmes just in case.

 

[Haaamster]

Just my opinion but if I were you having spent a lot of money on a van I would get out there and use it for a couple of weekend trips before you decide to ditch motorhoming altogether. It may not be for you but you will never know if you give up this early.We have all had periods when nothing goes right,days we all look back at and laugh about now.

Mine was 5' of snow in Germany in an inadequately prepared van and the alternator going kapput.Had to cut my 2 month trip short ,recharge my batteries with a genny every night and drive home in daylight hours with no heater,no lights,no radioand only using the wipers when I really had to.

At one point I was so cold I thought about cutting arm and face holes in my sleeping bag and popping that on whilst driving but I thought about explaining that to a German policeman

Edit to say I didn't like the layout of my van so I stripped out what I didn't like and fitted it the way I want it. Mine is a 94 Fiat Ducato that I just fitted new cab seats into,electric ones from a 2008 Range Rover L233 no less.
Probably got the most comfy seats in any motorhome now :dance:

 

[RobKeeble]

Thanks to all

Thank you for all your encouragement. We will definitely be making the most of our winter weekends while we have a motorhome, assuming we don't have as much snow as the last two years.

Rob

 

[fofeg101]

Sorry, I just caught up with this thread. If we sell the van we'll go back to camping in our tent or buy a touring caravan. Another blow is the LEZ in 2012 will mean we can't park close enough to London central to be of use, one reason we bought our van. My wife suggested we may buy a smaller camper, or part exchange, which would serve as our car too, which would mean less hassle with two vehicles to maintain and Tax/Insure/MOT etc..