Planning 2022

[Annsman]

I use Search for Sites app for planning any trip in the van. It shows full sites, Cl/CS sites, pub stops and wild parking areas. We never leave home without it! It’s 5.99 per year and you can also plan itineraries on it too.

 

[Drover]

If the beach areas are full up go then go in the evening. They are mostly deserted then and you can really appreciate the beauty.
Make sure you do the coast road from St Just to St Ives on a sunny day...stunning.

Ooh, I'm getting all inspired now and I live here!

We did the open top bus tour around the bottom corner..... great views

Free with the Gloucester bus pass

 

[jagmanx]

We visited Cornwal in 2010 (early days)
We may well wish to go again pre-season.
A focus on the Truro area
Happy to pay for C&CC sites or their Hoiday sites
Some wilding if possible so I look forward to more posts

 

[Deleted member 54840]

Had a couple of good trips to Cornwall and Devon in the past in the van. Once was in September which was ideal as the weather was still great and most of the crowds had gone home but I wonder what it would be like now as September this year in Scotland at least was busier than August. The other time was over Christmas and new Year where we spent a week on the Isle of Wight followed by three weeks in Devon and Cornwall.

On both occasions we pretty much just used the CL network apart from the odd night wilding. I found wilding in Devon and Cornwall not that easy and this is going back a few years. The CLs were great though. Might consider it again myself for 2022. Im thinking late May and June though then maybe back up to the Lakes and Arran again for August / September.

Can I ask how wilding was on Isle of Wight? Well tolerated or frowned on? We are hoping to go over for a few days in May or June. Thanks.

 

[QFour]

SWMBO came up with a suggestion of something to do while on our travels. There are 238 of them to find mostly by the coast and on some of the islands. To date we have found about 90 of them so a few more to go. You never know what you are going to find when you get there so it's always a bit of a surprise. RNLI Stations

 

[GMJ]

That's a good idea. Less strenuous than bagging Monros as well

Some folks try and visit all the cathedrals in the UK too I think.

I have it in mind to try and visit every county in the UK.

 

[witzend]

I use Search for Sites app for planning any trip in the van. It shows full sites, Cl/CS sites, pub stops and wild parking areas. We never leave home without it! It’s 5.99 per year and you can also plan itineraries on it too.

Free to use on computer only the app thats payable

 

[barryd]

Can I ask how wilding was on Isle of Wight? Well tolerated or frowned on? We are hoping to go over for a few days in May or June. Thanks.

We didnt bother. I had heard wilding wasnt that easy and it was Christmas anyway so we wanted hookup. I did a deal with a campsite at East Cowes (think it was this one http://www.waverleypark.co.uk/) where the booking for seven nights included the return ferry crossing. I think it only worked out at £130 for the week including the ferry or something like that.

I dont remember seeing that many wilding spots on the island to be honest but there maybe some. Its a busy island I thought, in fact it didnt really feel like an island to me. I managed to get a parking ticket within ten minutes of being parked on two bays in some car park so my guess is the jobsworths are on the ball there.

 

[glinny]

I live in Cornwall. When I first got my van about 6 years ago I used to do a lot of wilding for odd nights and weekends and never had any problems even in summer. It has gradually become harder as it seems to get busier every year, and it so bad during covid that I stopped going anywhere. There are overnight parking bans and height barriers springing up all over the place and many of my favourite spots are now out of bounds.
On the other hand, a lot of pop up sites appeared all over the place last summer. Some are rip-offs, but nevertheless there should be no real lack of places to stay. It doesn't help the congestion on the roads though, especially in the hot spots like St Ives, Sennen, Mousehole etc. If you're going somewhere, get there early and leave late.
Hopefully people will be able to go abroad this summer instead. Nevertheless, I'll still be heading for my favourite spots several hundred miles away.

PS I would recommend a trip to Scilly even if only for the day. Pick a calm day and with luck you'll have a spectacular crossing accompanied by dolphins, porpoises and maybe the odd whale.

 

[jagmanx]

With covid and Europe being less easy I suggest we need to change our expectations
Everything is costing more so build that in and look for low cost camping and treat the odd free night as a bonus
Staying in UK will reduce mileage/fuel cost and eliminate ferry and covid costs (and uncertainty)

 

[barryd]

With covid and Europe being less easy I suggest we need to change our expectations
Everything is costing more so build that in and look for low cost camping and treat the odd free night as a bonus
Staying in UK will reduce mileage/fuel cost and eliminate ferry and covid costs (and uncertainty)

I dont want to sound like a doom monger but I think this year will be a lot more expensive than last year if your staying in the UK. We did four months in the UK touring last year and we were lucky enough not to have to use campsites hardly at all but did use a few CL sites. Those with hookup and campsites I reckon are going to be rocketing in price now energy prices have rocketed and are set to hike by I think another 50% in April.

Fuel, food, eating and drinking out will all go up but it was already pretty steep compared to our last European trip. I didnt care though or watch the pennies as we just felt lucky to be away but if you want to save a few bob in 2022 a solar panel and a few wild spots might be the way to go (if you can find them)

 

[Millie Master]

With covid and Europe being less easy I suggest we need to change our expectations
Everything is costing more so build that in and look for low cost camping and treat the odd free night as a bonus
Staying in UK will reduce mileage/fuel cost and eliminate ferry and covid costs (and uncertainty)

We knocked going over to Europe well and truly on the head some time ago, on overall cost grounds alone with these costs being caused by not only the ever increasing Tunnel charges and the astronomic charges now being levied for the pet passport checks, but worst of all was the fact that with my health, it was virtually impossible to get any reasonably affordable insurance cover.

So for us, it is now almost exclusively us making use of the CL network where, boy oh boy aren't we noticing some owners charging stupid money for what are only very basic sites which is why we are now keeping the names of our chosen favourite, excellent, affordable sites well and truly to ourselves! SORRY

The other factor which appears to be putting up prices around the CL / CS network is the new influx of Covid Campers, you know those who are new to either caravan, motorhome or camping and don't appear to have the foggiest ideas about the rules of our beloved past-time, leaving dog mess everywhere, driving at stupid speeds across the sites, making totally unacceptable levels of noise, you name it and this is another reason why my chosen sites are shhhhhhhhh, but too myself and in the main so very affordable.

 

[Deleted member 54840]

We didnt bother. I had heard wilding wasnt that easy and it was Christmas anyway so we wanted hookup. I did a deal with a campsite at East Cowes (think it was this one http://www.waverleypark.co.uk/) where the booking for seven nights included the return ferry crossing. I think it only worked out at £130 for the week including the ferry or something like that.

I dont remember seeing that many wilding spots on the island to be honest but there maybe some. Its a busy island I thought, in fact it didnt really feel like an island to me. I managed to get a parking ticket within ten minutes of being parked on two bays in some car park so my guess is the jobsworths are on the ball there.

I've had a look at that campsite and have now booked it, so thank you! The deal with the ferry is excellent, less than half price.

 

[barryd]

I've had a look at that campsite and have now booked it, so thank you! The deal with the ferry is excellent, less than half price.

Ah good! Its not a bad little site as sites go. It was fairly quiet when we were there at Christmas. I Cant imagine it being overrun in May / June though either. Its a no brainer though when you get the rather expensive ferry thrown in as part of the deal.

 

[Lefty]

Right, I have made the decision and, next year (tomorrow night basically) I am going to start planning and I have decided at last it is time to go to Cornwall.
Foreign travel still rather tricky so the English Riviera calls.
I have always thought they were anti van down there so have never been (with the van) but, needs must and I shall shelve my principles temporarily.
I will mainly use sites, the c&cc have some temporary sites, with a few days wilding if possible. I really want to see the famous gardens.
I was thinking of going end of May so any tips would be most welcome. Has anyone been to the Scillies??

The Isles of Scilly are fantastic, need to go longer than a day trip ideally. I have a C&CC cs site near Port Isaac I do a 3 hr service stop for £5.

 

[witzend]

The Isles of Scilly are fantastic, need to go longer than a day trip ideally.

To get the most out of your day look at flight timings and compare against ferry times / prices