Caravanners

[garethEds]

Just out of interest - any Caravan fans here?

 

What have you got and what do you pull it with? Where are your favourite sites?

 

We've got a Senator Series 5 Virginia (the one with the island bed and middle bathroom). I pull it with a Ford Kuga 2.0 Diesel. Awning is a Doreema.

 

The missus and I love Caerfai Bay in St David's, Wales but have just come back from Wood Farm in Dorset. First summer holiday with a baby on board.

 

Any other touring fans out there?

 

Gareth

[bigjb]

Im a motorhomer! Love it to bits... Off on a well earnt rest next week down Devon for 2 weeks cannot wait am absolutley knackered.

[Andrew_C]

Living in the South, and having to cross the New Forest regularly, I assure you, there is a special circle of h3ll reserved for caravaners! Sorry and all, but there you go!

[jdoyle]

er, not a fan of caravans (at least those on driveways and roads). Expensive mobile porta potties.

 

Knowing my absolute hatred of caravans, the guys in my office placed some fake ads in Autotrader with a good spec van at an exceptional price. Needless to say that my mobile phone number had to be changed shortly afterwards.

[laserblazer]

We used to have a Lunar many years ago and loved it. Towed behind a Hillman Hunter estate (shows just how many years). We used to mainly go with the Camping Club and when our daughter was little, the kids used to come around to take her for a walk and we never saw her again until she needed feeding. I'm sure that's one of the reasons she is so sociable now. I'd have liked a motorhome but the missus is totally against the idea.

[SteveBentley]

@jdoyle: That is quality. Must make a note of that one!

[broc]

I was a caravan owner for many years, my last tow-car was a 245bhp Volvo T5 estate... 0-60mph in under 12 seconds with a 16ft caravan on the back

 

We have had a motorhome for the last 8 years, recently downsized to a 6 metre panel van conversion, heading off to the Alps in a weeks time. Mainland Europe is so much more caravan & motorhome friendly than the UK.

[laserblazer]

We have had a motorhome for the last 8 years, recently downsized to a 6 metre panel van conversion, heading off to the Alps in a weeks time. Mainland Europe is so much more caravan & motorhome friendly than the UK.

 

That's what I fancied doing but campsites aren't that cheap now and fuel costs don't help.

[broc]

That's what I fancied doing but campsites aren't that cheap now and fuel costs don't help.

 

True, costs are going up. I would be wary of splashing out on a 7.5 tonne American style RV with a 6 litre petrol engine right now!

 

Fuel costs impact all sorts of travel....... however a modern diesel based motorhome of modest proportions can easily yield mid-30s MPG, more if you relax & take your foot off the go-faster pedal. Low profile vehicles or panel van conversions tend to be lighter & have less frontage & so produce less drag & yield better fuel economy.

 

Also, in Europe many countries still allow 'wild camping'. In France there are 'Aires' and in Germany 'Stellplatz' where you can park a motorhome overnight for a few Euros. These provide a space to park, fresh water, waste disposal & sometimes electricity & toilets/showers. We don't use these facilities ourselves, preferring to use proper camp sites but many people are happy to do so. In our experience campsites are generally cheaper than in the UK, with most offering better facilities, especially in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland & Northern Italy. Diesel fuel is also cheaper across most of Europe (apart from Scandinavia). A quick detour through Luxembourg to fill up with diesel is always a good idea

[rad]

We, well my OH dad is currently rebuilding an Earlybay VW camper. the previous one was a 2ltr petrol engine that drank it like it was going out of fashion. The current one has a 1.9 diesel engine been fitted into the back of it.

 

If I can get a picture up here somehow I will do.

[broc]

I think one of the motorcaravanning magazines has a series of articles running about renovating an old LDV & converting/upgrading it.... lots of people do, I would love to have the time.

 

There is quite a cult following for the VW campervans.... our new van is based upon a 6m Peugeot Boxer 2.2 diesel. Too early to say what its fuel economy will be like as it is not run in yet.

[garethEds]

That's what I fancied doing but campsites aren't that cheap now and fuel costs don't help.

 

I agree totally about the prices - they are going up and often for not much change at the camp site.

 

Gareth

[garethEds]

We, well my OH dad is currently rebuilding an Earlybay VW camper. the previous one was a 2ltr petrol engine that drank it like it was going out of fashion. The current one has a 1.9 diesel engine been fitted into the back of it.

 

If I can get a picture up here somehow I will do.

 

Yes please do - I'm considering getting a VW Camper (split windscreen) and doing it up. With the missus on maternity pay at the moment it is but a dream but the plans are all there.

 

Gareth

[rad]

Self Build Motor Caravanners Club or SBMCC website is great for self builds and info.

[garethEds]

Almost a year since I posted the question. Since then we have changed our Bailey Senator for a Bailey Olympus 525. The little one is too young to travel abroad without a thousand service stops in between so we are staying in the Uk..

 

Are all the Edugeek caravanners ready for the Summer?

 

Gareth

[jinnantonnixx]

I used to have a VW camper, but south Wales != southern California, so I sold it.

 

Back to tent now, but I've been intrigued by these fellas...

Little Guy Teardrop Trailers - Home

[teejay]

Caravans are tempting but it's the storage of it for me, we just don't have the space for one. We have a lovely Outwell 5 man polycotton tent which does us great, have everything organised to be ready to go so if we decide last minute to head off and can get the tent up and everything unpacked in 30 minutes with just 2 of us.

[SimpleSi]

When youngster is a bit older, go to Caravan Club site at Longleat and enjoy

Si

[gream0604]

I have a VW T4 van that i converted last year. Great for going away for weekends and chilling out in the sun

[garethEds]

When youngster is a bit older, go to Caravan Club site at Longleat and enjoy

Si

 

Believe it or not we booked Longleat the other week for August.

 

Gareth

[Iain.Faulkner]

We've got a 1973 VW Bay Type 2 (there's pics on edugeek somewhere from when I first got it), and although it costs us a fortune each year on welding and all sorts of mechanical problems, I wouldn't swap her for anything :-)

 

Took her out for the first time this year last weekend, went to a campsite called Nant Hill in Prestatyn (please excuse spelling) ahead of taking her away over half term next week to York.

 

Looking forward to plenty more weekends this year sat by the Van :-)

[ButterflyMoon]

My van is a Subaru Sambar tiny engine but it is the dogs. Great MPG and fun to drive. I have a rock and roll rear seat that converts into a 3/4 double bed. I also have an old (great condition) Harrison awning which works well for the day stuff ie cooking, sitting about in the evenings etc. Am heading down the Yorkshire coast soon for a few days. Summer though I think may be heading to Argyll and some good walking. Edited May 28, 2012 by ButterflyMoon

[alan-d]

I have a Bailey Ranger 460\4 which we had from new about 6 years ago and tow with a Honda CRV. Stopped at C&C Cardigan Bay site at Easter which was a very pleasant location.

Going to the Tavistock Site in the summer which will be the first big trip with our new puppies. Just had to cancel a trip to Delemere Forest as they will be too young and not fully jabbed up .

[bladedanny]

Caravans are tempting but it's the storage of it for me, we just don't have the space for one. We have a lovely Outwell 5 man polycotton tent which does us great, have everything organised to be ready to go so if we decide last minute to head off and can get the tent up and everything unpacked in 30 minutes with just 2 of us.

 

Is that the Bear Lake? We have the smaller Trout Lake which is great, but the sloping corners make the main living area feel a bit small when the door is closed.

[elsiegee40]

Almost a year since I posted the question. Since then we have changed our Bailey Senator for a Bailey Olympus 525. The little one is too young to travel abroad without a thousand service stops in between so we are staying in the Uk..

 

Gareth

I have to disagree. My parents got their fist touring van just after my sister was born (I was 2). We had a 12' Astral Ranger followed by a 12'6" Forest Sherwood.

 

My father took all his leave in one go and we toured Europe every summer. Dad built a sort of frame with plastic mesh in the side which attached with bolts, turning the bottom bunk into a cot for my sister. It was a fantastic way for us to see the world... all in the days of plastic car seats, no DVD players or ipods and no air-con

 

Aged about 7, I can still clearly remember going down the west side of Italy via Florence and Rome to Naples... going up Vesuvius in a chairlift... back up the East side via Venice and then round into Yugoslavia visiting Dubrovnik and Sarajevo amongst other places.

 

The Alps were brilliant for holidays when we were small and also the Ardeche Valley in Southern France.

 

There didn't seem to be anywhere we didn't take our van. As we grew older we used to go down to Sort in the Spanish Pyrennees, towing through some fairly dodgy mountain passes, for a Canoeing Festival and then head back into Provence for sun, wine and good food

 

Compared with other children our age, my sister and I were incredibly well travelled and we could never have afforded it without the caravan.

Edited May 28, 2012 by elsiegee40