Off Road Camping Chat

Jane NotRog

Jane NotRog

LIFE MEMBER
Joined
Jan 19, 2019
Posts
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Location
Ashford, Kent
Funster No
58,099
MH
Adria Twin 640 SGX
Exp
A few years
Just a thread for miscellaneous off-road camping chat. I’ll kick it off - what’s your motorhome/van, and where is your favourite place to take it for some off-road camping?

We’re getting a Euromobil Xtura, hopefully next month. I’m looking forward to getting to some wild desert spots in Morocco, and I know of a Scottish track I’d like to drive through, but I’m really hoping to pick up some tips for mainland Europe. Slovenia maybe…
 
We are scheduled to pick up our RP Rebellion 2 FL in May, so not too much longer to wait now thankfully. We are Scotland nuts and that will be our first port of call when we get the van. We plan to do a lengthy winter trip up in the Highlands too heading for the really cold, wild and snowy spots.🥶🥶 Also on the horizon is Norway, possibly in 2026 and like you we fancy a Moroccan trip too. Just looking to spend as much time as we can in remote places and being off grid more or less indefinitely if we want to.
 
We did Morocco over the winter 2023/24 in the Twin and plan to do the same again this year. Would like to get as far as the Iron ore train, Mauritania. We also were planning Norway this May but may hold on that until new van. And Iceland looks like a good adventure on a 4 x 4
 
oops, repeat of above ..deleted.

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John and Jo said:
We did Morocco over the winter 2023/24 in the Twin and plan to do the same again this year. Would like to get as far as the Iron ore train, Mauritania. We also were planning Norway this May but may hold on that until new van. And Iceland looks like a good adventure on a 4 x 4
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I read Kevin & Ruth’s blog about the Iron Ore train. How are you doong it - with the van? I’d love to do it but not sure it would work with the dog.
 
Yes would like to cross the border and at least see the train. I know people ride it but to see it must be good.
 
TheAleMan said:
We are scheduled to pick up our RP Rebellion 2 FL in May, so not too much longer to wait now thankfully. We are Scotland nuts and that will be our first port of call when we get the van. We plan to do a lengthy winter trip up in the Highlands too heading for the really cold, wild and snowy spots.🥶🥶 Also on the horizon is Norway, possibly in 2026 and like you we fancy a Moroccan trip too. Just looking to spend as much time as we can in remote places and being off grid more or less indefinitely if we want to.
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That first trip should give it a good test then Steve, insulation, heating, comfort, that new toilet system etc
 
CazPaul said:
That first trip should give it a good test then Steve, insulation, heating, comfort, that new toilet system etc
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Yes Paul, that will be the shake down really apart from one night on a campsite near the factory after the handover. 😅 The toilet system is the bit I’m really looking forward to if I’m honest. 🙈😅
 
Jane And Rog said:
I read Kevin & Ruth’s blog about the Iron Ore train. How are you doong it - with the van? I’d love to do it but not sure it would work with the dog.
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Trouble is if UK government advise against travel to Mauritania (which I think they do) then your insurance amongst other things will be invalid so in the event of something happened you could be in soapy bubble

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CFO advice right now is:

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to areas within 25km of the Western Sahara border, excluding the section of the Nouakchott-Nouadhibou road and the city of Nouadhibou.
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My bold. That road goes right past the N2 border crossing with Morocco. The border itself is current open. This family did it with their van and two kids on NZ passports in Jan this year. They bought border insurance. I’d be surprised if your UK green card would cover Mauritania. I would expect you can buy specialist expedition insurance if you prefer.

Once you’re in Mauritania, you’re good (at least on FCDO advice, I haven’t looked at visa, insurance and vehicle import yet) to Liberia through Senegal, Guinea and/or Guinea-Bissau. Even Sierra Leone is safe these days!

After that though, the whole of west Africa is various strengths of “advise against visiting” until you get to Namibia.

1742074930765.webp

5000 miles to run that van in…

R
 
John and Jo said:
We did Morocco over the winter 2023/24 in the Twin and plan to do the same again this year. Would like to get as far as the Iron ore train, Mauritania. We also were planning Norway this May but may hold on that until new van. And Iceland looks like a good adventure on a 4 x 4
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The iron-ore train is an amazing sight. We drove parallel to it and it just went on & on & on!!!
 
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We are following a YouTube couple Snow and Curt , they are traveling down the western side of Africa, just reached Gambia, not we would have the guts for it, pretty much all roads outside the cities seem off road.

 
Jane And Rog said:
Did you drive into Mauritania?
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Yes, we (my 20 year-old son and I) were in a charity banger rally, driving a Volvo 740 diesel estate. Three days across the desert, one day down the beach, finishing in Banjul.

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Looks like the Steiners actually did it in Feb 23 (video here but very far from worth watching ). Snow and Curt did it recently.
 
Revolvor said:
charity banger rally
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that's what I imagine you need to survive there, a vehicle you can walk away from and not miss it.
A new £150+K 4x4 would be a massive worry (assuming that's not loose change to you).
We knew of someone who drove to S Africa it in the 50s, but it was almost a suicide plan, and he was as surprised as anyone when he got back...
 
Bertilak said:
that's what I imagine you need to survive there, a vehicle you can walk away from and not miss it.
A new £150+K 4x4 would be a massive worry (assuming that's not loose change to you).
We knew of someone who drove to S Africa it in the 50s, but it was almost a suicide plan, and he was as surprised as anyone when he got back...
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The rules included " Buy a car for less than &100" and "When you get to Banjul, donate the car to be auctioned for charity"
We got it for £99 from a scrappy, with a lot of the engine in pieces in the boot including a cylinder head that was warped like a banana because the radiator had failed and it overheated drastically. With the help/ sponsorship of local companies, the head was skimmed, radiator replaced and the engine was rebuilt.
The trip took 3 weeks and it was purchased for £1400 in the auction.
 
Late last year we came across the Carbage Rally going through Yorkshire; a more sanitised version, without the philanthropic element.
Originally a mad Dutch idea, (though these were Germans), they get a €1000 car, which is then decorated carnival fashion and driven on an international camping tour. These were totally bonkers, and great fun to see.
 
Bertilak said:
that's what I imagine you need to survive there, a vehicle you can walk away from and not miss it.
A new £150+K 4x4 would be a massive worry (assuming that's not loose change to you).
We knew of someone who drove to S Africa it in the 50s, but it was almost a suicide plan, and he was as surprised as anyone when he got back...
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Let me just ruffle through the 500k in my back pocket…

I think we’re just dreaming at the moment (Rog calls it planning!). While his 97 year old mother is still with us, and there’s every chance of a medical emergency, I don’t want us to be in deepest darkest Africa and I get left with the van and the dog while he flies home. So we’ll be limited to places I’d be happy on my own.

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It is planning but I don't think you really need to worry that much about the van, damage can be repaired and even basic policies cover theft. Our last Morocco trip was under 3PF&F. Besides there is real expedition insurance for such trips (for example https://www.adventurescover.co.uk/activities/ will insure you for a polar expedition).

Bertilak the garbage rally came right past our house last year. Twice. They're quite noisy... funny at first but the 100th banger sounding their Dixie horn gets bit tiring :-)

...actually maybe we should get a Dixie horn for the Xtura 🎺

R
 
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When we picked our van up we met another new owner and discussed various trips, he recommended a company who run small tours (4 vans).
https://offroadadventuretravel.com/

He went over the Pyrenees last year in a defender with roof tent. This year booked a tour for the Xtura with the same guy mostly off road routes, this group consists of similar vehicles, this time Xtura, MLT and I think 2 Sprinter van AWD.
 
Neilfg said:
When we picked our van up we met another new owner and discussed various trips, he recommended a company who run small tours (4 vans).
https://offroadadventuretravel.com/

He went over the Pyrenees last year in a defender with roof tent. This year booked a tour for the Xtura with the same guy mostly off road routes, this group consists of similar vehicles, this time Xtura, MLT and I think 2 Sprinter van AWD.
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Cool! Which tour did you book? Maybe we can have an Xtura 4x4 mobile rally :)
 
we were pottering in the Pyrenees in '23, and got up to a campsite (Castillo Loarre) where some Germans with tricked-out LR Defenders came down to... I looked at the tracks on Google earth and they didn't seem exceptionally hard (with my old school 60hp LR Series111 viewpoint). I'd guess you could work out a tour without needing a guide. I expect sure the forums will be full of folks showing off their routes.
It would be more important to have a number of vehicles, with enthusiast drivers, than the absolute ability of the vehicle.

Attempting it on our own, with 2WD, and a suspicious co-pilot, didn't seem like a good idea at the time :).
We did get some exceptional trails across Spanish deserts though. Eg Monegros...

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Jane And Rog said:
Cool! Which tour did you book? Maybe we can have an Xtura 4x4 mobile rally :)
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My bad the post reads wrong, we haven't booked, the other chap (new Xtura owner) had and is planning another one this year in September. Both in the Pyrenees, last year they drove to the highest accessible point, this September doing something similar in the Xtura again mostly off-road. He is an experienced off roader and thought the organised tour was very good, basically a solid recommendation from someone who offered roads a fair bit.

Would be happy to join a 4x4 meet up, great idea💡 👍
 
And just like that, I got my own MHF account leaving Jane NotRog less schizophrenic.

“MHF4x4 rally, 2x4 welcome” sounds like a great idea. Rules can be similar to the banger rally:

Buy a MH for more than £150k, fail to get insurance, drive it to a club site and auction all the useless recovery kit you bought for charity.
 

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