To Plan or not to Plan

Eddieb

Eddieb

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Having read a lot of posts on the forums about the joys and freedom a motorhome brings we are wondering are we just a little too "stuffy" (Cant think of another term) by totally planning our trips. We are just about to set off on our third European grand tour and apart from Aires, Plattz and Sosas every campsite is booked and a calendar of the the trip is printed off (A little example of one of the months enclosed) As for Aires and other free sites we like to get there early to secure a place and then explore the area in the afternoon and evening. We usually only do about 2-3 hours between stops.
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We never used to plan when going in to Europe, apart from having a list of places we'd like to visit. Usually got to them but if not we went the next year.
Since covid though we've not been able to go abroad for health reasons and have had to plan UK trips quite meticulously so we could be sure of getting in to places we wanted to visit. Still sometimes changed plans but could usually change sites date even if we'd paid a deposit. Not as spontaneous or such fun unfortunately. We really miss the excitement of different countries and the sun but at least we're still getting away.
 
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Having got off the train and parked at citi-Europe once, we genuinely didn’t have a clue on where to go for two months. Looked at the weather and ended up in Croatia for the best trip ever for nearly 3 months…😎

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Our best trip ever was going to Croatia and then changing our mind about how we were going to get back and taking the ferry to Ancona. Camped at the foot of Assisi, which had never been on our 'to do' list and was wonderful. Then back through Tuscany, Germany and France. None planned.
 
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We are tied to school holidays so book the tunnel. This time we’ve booked a campsite for 2 nights to tie in with a vet visit for a pets passport. Other than that we have an idea for first night spots if we turn left or right at Calais (one day so hope the weather will look good for the eastern route).
I’ve also got some places I fancy visiting depending on which direction we go.

And that’s it. It’s down to weather, how much we like somewhere and when I get bored and want to move on …

Working life is so planned I love the luxury of not being tied down. I may feel the opposite when I retire!
 
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Stealaway said:
That is one of this spring tour 'plans'

We've never really been north of Aachen. Any hints and tips?
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We were intending to go.
First up if you are a search4sites fan you need to change to camper contact. No reviews of the area at all.
Then read those and see how much the Aires are. Then get acsi.
Super cycling lovely beaches shed loads of open space a few interesting villages submarine cafes and very much old east Germany.
Nordic murders on channel 4 is worth a watch
Weather would be a major player for us to go and we have put off again.
One for our retirement we think
 
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suavecarve said:
First up if you are a search4sites fan you need to change to camper contact. No reviews of the area at all.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that :drinks:

We have Camper Contact. I've just checked P4N and there seems to be no shortage of spots up there, although I've not checked any prices.

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Just a vague plan here. Last September we knew we had 2 months or so and we wanted to do the Romantic route in Germany, the Dolomites and Tuscany. The only thing we planned was booking the ferry 3 days before we set off. We ended up exploring Sicily. Originally had no intention of going that far.

Stayed in a combination of completely off grid park ups, Aires, and campsites but just decided what we needed as we went along.

So many things we did that we didn't expect. Had we planned it too much it just wouldn't have worked and would have limited our holiday.
 
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I book the outward tunnel in advance and that's it.
I enjoy planning where I might go but the plan will be chucked out mid channel. Never book anywhere to stay can't see any point as I don't know where I'll be, never mind when.
Uniquely on the forthcoming trip I have actually booked a few days on a site in the Bordeaux region but that's because my stepsons family are staying there and we are meeting them. Following that depends on the weather, probably South to Spain or Portugal wherever its warmer.
 
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Lenny HB said:
Planning like that would do my head in.
I've just booked a ferry for the end of the month, where are we going France/Spain/Portugal, wherever don't really know. Try to avoid campsites certainly wouldn't book one.
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Likewise!

Outbound ferry booked and that's all. We know we are outbound 11/04, probably back end of June. Loose plan is to tour Italy and Sicily, and that is as far as the planning goes.
 
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We only ever book the ferry crossing. If you book somewhere you have to be there which, we believe, makes you chase your own butt. Additionally, if the weather is crap you're stuck. IMHO you can miss so much doing this. but it's whatever suits. Enjoy.

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We don’t plan apart from a proposed destination.

“He knows not where he’s going, For the ocean will decide,
It’s not the destination,
It’s the glory of the ride”
(Edward Monkton Zen dog)
 
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Eddieb said:
Having read a lot of posts on the forums about the joys and freedom a motorhome brings we are wondering are we just a little too "stuffy" (Cant think of another term) by totally planning our trips. We are just about to set off on our third European grand tour and apart from Aires, Plattz and Sosas every campsite is booked and a calendar of the the trip is printed off (A little example of one of the months enclosed) As for Aires and other free sites we like to get there early to secure a place and then explore the area in the afternoon and evening. We usually only do about 2-3 hours between stops.View attachment 724737
Click to expand...
The only things we book are the ferries and which countries we want to visit. It’s Spain and Portugal at the end of the March. We love the total freedom and sense of adventure it gives us. x
 
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We buy the summer ferry tickets months in advance (before Xmas).

We then have a target location to head for.
We may even book a campsite for that location.

We may also have a secondary place we also want to go to and also may book a campsite there.

However how we get there, and then onto the second place, and then back to the ferry we tend to plan a day or two or three ahead.

The only proviso I would add, is to book campsites around the local holidays (Ascension, Assumption, Corpus Christi etc. ) as the sites fill up
 
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A couple of years ago we headed to the lake district, with the intention of if we didn’t like the lakes we would go to Ireland.
We ended up in Scotland.
When we go to France we never have any idea of where we are going.

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I have a rough plan and a proposed farthest destination. I identify a few aires/stopovers at about 150 mile intervals and a few ASCI sites at the destination plus any second destination. The return journey is often decided a day at a time with a mixture of aires or possibly the odd site with the distance between stops varying from 50 - 150 miles. Much easier than trying to arrange a multi stop tour in the UK.
 
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I think if your destination is new to you or you are nervous about travelling there for the first time then it helps to have a plan. Also if you have the needs of dogs or children to think about then you may need to book a site with a pool, or near suitable dog walking - again probably worth planning.

If you are an older person who just needs something nice to look at, a decent supermarket, somewhere to chill in the sun with a good wine or beer then don't plan. Most of Europe has that available everywhere.
 
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Stealaway said:
That is one of this spring tour 'plans'

We've never really been north of Aachen. Any hints and tips?
Click to expand...
We have been up on the Baltic coast 3 times in the motorhome
Harwich/Hook of Holland ferry - Get the night boat saves hours of driving (and is cheaper)
To get 'continent ready' we have twice headed to Texel, great little relaxed island, loads of excellent campsites (book ahead, the best ones fill up, even out of season)
Head for Stralsund and from there the island of Rugen
You could easily spend 2 weeks on Rugen alone, we have been twice and still not seen half of it.
We loved the island of Hiddensee (cycles only permitted)
GB motorhomes are few and far between on Rugen ( but load of Germans, Dutch, etc)
Peenemunde is well worth a visit (where the V2's were launched)
A cycle along the coast on the island of Usedom is good to Heringsdorf
You can even cycle across the Polish border and have lunch in Poland.
(Check your insurance, many GB insurers exclude Poland from their policies)
Wismar and Scherwin were worth a visit
 
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Brains said:
We have been up on the Baltic coast 3 times in the motorhome
Harwich/Hook of Holland ferry - Get the night boat saves hours of driving (and is cheaper)
To get 'continent ready' we have twice headed to Texel, great little relaxed island, loads of excellent campsites (book ahead, the best ones fill up, even out of season)
Head for Stralsund and from there the island of Rugen
You could easily spend 2 weeks on Rugen alone, we have been twice and still not seen half of it.
We loved the island of Hiddensee (cycles only permitted)
GB motorhomes are few and far between on Rugen ( but load of Germans, Dutch, etc)
Peenemunde is well worth a visit (where the V2's were launched)
A cycle along the coast on the island of Usedom is good to Heringsdorf
You can even cycle across the Polish border and have lunch in Poland.
(Check your insurance, many GB insurers exclude Poland from their policies)
Wismar and Scherwin were worth a visit
Click to expand...

Thanks for that --- Brilliant :drinks:
 
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