UK touring (21 Viewers)

[Bobby dazzler]

So here's a question what with the ever increasing price of crossing the channel. And France not being the cheapest place in terms food ect

also ferries to Spain costing a arm and a leg who just tours in the UK these days after all there's some wonderful places in n the UK to see

And for those who work with limited holidays is the continent really viable in a motorhome. Might as well get a cheap flight.

No wonder motorhome sales are stagnent

 

[WESTY66]

So here's a question what with the ever increasing price of crossing the channel. And France not being the cheapest place in terms food ect

also ferries to Spain costing a arm and a leg who just tours in the UK these days after all there's some wonderful places in n the UK to see

And for those who work with limited holidays is the continent really viable in a motorhome. Might as well get a cheap flight.

No wonder motorhome sales are stagnent

Yes, I work full time with limited holidays and the 2 week and 10 day trips across the water mean everything to us, I hate driving/touring in the U.K./rip off Britain.
Yes I can’t viably get to Spain so I always turn left in France (technically it’s right but you know what I mean) and head towards Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Roll on retirement when I only will have 90 days or so in the U.K.
Hence why I drive a LHD motorhome

 

[bigtwin]

There’s no comparison as far as Im concerned. To make it work in the UK requires way too much planning (which, fundamentally, is at odds with the raison d’etre of motorhomes).

Ian

 

[Lenny HB]

We find it cheaper to go across the channel than spend time in the UK Newhaven Dieppe crossing is still very cheap.

Not just cost also about freedom so much easier to use a van across the water and you feel welcome. Unlike the UK where they appear to hate Motorhomes.

 

[bladerunner]

I understand the desire to stay in UK, but like many of my friends at my age, we are trying to keep wearing brave pants and
chase the horizons before finally admitting that UK is best for us.

I mix and match. Last year Ski Austria March and Slovenia/Croatia September.
This year Ski Austria but Summer mainly Wales and Scotland.

Next year Spain and SW France.

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[hja]

We are only touring in the uk. We do miss the freedom of touring in Europe, and that was with a caravan. However, age, infirmity, insurance requirements etc just make uk touring easier in the end. Although we are both retired various things impinge on our time such that the longest we have been away is 10 days. We do go away for quite a lot of 3 or 4 nights. We always did three weeks in Europe.
People say there is a lot to see in the uk, but we are running out of places. We don’t tend to go anywhere twice, have limited mobility, don’t cycle and don’t like stately homes. We do like scenery and small interesting towns and villages, and a bit of history. However finding sites that allow that sort of exploration via public transport or parking the van become difficult to find.
Our recent trip to Scotland was planned and some sites booked, but we were also using a couple of Aires which would have given us more flexibility if needed. Many of our trips are only booked a week or two beforehand, I can’t do with booking months before. We haven’t booked anything yet for July, for example.

 

[Pausim]

Because of my mother in law’s failing health and my wife being her only surviving child we have not felt able to cross the channel for many years. We continue to enjoy our many UK outings. There is a great network of CLs/CSs and smaller campsites to be found and many of them are in great locations. After 10 years of this we have not yet run out of new places to explore but we do occasionally revisit some locations.

 

[EuroTrotters]

So here's a question what with the ever increasing price of crossing the channel. And France not being the cheapest place in terms food ect

also ferries to Spain costing a arm and a leg who just tours in the UK these days after all there's some wonderful places in n the UK to see

And for those who work with limited holidays is the continent really viable in a motorhome. Might as well get a cheap flight.

No wonder motorhome sales are stagnent

I not much of an Anglophile, so the UK for the best part doesn’t apeal to me.

I’ve just crossed with Irish ferries, booked 9M motorhome , 4 people . £80

Didn’t like the drag of the ferry, which was delayed on not the vessel I chose.

Tunnel on the way back.

But currently in Brugge, €30 a night. Moving to stelplatz tomorrow at €10.

Chester CAMC site pushing £48 a night.

We are also lucky we have a house in Spain and can be flexible with flights. They have risen in price, but we still manage £25 flights.


Sadly, virtually every flight we take is bursting with loud, drunken vile brits. Because it’s the Alicante Benidorm Booze bus. In-fact, the last 4 flights were horrendous. People arrested on landing and close to landing in France due to passengers (animals) fighting with crew.

So for me, I head out of the UK when ever I can. The costs can be saved by staying on ACSI Sites/aires or stelplatz.

When we met Trev n Lil ( bigtree ) in the south if France late august / early September. We were paying €14 a night, by the river, swimming pool, bar etc.

 

[Spriddler]

During 20+ yrs motorhoming I've never wanted to tour in the U.K. I don't want to plan a trip, route, or pre-book stopping places. It's just too much hassle here; congested roads, car park height barriers and the lack of Aires and off-grid overnight places. Motorhomes are welcomed abroad but only tolerated here.
Luckily, living near Newhaven port I only have a 17 miles drive to France and I enjoy the ferry crossing. I can get a return ticket for under £150 - less than the cost of the diesel to drive to Cornwall (Benidorm with pasties) and back, and save 550 miles of frustrating driving.

 

[DandJ]

So here's a question what with the ever increasing price of crossing the channel. And France not being the cheapest place in terms food ect

also ferries to Spain costing a arm and a leg who just tours in the UK these days after all there's some wonderful places in n the UK to see

And for those who work with limited holidays is the continent really viable in a motorhome. Might as well get a cheap flight.

No wonder motorhome sales are stagnent

The thing is....you can get across the channel and pay a little more for food and still end up with a cheaper 10+ day trip by being abroad than a similar UK trip. Way cheaper overnight stops (or the many, many free ones in some great places) and if you shop sensibly, food for 10 days may cost you £150 rather than say £120,....not exactly breaking the bank (especially when you take into account you £30k-£50k-£100k vehicle)

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[LesW]

It's not just the lack of planning required across the Channel, it's the shear joy of driving on uncrowded smooth roads too.

Just spent four weeks in Germany with a short spell in Salzburg, satnav set to avoid m-ways (and tolls), travelling on fabuluos roads with magnificent scenery, England doesn't come close.

 

[Just smiffy]

If I was restricted to touring the uk I’d give up motorhoming…..

 

[Jane And Rog]

I love being abroad too. On the other hand, we had a fantastic 3 week break in Scotland last year, in August, no bookings, and there was only one night where we couldn't stay where we wanted. Never felt unwelcome either.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Makes me wonder, if we had the B word post the C word, would we have voted the same ?……

 

[MichaelT]

Makes me wonder, if we had the B word post the C word, would we have voted the same ?……

Is the C word related to Nigel Farage by any chance

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[EuroTrotters]

Is the C word related to Nigel Farage by any chance

Love the quippy SOH

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

Love staying in the UK on sites from Easter to December-ish when time permits and family health matters are controllable, but equally enjoy several jaunts abroad into Spain and beyond in the English winter months and sometimes into spring, flying and staying in hotels or apartments, and again when family matters and time allows.
We like the best of both worlds but we do actually like UK sites.
It's just the way we roll.

 

[nicholsong]

As a British Citizen living in EU then from readings on this forum I cannot see any attraction in MHoming in UK.

Before I moved away I did tour the UK wildcamping for 2-3 years with no trouble, but this is reportedly getting more difficult.

Add to that the increased cost of ferries, there is little incentive for Continental MHomers to visit UK.

However, I am under pressure to re-visit Scotland, but that would be Amsterdam-Newcastle ferry, few days in Northumberland and then to North of Edinburgh.

 

[enark]

Love short trips to various wonderful parts of the uk.

But agree that crossing the channel is worth the cost for longer trips around Europe.

Personally could spend weeks just doing battlefield tours around northern France, Belguim and Holland…

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

I echo exactly what Lenny HB said, I hate booking, I hate sites. We book an outward ferry from Newhaven probably a day or so before and never book a return. We are currently touring Norway, We are on our 29th night and not used a single site. We will decide tomorrow morning what route we will take tomorrow or perhaps stay another day as we are in a terrific spot. We have another 60 nights to do as we please going wherever we like. We feel so welcome in Norway, yesterday we had profuse apologies from a young lady in a petrol station because the tap was in the workshop which was closed for the day and she couldn’t give me some water. The UK hates Motorhomes and causes as many problems as possible for us. Even though we spend a great deal in the towns we visit. We don’t find France particularly expensive, the difference is immaterial, Food in Norway is perhaps 25% dearer but at least we are not spending the £30 to £40 a night that UK sites charge. Even Motorhome rally’s are getting expensive for parking in a field. When we get back, as soon as 90 days have past we will be arriving at Newhaven and deciding whether to turn right or left when we get off the boat.

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[BikerGraham]

We find it cheaper to go across the channel than spend time in the UK Newhaven Dieppe crossing is still very cheap.

Not just cost also about freedom so much easier to use a van across the water and you feel welcome. Unlike the UK where they appear to hate Motorhomes.

Yeh but …. Your only 20 miles from the ferry

 

[BikerGraham]

Well my take is
I spent 10 years touring around the uk with a caravan and enjoyed it some lovely places to see.
But then spent 20 years with a combination of camping in France. Motorbiking in France and Germany too and loved the people and places to see.
Have also done the stuff like cruising, Maldives etc and loved that too.
Now we enjoy motorhoming. The boss can’t fly anymore so we are restricted to some degree

We do a few weekend in the uk but 85% of our motorhoming is across the water. Coming from the north east it is bloody expensive just to get across the water. We reckon that on a 3 week holiday it works out at around £25 at night just to get there so once you add on the site fees effectively it’s more expensive than the uk.
But the wonderful experiences far outweigh the cost and staying here. So we travel.
That’s what we got the van for.

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

“We do a few weekend in the uk but 85% of our motorhoming is across the water. Coming from the north east it is bloody expensive just to get across the water. We reckon that on a 3 week holiday it works out at around £25 at night just to get there so once you add on the site fees effectively it’s more expensive than the uk.”

When we moved back to the UK we were not prepared or could have afforded to buy back on the south coast where we lived before so bought in the Midlands, “up north” as the southerners would say. So we saved about £500k on the house we bought. Which pays for very many trips down to Newhaven. We can always park on Lenny HB drive if we get there early.

 

[BikerGraham]

When we moved back to the UK we were not prepared or could have afforded to buy back on the south coast where we lived before so bought in the Midlands, “up north” as the southerners would say. So we saved about £500k on the house we bought. Which pays for very many trips down to Newhaven. We can always park on Lenny HB drive if we get there early.

Lol saved £500k

My flat only cost £65k in 2003. It’s now worth a massive £90k

Different world

 

[Lenny HB]

Lol saved £500k

My flat only cost £65k in 2003. It’s now worth a massive £90k

Different world

You could buy a single garage I the south coast for that.

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[BikerGraham]

You could buy a single garage I the south coast for that.

So I’ve been told

Really upsets some when I am delivering training in London. They take the piss about northerners so I counter it about house prices. Shuts them up

 

[Bobby dazzler]

Makes me wonder, if we had the B word post the C word, would we have voted the same ?…

Oh dear

 

[Shrimp]

Overall France is cheaper, even paying for the tunnel and defo easier!
UK is a pain in the a…se always having to find somewhere (never where you actually wan to be) having to book and then feel you are being watched to make sure you behave!

 

[tidewatcher]

You can save the ferry costs with the free or cheaper park ups. Most small sites in the uk are not near anything of note, most Aires in France are near a village or town so much more convenient. Perhaps the welcome feeling in France goes back to their revolution, a hint of this land is for everyone rather than the uk ethos of “ get orf my land”. Anyway the sense of adventure is greater, the roads quieter and (usually) the weather is better. We intend to carry on doing our big trips in France and Spain as long as health and insurance allow it. Our uk trips are generally to see friends and relatives as by sleeping in the van you don’t impose on people and you can all talk about each other when you go to bed.

 

[Paulypaul]

I think uk site charges will price themselves out and no one will be prepared to pay site fees? It's all a bit self destructive to their business if you ask me? No wonder Johnny Foreigner doesn't want to come over in his motorhome to experience the warm welcome he'll receive? Mind you, it hasn't deterred the sailing fraternity who still battle the North Sea....in their rubber vessels?

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