Using your motorhome through the winter

[Mikey RV]

My RV when I had it winter 2014

My Burstner I have now in France January this year.

 

[autorouter]

There's another aspect not mentioned so far. My daughter is working over Christmas, so we'll all trek over to stay with her. The MH parked on the drive comes in very handy for extra accommodation. Probably we'll use the fridge/freezer space too, and the microwave. No, not for accommodation , for food.

 

[kip]

Yep.... here's one

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That would make a lovely Concorde Christmas card !!?

 

[Langtoftlad]

I'm trying to use my PVC more this winter than last year - just for little excursions of a couple of days. Off to Henley on Thames next week, so I hope the riverside paths aren't flooded.
I certainly don't mind the cold, can cope with that but it's the rain and/or continuous drizzle that gets me down... don't like getting out & about in that... neither does Kerry.

 

[Jaws]

Last year we arranged a meet with some German friends in Belgium in November .. It was bitter cold outside but the vans were all toasty so who cared !
As we winter in Spain no exciting snowy pictures I am afraid

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[Viennese]

We are often away in the van at Christmas and New Year. Last Year was Bath followed by a leisurely wander down to Cornwall for Fun New Year meet at Looe. This year will be in North Yorkshire with family, then wandering round north east seeing friends etc. Always handy in van because most family don't have room for us to stay over, but can hook us up!

 

[Liverpoollass]

We’re in northern Norway at the moment in -16c daytime temps. We were in Sweden a week or so ago where the temperature in Sweden went down to -22c

We’ve had a few issues. The first was the water pump freezing... I wrote about it on the forum the other day. Concorde have been informed and will make alterations to the heating route to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Yesterday we had another issue... we couldn’t get the flap on the fuel filling cap open as it was frozen solid. We also couldn’t get the LPG locker door open. We poured copious amounts of hot water on them but ended up loosing the barrel of the lock in the fuel flap. We managed to get the lpg flap open after half an hour or so.

All the outside lockers and the garage have locks with flap type opening mechanisms. You insert key, turn then open using the flap. The fuel and lpg have the different opening mechanisms that you turn the key and the inner piece pops out, you then rotate to open. In these temperatures they just didn’t work. In future we won’t lock them.

I am trying to follow any of your posts..as we are newish to Motorhoming (bought van Feb this year)
We have travelled to Scotland twice for 3 weeks at a time..and live in North Wales so stay fairly local for weekends.
However, you and others have inspired us to take the plunge and we are planning/hoping to travel to Norway next year..Then Sweden and Finland..I am a little confused as to whether we can stay in Norway longer than 90 days ..We hold British passports..
How long is your trip?

 

[Skez]

We’re in northern Norway at the moment in -16c daytime temps. We were in Sweden a week or so ago where the temperature in Sweden went down to -22c

Love that photo of the van framed by snow laden trees.

Norway is straight onto our bucket list now!

 

[Jenben]

Any pics of motorhomes being used in snow and ice would be great

 

[Southdowners]

H

I am trying to follow any of your posts..as we are newish to Motorhoming (bought van Feb this year)
We have travelled to Scotland twice for 3 weeks at a time..and live in North Wales so stay fairly local for weekends.
However, you and others have inspired us to take the plunge and we are planning/hoping to travel to Norway next year..Then Sweden and Finland..I am a little confused as to whether we can stay in Norway longer than 90 days ..We hold British passports..
How long is your trip?

Hi Liverpool Lass. Our trip is 4 months. We’ve been in Norway longer than 90 days.... so far so good!

We travelled via the Øresundsbron bridge so went through a few countries to reach Norway. Last year we did pretty much the same but came back through Finland and Sweden. One of the problems is that LPG isn’t available at all in Finland and it’s few and far between in Sweden.

Norway is an amazing country... you’ll love it!

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[autorouter]

Haven't done it for a few years but we used to go over to Normandy every year from just before Christmas until just after New Year. We always managed to find water and often EHU on the aires which we stayed on. Only once did we find an aire where we couldn't get water but that wasn't because the water was switched off but because it was frozen!

If all else fails, you can get water here. No tap, you'll need your watering-can.

"Summer hiker appreciates the cool waters of Fontchaude spring (Fontchaude means hot spring)!
It is named after the fact that it does not freeze during winter.
This rather stable temperature is due to a deep underground course that protects it from external temperature fluctuations."

The D900A is my favourite stretch of road, through the Geoparc of Haut-Provence. At one end there's a 'Wall of Ammonites' - snail-like fossils, some as big as a spare wheel.

 

[Rosemary1]

Yep.... here's one

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Wow just wow.....

 

[Liverpoollass]

Hi Southdowners thank you for your reply..yes we know about lack of LPG in Finland and thanks for the heads up 're LPG in Sweden..We are hoping to have a trip of 5 months or so in total..with the lions share in Norway (At least 3 months)
Our first thoughts are to travel from Harwich to the Hook of Holland then via the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark crossing HIRTSHALS to Kristiansand..then up to the Arctic circle..
I see Norway is expensive..do you sometimes cross into Sweden for food shopping?
Can you give me any idea on toll costs and ferry prices between the islands..only looking for a rough idea..
Thanks

 

[Liverpoollass]

Oh and is LPG easy to obtain in Norway?

 

[Jenben]

We like being away in the van in the snow

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[Southdowners]

Norway is amazingly expensive... £4 loaf of bread, onions around £1 each, etc, etc. If you get things twice the price of UK products you’re doing well - it’s mostly four times the price. A couple of steaks will set you back over £30. We packed as if we were going to the moon! Yes we did cross to Sweden for food, alcohol and sweets! Anything connected to sugar is horrendously expensive - I don’t have a sweet tooth but began to fixate on the thought of having some sweets!


I’ll have to look up what we paid for ferries... You’re wise to factor in the cost of ferries though as they’re not just to connect the islands, you’ll find that you have no choice but to use them on your road trips. I think the last one we used was £70 - it depends on the size of your vehicle though.

Having said that, we save a lot of money by not parking on sites. Obviously this time of year the sites are closed anyway. The thing is that Norway is so sparsely populated you can find places to stop everywhere. We only stay on ‘aires’ at marinas or similar when we need to do washing.

 

[Southdowners]

Oh and is LPG easy to obtain in Norway?

Yes, although the further north you go you need to keep an eye on your route to make sure you can fill when necessary as there aren’t that many. We use myLPG.eu to see where the stations are.

We went to one recently which didn’t take any cards... I think it was just for commercial vehicles. It was on the lpg listing though so you need to check the comments people post there as well.

 

[Liverpoollass]

Thanks that is so helpful

 

[Liverpoollass]

We plan to avoid sites as well...I am currently looking at meals I can make from packets and tins..as the other half thinks filling the fridge and tiny freezer will be but a drop in the ocean..
He will fish as well so we shall see

 

[DBK]

I am a little confused as to whether we can stay in Norway longer than 90 days ..We hold British passports..
How long is your trip?

Norway is in the Schengen zone so it counts the same as France, Spain etc., but you should be OK next year as the 90 day rule won't kick in until after the transition period. Assuming ****** happens of course.

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[Liverpoollass]

Norway is in the Schengen zone so it counts the same as France, Spain etc., but you should be OK next year as the 90 day rule won't kick in until after the transition period. Assuming ****** happens of course.

Thank you...it all seems most confusing..I think the transition period is until Dec 2020..
#butperhapsIamjustthick

 

[Wendo55]

Those who were there will never forget the Tinsel Meet in December 2017 at Shrewsbury Showground. It was just about the only area in the country with snow and
temperatures of -6c in the daytime and -12c at night!
❄☃ Ambilkate

❄☃

 

[Rob Turner]

Not much planned here, but we going to Oxford for a couple of nights next month for the Christmas Market.

So are we, weekend of the 14th

 

[LesW]

So are we, weekend of the 14th

We're going on the 16th for two nights.

So arriving when you're leaving ?

 

[orridge]

We have been away at Christmas for the last few years, if we have family commitments then we go away on Boxing day and back after New Year otherwise earlier depending on school and work. Last year we went down to Bavaria, this year subject to a new van will be Amsterdam otherwise the usual northern France, Belgium

etc. Half-term in February planning on going skiing.

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[jaygee]

Not much planned here, but we going to Oxford for a couple of nights next month for the Christmas Market.

where do you stay?

 

[swiftsteve]

We use ours throughout winter, as we are season ticket holders at Tottenham, we stay at Lee valley campsite. It's open all year. On at least one occasion last year we were surrounded by snow. I also make sure we go for a run every week to keep the starter battery topped up.

 

[LesW]

where do you stay?

It's our first time at Oxford, we're on the C&CC site.

It's about £12 a night without EHU. We are members.

 

[Ber090]

We use ours all year. Going on 28th Nov for a week at a place called Jasmin ? Understand the owner can be a bit of a handful!

 

[Jim]

We use ours all year. Going on 28th Nov for a week at a place called Jasmin ? Understand the owner can be a bit of a handful!

You'll be OK just take him Black Bush or Jameson's and you'll be fine.

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