For caravanners' eyes only - we're getting a new one!!

[Gollom]

Just got back from a short break in Shropshire with the new caravan A round trip of about 340 miles.

View attachment 99619

Generally pretty pleased. A few random thoughts/observations ...

• The Vito's tailgate doesn't clear the handbrake lever (up or down), so hitching up has to be done with the dogs already on board and the tailgate closed
• Having shock-absorbers on the caravan definitely makes it smoother over bumps in the road
• I only noticed the Al-Ko ATC once, going round a mini roundabout slightly enthusiastically!
• Having tyre pressure & temperature monitoring on the caravan is quite a distraction till you get used to it (watching both rise and wondering when they will stop!)
• The little LED spotlights are are all individually dimmable, which I never realised!
• The cooker has a built-in cooling fan that comes on it you do much more than boil a kettle
• The Avtex TV (16") we got is very nice and the directional antenna gave great reception
• The 100W solar panel on the roof had the battery fully recharged by the following lunchtime, even in cloudy/rainly weather
• The big fridge is lovely but being at the foot of the bed the burner is audible at night (and there's a distinct click when the thermostat activates)
• Never had a pressurised water system before but I quite like it!
• Four rooflights are a lot to remember to check when it rains!
• Although the overall length and weight are very similar to our old caravan it feels significantly bigger and more airy inside
  
  Mrs BTB and BTB Junior playing backgammon last night
  
  View attachment 99620
  

Beautiful!

Do you have a link or name) for that fencing please? Want it for the decking fence on our static as can can squeeze through the uprights! LOL

 

[BTB 500]

Do you have a link or name) for that fencing please?

'Barrier fencing' is widely available from all sorts of places including Wickes, Screwfix etc. (and eBay / Amazon). Typically in orange as it's commonly used on construction sites, but occasionally green or black. We find most of it too lightweight & flimsy for our purposes though ... despite nearly always being advertised as 'heavy duty'

I found this place a few years back and use them exclusively now. We only buy the 'heavy' grade, which is 10kg for a 50 metre roll. Not cheap but it lasts for years:

Green Barrier Fencing Mesh - Plastic Temporary Fence

Green Barrier Fencing Mesh is ideal for many temporary fencing applications around the garden, at sporting events and for crowd control. Manufactured from green polypropylene plastic.

www.sure-green.com

 

[Gollom]

'Barrier fencing' is widely available from all sorts of places including Wickes, Screwfix etc. (and eBay / Amazon). Typically in orange as it's commonly used on construction sites, but occasionally green or black. We find most of it too lightweight & flimsy for our purposes though ... despite nearly always being advertised as 'heavy duty'

I found this place a few years back and use them exclusively now. We only buy the 'heavy' grade, which is 10kg for a 50 metre roll. Not cheap but it lasts for years:

Green Barrier Fencing Mesh - Plastic Temporary Fence

Green Barrier Fencing Mesh is ideal for many temporary fencing applications around the garden, at sporting events and for crowd control. Manufactured from green polypropylene plastic.

www.sure-green.com

Thanks. Only seen it in orange. Flimsy is better for our purposes anyway as it will be stapled to the decking fence

 

[BTB 500]

When we've bred pups we've run the thinner stuff across our decking (the pins fit between the planks) to make a temporary outdoor pen going from our french windows onto the grass

 

[Martyn_n]

Parked up at a service station on our way back up to Home. vineyards in the background say it isn’t Watford gap!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Parked up at a service station on our way back up to Home. vineyards in the background say it isn’t Watford gap!

Nice outfit

 

[MissyD]

Apologies guys if using the word motorhome on a caravan thread is wrong , but I've always fancied one and driving off into the countryside. Does anyone have one or can tell me about them, thanks

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Apologies guys if using the word motorhome on a caravan thread is wrong , but I've always fancied one and driving off into the countryside. Does anyone have one or can tell me about them, thanks

I don’t have one but know plenty of people who do. They’re perfect for people who genuinely intend to tour, move from one place to the next, staying in a different place every few days. They’re also ideal for people who are keen cyclists as it means that they can explore on their bike, and leave their Motorhome at their base. Packing away every time you want to “pop” somewhere can be a bind.

If you think you might want to stay in one place for longer than a few days, then a caravan be a better option, as you can use your car to explore, and travel further afield. Once the caravan is set up it’s set up, so you can come and go as you please. However caravans require a little more effort to set up and prepare to travel, and so could become a chore if staying somewhere different every night.

The other key decision is camper van or motor home. I think the best way to describe the difference is that a camper van wouldn’t usually have onboard toilet or shower, whereas a Motorhome would. Although there are small Motorhomes which are close to the size of a normal van, they offer much more USA or space for a similar footprint - the extra height makes a big difference.

With a camper van, the experience is closer to camping, where you spend most of your time outside of the camper van either literally outside or in an an awning. With a Motorhome - even a small one - you have enough space to spend most of your time inside if you need to, making the experience closer to that of a caravan. Of course onboard toilet and shower also contributes to that difference.

Some people favour a camper van or Motorhome because they don’t want to tow, can’t tow, or think that progress will be slow, but it’s not as difficult as most people would assume - it’s second nature - and as long as the caravan is matched to the car the difference in speed in the UK isn’t that great due to traffic and relatively short distances - that said, unless touring (lots of stop offs) I wouldn’t tow a caravan to Italy or Spain!

 

[MissyD]

Thanks , lots of things to consider.
It was only that my son said he is off for the weekend with his friends in one of their motorhomes, that I thought I'd look into it more. The family owns a big caravan/motorhome business in Essex , so maybe I can pop along to them and see what they have.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Thanks , lots of things to consider.
It was only that my son said he is off for the weekend with his friends in one of their motorhomes, that I thought I'd look into it more. The family owns a big caravan/motorhome business in Essex , so maybe I can pop along to them and see what they have.

Definitely worth having a look round and look at as many different layouts as possible before buying.

I know lots of people who buy one quickly and then kick themselves because the layout isn’t quite right for them, saying things like “if only this was there” or “if only the bathroom was bigger”.

If you think you’re getting serious then try hiring one for a night or two to see if a Motorhome is really for you, and then to understand which layout works best for you.

We looked at a lot of caravans before buying ours and the reason we still have it 11 years later (start of this thread) is because the layout is perfect for us.

 

[BTB 500]

We know quite a few people with camper vans & motorhomes (including the in-laws). They're pretty expensive (even quite old ones), so a lot depends on how much you are realistically going to use them - you'll have a lot more money tied up in one than in a caravan so if it's sitting idle for 48 weeks a year ...

As mentioned local travel of any sort is more difficult, not just because you have to pack everything away first but also due to the size - you can't use any car park with a height restriction, for a start. The in-laws went to Cornwall in theirs and sightseeing away from the campsites was a nightmare due to the narrow/twisty/hilly roads. That's why you frequently see bikes (or motorbikes) hanging off the back, or even a small hatchback being towed behind.

Even quite big motorhomes are surprisingly cramped inside compared to a modern caravan ... best thing is to go and take a long, hard look at multiple examples of both before making any decision. BD's suggestion of hiring one for a trip is excellent. Size & layout is super-important and down to personal preference and needs e.g. I'm 6' 1" and many beds are simply too short! There are a few comparison videos out there too (camper van here rather than motorhome here, but still worth a watch):

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[MissyD]

I will give it some thought, being that its only me, I dont need anything too big , but big enough to be comfortable. Some of the motorhomes look a little snug and being 5.10 I need leg room. Maybe hiring for the weekend would be good too. It maybe just an itch I need to scratch, who knows

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I will give it some thought, being that its only me, I dont need anything too big , but big enough to be comfortable. Some of the motorhomes look a little snug and being 5.10 I need leg room. Maybe hiring for the weekend would be good too. It maybe just an itch I need to scratch, who knows

In that case I would be first looking at the smallest Motorhomes you can find, ie with onboard toilet and shower, but small so you’re less limited by external dimensions in tight spaces.

My neighbour bought something along those lines but bought brand new, without asking for advice, without shopping around and without even staying in a Motorhome or caravan before doing it!

They used it for one night and sold it back to the dealer. It was an expensive exercise but I have to say they picked really well, and if I was after something for one or two people then it was perfect.

If your happy to be limited to only sites with facilities (ie toilet and shower block) then a camper van might be just the ticket, super small and mobile, and with ample space for one.

Take your time to think about what you really want, and ideally have a go, but ultimately go for it! I’m sure that is Caravanning and Motorhoming MBClubbers will be happy to help and advise

 

[davidjpowell]

Apologies guys if using the word motorhome on a caravan thread is wrong , but I've always fancied one and driving off into the countryside. Does anyone have one or can tell me about them, thanks

I used one over lockdown (my employment enabled me to travel - hotels did not hence our workaround).

I am not a fan. It was quite nice to be able to just parkup. But to me the downside was the rattling from the plates, the cooker, the pans, the heater, etc... Total cacophony behind my back. The only thing that kept me sane was noise cancelling headphones.

 

[MissyD]

I used one over lockdown (my employment enabled me to travel - hotels did not hence our workaround).

I am not a fan. It was quite nice to be able to just parkup. But to me the downside was the rattling from the plates, the cooker, the pans, the heater, etc... Total cacophony behind my back. The only thing that kept me sane was noise cancelling headphones.

It served the purpose you needed it for, thanks for the feedback.

 

[PaulXC]

We bought one two months ago with the intention of using it to tour Europe extensively. Not managed to get across the channel yet but have racked up 3500 miles in the UK. Have been the far North of Scotland, Cornwall, West Wales and Northumberland so far.

It works very well for us, semi retired no kids at home, so able to head off at a moment’s notice. We’ve been watching the weather forecast and heading off accordingly. Ours is really comfortable with all mod cons - king size bed, full bathroom, fridge-freezer, hob, oven, gas central, heating & hot water, TV and surround sound audio and a massive garage for my mountain bikes and kit.

Size wise it is 6.9 metres long, 2.7 high and 2.2 wide. Any larger would be a pain. I’ve driven it extensively now on single track roads in Scotland and Wales and I’ve not found the size any problem at all.

In addition to size you need to consider total vehicle weight - above 3500 kg weight or below (that’s with you and all your kit in it). You need a class C licence to drive above 3500kg.

I’ve spent days fixing every rattle in it and adding sound insulation but you still have to be very careful how you pack it to avoid annoying noises.

They vary massively in quality - German brands generally considered better than UK.

The driving experience ain’t Mercedes! It’s very much like driven a laden Luton Van. I reckon ours need an air suspension upgrade which I will get done shortly.

The UK isn’t set up for Motor-homing really. Most of the camp-sites are away from towns and village centres which is fine for caravans as you can set up and drive away in your car. Not a problem for me as I’m quite happy to use my mountain bike or Ebike to get around.

In France, Spain and Germany pretty much every town, city and reasonable sized village has an ‘Aire’ or motorhome stopover park. Usually about a tenner a night for parking, water, drainage and electric hook -up. UK campsites are normally - £20 -30 a night.

It’s sitting on the drive now having just got back from a Northumberland ‘coast and castles’ tour I might take it back to the storage facility later or I might head out to the Peak District for a night stop over and some more mountain biking …

 

[Neiltodd]

If you are planning on touring around your base then its often easier with a caravan but if you choose a campervan get an awning that is self contained/supported so you can drive off but leave your awning fully set up

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

We spent almost 6 weeks away in the caravan over summer and were due to go away this weekend and the coming weekend.

Regrettably we have just cancelled both weekend breaks in anticipation that we will need to reduce our movements.

We’re back in the habit of eating out, and going away will just encourage us, so we’re staying home, and hopefully eating at home.

We still have one more holiday booked but we have time to decide whether to proceed or cancel - we shall see

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

We spent almost 6 weeks away in the caravan over summer and were due to go away this weekend and the coming weekend.

Regrettably we have just cancelled both weekend breaks in anticipation that we will need to reduce our movements.

We’re back in the habit of eating out, and going away will just encourage us, so we’re staying home, and hopefully eating at home.

We still have one more holiday booked but we have time to decide whether to proceed or cancel - we shall see

A week or so ago we cancelled our last two getaways for 2010 in the caravan: 10 days in Chester and a long weekend in Shrewsbury.

We don’t spend much time at home - I can’t remember booking a day off work and not going away - so I’ll be using it to do some jobs around the house and garden. Maybe.

So in the whole of 2020 we only used the caravan for one trip - albeit we went home for a few days in the middle to make sure everything was OK.

Let’s hope 2021 is better for getting away

 

[Neiltodd]

Still got a short trip to Pitlochry planned early November not cancelled yet but there hasn't been many this year.