Posted on 29/11/2017 18:57
Reading the latest magazine I was annoyed to read an AGM comment that motorhomes are causing problems because they stay on a site for a few nights and spoil the opportunity for a week's booking.
Personally all the people dashing to book in December for next year spoil my opportunity for going away on a whim and touring, stopping off for a few nights then moving on to pastures new.
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Posted on 02/01/2018 16:41
people may well still 'tour', ie visit a series of places on a route....but the process these days almost certainly involves booking those places for a nominated number of days...if the places are popular, you're covering several weekends and its a 'popular' time of year (anytime theres a chance of sunshine) its a must or you'll be scratching around for alternatives.
these may be available, perhaps in the form of CLs etc but one has to take a chance.
we generally only do one UK 'tour' a year and usually book (for this reason) and stick to the itinerary.....however, this type of vanning doesnt really appeal which is why the rest of our UK visits are late decision one or two site trips, with most of our longer term trips done where booking isnt an issue.
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Posted on 02/01/2018 17:24
Mulling this over I now realise that several of our favourite sites have been discovered as a result of our initial choice of site being fully booked and then having to seek alternatives. Others we've just stumbled across whilst out and about on our tours.
When the children were young we often went off for the weekend on the spur of the moment. Having the van all ready to roll meant it was literally a couple of minutes and we were away. Some lovely CLs discovered less than an hour from home which were revisited but we always enjoyed finding new ones. Sometimes we just overlook our own 'backyards'.
With the children 'flown' Mrs SF and I would occasionally visit sites midweek and commute to work from them in the car. Much of all above was achieved without forward thinking and little need for booking and it is still possible to do today. I guess it's all down to remaining flexible and having a mindset to make the very best of what is available to you. Not a bad philosophy for life in general me thinks.
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Posted on 02/01/2018 17:24 by mickysfMulling this over I now realise that several of our favourite sites have been discovered as a result of our initial choice of site being fully booked and then having to seek alternatives. Others we've just stumbled across whilst out and about on our tours.
When the children were young we often went off for the weekend on the spur of the moment. Having the van all ready to roll meant it was literally a couple of minutes and we were away. Some lovely CLs discovered less than an hour from home which were revisited but we always enjoyed finding new ones. Sometimes we just overlook our own 'backyards'.
With the children 'flown' Mrs SF and I would occasionally visit sites midweek and commute to work from them in the car. Much of all above was achieved without forward thinking and little need for booking and it is still possible to do today. I guess it's all down to remaining flexible and having a mindset to make the very best of what is available to you. Not a bad philosophy for life in general me thinks.
Posted on 02/01/2018 18:00 byThis idea of "flexibility "in the UK is still tempered with the thought that you have to check and (possibly) book, even at one or two days' notice.
While we do it when we have to, it still does not allow the total freedom which is the norm "elsewhere", and so we find it can be a bit irksome.
"Elsewhere", there isn't even any need to check, for if one site is full, there is another nearby with room. And, when we motorhome instead of using the caravan, there is the added possibility of a Stellplatz / an Aire / a Sosta.
Having said that, we set off tomorrow for 2 months in Portugal and Spain and, yes, we have booked some, but not all, sites. That's because sites can - and do - get full in Winter in the southern areas. It does go against the grain to do it in truth, but occasionally it is necessary (for us).
Thus, our flexibility lies not so much in being flexible about where to go in the UK, but in knowing when it is desirable / sensible to book, wherever one is touring.
Posted on 02/01/2018 18:09
We find the same in the UK, there is a need to book some popular sites but touring at a whim is still possible ,off peak more, the same as " over there"but of course off peak with a caravan in motor caravan country over their is more dificult as so many of the thousand of sites have a very short season
Posted on 02/01/2018 18:09 by JVB66We find the same in the UK, there is a need to book some popular sites but touring at a whim is still possible ,off peak more, the same as " over there"but of course off peak with a caravan in motor caravan country over their is more dificult as so many of the thousand of sites have a very short season
Posted on 02/01/2018 18:24 bySorry, I am not sure exactly what you mean. We tour "over there" all year, at differing times. Although many sites may have a short season, there are many more that do not. (The only reason that we book anything at all in Winter in Spain is because we wish to be on specific sites, at specific times, in order to meet up with people.)
In our experience, touring "at whim", without checking ahead, even at short notice, is more irksome in the UK.
Posted on 02/01/2018 18:43 byBut you wrote:
"We find the same in the UK, there is a need to book some popular sites but touring at a whim is still possible ,off peak more, the same as " over there"but of course off peak with a caravan in motor caravan country over their is more dificult as so many of the thousand of sites have a very short season" (my bold).
.... which I took to indicate you meant that touring "over their" (sic) with a caravan is more difficult because of the short season?????
Your comment above - to which I am posting a reply - would seem to relate to the UK.
Now I am confused... so perhaps it might be better to leave it there.
Katrina Hope Valley
Motorhomer