Retired from Motorhoming Today

Au revoir, David and Margaret but not goodbye! It's a bit of a wrench giving up motorhoming, and we're still getting used to it. Just think of the money you're saving on tax, insurance and servicing!

We've managed to keep travelling by booking mobilhomes on French campsites in low season. They all speak english and are more than happy to take your booking. The loss of spontaneity and the need for detailed planning takes getting used to.

We sail from Portsmouth on Monday evening for St Malo for a 3 week, 2 site holiday in Brittany. Here we are having a no-expenses-spared lunch at Dinard last year!

Good luck to you both!

DK,  Thank you for keeping this forum afloat - and of course we wish you well, but a new world is opening up for you. 

I don’t wish to pry, but guess you now have another £60,000 in the  bank so the options for you are unlimited. There are all the places to visit which don’t have campsites. And all the ones which don’t have convenient buses - so no more hiking to bus stops and queuing till one turns up. And you need never go to Cayton Bay again. There are smarter places. 

Forget pods. Forget Travellodge and even forget Premier Inn. Go posh. Enjoy yourselves. Good wishes.

Reading between the lines on your posts this year meant that this hasn't really come as a surprise David.

I suppose the fact that we too have had to re-evaluate our own touring needs has meant that I've been thinking along parallel lines to yourself, only one that gives up caravanning to move into motorhome/pvc/campervan life. We did actually reach a final decision this week to sell our caravan, reluctantly one may add, and then look for a suitable replacement. In the meantime if we do manage any time away apart from the odd night then we'll use whatever fits the bill for where we want to be.

It's unfortunate that health issues has forced your hand but good that the sale has been resolved quickly. I do hope you'll continue to offer your advice on here and I appreciate your work as a moderator. Thank you and best wishes to you and Margaret for some sort of speedy treatment for your mobility problems.

Oh dear, David - so sorry to hear you've had to give up but delighted that you will continue to contribute on here.  Your common sense and vast experience would be sadly missed, otherwise. I know it's going to happen to us before too long as we're both in our mid / late(ish!) 70's.  Erecting an awning will be the next thing to go and then I have it in mind to look for a seasonal pitch (our thinking when we bought the 8' wide van).

We wish you both all the very best for the future - whatever you decide to do - and - genuinely - look forward to reading about your travels elsewhere in the future. Take care - and keep well.

Richard & Rosamund

David, thank you for keeping this forum afloat and for your posts.

Sadly, it realise it's almost 5 years since we, too, had to make that decision. We've had a couple of breaks away since. But there's health and house move in the mix as well. The bit I miss the most is knowing that everything is yours and the standard of cleanliness. Maybe my standards are too high...... oh and having a dog. I miss the mobile, changing room, rest area and facilities on days out. But we get there. Its certainly a wrench.

I wish both you and Margaret good health and happy times. Make the most of every opportunity.  And keep posting please, it's nice to catch up with folks posts.

Motorhoming just isn’t supported in the UK like it is on the continent, the UK costs of owning/using a motorhome are far in excess almost to the point of prohibitive to that of our continental friends, parking places are becoming less with many councils almost seeing the MH as either a revenue trap or the scourge of the earth

We had a motorhome, my children found the living area much less comfortable than that any of the caravans they’ve stayed in and so it had to go, we sold it for the same price as we purchased it for which as it was in Covid was a high price, but since then I’ve noticed prices dropping to something almost achievable for many.

I/we will return to Motorhoming when our children have decided they don’t want to holiday with us any more.

Good luck in moving forward, cannot have been an easy decision.

Good luck in your next venture David. I must thank you as we have found your caravan travels blogs very helpful over many years and have visited a lot of great places on the back of some of your stories. May be a good idea to keep it going and update it even if away to a pod etc as I’m sure you will still visit many interesting places 

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the kind thoughts and best wishes. As you can perhaps imagine its been a bit strange not seeing the motorhome parked in the back garden and knowing its a permanent change. We are still sorting out things from the van although in the end we did leave quite a bit for the new owners which we were encouraged to do by White Arches. Also saves me the need to dispose of things myself! We have some young neighbours with children who have recently got a caravan so will probably donate some stuff to them. 

David

Sorry to hear that you have had to give up David. Not an easy decision. We hope we have a few years left yet but I suppose it is something we will have to accept eventually. We enjoy the type of holiday so much that in our case I think it will be purely down to fitness both as in able to drive and carry out the tasks involved. I think we are prepared to take the cost hit, of probably using it much less and for shorter trips in the future. As long as we can afford it of course. We have occasionally tried cottages / gites in the past and although we enjoyed them, much prefer the freedom we have now and will be loath to give it up. Good fortune in whatever you choose for the future.

David.I started 60 years ago in an old van and primus stove. Nothing else and wild camping every week end regardless of the weather. just climbing in North Wales with a lot of quite famous names in the climbing world. Moved on to a van with Porta Poti. Next proper bed and stove based on VW. Married, got kids, and a proper job. Still vanned extensively moving into hill walking and fishing. Eventually Kids " borrowed" the van. On retirement got a lovely  "Rhythm" and a lot of touring. Supplemented my pension by breeding  pedigree sheep which I still do. Time eventually caught  up with us and like you sadly parted with the van. However the memories are still there and my wife kept an extensive diary which makes good reading. Not sure, with now having to plan things ahead, busy sites and rules if I would enjoy it as much. Nothing like a wild camp by a remote Assynt Loch. Keep going David plenty of other recreational things to do , just slower.