Motorhome

[JanieB]

I’ve got a motorhome. I’ve wanted one for ages. The plan is for it to be for the whole family to use. I’ve hated putting my pups into kennels when i’ve been away and I still can’t rule that out. I don’t know anything about rules or where i’m allowed to stay so it’s a learning curve. I’m absolutely chuffed to bits.

[KevinM67]

So where's the first port of call JanieB ?

Looking forward to the journey.

[Dead Dogs]

Good for you.
We’ve skipped the caravan stage and went from tents to motorhome. Had one for 10 years now. Always take the dog/s with us and never had a problem finding somewhere to stay. All of the Caravan and Motorhome club sites allow dogs and I think the same goes for the Camping and Caravan club.

[JanieB]

So where's the first port of call JanieB ?

Looking forward to the journey.

Scotland, via Cumbria (family visit). I’ve never been to Scotland so I thought it was about time I did. I have friends in Stornaway and I’d like to see Edinburgh. Then back via Sheffield (more family).

I’ll wait until the weather’s better though.

[veggiechicken]

Well done Janie, it should be great fun.
I thought about getting one myself some years back - for similar reasons - being able to holiday with the dogs and go where I pleased. I wimped out in the end as I didn't fancy driving something bigger than a car!!

[JanieB]

Well done Janie, it should be great fun.
I thought about getting one myself some years back - for similar reasons - being able to holiday with the dogs and go where I pleased. I wimped out in the end as I didn't fancy driving something bigger than a car!!

I’ve driven all sorts. Tractors, minibus, vans. Carwise, Singer Le Mans with dickie seat and double declutch to a Jensen. My first car was a Ford Popular that my mum paid £5 for. It had a starting handle and the wipers worked from a diaphragm which meant the harder it rained the slower the wipers were.

[chris_m]

I have friends in Stornaway

Last time I was out on the Hebrides most of the car parks along the coast seemed to be a free for all for motorhomes, especially huuuuge ones with black & yellow numberplates and the letters NL on the back
I don't know if it's officially OK to park up in them, but many of the car parks seemed to have water taps - which I took as a clue that it's either OK or at least that a blind eye is generally turned.

In Cumbria, you'd need to use an official site. Overnight stays on car parks is frowned upon to the extent that many have signs to emphasise that overnight stays are prohibited.
I think there's quite a few camping/caravanning sites around ranging from big ones right down to Caravan Club Certified Locations.

[4Shoes]

Scotland, via Cumbria (family visit). I’ve never been to Scotland so I thought it was about time I did. I have friends in Stornaway and I’d like to see Edinburgh. Then back via Sheffield (more family).

I’ll wait until the weather’s better though.

Lots to see and do up there (I'm almost in England Now). The Road Equivalent Ferry Fare - make the islands so much more accessible. You could make your way down with an island hopper ticket but be prepared. With the new BBC weather map you'll see how big Scotland is, so pack your bags for a good few weeks to see it all.

North of the Great Glen (Loch Ness Canal) is a whole new world of its own. Lots of single track roads, open land, hidden sandy bays and wildlife.

You got a small car to tow or is it the Harley Lift on the Back wall

Enjoy your new freedom and yes best wait till next week.

mind you - If you are prepared and have heating in the van, waking up in the middle of a snow field would be an experience (knowing the road will be cleared that day)

[chris_m]

The Road Equivalent Ferry Fare - make the islands so much more accessible.

Does it ever!!! I got the first RET priced sailing from Uig to Tarbert after it came in. The difference in the price for the return ticket compared to if I'd gone the previous week nigh-on paid for my B&B for the three nights I was on Harris.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Unless Scotland has changed in the last 15 years allow plenty of time for your journeys, once above Edinburgh the red roads that look like main roads on the map can be nothing more than tracks with passing places when you get to them.

Good luck with your new home I would love one.

[4Shoes]

Unless Scotland has changed in the last 15 years allow plenty of time for your journeys, once above Edinburgh the red roads that look like main roads on the map can be nothing more than tracks with passing places when you get to them.

Good luck with your new home I would love one.

That is a bit unfair

I’ve driven all sorts. Tractors, minibus, vans. Carwise, Singer Le Mans with dickie seat and double declutch to a Jensen. My first car was a Ford Popular that my mum paid £5 for. It had a starting handle and the wipers worked from a diaphragm which meant the harder it rained the slower the wipers were.

Honestly everyone is welcome. It is true, like Cumbria you need to know the width of you buggy and there are lots of single track roads with passing places, but with your experience not going to be an issue.

[chris_m]

That is a bit unfair


Honestly everyone is welcome. It is true, like Cumbria you need to know the width of you buggy and there are lots of single track roads with passing places, but with your experience not going to be an issue.

Far more civilised passing places too. Unlike Cumbria, where one often has to squeeze into a gateway or what ever, many of the Scottish single track roads have tarmacced passing places big enough to get two trucks or buses past each other and those passing places are usually at pretty regular intervals and clearly signed.

[Snadger]

My claim to fame was travelling to the Isle of Skye with a family of five in a Commer Caravette when Sky had no bridge. Went over on the ferry.........now that was an experience!
Bought the Caravette for 70 squid, managed to get it through its MOT with a scaffolding pipe for an exhaust. Travelled 1000 mile in a week then put it on the drive and flogged it for 500 squid!

[Potstubsdustbins]

The difference being the Scottish roads are marked as main roads as I found out going from Fort William to Mallaig though I suppose they have got round to altering that now or at least I hope so. What with herds of deer leaping across the bonnet and fish lorries hurtling along it was a hazardous road at night.

[Kirk]

One aspect of a motorhome that one person I know said it that if you are on a site say 2 miles out of a town or village then to get to the village/town you end up packing everything back into the motothome to use it to drive into the place.
Whereas with a caravan you leave the caravan and unhitch the car.

Agreed you can walk or have a bicycle but a motorhome has the odd disadvantage.

The person in question sold their motor home for a caravan simply as the motor home wasn't flexible enough. Especially if they used a site and intended to make visits to different places surrounding it as it meant taking the motorhome off site every day. And a motorhome may not be the easiest to navigate around a small unfamiliar place with.

Some places restrict the amount of parking that you can do. On the Norfolk coast they found people were parking up and staying put for a week or so. Which was not the intended purpose of the supplied parking. So some places made changes to their parking rules to prevent this. Might find that others impliment similar, especially the popular locations.