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With a heavy heart


Violet1956

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We’ve come to the decision that the van’s got to go. When we bought it, we thought it would give us the freedom to roam at home and in Europe with the pooch. We’ve used it a bit this year, managed to take it on the continent in previous years including skiing a couple of times since we’ve had it. Had some good times that’s for sure but now it’s old and things keep breaking on it. When contemplating an upgrade we are conscious that these vehicles are expensive to buy, expensive to maintain and that motorhoming in the UK is becoming increasingly difficult. Only the other week we managed to cop a fixed penalty for inadvertently entering a low emission zone on our route via Bath to Wales. Height restriction in most car parks together with the lack of provision for short stops make motorhoming in the UK rather tedious and at times stressful. Brexit and all the attendant red tape that now is involved in European travel perhaps the last straw. Thanks to all of you on this forum for providing us newbies with much needed advice from time to time. I still look in on the threads in chatterbox. Some of my kindred spirits produce some thought provoking threads here. The comedians of every political persuasion make me smile from time to time. Anyone want to buy a campervan that has things breaking on it all the time? It will be going cheap like the boy for sale in “Oliver”.

 

Veronica

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Thats a shame Veronica.

 

I Cant say I was excited about a staycation in the UK in our aging Kontiki this year but in the end we managed four months on the Yorkshire Coast, Isle of Arran, South western Scotland and finished up with a month in the Lake District all between late June and late October. It was great. So it is possible. I think we only used two Sites, a fair few CL sites (mainly the Lake District) and the rest was wilding.

 

Not as cheap as the European mainland and of course the weather is what it is but enjoyable.

 

Hope you stay on as a member though whatever you decide.

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Veronica sad to read of your decision but I can understand parking in small towns, villages must be diff8cult. When you need a MH fix you could always consider the wide open spaces here or NZ that is very well set up for motorhomes with the added advantage of allowing the habitation door on both sides. This allows considerably more euro brands in the hire fleets.

You should continue to post on chatterbox as you are one of the few with a balanced view on most topics.

Cheers,

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Dissapointing but understandable.

I've often been into motorhome drealerships for gas bottle etc and admired the motorhomes on the forecourt.

Especially as they are usually open to have a look around at leisure.

Luckily I got my savings out of UK before Brexit so can still afford any I like.

But always comes back to the same problem that brings me back down to earth.

Where would I park it.

(It brings on my nightmares about being stuck on a campsite pitch next to pelmethead ;-) )

I'd love to be setting off across the channel again right now.

Spain, Portugal or Italy

But every time I look at the new Brexit restrictions it puts me off :-S

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Guest pelmetman
Violet1956 - 2021-11-15 7:13 PM

 

We’ve come to the decision that the van’s got to go. When we bought it, we thought it would give us the freedom to roam at home and in Europe with the pooch. We’ve used it a bit this year, managed to take it on the continent in previous years including skiing a couple of times since we’ve had it. Had some good times that’s for sure but now it’s old and things keep breaking on it. When contemplating an upgrade we are conscious that these vehicles are expensive to buy, expensive to maintain and that motorhoming in the UK is becoming increasingly difficult. Only the other week we managed to cop a fixed penalty for inadvertently entering a low emission zone on our route via Bath to Wales. Height restriction in most car parks together with the lack of provision for short stops make motorhoming in the UK rather tedious and at times stressful. Brexit and all the attendant red tape that now is involved in European travel perhaps the last straw. Thanks to all of you on this forum for providing us newbies with much needed advice from time to time. I still look in on the threads in chatterbox. Some of my kindred spirits produce some thought provoking threads here. The comedians of every political persuasion make me smile from time to time. Anyone want to buy a campervan that has things breaking on it all the time? It will be going cheap like the boy for sale in “Oliver”.

 

Veronica

 

That's a shame......perhaps you should've bought a proper old camper like Horace, that can be fixed with a hammer and gaffa tape :D .......

 

Anything built this century is just to complicated *-) .........

 

 

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pelmetman - 2021-11-16 10:55 AM

Anything built this century is just to complicated *-) .........

 

Well thats where an education would have been useful to you

But van reliability is not the problem

Its your Government's Brexit and restrictions on motorhome parking. :-S

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Guest pelmetman
John52 - 2021-11-16 11:02 AM

 

pelmetman - 2021-11-16 10:55 AM

Anything built this century is just to complicated *-) .........

 

Well thats where an education would have been useful to you

But van reliability is not the problem

Its your Government's Brexit and restrictions on motorhome parking. :-S

 

What does your education think this bit means? ;-) ......."but now it’s old and things keep breaking on it."

 

Worra Twerp *-) ..........

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pelmetman - 2021-11-16 11:07 AM

What does your education think this bit means? ;-) ......."but now it’s old and things keep breaking on it."

 

and you just told her to get an older one

 

pelmetman - 2021-11-16 11:07 AM

Worra Twerp *-) ..........

 

Indeed (lol)

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I feel bad for you but I understand your decision not to change the motorhome.

Due to the covid, the prices went through the roof, the second-hand ones beyond any reasonable limit.

Across Europe, not just the UK.

 

Brexit:

You tend to see the famous 90 days out of 180 as an unbearable limitation.

Most Europeans would be happy to spend 30 days abroad.

I understand your desire to spend months in the sun but think about those who work and have a maximum of four weeks of vacation.

None of them should have a motorhome but Europe is full of families who use it for their holidays.

But I also understand those who, like Portugal, have decided to set limits on the duration of the stops.

I don't think it's nice to have hundreds of foreigners gathered in Far West conestoga-style camps.

 

UK:

In my wanderings through Europe, I spent at least ten weeks on your islands.

Knowing your no-overnight rules, I have always used sites.

Does it cost ?

Sure but that didn't take me away from the UK. A hotel plus rental car certainly costs more.

What amazes me is that in a country like yours where there are more clubs (for a fee) than inhabitants, you don't have one that protects campers and lobbies for bans to be abolished or at least relaxed.

 

Keep reading and writing, I have always appreciated your calm and sensible comments.

 

Max

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mtravel - 2021-11-16 11:27 AM

I have always appreciated your calm and sensible comments.

 

I assume you are talking to me ;-)

I can't understand motorhomers staying in one place for so long. For me the whole point is moving around and seeing new places. I rarely stay in the same place 2 nights running. So just have a plain van and park on a quiet street overnight.

What puts me off going to Europe now is the Brexit restrictions, like not being able to take any food across the border - such as fresh milk for tea. Brexit has made the covid restrictions far more awkward too.

 

The problems for motorhome parking stem from the English system of giving planning decisions to local NIMBYs. In order to restrict house building and keep housing costs high to the benefit of rentiers in the Government. They bring in a lot of (motorhome) parking restrictions too. So local councils like Westminster can abuse their power to hike up parking charges and fines for visitors and keep council tax low for their local voters. Making the council tax for Buckingham Palace less that a 3 bed semi-detached house in a poor area.

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mtravel - 2021-11-16 11:27 AM

 

Brexit:

You tend to see the famous 90 days out of 180 as an unbearable limitation.

Most Europeans would be happy to spend 30 days abroad.

 

I understand your desire to spend months in the sun but think about those who work and have a maximum of four weeks of vacation.

 

Max

 

I shouldn't think there a very many annual holidaymakers who are too concerned about the 90 day limit.

 

I'm sure that those of us who do spend a month, or more, on holiday do think about those whose holidays are restricted - because it used to apply to us as well, before we retired. Their time will come.

 

;-)

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For several years I drove lorries to Italy, usually Florence. Many times along the Genoa / Pisa motorway with tantalising glimpses of the coastline below. I couldn't go down there to see it with the Lorry, but would love to do it now I have a camper van. Also the Amalfi Coast (mycamper van looks like a plain van from the outside so I might get away with ignoring the motorhome restriction?

But every time I look at the new restrictions thrown up by Brexit it puts me off :-S

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I suppose it depends how you do your motorhoming. I would class ourselves as "long termers". I would never go away for just a couple of weeks unless it was somewhere local for a few days with the boys perhaps. Generally our trips are four to six months. We used to ping pong around all the time in the beginning but now if I find somewhere I like I stay there until I am bored. The big difference though is the scooter. In some respects we are a bit like Tuggers (Caravaners). The van is just a base and the bike does all the miles.

 

We often stay for weeks on end up at Flamborough. Isle of Arran we stayed seven weeks over the summer (August and early September) but of course moved around constantly with the longest stop probably four or five nights.

 

I was surprised how long we stopped in the Lake District though in the Autumn as its on our doorstep. A month. As said we only used two "proper" sites in four months. The rest was wilding or CL sites. CL's are great for us as Michelle likes to walk, we both like to fly around on the bike and when I can ill take the Kayak out on the back of it.

 

The Brexit restrictions are indeed a huge blow for us if we were to start touring Europe again which I would like to do next year. Its a complete PIA. So however is finding a new van in this market. Its not the cost, there just aren't any! There are two models that fit the bill and last time I looked there was only one in the entire country for sale and it was on the lighter chassis so no good.

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John52 - 2021-11-16 12:46 PM

 

mtravel - 2021-11-16 11:27 AM

I have always appreciated your calm and sensible comments.

 

...Brexit restrictions, like not being able to take any food across the border - such as fresh milk for tea....

 

 

My son-in-law is a veterinarian specialized in milk cows, you can imagine that their best quality product is considered a must in the family.

But just like I do here, when I go abroad I buy it in supermarkets.

Like everyone. And I've never died.

 

Tea is already disgusting on its own, with milk it is like French snails.

More than that. Smile.

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mtravel - 2021-11-16 12:12 PM

 

John52 - 2021-11-16 12:46 PM

 

mtravel - 2021-11-16 11:27 AM

I have always appreciated your calm and sensible comments.

 

...Brexit restrictions, like not being able to take any food across the border - such as fresh milk for tea....

 

 

My son-in-law is a veterinarian specialized in milk cows, you can imagine that their best quality product is considered a must in the family.

But just like I do here, when I go abroad I buy it in supermarkets.

Like everyone. And I've never died.

 

Tea is already disgusting on its own, with milk it is like French snails.

More than that. Smile.

 

Yo'uve got to throw away your food, then get to a French supermarket. (what do you eat in the meantime - which could be a very long time in the Brexit queue) Then its hard to find fresh milk like in UK.

Its all possible. But its another inconvenience that puts me off going.

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John52 - 2021-11-16 12:57 PM

 

... Also the Amalfi Coast (mycamper van looks like a plain van from the outside so I might get away with ignoring the motorhome restriction?...

 

 

Italy has few restrictions for motorhomes.

There are some in overcrowded areas, for example the Tuscan coast or that of the Conero in the Marche region.

Or in some luxury sites, Cortina d'Ampezzo for example.

 

In any case, many municipalities have stopovers where you can stay overnight for a small fee (from 10 to 15 euros, often less or even free). Many of them have fresh water taps and WC/grey water disposal points. Some with EHU.

 

Otherwise, it is quite easy to stay off grid.

The Amalfi coast is quite problematic, a fairly narrow road (even if used by regular buses), small villages with few parking possibilities but with a little planning you can easily visit it.

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Guest pelmetman
John52 - 2021-11-16 11:57 AM

 

But every time I look at the new restrictions thrown up by Brexit it puts me off :-S

 

Excellent news :D ..........

 

So I'm unlikely to be downwind of one of your binbags when I head back to Spain B-) ..........

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Violet1956 - 2021-11-15 7:13 PM

 

We’ve come to the decision that the van’s got to go. When we bought it, we thought it would give us the freedom to roam at home and in Europe with the pooch. We’ve used it a bit this year, managed to take it on the continent in previous years including skiing a couple of times since we’ve had it. Had some good times that’s for sure but now it’s old and things keep breaking on it. When contemplating an upgrade we are conscious that these vehicles are expensive to buy, expensive to maintain and that motorhoming in the UK is becoming increasingly difficult. Only the other week we managed to cop a fixed penalty for inadvertently entering a low emission zone on our route via Bath to Wales. Height restriction in most car parks together with the lack of provision for short stops make motorhoming in the UK rather tedious and at times stressful. Brexit and all the attendant red tape that now is involved in European travel perhaps the last straw. Thanks to all of you on this forum for providing us newbies with much needed advice from time to time. I still look in on the threads in chatterbox. Some of my kindred spirits produce some thought provoking threads here. The comedians of every political persuasion make me smile from time to time. Anyone want to buy a campervan that has things breaking on it all the time? It will be going cheap like the boy for sale in “Oliver”.

 

Veronica

 

 

Sorry to hear that Veronica - but I can see why.

 

I don't fancy being confined to the U.K. either - after 50 or 60 years of very laid back touring on the continent - having never booked any site over there in all that time - the idea of always booking in the U.K. doesn't really appeal.

( ............ and I won't even mention our overcrowded roads ! )

 

Do pop in from time to time - we are very short of ' moderates ' on Chatterbox.

 

:-D

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Let me add my two pennerth to the afore mentioned sentiments Veronica as I too will be sad to 'lose' your valued contributions.

 

We too gave up the van a few years ago, but due to health issues and do we miss it - you bet yer boots we miss it - so don't be too hasty - I wish now we had kept it in storage! The benefit of hindsight eh!!.

 

For us too the limitations of UK touring, especially the freedom to stop without booking, hold little appeal but forgetting any Brexit issues, Covid alone seems to have made a mess of European meandering dreams for us wandering types - at least for the time being.

 

We do hope to get another van 'drekkly' as they say in Cornwall and it will be an older one - none of this new fangled Euro 6 cobblers for me!

 

I don't recall what your van is but please send me a pm and let us see if it might suit us?

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An interesting spectrum of views here about how people enjoy their time out in their motorhome. Thank you for all your kind comments. I have really enjoyed my time on the forum. Good advice has always been available from motorhome enthusiasts. Some extremely sage contributions on the issues of the day have been expressed on chatterbox. I've learned a lot.

 

Gecco, I would so love to tour NZ in a motorhome. You are so lucky to enjoy such freedom. Here in this small island we are so restricted on what we can and can't do in our vans. I suppose it is inevitable when space is at a premium.

 

Dave, I'm with you on the increasing complications of owning a modern van. However, neither of us have the requisite skills to look after Horace.

 

Barry, you and your OH are probably a bit younger than us. Motorbiking is definitely a thing of the past. My OH was almost a gonner a few years back when someone took him out on his commute home.

 

Anyways,

 

Thank you all for your friendship.

 

Veronica

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Tracker - 2021-11-16 2:54 PM

Covid alone seems to have made a mess of European meandering dreams for us wandering types

 

Is the ban on bringing in food ..... the 90 day rule ....... or the import tariffs down to Covid?

Or have you just closed whats left of your mind to Brexit?

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Tracker - 2021-11-16 2:54 PM

We do hope to get another van 'drekkly'

 

Sitting here I feel as though I could still do what I did when I was young

But when I try it I realise I can't

I think you need to remember why you gave the van up,

and ask yourself what's changed since then

Sorry. :-S

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mtravel - 2021-11-16 12:12 PM..................................

Tea is already disgusting on its own, with milk it is like French snails.

Oi, I like escargots - but I agree about tea!

 

Its a difficult decision, Veronica. One we shall all have to take sooner or later.

 

I keep looking at ours, sitting on the drive and going nowhere, costing money, and wonder.

 

However, we've just renewed our travel insurance and got new passports, so we're hoping to get away next year. Where, who knows? Next year is an act of faith at present, I'm not even certain it will happen!

 

The pandemic swirls around, and among, us to such an extent that I'd hesitate even to buy a ticket at present.

 

I can't see any pleasure in quarantining on a campsite. I like the towns and villages, the ambiences, the restaurants, galleries, museums, and monuments too much to sit just staring at the neighbours, the landscape, or even the sea! Where's the fun in that?

 

Stick around, you've always made good sense - and you've a great sense of humour. You never know, times change, and you may decide to replace when it's gone - and you realise how much you're missing it! :-D

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Brian Kirby - 2021-11-16 6:35 PM

 

 

However, we've just renewed our travel insurance and got new passports, so we're hoping to get away next year. Where, who knows? Next year is an act of faith at present, I'm not even certain it will happen!

 

The pandemic swirls around, and among, us to such an extent that I'd hesitate even to buy a ticket at present.

 

I can't see any pleasure in quarantining on a campsite. I like the towns and villages, the ambiences, the restaurants, galleries, museums, and monuments too much to sit just staring at the neighbours, the landscape, or even the sea! Where's the fun in that?

 

Stick around, you've always made good sense - and you've a great sense of humour. You never know, times change, and you may decide to replace when it's gone - and you realise how much you're missing it! :-D

 

Absolutely right Brian - always look in the bright side of life!

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Brian Kirby - 2021-11-16 6:35 PM

 

mtravel - 2021-11-16 12:12 PM..................................

Tea is already disgusting on its own, with milk it is like French snails.

Oi, I like escargots - but I agree about tea!

 

Its a difficult decision, Veronica. One we shall all have to take sooner or later.

 

I keep looking at ours, sitting on the drive and going nowhere, costing money, and wonder.

 

However, we've just renewed our travel insurance and got new passports, so we're hoping to get away next year. Where, who knows? Next year is an act of faith at present, I'm not even certain it will happen!

 

The pandemic swirls around, and among, us to such an extent that I'd hesitate even to buy a ticket at present.

 

I can't see any pleasure in quarantining on a campsite. I like the towns and villages, the ambiences, the restaurants, galleries, museums, and monuments too much to sit just staring at the neighbours, the landscape, or even the sea! Where's the fun in that?

 

Stick around, you've always made good sense - and you've a great sense of humour. You never know, times change, and you may decide to replace when it's gone - and you realise how much you're missing it! :-D

I do hope that you'll get abroad in your van next year Brian. i've so enjoyed your considered contributions to the debates on here although I must admit I became a bit lost when you gave your opinions on the intracacies of the Grenfell disaster. From my simplistic perspective it was an example how the rich will always shaft the poor. Oops I have strayed into a political debate which was not my initial intention when starting this post. ;-) ;-)
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