Fair weather campers?

[spike]

I wondered how many use their MH all year round. When we had our campervan we took it off the road in the winter, taxing it for just 6 months each year. The MH is much roomier and comfortable so could be an option. If you do use it all year round, what sort of places do you get to and stay at during the winter months?

[rupert123]

spike - 2011-10-21 2:59 PM

 

I wondered how many use their MH all year round. When we had our campervan we took it off the road in the winter, taxing it for just 6 months each year. The MH is much roomier and comfortable so could be an option. If you do use it all year round, what sort of places do you get to and stay in the winter months?

 

No pretty much never use in winter. Usually have a couple of days in York, early December, at CC site to do our Christmas shopping. We ski for all of January and three weeks in March but do not use the van, I am firmly of the opinion M/H's are not suitable for long stays at ski resorts. When we are beyond doing skiing may struggle down to Spain in winter, at the moment sitiing on a beach for a month holds zero appeal.

[ips]

Generally yes however last year we were snowed in for quite a while so didnt go away as much as would have liked.

 

We tend to go to sites close to a town so at least you can have a walk around during the day (as sun bathing is obviously not on the agender) and out for a meal and a bottle of vino in the evening. Also try and ensure hard standing when possible.

 

Since daughter recently moved to new job in windsor we will be going down there every 6 weeks or so ..... unless of course were snowed in, in which case may have to treat ourselves to a Hotel ... :-)

[mel wood]

We have "motorhomed" in all months, including during the winter in England and Wales,initially in an Auto-Sleepers Trident (a VW Transporter High Top) and more recently an AS Symbol ES (which has an on-board "proper" loo unlike the Trident) with no problems.

We tend to use CC sites (very good WARM, even hot facility blocks) and CCC sites although have been to Hendre Mynach (Barmouth) in November and March. We tend to have short breaks often in cities but sometimes the weather is such that we can enjoy coastal or country walks. Last February the weather was very good in Brighton. For us it is important to check the weather forecast, especially in winter.

We are probably unusual in that, apart from the loo, we don't fill the water tank. We find that the van can be very cosy in the evenings and during the nights. For us the van gives flexibility to go away at any time of year. Last winter the only month we did not "camp" was December and that was because the snow was rather bad when we had planned to go away - it could have been unsafe/impossible to make the journey.

We have had some great mini-breaks in the winter. A few years ago we were in Broadway at the beginning of December (on the special evening when shops were open late and there was seasonal entertainment) and we walked around the village without coats!

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

We use ours all of the time as it is our only means of transport, love the fact that because of that we often go out to the local shops, see the sun shining and say sod it, and go off somewhere, even if only local on occasions. As the above poster, we never fill the tanks until the danger of frosts have well passed, had one mixer tap freeze up on one occasion that cost an arm and a leg to replace, an expensive lesson learnt, and yes we were in the van at the time but under a 15 tog duvet complete with electric over-blanket !.

[Keith T]

Yes, used any and every month of the year, depending on other activities and travels.

 

In 'winter' months we tend to use city sites (Abbey Wood, Bristol, Birmingham or similar CC sites), rarely commerical sites, as we have often been disappointed by pooor facilities.

 

Wherever we go, we try to find sites suitable for walking or getting public transport as we prefer to leave the MH on site.

 

Most years we seem to average about 150 nights use overall at present, though in fairness, perhaps 70/100 of that might be on the continent during the 'shoulder' summer season.

[snitrats]

Yes, we use ours all year round, although it does slow down a bit in winter. We choose places of interest

to visit, stopping 2-3 nights. on the list before Christmas, SS Great Britain (Bristol), Imperial Air War Museum (Duxford) York & Christmas at Moreton in Marsh. We even dash off to the local parks when the weathers ok :-D

[LordThornber]

Yes absolutely use it all year. Why not?

 

We enjoy getting our boots on, getting out there and killing a few germs off.

 

Unless the weather is extremely bad and generates dangerous driving conditions off we go. The heating is powerful enough, we leave it on all night if necessary.

 

We still use own facilities apart from the 3 or 4 times we've frozen up the water, but it really has been cold to do that.

 

Where do we go? Lakes, York, Southport, London, Edinburgh, to name a few.

 

Martyn

[Brock]

One of my favourite motorhoming memories is of the CC site at Bury. Lovely crisp frost on the ground and clear pale blue sky above. Wandered out with bacon sandwich in one hand, and cup of tea in the other, just in time to see one of the preserved steam locos on full power hauling a rake of coaches up the incline. Awesome.

 

My worst is at Minehead, freezing cold overnight.

 

Motorhoming in the winter is a great way of using the van. Many of the sites are busy.

[nowtelse2do]

Yes, use ours all year, Just shoot off whenever there's the promise of a decent weekend.

 

Dave

[mondo]

We full timed for a couple of years so yea used the van all year round...checked out all the YEAR ROUND Sites..and believe me there are lots and lots...Ferry Meadows springs to mind lovely walks round that lake in winter Black Horse Farm in Folkestone is another good one...Get out there and do it you'll be amazed...

 

As for going down to Spain yep done that one..spent 2-3 weeks at Villanova Park..and then 8-9 weeks in Peniscola..definately worth doing...

[BGD]

We do indeed use ours all year round, perhaps 8 week-long-or-more trips away, for a total of maybe 80 or more nights per year (although to be fair, the weather down here in Spain does help!).

 

Just got back yesterday from another 3 week tour, this time up and around through Spain and through France, and across into Italy. Fantastic trip - except for the minor hiccup of the TWO punctures we got in Italy, a couple of days and several hundred kms apart, one in each rear tyre.

Provence area of France at this time of year is simply brilliant. Road surfaces in Italy are generally in utterly dire condition.

 

Down here, it's usually actually much more enjoyable to tour around Spain and Portugal outside of the summer season, as the temperatures are much more moderate than in high summer, yet rainfall is still only relatively occasional (except in the far north/north west of the peninsula); and roads and camp sites are almost empty.

 

 

[Guest pelmetman]

Glad to hear you had a good trip.

We are booked into Calpemar January, I seem to remember you stayed there and recommended it.  Just hope the weather is as good as it was last year.

Sue

[PJay]

pelmetman - 2011-10-22 4:09 PMGlad to hear you had a good trip.

We are booked into Calpemar January, I seem to remember you stayed there and recommended it.  Just hope the weather is as good as it was last year.

Sue

We've stayed in Calpe Mar a few times, but not in winter. Love it there , so close to all facilities. just be aware that the electric is metered, so hope you have gas heating. Sorry for anyone in Benidorn at the moment. FlaSH FLOODS.pjAY

[Guest pelmetman]

Hi Pjay

We are only there for 3 weeks so electric comes inclusive with the ACSI card, thanks though.  We tried to get on the site January this year but it was full so decided to book this time.

By the way know Fareham well as I used to work at the College there.

Sue

[sheer lunar-see]

Hi all, we're using ours at the moment, we are having to,s we are in the process of restoring our house in Brittany. We dont have any facilities, only electric and water. That asside, we use our van all weathers and all seasons, we have alot invested in it, so use it, its too costly to have sitting around looking spic and span on the driveway.

[spike]

Thanks kindly for your many replies, and useful comments:-D Based on these, we too intend all year round use.

[LordThornber]

sheer lunar-see - 2011-10-22 7:06 PM

its too costly to have sitting around looking spic and span on the driveway.

 

Quality stuff, I agree.

 

Martyn

[MandyAndy]

Hi,

 

We use ours all year round, in fact more in winter than summer it often turns out to be. We never use sites apart from the odd ACSI if is is open and near where we want to be.

 

We are away every weekend in December 5 nights at New Year, next weekend and the following one.

 

Then going to park outside friends to celebrate Christmas early as my son has a job in a ski resort over winter so won't be spending Christmas with us.

 

We do February half term and Easter of course when it can be really cold if you catch it wrong, had -9 in Cologne last year but the heating works and 4 adults and a child in the van tends to keep the air cosy :-D :-D

 

We keep rad in there when plugged in at home and that keeps tanks nice and warm although we do tend to drain if we know there is going to be a particularly hard frost. Not had a problem yet in the 5 years we have been doing it.

 

Enjoy while you can

 

Mandy

[lennyhb]

We try and use ours over the winter months not always possible every month. In the UK we tend to use CL's & CS's so have to remember to check the ground is firm enough. We never use sites with facilities if we can avoid it.

One of our favourite winter haunts is Setthorns Forestry Commission site in the New Forest (just back from the weekend there) no facilities, it does have hook ups but we never use them as that usually means having to book for weekends. There are always non hook up pitches available.

 

Would never consider laying up the van as it's essential to give it a 10-20 mile drive every 3-4 weeks to prevent "sleepy van syndrome".

[BGD]

pelmetman - 2011-10-22 4:09 PMGlad to hear you had a good trip.

We are booked into Calpemar January, I seem to remember you stayed there and recommended it.  Just hope the weather is as good as it was last year.

Sue

You'll like it there........gravel pitches, close together, in a town-type environment rather than countryside/green space; but excellent facilities and prefect for walking straight into town centre/beach front only a couple of hundred metres away.For anyone else thinking of coming over to the Costa Blanca and staying in Calpe, there's another brand new aire type motorhome site just opened up there.....it's a sister site to the one the same company already runs a little further up the coast in Denia:http://www.odisseacamperarea.com/ANGLES/index.htmlHaven't seen it first hand as yet, but a couple who are staying there at the moment and were at the gig that I did in Calpe this evening were highly complimentary to Kathy about it.

[crinklystarfish]

spike - 2011-10-21 2:59 PMI wondered how many use their MH all year round. When we had our campervan we took it off the road in the winter, taxing it for just 6 months each year. The MH is much roomier and comfortable so could be an option. If you do use it all year round, what sort of places do you get to and stay at during the winter months?

Little changes but the hours of daylight. We just rough camp as usual. Some of our best views from the 'van have been in deep winter.

[ips]

lennyhb - 2011-10-24 4:02 PM

 

We try and use ours over the winter months not always possible every month. In the UK we tend to use CL's & CS's so have to remember to check the ground is firm enough. We never use sites with facilities if we can avoid it.".

 

 

Ooh you would like our C&CC CL then. Lovely quiet location, no facilites, no hook up just water, chem disposal and 2x hardstanding.

Recently had a full page review in MMM :-D

[lennyhb]

ips - 2011-10-26 2:47 PM

 

lennyhb - 2011-10-24 4:02 PM

 

We try and use ours over the winter months not always possible every month. In the UK we tend to use CL's & CS's so have to remember to check the ground is firm enough. We never use sites with facilities if we can avoid it.".

 

 

Ooh you would like our C&CC CL then. Lovely quiet location, no facilites, no hook up just water, chem disposal and 2x hardstanding.

Recently had a full page review in MMM :-D

 

Probably would shame it's at the other end of the country a bit far for a weekend. Which month's MMM is the review, looked in October & November couldn't see it.

 

[ips]

 

summer issue page 113