Let's Hear It For The UK

[maggyd]

England is a beautiful country as is Scotland/Wales/and Ireland, I think that the draw of going abroad with our vans is the ease of getting a night stop. We get very frustrated at the way a lot of the club sites in the U.K are booked up solid for every weekend for months ahead, gone are the days that you could just turn up.

 

We were very lucky that they were able to squeeze us in at Chester, and that was only down to our size, we managed to fit on a small grass pitch, we had no trouble in Wales, but once back into England the Wirrel at Liverpool said YES one night but no more than that (lol) Id like to bet that it was pretty empty on Friday when people had seen the weather forecast! and we were glad we made it home as there were floods in quite a few places including here. *-)

 

 

[kelly58]

keninpalamos - 2013-09-09 9:37 AMLet's Hear It For.... let me just check that again....yes! England ;-)

Viva La-France " you know it makes sense "

[pepe63xnotuse]

..So do we take it that you're selling up and moving to MH "Shangri-La" then?.... ;-)

[Brian Kirby]

kelly58 - 2013-09-09 8:08 AM

 

The other week on Steve Wright in the afternoon a motorist called in stating he had just travelled from Chamonix in the French alps to Calais without any delays , but had only been on the M20 less than half an hour when he was sat in a traffic hold up for 2 hours . This for me just sums up the frustrating ability to travel in the UK . When I exit euro tunnel and get on the French roads I just seem to totally chill out. As an example will we as motorhoming spectators be able to just park up wherever we like to see Le Tour  next year in Yorkshire like we can for free in France ,, I think not !!! It will be www.visityorksire.con not www.visityorksire.com. yes rip off Britain. 

But the logic somewhat escapes me, Kelvyn. That is two completely different issues, neither of which has much bearing on whether the UK is a worthwhile destination.

 

The first is an apocryphal tale of one person's uninterrupted journey. I have made many such myself, both in France and UK (and, FWIW, elsewhere). I have also been stuck in some huge jams in both countries. You are more likely to get a hold-up in UK, because there are more people driving cars here per mile of road than there are in France. Yes, driving in France is, relatively, a pleasure. But surely that is not a reason for visiting France, or not? It is a moan about UK traffic densities, is it not?

 

Of course you will not be able to park "wherever you like" to see the UK leg of Le Tour. It will matter little whether you are in a car or a motorhome, space will be at a premium. This country is half the size of France with approximately the same population, so space is at a premium. I'm unconvinced you can actually park wherever you like along the tour route in France either: the best spots on the most interesting parts of the route are extremely popular, so at least you will have to compete with a large chunk of Europe for a decent vantage point.

 

I believe you were a butcher? Fillet steak is more expensive than chuck. Why? Same reason as some things cost more in UK than in France. So, does that make fillet a rip off? Let's hear it for fillet steak! :-)

[Muswell]

Rump steak has more flavour.

[rupert123]

Muswell - 2013-09-09 5:38 PM

 

Rump steak has more flavour.

Not sure about that. I do know you can get rumps that are more suited to shoe leather, fillet every time. Incidently where do the best steaks in Europe come from, the UK of course, Welsh Black Beef.

[Guest pelmetman]

welshgary - 2013-09-03 6:15 PM

 

Wanting to visit Derbyshire, A pub with parking & hookup sounds great, where was it?

 

We stayed at this one ;-)..............

 

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=8037

 

They have another nearby that has a campsite as well called the Odd House where they do a massive carvery :->

[Muswell]

rupert123 - 2013-09-09 5:54 PM

 

Muswell - 2013-09-09 5:38 PM

 

Rump steak has more flavour.

Not sure about that. I do know you can get rumps that are more suited to shoe leather, fillet every time. Incidently where do the best steaks in Europe come from, the UK of course, Welsh Black Beef.

 

It is true rump can be tough. But Mr Pugh, here on the Welsh Border, who chooses his stock while it is still walking will sell you a rump steak that is as tender as you'll ever want. Unless you have no teeth. Flavour-wise it is rump 1, sirloin 2 and fillet 3

 

Another strand to this thread :-D

[Guest pelmetman]

Muswell - 2013-09-09 6:20 PM

 

rupert123 - 2013-09-09 5:54 PM

 

Muswell - 2013-09-09 5:38 PM

 

Rump steak has more flavour.

Not sure about that. I do know you can get rumps that are more suited to shoe leather, fillet every time. Incidently where do the best steaks in Europe come from, the UK of course, Welsh Black Beef.

 

It is true rump can be tough. But Mr Pugh, here on the Welsh Border, who chooses his stock while it is still walking will sell you a rump steak that is as tender as you'll ever want. Unless you have no teeth. Flavour-wise it is rump 1, sirloin 2 and fillet 3

 

Another strand to this thread :-D

 

Rump OK, T bone toooo 70's, Sirloin Overrated, Fillet Over priced ;-).....................Ribeye is the steak for steak lovers B-)............cooked very rare..........topped with Stilton crumbed or melted :->

[Poppy]

Some of the best campsites in the world.

[crinklystarfish]

maggyd - 2013-09-09 10:50 AM

 

England is a beautiful country as is Scotland/Wales/and Ireland, I think that the draw of going abroad with our vans is the ease of getting a night stop. We get very frustrated at the way a lot of the club sites in the U.K are booked up solid for every weekend for months ahead, gone are the days that you could just turn up.

 

 

Not directed at maggyd directly.

 

But even those who prefer to holiday on formal sites, if simply wanting to 'overnight' in the UK, have the option to simply pick their spot and enjoy it. Informal spots can be urban or rural, tucked away or magnificently open, near to people or in relative wilderness. It's unnecessary to equate 'night stop' with any kind of formal site.

 

Even if a 'formal' site is deemed indispensable then there are thousands and thousands all over the UK - options are not confined to the two big clubs' proprietary sites.

 

I don't get it, I never have, It's not hard to overnight on or off formal sites in the UK. There are tougher countries in Europe to 'wing it' in a motorhome.

 

Factor in the increasing mainland European needs for vignettes, 'go-boxes' and the concept of umweltzones and the like and the freedom of movement within the UK can be argued to be pretty good comparatively.

 

I don't like where we are at, or heading, socially, but putting that to one side the UK is pretty cool. Anyone that just writes us off with a glib, "worst place to motorhome in" probably hasn't been very far beyond France, or tried to motorhome here beyond a large Caravan Club site.

 

The grass sometimes is greener, but sometimes it isn't.

[Rolandrice]

Wow this was a top quality forum. In theory I'd like to compose like this too taking time and real effort to make a nice forum but what can I say' I keep putting it off and never seem to get something done.

 

Web Design Service

 

[crinklystarfish]

Spambots suck b*lls.

[Gwendolyn]

747

 

"PS, I am writing this from somewhere in Europe".

 

*-) *-) Just typical of a woman to say one thing and do another.

 

No wonder we men can never understand women. :-( :-(

 

It's a woman's prerogative to change her mind. But when men did so, they were sued for 'breach of promise'.

 

Gwen

 

 

 

[Gwendolyn]

crinklystarfish - 2013-09-10 9:59 AM

 

maggyd - 2013-09-09 10:50 AM

 

England is a beautiful country as is Scotland/Wales/and Ireland, I think that the draw of going abroad with our vans is the ease of getting a night stop. We get very frustrated at the way a lot of the club sites in the U.K are booked up solid for every weekend for months ahead, gone are the days that you could just turn up.

 

 

Not directed at maggyd directly.

 

But even those who prefer to holiday on formal sites, if simply wanting to 'overnight' in the UK, have the option to simply pick their spot and enjoy it. Informal spots can be urban or rural, tucked away or magnificently open, near to people or in relative wilderness. It's unnecessary to equate 'night stop' with any kind of formal site.

 

Even if a 'formal' site is deemed indispensable then there are thousands and thousands all over the UK - options are not confined to the two big clubs' proprietary sites.

 

I don't get it, I never have, It's not hard to overnight on or off formal sites in the UK. There are tougher countries in Europe to 'wing it' in a motorhome.

 

Factor in the increasing mainland European needs for vignettes, 'go-boxes' and the concept of umweltzones and the like and the freedom of movement within the UK can be argued to be pretty good comparatively.

 

I don't like where we are at, or heading, socially, but putting that to one side the UK is pretty cool. Anyone that just writes us off with a glib, "worst place to motorhome in" probably hasn't been very far beyond France, or tried to motorhome here beyond a large Caravan Club site.

 

The grass sometimes is greener, but sometimes it isn't.

 

Excellent post; measured observations. Thank you.

 

Cheers,

Gwen

[Writing as one who has been battling traffic jams, road closures and other travel irritations through Belgium and Germany for last few days.]

 

[bigal55]

crinklystarfish - 2013-09-10 9:59 AM

 

maggyd - 2013-09-09 10:50 AM

 

England is a beautiful country as is Scotland/Wales/and Ireland, I think that the draw of going abroad with our vans is the ease of getting a night stop. We get very frustrated at the way a lot of the club sites in the U.K are booked up solid for every weekend for months ahead, gone are the days that you could just turn up.

 

 

Not directed at maggyd directly.

 

But even those who prefer to holiday on formal sites, if simply wanting to 'overnight' in the UK, have the option to simply pick their spot and enjoy it. Informal spots can be urban or rural, tucked away or magnificently open, near to people or in relative wilderness. It's unnecessary to equate 'night stop' with any kind of formal site.

 

Even if a 'formal' site is deemed indispensable then there are thousands and thousands all over the UK - options are not confined to the two big clubs' proprietary sites.

 

I don't get it, I never have, It's not hard to overnight on or off formal sites in the UK. There are tougher countries in Europe to 'wing it' in a motorhome.

 

Factor in the increasing mainland European needs for vignettes, 'go-boxes' and the concept of umweltzones and the like and the freedom of movement within the UK can be argued to be pretty good comparatively.

 

I don't like where we are at, or heading, socially, but putting that to one side the UK is pretty cool. Anyone that just writes us off with a glib, "worst place to motorhome in" probably hasn't been very far beyond France, or tried to motorhome here beyond a large Caravan Club site.

 

The grass sometimes is greener, but sometimes it isn't.

how do you get on if you drive into town, as i,ve said before, my m,home is taxed the same as my car yet i cannot park in the same places, weight, height, converted for sleeping i,ve had them all from councils jobsworths, why is it there are websites devoted to m,home parking if it,s not a problem, it seems there are lots of people are happy with the status quo, hence my comment about women getting the vote. check the posts about aires in the uk, lots of m,homers think there is room for improvement.

[Gwendolyn]

bigal55 - 2013-09-11 9:47 PM

 

crinklystarfish - 2013-09-10 9:59 AM

 

maggyd - 2013-09-09 10:50 AM

 

England is a beautiful country as is Scotland/Wales/and Ireland, I think that the draw of going abroad with our vans is the ease of getting a night stop. We get very frustrated at the way a lot of the club sites in the U.K are booked up solid for every weekend for months ahead, gone are the days that you could just turn up.

 

 

Not directed at maggyd directly.

 

But even those who prefer to holiday on formal sites, if simply wanting to 'overnight' in the UK, have the option to simply pick their spot and enjoy it. Informal spots can be urban or rural, tucked away or magnificently open, near to people or in relative wilderness. It's unnecessary to equate 'night stop' with any kind of formal site.

 

Even if a 'formal' site is deemed indispensable then there are thousands and thousands all over the UK - options are not confined to the two big clubs' proprietary sites.

 

I don't get it, I never have, It's not hard to overnight on or off formal sites in the UK. There are tougher countries in Europe to 'wing it' in a motorhome.

 

Factor in the increasing mainland European needs for vignettes, 'go-boxes' and the concept of umweltzones and the like and the freedom of movement within the UK can be argued to be pretty good comparatively.

 

I don't like where we are at, or heading, socially, but putting that to one side the UK is pretty cool. Anyone that just writes us off with a glib, "worst place to motorhome in" probably hasn't been very far beyond France, or tried to motorhome here beyond a large Caravan Club site.

 

The grass sometimes is greener, but sometimes it isn't.

how do you get on if you drive into town, as i,ve said before, my m,home is taxed the same as my car yet i cannot park in the same places, weight, height, converted for sleeping i,ve had them all from councils jobsworths, why is it there are websites devoted to m,home parking if it,s not a problem, it seems there are lots of people are happy with the status quo, hence my comment about women getting the vote. check the posts about aires in the uk, lots of m,homers think there is room for improvement.

 

And as I have said, I hardly think that motorhomers being deprived of Aires is in the same league of human injustice as women not having a vote. To claim that is to demean a just campaign.

 

And, judging by the comments above, many are content to adapt to the conditions for motorhoming in OUR country. If the grass is greener elsewhere, then go and live there.

 

[crinklystarfish]

bigal55 - 2013-09-11 9:47 PM

 

how do you get on if you drive into town, as i,ve said before, my m,home is taxed the same as my car yet i cannot park in the same places, weight, height, converted for sleeping i,ve had them all from councils jobsworths, why is it there are websites devoted to m,home parking if it,s not a problem, it seems there are lots of people are happy with the status quo, hence my comment about women getting the vote. check the posts about aires in the uk, lots of m,homers think there is room for improvement.

 

I'm not so sure that 'happy with the status quo' is correct so much as not being so egocentric.

 

Thing is, it's about managing expectations. Space in many towns and cities is limited, we are a very auto-centric culture with a pathological reliance on cars; local authorities - like every other strand of society - are lost in a blind headlong rush to maximise immediate economic gain (desecrating very finite resources), and we are a very territorial society. All that (and more) means that no matter what you drive in a crowded UK area you will very often struggle to park exactly where you want, exactly when you want to.

 

If you exercise the free choice to increase the size of your vehicle, how can you expect the matter to somehow get easier?

 

And what if every town and city did by law have to provide - say 10 - dedicated spaces for motorhomes, what if you are the 11th visitor, what happens if you want to park a 28 foot RV, and what happens when Johnny Selfish parks his car in such a spot to wheeze off the 10 enforced paces to the newsagent for even more fags?

 

You choose to drive a big vehicle in crowded spaces, the world doesn't revolve around accommodating your every need.

[pepe63xnotuse]

crinklystarfish - 2013-09-12 9:23 AM

 

 

 

I'm not so sure that 'happy with the status quo' is correct so much as not being so egocentric..//..

 

 

 

If you exercise the free choice to increase the size of your vehicle, how can you expect the matter to somehow get easier? ..//..

 

 

 

You choose to drive a big vehicle in crowded spaces, the world doesn't revolve around accommodating your every need.

 

 

An excellent post as usual Crinkly'...

(..I specifically like the three points that I've quoted... ;-) )..

 

Vote Crinkly for President! (lol) (..and I dare say the job would probably come with it's own parking space ;-) )

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi, Uk is best?

Now we are back with a motorhome there are on occasions locally where the seaside carparks have the dreaded height barriers, and no overnight camping notices. Bournemouth to Christchurch area I refer to.

However there are a large number of campsites, cls, cs sites some expensive, some less so, within relatively easy reach of busses in and around New Forest.

 

As a former tugger, we did a uk tour for approx 6 weeks starting at the Caravan Club National at Belvoir Castle, Grantham, at end of May. From there, north to Scotch Corner Caravan Club site for 2 nights,, wet weather, then on to THS CCCsite at Beadnell, Northumberland, good sunny weather..approx 5 days.

 

Next up was 5 days at North Berwick, THS site for 5 days again, weather excellent, plenty of local interests, castles, museum of flight, etc

 

Next stop at THS at Bridge of Allen, and a trip to visit the Falkirk Wheel. Shopping trip to fill up larder at local supermarket . 3 nights.Weather again mainly sunshine.

 

Onward then to Caravan Club site (telephoned ahead to book, no problem) at Killin. 3 nights, and a trip around the loch to visit the Crannog site, and a day just wandering in the hills.Good sunny weather again, no mossies yet.

 

THS site next near Oban at Benderloch, for several days, which included day out in Oban, and another just following smallest road available, ending at Connel Bridge. Weather on the whole good.

 

Next up was Fort William. We had hoped to take the train ride to Mallaig on the steam train, but found it was fully booked, so drove the route instead. Fort william has seen the light, and there were several defined parking areas for Motorhomes We use a commercial campsite just a short journey out of town towards Mallaig. We did the touristy bits, up Ben Nevis etc,.

 

Dingwall CCC site then next in list, so that wife's relations and friends in the area could be visited.. Time also spent on a tour around Black Isle, visiting the seal watching area, and other tourist traps nearby..Visit to Tesco to restock, then southbound to THS site near Aberfeldy for overnight stopover.

 

Crosscountry route south to join M9 southbound to CCC site at Moffat for 2 nights, Weather finally broke and some rain overnight.

 

Last leg of journey southbound via M6, A34, to arrive home early evening.

 

6 week all together, no irate wardens, no need to book THS sites, mainly good weather, some slight midge problems near Oban, load of varied interesting things to do and see.

 

Tonyg3nwl

 

 

 

 

[WA Michael]

Thanks to Gwen for trying to get a group onside with the UK is OK post. However I write as a 10 pound pom who spent,SPENT, three months in Europe, having spent most time in UK. We, my wife and I travelled extensively and almost nowhere felt that MHs were welcome. Entering towns which didn't "Welcome" but "this a pay and display", gave us a dismal feeling, there was one exception we found , Chipping Sodbury had signs saying PLEASE and that we could park free and so forth. We thanked the nice volunteers in the tourist bureau, they were pleased and said we were welcome to visit their town.We had a great deal of difficulty finding anywhere with any decent parking for MHs. As a final clincher the prices charged in what passes for campsites are astronomical. A dirty old field with almost no facillities costing 20 pounds, forget it! We found in the past that Europe,mostly, just GETS IT!

[bigal55]

WA Michael - 2013-09-18 9:25 AM

 

Thanks to Gwen for trying to get a group onside with the UK is OK post. However I write as a 10 pound pom who spent,SPENT, three months in Europe, having spent most time in UK. We, my wife and I travelled extensively and almost nowhere felt that MHs were welcome. Entering towns which didn't "Welcome" but "this a pay and display", gave us a dismal feeling, there was one exception we found , Chipping Sodbury had signs saying PLEASE and that we could park free and so forth. We thanked the nice volunteers in the tourist bureau, they were pleased and said we were welcome to visit their town.We had a great deal of difficulty finding anywhere with any decent parking for MHs. As a final clincher the prices charged in what passes for campsites are astronomical. A dirty old field with almost no facillities costing 20 pounds, forget it! We found in the past that Europe,mostly, just GETS IT!

 

be careful michael by pointing out that parking for m/homes could be better you will be called egotistical :D

[crinklystarfish]

WA Michael - 2013-09-18 9:25 AM

 

Thanks to Gwen for trying to get a group onside with the UK is OK post. However I write as a 10 pound pom who spent,SPENT, three months in Europe, having spent most time in UK. We, my wife and I travelled extensively and almost nowhere felt that MHs were welcome. Entering towns which didn't "Welcome" but "this a pay and display", gave us a dismal feeling, there was one exception we found , Chipping Sodbury had signs saying PLEASE and that we could park free and so forth. We thanked the nice volunteers in the tourist bureau, they were pleased and said we were welcome to visit their town.We had a great deal of difficulty finding anywhere with any decent parking for MHs. As a final clincher the prices charged in what passes for campsites are astronomical. A dirty old field with almost no facillities costing 20 pounds, forget it! We found in the past that Europe,mostly, just GETS IT!

 

If it was such a battle why didn't you spend a greater proportion of your time in mainland Europe?

 

It's also a bit sweeping to refer to Europe like one homogeneous place.

 

Want to be denied access to towns and cities altogether in an older motorhome - go to Germany.

Want to have to pay to use motorways / expressways / travel through some towns - go to Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, plus loads more

Want to be truly hammered for parking charges at attractions countrywide - go to Slovakia

Want to be denied access to some towns at all in a vehicle over 3.5t (many m/homes now are) - Go to Austria

Want to struggle to park even small cars in towns - try Switzerland.

Want to pay truly bonkers site fees for run-down facilities - try Denmark

Want to have hardly any campsites to fall back on at all - try Hungary, Romania plus many other eastern european countries

Want to smash your motorhome to bits on anything other than major trunk roads - go to Romania, Ukraine and more

Want to be randomly searched by customs miles from any port - France is pretty promising

Want to be the subject of distraction theft / damage to your 'van - Southern France and Spain round Barcelona are pretty good

Fancy genuinely taking your life into your hands by driving - Romania wins hands down

 

And so it goes on.

 

In the UK it's common and accepted practice to pay to park in many towns and cities no matter what you drive. In one Welsh town in recent times (may have been Barmouth from memory) the local authority did away with parking officers for a while and the town rapidly descended into a no-go zone for delivery lorries / ambulances / fire trucks etc as everyone selfishly just abandoned their cars wherever the hell they pleased blocking every major thoroughfare.

 

We are tight for space, everyone insists on using a car, people pay a premium to own / lease car parking space in towns / cities, we are locked (stupidly) into a cultural position where everyone has to generate as much income as possible - right now.

 

How does Europe mostly just 'get it' and what would you have UK local authorities do exactly?

[Muswell]

Good post.

[Poppy]

WA Michael - 2013-09-18 9:25 AM

 

Thanks to Gwen for trying to get a group onside with the UK is OK post. However I write as a 10 pound pom who spent,SPENT, three months in Europe, having spent most time in UK. We, my wife and I travelled extensively and almost nowhere felt that MHs were welcome. Entering towns which didn't "Welcome" but "this a pay and display", gave us a dismal feeling, there was one exception we found , Chipping Sodbury had signs saying PLEASE and that we could park free and so forth. We thanked the nice volunteers in the tourist bureau, they were pleased and said we were welcome to visit their town.We had a great deal of difficulty finding anywhere with any decent parking for MHs. As a final clincher the prices charged in what passes for campsites are astronomical. A dirty old field with almost no facillities costing 20 pounds, forget it! We found in the past that Europe,mostly, just GETS IT!

Actually having just come back from France, I would say we have some AMAZING campsites.I have snever paid silly money to park in a dirty old field with no facilities in the UK.