Motorhoming years coming to a close?

[StuartO]

Apart from one holiday to N Yorkshire last summer to visit Matthewson’s Garage, the Bangers and Cash programme on Ch 5, we have only used our MH once in two years, to visit our son and family for a couple of days by parking on his drive. Happily the MH behaved impeccably on this recent trip and the four hour journey each way was easy, even in continuous rain on the return journey and even in traffic at one stage on the M25. The SOG pump stopped working but otherwise the MH did its part well so no complaints there.

 

But the appetite for motorhoming has gone, so I’ve even started to contemplate selling our Hymer, although I have by no means made a decision yet. But we did almost all our touring abroad with our two dogs and post-Brexit as well as post-Covid that’s looking much more obstacle ridden than hitherto. And touring in UK, which we haven’t done for years, is looking pretty obstacle-ridden too, with fully booked sites following the Staycation surge in caravanning and motorhoming, so no hope of the free roaming touring we’ve always been able to enjoy on the Continent in the past.

 

There are work-around we can try, like getting French or Spanish Pet Passports, which should make Continental touring available again so maybe be we’ll hang on for another year or if necessary two, to give it another try once Covid is under better control in Europe. But tempos fugit and we’re getting older so the time will come when we’re too old; I gave up motorcycling for that reason and renewing my C1 driving licence will inevitably get more problematic.

 

Hey ho, the time to move on is looming - or am just experiencing a blue patch?

[ColinM50]

Has you/the family considered usig it themselves? We lent our last m/h to our son and his family went off to France for a fortnight>the original plan was that we'd fly out and meet them somewhere but that didn't happen. Anyway, it inspired them to buy their own caravan. So maybe if your son (and siblings if there are any?) would get use of it to allow and maybe you'd get to go and stay with them somewhere UK or maybe abroad?

[Thai Bry]

StuartO - 2021-12-29 10:28 AM

 

Apart from one holiday to N Yorkshire last summer to visit Matthewson’s Garage, the Bangers and Cash programme on Ch 5, we have only used our MH once in two years, to visit our son and family for a couple of days by parking on his drive. Happily the MH behaved impeccably on this recent trip and the four hour journey each way was easy, even in continuous rain on the return journey and even in traffic at one stage on the M25. The SOG pump stopped working but otherwise the MH did its part well so no complaints there.

 

But the appetite for motorhoming has gone, so I’ve even started to contemplate selling our Hymer, although I have by no means made a decision yet. But we did almost all our touring abroad with our two dogs and post-Brexit as well as post-Covid that’s looking much more obstacle ridden than hitherto. And touring in UK, which we haven’t done for years, is looking pretty obstacle-ridden too, with fully booked sites following the Staycation surge in caravanning and motorhoming, so no hope of the free roaming touring we’ve always been able to enjoy on the Continent in the past.

 

There are work-around we can try, like getting French or Spanish Pet Passports, which should make Continental touring available again so maybe be we’ll hang on for another year or if necessary two, to give it another try once Covid is under better control in Europe. But tempos fugit and we’re getting older so the time will come when we’re too old; I gave up motorcycling for that reason and renewing my C1 driving licence will inevitably get more problematic.

 

Hey ho, the time to move on is looming - or am just experiencing a blue patch?

 

Hi Stuart

 

We've just returned from a week on a lovely site outside Evesham. Plenty of country walks with our little Westie.

 

I was in a similar position and train of thought as yourself. We always tour southern Germany in our motorhome. However since the outbreak of Covid, we've put this on hold for the time being.

Like yourself, our Motorhome has stood idle for a number of months. We managed a couple of days away during early 2021, but also found sites rather full of late.

We have now tended to use little CL sites rather than the larger sites- which we have never liked. Maybe because of the freedom we've enjoyed on Stellplatz's in Germany.

We've both enjoyed parts of the UK which we forgot about, and are slowly building up a little list of sites that we enjoy, and would happily revisit again in the future.

My licence expires when I reach the tender age of 70 in late 2023. We will either downsize then or give up the motorhome way of life.

 

We're hanging on for the time being, maybe be able to tour again back in mainland Europe, with an updated `pet passport, once we know where we stand with regards pet checks etc. etc..... when or if things settle down.

For the time being, our appetite has waned a little, but so far we've enjoyed our little trips. Just keeping it short and sweet regards the number of days away, rather than taking huge chunks of time away, as we used to do before. Maybe this pattern of travel has helped a little.

 

Hope this gives you another idea, to hang on for a while.

[747]

I very reluctantly sold mine a few months ago and will never get another one as good as that one. Seven virtually trouble free years and a layout that suited us perfectly. I needed the C1 to drive it and had passed 2 medicals with the third due early 2023.

 

I am currently developing Cataracts in both eyes (which means loss of driving licence until sorted). The waiting list for an operation is around one year and given the Covid situation plus staycation boom it seemed a good choice to make due to elevated prices for motorhomes. I am keeping an open mind about motorhoming and will consider my options once I have had the eye treatment. A possibility is something small for use on sites for a couple of nights or a one night wilding van. The problem is that we have 3 dogs, so short trips and fairweather camping seems the most likely option.

[StuartO]

Thai Bry - 2021-12-29 11:41 AM

 

We've just returned from a week on a lovely site outside Evesham. Plenty of country walks with our little Westie..........

 

 

We are blessed with a lovely home and garden, which we've (or rather the OH has) put a lot more effort into and drawn a lot more pleasure from during this Covid period which has undoubtedly been a factor, as well as sheltering from Covid, in us not bothering with UK motorhoming activity - and we've never really been tempted by the sort of holidays based on booking a longer stay of a site and they exploring the area, caravanner-style. Many years ago we did try taking a tow car, both by using and A frame and on a transporter trailer, the later abroad as well as in UK but we went back to using the MH on its own on the Continent as the best overall approach for us.

 

We've also offered our offspring the loan of the MH but only one set tried it and then only once. Fortunately we're not under any financial pressure to dispose of the MH yet and we have parking space for it at home, so I suspect we'll just keep the MH running and serviced and see if the urge retakes us as Covid recedes into history. My next C1 driving licence renewal doesn't happen until Spring 2024.

[John52]

Looking out of the window now is enough to put anyone off motorhoming.

But if you sell it how will you feel in the spring?

[Conrad]

One of my sayings is turn every problem into an opportunity.

 

I know there are issues with full sites, but being retired, we have the ability to go during school term time, preferably mid week. We have a couple of favourite sites about an hour or two from home in west Wales, and have had a number of enjoyable short trips away. We prep/freeze food in advance, go for a few days and it's all easy. Have also had a few longer trips to Scotland, again choose when and where to go. Trust me, there's a lot of places well worth visiting in the UK.

 

Another benefit has been, visiting family during the pandemic has let us feel safer, no need to go into grubby motorway services, and stay in the 'van if need be rather than go in their houses.

 

 

[malc d]

Presumably most motorhomers plans are on hold at the moment - and will be until a " new reality " settles down.

 

But in my view, forward plans should be based on : health - fitness - and whether or not you still enjoy motorhoming.

 

( Ceasing any activity should never be based on AGE alone ).

 

Selling up needs a lot of thinking about - it would be an extremely expensive decision to reverse.

 

;-)

[colin]

In the past year when we've wanted to go away we have, mostly we stay on CS's, and this year have looked to go to areas where we believe there will be less people, we've been three times during school holidays, once on a 'family' break, the only problem we've had with site availability was due to a campsite being partly flooded so they could only offer us two nights. I expect if we had tried to head for the 'hot spots' during the school holidays it would have been more difficult.

[slowdriver]

StuartO - 2021-12-29 10:28 AM

 

Hey ho, the time to move on is looming - or am just experiencing a blue patch?

 

I've only just started to get my teeth into Europe at 70. In a 6.4m PVC. We went to France in July 2021, and again to France and Italy in Sept, and I did a solo trip UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, UK in October. The Covid related form filling and testing is a bit of a pain but really not so bad once you get the hang of it and prepare well. Brexit has just fired me up to go and explore Europe as much as I can, especially since I imported a new van in 2019. We used to go maybe four to five weeks a year. Now I expect to go maybe four to five months. The Covid paperwork will standardise and get easier, the Covid passport works well European-wide. The Brexit restrictions are what they are, and not too much of a pain unless you want to go for over 90 days in one block. We mainly do short and fast trips but that's more to do with my wife's work commitments and vacation options than anything related to Brexit or Covid. I should say we also did two Scotland trips of fifteen days (one in 2020 the other 2021) and a couple of long weekends in Wales in each of 20 and 21. You will know better than me that Europe has different attractions to those of the UK.

 

So I'd go with Blue Patch -

( I don't have the dog passport to deal with - you will know better than me how much of a pain that is.)

 

Unless you really have lost the taste for it I'd give it at least one more go this summer to an area you know and love and see how you feel when you get back.

 

The only thing I wouldn't do is "wait for things to settle down". Rather try to "strike while the iron's hot". We don't know that COVID is going to "settle down", we don't know that Brexit is going to mean more or less restrictions going forward, and I especially don't know if pet passports are likely to get easier our harder. "Time waits for no man "- I'd "make hay while the sun shines". I have now exhausted my supply of simplistic proverbs.

 

[StuartO]

We've had some thoughtful and helpful responses to this thread so thank you.

 

Pointing out that selling the motorhome would be a very expensive move to reverse is a good point and so is the encouragement to give another go before pulling the plug and don't necessarily wait until Covid has gone away completely, which it might never do.

 

So I've though about which configuration of outfit will be most suitable for us in future; the motorhome we bought new and still suits us 16 years later so why change and we still have the Toyota iQ which (amazingly) copes well enough even with two Dalmatians on board, so why not try towing it again? Car transporters hold their value remarkably well if you buy a good one and buy it used so I may well get one of those again, especially for use touring in UK.

 

Thanks again for all the ideas gentlemen, you have talked me into giving motorhoming another go!

 

Stuart

[Geeco]

I am pleased the lads here did a good sell job on you not offloading your Hymer. Back in Aug 2020 I sold the Autotrail we had driven for 6 years with no plans for a replacement. Well we lasted less than a month then decided to give it another go. Well despite Covid and the travel restrictions we managed 291 days on the road including a trip around the island. I turn 75 in Jan and after my two cataract surgeries in late Jan we will be off as soon as my eyes mend. You only get one chance in life to make the best of what you have so I think you made a good decision. Is it normal to wait 12 months for cataract surgery in UK? I waited just over a month and that was more about the Xmas holidays than any thing else. Cheers,

[chas]

I have been impressed by the youtube programs on tv VAN LIFE, single, couples ect who live in their vans full time, that would not be for me, but the idea of finding park ups for the night seems a great idea when used correctly. Crowded sites are not my idea of outdoor life, but there are CS sites as well. This nonsense of being charged 25-30 pounds a night is daylight robbery. Unfortunately, many councils in England and Wales cant erect NO Overnight parking signs quickly enough. May give it a try, out of school holidays

[Bulletguy]

chas - 2021-12-30 12:41 PM

 

I have been impressed by the youtube programs on tv VAN LIFE, single, couples ect who live in their vans full time, that would not be for me, but the idea of finding park ups for the night seems a great idea when used correctly. Crowded sites are not my idea of outdoor life, but there are CS sites as well. This nonsense of being charged 25-30 pounds a night is daylight robbery. Unfortunately, many councils in England and Wales cant erect NO Overnight parking signs quickly enough. May give it a try, out of school holidays

I'm afraid that's what makes England a challenge not worth bothering with. Scotland was always better for wilding but even they are beginning to clamp down in some areas.

 

European countries were always the places to travel and tour, very accepting of motorhomes, campers and caravans, but travelling between different countries has been made much more difficult due to the enforcement of the 90 day rule making touring a chore and juggling act.

[Brian Kirby]

slowdriver - 2021-12-29 3:46 PM

................................................The Brexit restrictions are what they are, and not too much of a pain unless you want to go for over 90 days in one block. .........................................

But, just on this, be careful. It is not only whether any individual stay exceeds 90 days, it is whether the aggregate of all your stays in any 180 day period exceeds 90 days. When making several trips a year, it becomes necessary to look back 180 days from the date on which your next proposed trip will end and total them all. If that total is less than 90 days you are OK, more and you'll probably be in trouble. Your passport will be recorded each time you enter, and leave, Schengen, so there is no scope for debate at the border!

[Guest pelmetman]

I well remember our dash back from Spain when the pandemic first hit, and the Spanish kicked everyone out......even EU citizens :D ........

 

Since then we have done one trip to a close friends wedding in September, apart from taking Horace for the occasional run he's been used as alternative accommodation or just preferred "Thunderbox to the builders rented one 8-) " for quite a few months during our big build B-) ........

 

He now resides snug as a bug in his new Horace house :D .........

 

Which is prolly where they will find him after I've snuffed it.........Maybe with me rotting at the wheel :-> ..........

[slowdriver]

Brian Kirby - 2021-12-30 5:00 PM

 

slowdriver - 2021-12-29 3:46 PM

................................................The Brexit restrictions are what they are, and not too much of a pain unless you want to go for over 90 days in one block. .........................................

But, just on this, be careful. It is not only whether any individual stay exceeds 90 days, it is whether the aggregate of all your stays in any 180 day period exceeds 90 days. When making several trips a year, it becomes necessary to look back 180 days from the date on which your next proposed trip will end and total them all. If that total is less than 90 days you are OK, more and you'll probably be in trouble. Your passport will be recorded each time you enter, and leave, Schengen, so there is no scope for debate at the border!

 

Yes thanks Brian, what I should have added is "use a calculator to verify what will work and what will not". Something I am in the middle of doing currently. here https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/visa-calculator/

It is actually not too bad for our proposed visits through 2022. If you spread them out through the year and none of them are too long then they drop of the back, as it were, as quickly as you add them on the front.