Isle of Man - anyone been with a motorhome?

[Mel B]

Whilst at the Peterborough show, we got chatting to a chap promoting the Isle of Man. My hubby would like to go and have a little holiday there in early September when we have a spare week's holiday booked off work. The cost is probably going to be around £300 including the campsite for 7 nights which is a fair whack but as it costs us around £120 to go to France once we've paid for the dogs and the ferry, then there's the vet's fees before we come back of another £50 or so, then of course there's all the fuel to get down to Dover from near Hull so all in all with the IoM trip cost including the camp sites its not that bad by comparison for us.

 

Now, has anyone been with a motorhome (ours is 7.2m)? We wondered if it is easy to drive around when necessary - we'll use our bicycles normally. Is there anything we should definitely see or definitely avoid?

[fred grant]

tis funny me handsome (sorry mel) but i as just finished reading the stoddarts article in MMM april called 3 legs on y'r waggon. tis whole eight pages on the isle of mann.

 

anyway may help.

 

fred

[Tony Jones]

(NOTE: This post is of no practical value whatsoever, just rambling so ignore it if you're in a hurry - put it down to my age)

 

Last time we went to IOM was for our honeymoon in 1973 - and we hadn't even heard of "motorcaravans" then. We took our beloved Ford Anglia on the Liverpool ferry (after detaching tin cans and toilet rolls), and on to a tiny holiday flat in Douglas with the most awful studio couch to sleep (etc) on. Can definitely see the point of taking your own bed!

 

Love to go again, but for the cost of the ferry there we can be in France (and nowadays we're at t'other end of England) - no contest!

 

Tony

[michele]

Mel ,

quite a few have done that Red Funnel thing cheaper than that ...ask Bazza & / sorry its gone.. *-)

[carioca]

michele - 2007-05-02 8:29 PM

 

Mel ,

quite a few have done that Red Funnel thing cheaper than that ...ask Bazza & / sorry its gone.. *-)

Red Funnel is to the isle of white not the isle of man ;-)

[michele]

Ops typical me sorry Mel ....take no notice you know what I,m like

[Mel B]

Don't know if we'll be going now or not, they can't make up their minds how much it's going to cost, one minute we're being quoted a reasonable amount, the next time it's extortionate! My hubby is going to ring them again tomorrow and try to get a definitive answer out of them, it's no wonder they have to push for people to visit if they can't give a straight answer! 8-)

 

From the last quote they wanted to charge us £88 each for the campsite for 7 nights, that's £186 in total, seeing as the campsite is only supposed to be £15 a night for 2 adults and a pitch booked direct (£105 total) that's a bit of a rip off!!! The website is nigh on useless as our van doesn't fit into any of the height and length categories on offer, hence why we have to keep contacting them ... has ANYONE been recently???????? *-)

 

Perhaps I'll do as Michele says and go and get the Red Funnel ferry and see where I end up but if it is still the Isle of Wight that's no good as we've been there before. (lol)

[carioca]

Mel B - 2007-05-03 9:07 PM

 

Don't know if we'll be going now or not, they can't make up their minds how much it's going to cost, one minute we're being quoted a reasonable amount, the next time it's extortionate! My hubby is going to ring them again tomorrow and try to get a definitive answer out of them, it's no wonder they have to push for people to visit if they can't give a straight answer! 8-)

 

From the last quote they wanted to charge us £88 each for the campsite for 7 nights, that's £186 in total, seeing as the campsite is only supposed to be £15 a night for 2 adults and a pitch booked direct (£105 total) that's a bit of a rip off!!! The website is nigh on useless as our van doesn't fit into any of the height and length categories on offer, hence why we have to keep contacting them ... has ANYONE been recently???????? *-)

 

Perhaps I'll do as Michele says and go and get the Red Funnel ferry and see where I end up but if it is still the Isle of Wight that's no good as we've been there before. (lol)

been where Mel isle of wight or isle of man (?) (?)

[Wingpete]

I was over there on last Sunday, visiting friends who live there.

Took a plane from Blackpool for a lunch date !

They kindly paid for lunch at a fvourite watering hole called "The Creek" at Peel. Good lunches and beers.

The thing is, I noticed that there are loads of M/homes on the island, some parked up, other tootling along the highways. Tootling is theright pace, as the roads are ancient and twisty.

Saw a dealership by that corner where George Formby crashed into the pub. Moment memory lapse, can't remember the name.

There are a few places where wild campoing is practised, one being up at Jurby, near the lighthouse. Super sea views there, but no swimming. Currrents far too dangerous, even for small boats.

Many parts off the main roads are very amenable to parking up with m/homes, and the whole Island is picturesque.

Last time I went over for TT races, motorhomes of racers were going on the ferry, but in that perioed, advance booking is a must and schedules non-existant.

Go and enjoy.

[Manxmaid]

We live on the Isle of Man and own an A Class motorhome, the Island is very motorhome friendly and there are plenty of campsites and opportunities for discrete wild camping, not just in the north of the Island.

We admit that the Steam Packet company is not the easiest to deal with but if you look at the special offers (midweek or overnight sailings) the fares are less. There is no competition from other carriers therefore fares are higher than on other routes but worth the effort we think. If we can help with your trip let us know. Hope to see you soon!

[cec]

Hi Mel

My wife and i went end of april ito the first week of may and it was fantastic last time i went was 1969 to the TT. Steam Packet were very helpful it cost us £234.00 return from Heysham both journeys were very calm we had a Rollerteam 3DD at the time ( we now have an ACE Napoli) we had wonderful weather which helped and found the Island very motorhome friendly with good free parking. We used our bikes when we went to Gregneash which is facinating but had no trouble with road widths or parking except you have to choose carefully in Douglas!! After looking at ferry prices to the Isle of Wight we still feel that to go eighty miles across the Irish sea it is good value for money bearing in mind we are from Devizes in Wiltshire and its about 240 miles to Heysham but would urge you if you can afford it to go its a magical place and would agree with Marion and Andy Stotherts comments from the April issue we stayed at Laxey campsite which was great and well run and will be returning again as soon as we can with motor cycle in tow. The Laxey Wheel and Snaefell are a must see.

 

[SAS]

We`ve just returned from a weeks hol on the IOM and the weather was good. Sunny spells and light winds whilst over here it was flooding! It`s a lovely place and I`d go back again tomorrow, depite the VERY rough crossing on the way back! We paid £252.00 for our return ferry and the campsite we stayed on was £18. 00 a night, but it did have good facilities although it was quite slopey. The musts are Sneafell, ( take a jacket `cos it`s COLD up there!) Peel (park in the Fenella bay car park) Ramsey, and of couse Douglas. The beaches everywhere are beautiful. If you like walking you would need 2 weeks over there to sightsee and do your walks. The scenery is a cross between The Lakes And North Yorkshire. It is very motorhome friendly. Most parking is free or you need a disc which gives you 2 hours free parking.