Any caravanners out there

Yes overthehill I love caravanning. Ours will be having it's first airing over the Easter break. A few days in Seahouses (Northumberland) with the grandchildren. Can't wait.

We used to love caravaning when the children were little - they saw it as playing house and we were able to have many cheap holidays we might not otherwise have afforded. It's beyond us now but we have lots of happy memories.

I hope you all have lovely hols now your caravans are out of mothballs.

We had a great time with ours when the boys were small but once they started having activities at the weekends it slowed down until we got rid of it. Nowadays I'm more inclined to my creature comforts and want to be waited on!

We loved our caravanning holidays, but our last outing was in September 2012, due to ill health the caravan is going to be sold, but we`re very sad about it. Gillybob, we`ve been to Seahouses a few times, twice with the caravan, where do you stay? We stayed at Seafield and Springhill Farm.

We have had a caravan for 35 years (not the same one). It has enabled us to have holidays here and abroad fairly reasonably. Our 3 DDs have always loved it as does our DGS. Now they all often join us on site and are currently tent camping with a view to upgrading to a caravan when cash allows.

We always go to Seafield numberplease . It is a wonderful site with excellent facilities. We had a static there for years and I missed it terribly when we were forced to give it up. We now have a 4 berth tourer which we bought in September last year. Not quite as luxurious as the static but really good fun and the children love it.

We went to Seahouses years ago, before it was upgraded and became "posh", then it became too expensive for us, especially as we wouldn`t be using things like the leisure centre or the pool. Last time we stayed at Springhill Farm, it was OK, but not great. If you go to Scotland with your caravan, and fancy somewhere quiet with not a lot to do, apart from enjoying the scenery, I can heartily recommend www.muasdaleholidays.com. They`re in Kintyre, just a few miles down the road from our dear Soop, and we love it there, we`re just sorry that we won`t be going anymore.

Have just had a look at the link numberplease it looks heavenly peaceful and quiet. I will definitely mention it to DH tomorrow. We are hoping to get away for a few days in the summer (just the two of us) and DH fancies Scotland. Thank you.

The first caravan holiday I ever had was in Seahouses, it must of been about 1954. I remember it being on the right as you look out to sea up on the cliff top. it was pouring with rain when we got of the bus from Newcastle and walked to the site with cases. A kindly family felt sorry for us getting so wet because the owner was not there to show us where it was and give us the key. Whilst having a cup of tea waiting for the key, I remember thinking how lovely this caravan was, "very posh", I felt quite special thinking this will be a lovely holiday. After a while the owner turned up with the key to show us to ours, I trotted along like a good little 10 year old, then I saw it!!!! it was the back quarter of a single decker bus, hand painted bright green, To say it was awful is such an understatement. the inside was worse than the outside, the seats and table were sloping, the sleeping arrangement filled the whole thing, it leaked. Still it was a great holiday

We had a Sprite Musketeer for several years when the DC were little and thought we'd gone up in the world when we got a foot pump and a tap for the sink. We returned to caravanning a couple of years ago, an Abbey Vogue. It's a bit different now -hot and cold running water in 'kitchen', wash basin and shower, flush loo, warm air heating, TV (when we buy one) and electric hook up. Definitely not camping. (I went on a day course with the Caravan Club last week - I can reverse with the 'van attached now - dead chuffed!)

As teenagers, my sisters and I went with my parents in a lovely comfortable caravan which they bought from the manufacturer, Thompson, somewhere near Falkirk. We usually went to the West Highlands. Later, we too had a Sprite Musketeer when the boys were young. I sold it when I got divorced. My DS1's family now have a caravan and have taken me with them to France and to Suffolk. As you say, Nfk, it's all very different nowadays, but certainly in Provence the fridge has been essential and we hired another one to put in the awning - for the wine, of course. . Congratulations on being able to reverse the van. I never mastered that, nor did my exH - we had to (wo)manhandle it! Once, coming down Shap on the M6, when I was towing, the van went into a 'snake' and I had to control it without braking. When I succeeded in safely getting it onto the hard shoulder, it transpired that exH had not attached the stabiliser securely. My worst ever driving experience by far.

We have a motorhome and it is a good sign Spring has sprung when I start to clean through. Enjoy the camping life but wouldn't trust OH or self with towing. Enjoy your trip overthehill, never been to Cheshire so must rectify that omission by what you all say.

By the way Gillybob, if you`re still interested in Muasdale, in my profile, photos 1 and 6 were taken onsite, that`s our caravan, and two more further on were sunsets taken from outside the caravan.

Our caravan has already been out once this year - for a long weekend in Burnham-on-Sea. We will be staying home over Easter then going up to Shrewsbury area for a few days at the beginning of May. After that - who knows!

Another Motohomer here,Debncreme. You should be off to the sun. We would be if we weren't moving in a couple of weeks.
We towed a car behind the camper over the Pyrenees one year, never again.

Are none of you out there long term caravanners like us? We've been back into caravanning since 2009, having tried a motor caravan and not liked it. We're fortunate enough to be able to travel in Europe extensively and are currently waiting to set off to Spain for three months. It's the most wonderful way of life and opportunity not only to see such amazing places but to meet up with really interesting, like minded people. We're looking forward to catching up again with friends from the UK as well as Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, Denmark and Germany. Get away from those winter blues, while you have the health and strength.

Too hot in Spain for me at this time of year. We do Spain in the winter.
Prefer the French Alps this time of year.

Me, too. We are avid caravanners.
Lovely 2 weeks on Anglesey and we are the only ones on this site. Been coming here since 2007.

GillinVernanates We have been caravanning since 1977.

Overthehill We used to have a folding caravan back in the 80s when they were virtually unheard of. When we first got it we put it up in the road outside our house as a trial run. We went into the house for something and when we came out one of our neighbours, for a joke, had rallied various other neighbours to form a queue for cornets and 99s

we're novice caravanners - a Pegasus Genoa 2 berth (Bailey). Lovely - been on a few trips already and really enjoying it. I too am going on a course for towing! But do any seasoned travellers have tips for making up the double bed (and no, we didn't want a fixed bed!)?