Does anyone own a motorhome or campervan?

NotSpaghetti

...and not all "gypsies" leave rubbish either. Time2

But they did when they camped on the common land in front of our last house, all kinds of rubbish, old tarmac, etc. It took a week fir the Council to cleanup when they left after a couple of months.

mabon2

I cannot imagine anything worse than a camper van or towing caravan either.

Negative as always, Mabon!

I'm 91, and very fit and mobile, and with very happy memories of having a very basic motor home when the children were young, I asked my eldest daughter if she would come to New Zealand (from Bali) and drive a motor home around for three weeks.
We had a superb trip around both islands - it was all breath taking - and as it was my birthday, I did para gliding from a mountain, which was brilliant. I have done it before, but this was much better, and we landed on our feet this time!

The best part for me was meeting other people from all round the world - so, so interesting..

We’re in our early 70s and in Scotland. We bought a caravan in 2011 and in 2019 decided to change to a 7m motorhome. It’s not as roomy inside but so much easier to get away and also to pitch up in. Apart from time away at home around the UK, we’ve gone to mainland Europe and thoroughly enjoyed being able to stop at more places. We don’t always need a campsite as with a motorhome there are plenty of Aires abroad and we’ve used pubstops here. Last year we headed down through Germany (the Romantic Road), across Austria into northern Italy (the Dolomites (which nearly killed our van!) and then the lakes) and back through France. That was lovely. This year we went across to Calais then through Belgium, then Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and then up to Nordkapp in Norway, then down through Norway. We were away for 9 weeks and drove 6690 miles! It was just wonderful. Now we’re soon going to the Norfolk area while the weather’s still good (🤞🏻). It’s nice to chat and swap stories with fellow campervan/motorhomers but we’ve found that some people don’t really want to engage. It’s sometimes hard to know who’s interested in chatting!

mabon2

I cannot imagine anything worse than a camper van or towing caravan either.

I used to think that.

Im 82 My partner 66 We've just completed a 12,000 km loop around Australia in our home converted Japanese imported Toyota Hiace long base van. It didn't glitch the whole way & was a comfortable ride. Was an adventure for sure. Very different from when we last did it 10 yrs ago as unfortunately free parking is mainly not safe nowadays due to unrest amongst the Aboriginal population. So caravan parks were the go. Many with electric fences & security guards. But we felt safe. Highlight for me was catching up with so many friends along the way. Lowlight ending up in emergency dept for observation. However soon back on the road again & managed to avoid all critters great & small although a few near misses. Kangaroos Emus Cattle Camels & the odd donkey ! We eye balled a huge Eagle that swerved very close to the windscreen but thankfully veered off at last moment. So collision avoided. I feel it was my Swansong journey as climbing in & out of high van was a bit hard on my knees. Sold van to a dear friend now, temptation is to ask to borrow it for few shorter jaunts tho !!! Never say never !

Nannan2

Viceversa- your hubby must be a very good driver😲

He is, thankfully. Used to be a rally driver (I was his co-driver).

DrWatson
I have worked directly with gypsy families.
It is wrong to lump them all together.

Professionals whose job it is to clean up are not likely to know a lot about the ones that don't behave as Time2 says.

My comment is not that it doesn't happen as it clearly does, my objection is to the idea of making assumptions about everyone within a certain demographic.

Not a campervan but do have a caravan. Love it.

For NotSpaghetti and "and not all 'gypsies' leave rubbish either". A risky and emotive topic, to raise anywhere, not just GN, but there's a mountain of evidence (& sadly, their accompanying waste) from right round the country that the vast majority are JUST THAT.

I've had to associate with the professionals who get to shift these relentless trespassers and defilers, and they rarely have a good word to say for the people involved. The amount of legal and cleanup costs for private and council landowners comes to many millions, over several decades, and it's US who end up paying for a lot of it.

There is a cosy image that some well-meaning folk maintain, that of a horse-drawn caravan, stops for a week or two on a village green, the chap sharpens some knives, and repairs a wobbly fence or two, then moves on, no rubbish (or toilet evidence!) left at all. IF that still happens anywhere, great.

But that is about one in a million, the vast majority do NOT live like that.

My neighbour recently aquired a small one.It looks ok, i think ì'd like one.😁

Viceversa- your hubby must be a very good driver😲

We are currently away in our motorhome for a few days enjoying probably the last few days of the good warm weather. We're 68 and 71, me being the spring chicken! We're very lucky to live in the Scottish Highlands in Sutherland, near the NC500, which we avoid as much as we can, we love the fishing villages of the east coast. Our motorhome is 20 years old and well built, we are fully contained so don't need to go onto sites, we use little stopover places like Aiars using facilities if we need them, often a shower, not used our own ever. Also take the dog and tend to do many walks, also have electric bikes, but don't use them often. Also have a small caravan, pros and cons for both! Caravan gives you the chance to explore places you can't easily access in a MH, but you really need them on a site, and have to tow and have a towing vehicle and set them up and collect water. But then you can leave it and head out for the day and it's there to return to. Not decided which is best!

mabon2

I cannot imagine anything worse than a camper van or towing caravan either.

I think you might change your mind if you traveled in one.
We have a double bed in the back. 2 systems of heating. Satellite TV. Full size shower. No porta loo. A fridge freezer.
Solar panels for power. Driver and passenger seat as big as armchairs.
Nearly forgot the mosquito blinds.

mabon2

I cannot imagine anything worse than a camper van or towing caravan either.

I can. Being in a vehicle driving behind a camper/caravan. 🤦‍♀️

We hired a motorhome for a week in Australia a few years ago. It was an experience I never want to repeat, I hated every moment of it! We returned it early and checked back into civilisation, a comfy hotel.

Well, as the saying goes don’t knock it till you’ve tried it mabon2.

I cannot imagine anything worse than a camper van or towing caravan either.

We only went to Skye once, 18 years ago. The bridge was built but the hinterland (& it's big) was wilderness and you could drive for hours without seeing another road-user. I would love to live somewhere so remote, DH (although he loved visiting) not so much.
Fast forward 18 years and between the bridge and social media, I don't think it would feel the same if we went back. When we were in Orkney, the locals were saying how glad they were that the Pentland Firth was too wide to accomodate a bridge "Poor Skye".
I'm sure people still want to live there, & the remoteness is presumably less intimidating now, but the locals from 18 years ago have a very different environment for 8 months of the year, than that they grew up in / bought into.

Oops, should be moved not miced, whatever that may be!

Chiatriona. Two friends have miced from Skye precisely for what you have described.. Last straw for one was seeing a motorhome user emptying effluent down a hillside onto local beach. When approach nothing but verbal abuse being told to appreciate these folk gave the island business. Friends both know most bring their own supplies as tourists don't want to pay island prices.

*must go to Specsavers

Chaitriona

Motorhome tourism has become a nightmare for many people living in the Highlands of Scotland. Partly it is the volume of visitors. Skye is now becoming a place not worth living in. But there are also people who insist they can "wild camp" anywhere they want to in their vans. Though there is a right to roam in Scotland, it is on foot not in vehicles on roads. But there are not enough resources to police it. People ignore "no overnight parking signs", leave rubbish, empty black water from their vans, defecate and urinate by people's homes, light fires, don't control their dogs, are verbally abusive. You may say, "so what"? "This goes on everywhere". It is the numbers really in small, fragile communities. Many of the roads are single track with passing places. It can take hours for residents to make essential journeys because of long convoys of motor homes. It has put many visitors who used to love the Highlands off visiting now.

Many "No Overnight Parking" signs are not legal and so not enforceable.
"Wild" camping has various different meanings in the Scotland Right to Roam code it is by on foot with a tent, that obviously doesn't apply to motorhomes so "off grid" "free overnighting" would be better phrases and in many cases perfectly legal. There does not seem to be a ruse in house sales in Skye andvtgise for sale sell quickly. All year round residents drive far too fast on country roads, over confident of the territory, a little patience does no harm. Yes there are some tourists who are antisocial but there are many responsible tourists who are now threatened by entitled locals (though thus rarely happens as it is mostly keyboard warriors fortunately. The Highlands has plenty of room for tourists and the vast majority of locals welcome them. It's exaggerated rants like I've quoted that put people off.

Indiana

Hi possett, yes we have a campervan - on a Peugeot Boxer, so 6m long and with a slidey door - and we LOVE it. We've had campervans/motorhomes of various sorts for the last 35 years or so but never more than 6m long so it's easier to find parking spots and less intimidating to drive! Our current van was a retirement present to ourselves 2 years ago and we were able to part exchange our old motorhome and get this one brand new. A real treat for us. We're 65 and 63 and I'm very encouraged by you two being a bit older than us, and still loving van getaways! I hope we're the same. We take bikes, though not electric, but I am keen to get one. We need to check our bike rack will take the extra weight.
Like you we're not looking for luxury, though having said that I love the heater in the colder months and having hot water is wonderful! We have a loo and shower which we use as we tend to stay on Aires in Europe. Our last trip was to see some of the Tour de France and to explore the upper Loire area. Where are you off to next?

Hi Indiana,
You have many years ahead of you for exploring in your van - I wish we were a tad younger because I can see a time coming before TOO long when we'll have to give it up.
We've had many forays into France and Spain and tend to use Aires as much as possible, but our on-board shower is a bit of a pain to use, so every so often we go to a campsite and avail ourselves of all their facilities.
We changed to electric bikes about 5 years ago and haven't looked back. It's so easy to go into towns now, just park up some miles away and cycle in, with the added bonus that hills are a breeze!
We're in the throes of moving house at the moment, so trips are on hold, I'm praying we will be all done and dusted on that front by mid-October so we can squeeze in an autumn trip - wherever in this country where the weather looks finest!
Happy camping!

...and not all "gypsies" leave rubbish either. Time2

I live in The Netherlands and we've been offered the use of a campervan by our very good friends. They love it and it is a beautiful van with toilet, shower, cooker, etc, but I can quite bring myself to take them up on their offer. It's silly really, because it's so easy to go to France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg.