Heading South

Jun 2, 2017
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Well now Boris has let the sites open again we can finally take up our booking in Devon on July 4th (which has been cancelled/postponed/rebooked 4 times!) and looking forward to a bit of freedom!
Caravan came through it's service & damp check unscathed yesterday and is all set for the off-just a few clothes & food to add and away we go!
Just wondering, how many others are in the same boat? We will be travelling from West Yorkshire to Devon and suspect others will be too so what to expect? Will the Motorway service areas be full or will there be somewhere to stop with a caravan? Will the roads be like August Bank Holiday? Will the M5 be a procession? I see on C&MC sites are pretty full from 5th July so presume some furloughed workers & non returned school kids will be making a break too.
Let us know if you intend travelling straight away or are holding back a bit, or just your opinion.
Make sure your vehicles are up to it, given they've probably been stood a long time with lockdown & drive safely, take care on your travells-get there in peace not pieces!
and finally if you see us on the road-give us a wave!
 
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Nov 11, 2009
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We decided to book relatively local (70 miles) and will only be on the M4 for a short time and will not need motorway services. We don’t travel until later July deliberately to en sure that the first manic rush is over. If the experience of Bournemouth and Dorset is anything to go by our decision to stay inland might be a wise one. Re the services I suspect caravan and motorhome slots will be full but check out the HGV areas. If you need to park up you can use HGV areas but make sure that you can go around from the caravan area otherwise you could find yourself “ ejected” onto the exit slip. We never leave the van unattended en route and in current circumstances would use the vans toilet.
Enjoy the trip and let us know how it goes.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Well we were going local but I’ve just been informed that Camping in the Forest sites will close throughout 2020. Perhaps I should have kept the caravan for sale instead of giving it a reprieve. Might get a good price now. ☹️
 
Jun 2, 2017
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Yeah we never leave the van either as can't be bothered putting wheel lock etc on which is a condition of insurance if left.
We will only be stopping for a sandwich/toilet & yes we will be using our own-don't like public loos en route at best of times let alone just now!
If anyone is on Tewkesbury Abbey site on 4th July-come say hello & have a socially distanced beer!
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Yeah we never leave the van either as can't be bothered putting wheel lock etc on which is a condition of insurance if left.
We will only be stopping for a sandwich/toilet & yes we will be using our own-don't like public loos en route at best of times let alone just now!
If anyone is on Tewkesbury Abbey site on 4th July-come say hello & have a socially distanced beer!

Love to but having just had my Forest of Dean camping in the Forest trip (C&CC) cancelled I'm desperately looking for site in later July but the CMHC are showing very few and most of them that do show are Affiliated Sites. My normal area for asylum would be Wales, but I dont want to book somewhere ins Wales only to find that will not be open. CMHC only show four sites in Wales anyway. Even if I could I wouldn't venture to the coast as when we lived on Dartmoor we kept well away from the coast in summer. We swam in the moor's pools and rivers, one of which was at the bottom of the front garden. So we gave "grockles' a wide berth. :giggle:
 
Jan 17, 2010
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We've spent the last 2 days trying to find a site within 60 miles from us Cheshire ! Just for a weekend in july just to try out the caravan before we go down to cambridge the end of august, tried club sites and independant sites, the latter open 4th july but amenities will be kept closed for now.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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We've spent the last 2 days trying to find a site within 60 miles from us Cheshire ! Just for a weekend in july just to try out the caravan before we go down to cambridge the end of august, tried club sites and independant sites, the latter open 4th july but amenities will be kept closed for now.
This site is open it Adult Park
Wilson House Holiday Park nr Preston it on Pitchup i was told the Toilet block is open / if there just two Adults it ideal :giggle:
 
Jan 3, 2012
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We decided to book relatively local (70 miles) and will only be on the M4 for a short time and will not need motorway services. We don’t travel until later July deliberately to en sure that the first manic rush is over. If the experience of Bournemouth and Dorset is anything to go by our decision to stay inland might be a wise one. Re the services I suspect caravan and motorhome slots will be full but check out the HGV areas. If you need to park up you can use HGV areas but make sure that you can go around from the caravan area otherwise you could find yourself “ ejected” onto the exit slip. We never leave the van unattended en route and in current circumstances would use the vans toilet.
Enjoy the trip and let us know how it goes.
i would agree with you Clive i brought a paper today Brighton / Bournemouth the beaches has been packed and there are some camping overnight talk about keeping your distance .. That the same with us we only going 60 miles from home now ...:giggle:
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Just as O'clive has found out not all sites are opening. And of course not facilities will be available. Don't assume check with the site before you travel.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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Just as O'clive has found out not all sites are opening. And of course not facilities will be available. Don't assume check with the site before you travel.
Well the site we are going is open because they send me and email to confirm me all the details but also tell me about the Toilet block / Disabled is shut but our touring caravan has a big end washroom .
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Just as O'clive has found out not all sites are opening. And of course not facilities will be available. Don't assume check with the site before you travel.
The CMHC searches are showing very few sites with dates available for us When sites are fully booked the search just doesn’t show them up. The problem with Affiliated Sites is you generally have to contact them directly and you can’t see availability unless their website shows it. The CCC website was terrible last night. I looked at one site but it had no availability. But it wouldn’t clear to let me look at another as concurrent bookings aren’t allowed. I suspect it was having difficulty coping with the number of folks searching.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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The CMHC searches are showing very few sites with dates available for us When sites are fully booked the search just doesn’t show them up. The problem with Affiliated Sites is you generally have to contact them directly and you can’t see availability unless their website shows it. The CCC website was terrible last night. I looked at one site but it had no availability. But it wouldn’t clear to let me look at another as concurrent bookings aren’t allowed. I suspect it was having difficulty coping with the number of folks searching.
Hi Clive are you going to look at some more today :giggle:
 
Jul 18, 2017
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No matter where you are heading it may be a good idea to make sure that your water barrels and water systme have been sterilised especially with all this hot weather. The following was off Facebook;

Open all windows for ventilation, then cautiously (may help to wear a face covering) turn ALL taps on & allow to run for at least 10 minutes! Turn the shower head away from you & leave running for 10 minutes, it advisable to clean your shower head with antibacterial spray and descale!!
Keep the lid DOWN on the loo & flush at least twice! Empty anything that has had water in and wash thoroughly eg: kettles & water dispensers! Do not inhale water vapour LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE is a killer lung condition possibly worse than COVID-19!!

Perhaps others can confirm whether the above is correct?
 
Jan 3, 2012
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No matter where you are heading it may be a good idea to make sure that your water barrels and water systme have been sterilised especially with all this hot weather. The following was off Facebook;

Open all windows for ventilation, then cautiously (may help to wear a face covering) turn ALL taps on & allow to run for at least 10 minutes! Turn the shower head away from you & leave running for 10 minutes, it advisable to clean your shower head with antibacterial spray and descale!!
Keep the lid DOWN on the loo & flush at least twice! Empty anything that has had water in and wash thoroughly eg: kettles & water dispensers! Do not inhale water vapour LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE is a killer lung condition possibly worse than COVID-19!!

Perhaps others can confirm whether the above is correct?
Hi the Caravan has already been done
Aquarol x2 done when it a bit cooler
Waste container as well
kettles, microwave, toaster, Water dispensers dishes plates Cutlery
i have added a few more but on your list it covers it :giggle:
 
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May 7, 2012
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It does look as though there will be a mad rush to the most popular spots, but we are letting things settle down and have no bookings until August.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Booking in February for June/July we have pushed back our booking twice and if we puch it back again we will be in peak period. Cannot use the site again this year or next year due to other commitments and don't really want them to keep our deposit until 2022.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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No matter where you are heading it may be a good idea to make sure that your water barrels and water systme have been sterilised especially with all this hot weather. The following was off Facebook;

Open all windows for ventilation, then cautiously (may help to wear a face covering) turn ALL taps on & allow to run for at least 10 minutes! Turn the shower head away from you & leave running for 10 minutes, it advisable to clean your shower head with antibacterial spray and descale!!
Keep the lid DOWN on the loo & flush at least twice! Empty anything that has had water in and wash thoroughly eg: kettles & water dispensers! Do not inhale water vapour LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE is a killer lung condition possibly worse than COVID-19!!

Perhaps others can confirm whether the above is correct?

The topic of Legionairres is an old chestnut and I have failed to find any valid reference to anyone catching it from a caravan system. I publicly took our local council to task as they planned to remove sprinklers from social hosing on account of the risk of legionnaires. ( cost was the issue really) Again there were no substantive cases where such systems had caused infection. Even the local Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer waded in and reminded the council that LD is the least of anyones worries if there is a fire.

Regarding caravans if you sterilise the water system periodically, drain it down when not in use and flush through before use you will be okay. What opening windows or loo flushing has got to do with preventing LD is beyond me. The aerosols droplet size from the domestic loo isn't the size to affect LD but who has a flushing caravan loo that works like a domestic one?

I use HSE guidance as our daughter got bit concerned when she went on holiday for two weeks, blooming Mumsnet!

https://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/
 
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Nov 11, 2009
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The topic of Legionairres is an old chestnut and I have failed to find any valid reference to anyone catching it from a caravan system. I publicly took our local council to task as they planned to remove sprinklers from social hosing on account of the risk of legionnaires. ( cost was the issue really) Again there were no substantive cases where such systems had caused infection. Even the local Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer waded in and reminded the council that LD is the least of anyones worries if there is a fire.

Regarding caravans if you sterilise the water system periodically, drain it down when not in use and flush through before use you will be okay. What opening windows or loo flushing has got to do with preventing LD is beyond me. The aerosols droplet size from the domestic loo isn't the size to affect LD but who has a flushing caravan loo that works like a domestic one?

I use HSE guidance as our daughter got bit concerned when she went on holiday for two weeks blooming Mumsnet

https://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/
As an aside one well know maker of caravan toilet fluid now sell windscreen wash which will help safeguard you from LD. Any recorder cases of LD from using the cars screen washers? Anyway if you dose the washer water with a decent screen cleaning fluid LD would find itself under attack from the car owner. If it dared to seek a foothold. :giggle:
 
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Mel

Mar 17, 2007
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Love to but having just had my Forest of Dean camping in the Forest trip (C&CC) cancelled I'm desperately looking for site in later July but the CMHC are showing very few and most of them that do show are Affiliated Sites. My normal area for asylum would be Wales, but I dont want to book somewhere ins Wales only to find that will not be open. CMHC only show four sites in Wales anyway. Even if I could I wouldn't venture to the coast as when we lived on Dartmoor we kept well away from the coast in summer. We swam in the moor's pools and rivers, one of which was at the bottom of the front garden. So we gave "grockles' a wide berth. :giggle:

I understand that sites in Wales are due to open on 13th July, all being well.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I understand that sites in Wales are due to open on 13th July, all being well.
They might be due to open but when I searched CMHC only four sites in Wales came up with the dates I wanted which indicates that the rest that are open were already booked. Not surprising as one camping web site has had 750% increase in bookings since the announcement by BJ.
 

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