Navigation best practice

[Rordangamsey]

Hi guys, is it just me that struggles when trying to find a caravan park that has easy access for my car and caravan or is it that everyone struggles in the same way. Is there any sat nav options that can help so I can plan my route better.

 

[Icaru5]

Can’t say I generally find it a struggle Rordan, or find access to sites particularly difficult. Given the general preference for rural locations, navigating winding country lanes is an unavoidable neeccesity for those who like to make the most of the freedom that caravanning brings.

The only time I would have had an issue was if I had approached Park Cliffe from the direction of Windermere, instead of Newby Bridge. Now there’s a left turn that would be impossible !

On a similar note, as we used to enjoy family camping at Fisherground (Eskdale), I would still like to take the van there one day. Fisherground can only be accessed by driving along at least a couple of miles of winding single-track roads either way and so it is certainly possible, but just perhaps not worth the risk of meeting an oncoming caravanner !

Regarding the Sat-Nav, my in-built system does have a trailer mode, although I’ve never used it and have never felt inclined to investigate its purpose, and I believe that many of the after-market units feature some sort of “HGV mode” which may be what you’re looking for ?

 

[Dodger524]

I use the information provided by the caravan site for the final approach to looked at it in Google Earth. I will then modify the route suggested by my SatNav - CoPliot Caravan - to include that final route.

 

[DrZhivago]

Ordnance survey maps at !:50,000 and 1:25,000 scale, which you can see here http://www.streetmap.co.uk for example, indicate roads less than 4m wide, and also unmade roads. At that scale you can also see sharp bends. In addition to that, beforehand, I follow the last mile (or whatever looks might be problematic) using Google Street View, which gives a driver's eye view.

 

[Craigyoung]

Hi there , before we go anywhere I always check Google Maps for routes and obstacles that may be in our way. We use the TomTom sat nav caravan motorhome one , the one where you input the size of your car and caravan and width and It'll take you the safest route away from obstacles , expensive piece of kit but worth getting as it has guided me through France twice and to Holland and to the gates off where we needed to be.

Craig

 

[otherclive]

I go by the site directions. Also I pre program the Garmin from Garmins own software, Basecamp, which guarantees my route. We also will print off directions from Google or Via Michelin as a back up, and again I input my own route if required. This is particularly useful when abroad as in UK I have enough knowledge to get to most places by memory. Ultimate back up is we are always carrying a good scale map or map book.
One thing when towing is that I don’t allow the satnav to detour me for reasons such as traffic congestion. Detours are ignored or decided from the map book by copilot.

 

[Craigyoung]

One thing when towing is that I don’t allow the satnav to detour me for reasons such as traffic congestion. Detours are ignored or decided from the map book by copilot.

My sat nav directed me on the diversion route when the Roen Bridge / tunnel was shut in France a few year ago, I wouldn't have done it without it ! :huh:

 

[bertieboy1]

Hello,
I;m with Dodger524 on this one although I use Google maps then select street view which can take me right past caravan park entrances.
Another thing is I suppose it depends what your satnav uses for destinations,mine uses GPS co-ordinates rather than post codes that can cover a wide areas.
With GPS co-ordinates I can pin point site entrances which when entered into satnav as a desination takes me right up to the site entrance.Again used in conjunction with Google maps I know exactly what the approach to site is like and any difficuties I might encounter.

 

[otherclive]

One thing when towing is that I don’t allow the satnav to detour me for reasons such as traffic congestion. Detours are ignored or decided from the map book by copilot.

My sat nav directed me on the diversion route when the Roen Bridge / tunnel was shut in France a few year ago, I wouldn't have done it without it ! :huh:

You were fortunate that it identified an alternate route suitable for the caravan. You could have found yourself routed down narrow city streets full of parked cars. Even solo mine has wanted to take me along narrow Devon lanes as alternative options.

 

[alan29]

Streetview is a massive help.

 

[Rordangamsey]

Hi what is street view pls .

 

[Craigyoung]

[quote="otherclive]
You were fortunate that it identified an alternate route suitable for the caravan. You could have found yourself routed down narrow city streets full of parked cars. Even solo mine has wanted to take me along narrow Devon lanes as alternative options.[/quote]

Luck ? I'm just a brilliant driver !!

 

[thosoneill]

Hi what is street view pls .

Google Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides panoramic views from positions along many streets in the world. It was launched in 2007 in several cities in the United States, and has since expanded to include cities and rural areas worldwide. Streets with Street View imagery available are shown as blue lines on Google Maps.

 

[otherclive]

Hi what is street view pls .

Google Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides panoramic views from positions along many streets in the world. It was launched in 2007 in several cities in the United States, and has since expanded to include cities and rural areas worldwide. Streets with Street View imagery available are shown as blue lines on Google Maps.

I agree that Streetview is a great aid. However beware that it can be up to 7 years out of date on non trunk routes. Evidence being that we are looking to move home and Streetview shows our house with my Kia parked on the front. That went in January 2011, and one five bed no garage house we looked at was four bed double garage on Streetview. But in the vast majority of cases Streetview is a very useful application.

 

[RayS]

I too use Google earth and streetview plus Google maps. But be aware that you may get three different versions of, say, a road junction from these three sources.
And not just on by roads. The junction from M 5 leading to Westbury and Cribbs Causeway was, at least 18 months ago, quite different in practice to any of the three and showed no sign of recent alterations which would have explained this.
The same was true more recently of a major junction on the northern ring road of Pamplona.

 

[Brasso530]

Same here,as I don't use sat nav often.Usually after booking a site I'll check it out on google maps/ street view etc..then search YouTube for access videos.In last couple of years I've found these arrival videos to be very helpful,as usually after a long journey everyone's tired/cranky/kids tired,it's just easier to have a good idea what to look out for.
We generally use camc and comercial sites so work on the assumption that if they can get a static there,I'll fit no problem.If using cl type sites,google maps or owner/web info is a must.

 

[Hutch]

One thing when towing is that I don’t allow the satnav to detour me for reasons such as traffic congestion. Detours are ignored or decided from the map book by copilot.

My sat nav directed me on the diversion route when the Roen Bridge / tunnel was shut in France a few year ago, I wouldn't have done it without it ! :huh:

You were fortunate that it identified an alternate route suitable for the caravan. You could have found yourself routed down narrow city streets full of parked cars. Even solo mine has wanted to take me along narrow Devon lanes as alternative options.

We use a Snooper 2000 and have set the caravan at 2.5 meters wide and the whole unit at 11 meters long, and it still takes us down small lanes.
Rouen and Gravelines in France should be avoided at all costs with a caravan.

 

[DrZhivago]

Hi what is street view pls .

1) Go to www.google.co.uk/maps/
2) Type in the postcode or address of the area of interest in in the box at top left
3) You see a map of the area, which you can enlarge or shrink with the "+" or "-" at bottom right.
4) Drag the yellow man at bottom right onto a road on the map.
5) You see an eye-level (actually car roof level) view of the road.
6) Turn in any direction with the arrow keys or by wiping across the screen.
7) Move along the road by clicking ahead on it.

I agree that Streetview is a great aid. However beware that it can be up to 7 years out of date on non trunk routes.

True, but when you are looking at country lanes, which is maybe the main area of concern as you approach a caravan site, those lanes have probably not changed much in the last 100 years.

 

[alan29]

Hi what is street view pls .

Search for your campsite on Google.
When it finds it you should see a panel over to the right with a map in it. Click on the map.
That will take you to Google Maps.
At the bottom right of the map you should see a little yellow man. drag it to wherever you want to see a photo of the road.
All the roads that have been photographed for Streetview will turn blue as you drag the man onto the map.

Easier than this reads.

 

[Raywood]

Generally I do not use a sat nav to access a new site. I do know of a couple of sites where they will take you to the back of the site and some where you might get unsuitable roads. Sites do give you a route to get there and I would always use that as it has been checked out.
I do however like to use street view to check out routes and pick out landmarks before going.