Permanent Caravanning.

[Steve L]

HI Folks.

Haven't been frozen out yet here in herefordshire. Just been a bit busy moving off our summer site onto a temporary site for 7 weeks untill the previous one re-opens.

We have endured -10c and gales plus persistant rain over the last couple of months but the move nearly got us!

We had to pack the van with 4-6" of snow around us and have it towed to the road by our friendly site warden. Then came the easy bit, the 15 mile trip to our new site along roads that were barely passable the previous day and they had caused us to delay our move 24Hrs to allow the snow ploughs through. On arrival at our new site, it was blanketed in 6" of snow and you couldn't define road or grass, let alone find our pitch. We tried to pitch the van but rapidly got stuck upto the rims as we had found the grass and soft undersoil.

Now came the bummer!! The site owners tractor has no heaterplugs and has not started for months, and wouldn't do so today. Never mind I thought, I'll just winch the van in. It was then that i discovered just how much my arthritis and the botched operation back in the summer had disabled me. I just couldn't move the van more than another 6ft which was just enough to leave the access road open. So I had to leave the van 10 deg off level sideways and plug in the power and sleep there until the next day, when I could get my hands on a freelander.

Next day, I decided that the best option was to clear the pitch next to us of snow and put the van on there. After 3 Hrs of single handed shoveling I managed to clear enough snow to pitch our 18ft van and awning. The freelander was collected and even that got into 4 wheel wheelspin trying to extract the van. We eventually got the van pitched just before dark and errected the basic awning but left the staking out until the next day. So after two and a half days we eventually had the van ready to occupy.

Next was the big freeze.

The site was all froze up, we had now runnig water in the van and the sink drains were all froze solid. So then we set about using bottled water for hot drinks and filling the sinks with hot water to thaw the pipes. I cadged an aqua roll of hot water from a neighbour and ran the pump through that to thaw the water pipes in the van. So for a time we had hot water in the hot tap and even hotter water in the cold taps, but it worked fine and got us out of a hole.

So 4 days to set the van up in the winter, a job that takes half a day in summertime.

But we are still enjoying our permanent caravan life.

Steve L.

 

[Surfer]

Hi Steve, Not sure what Stuart is babbling on about as the image I posted was taken in a foreign country however I guess it would have been almost as bad on your side given yhour arthritis and operation problems.

Next time I suggest you move off at the beginning of December and only return when your summer site re-opens. We did this every year and it saved a lot of hassle over the Xmas period. Generally we would move back onto our summer site on the 1st of Feb but if there was a problem, i.e snow etc we could stay on at the winter site.

 

[Steve L]

Hi Ian.

Your probably right there. Our seasonal site closes on 7th Jan and me being tight, stayed to the end as we had paid for the pitch. They re-open 1st March so we'll be going back then. The over winter site is quite basic and the facilities are very much 1960's style.

However having said that the site owner does a stirling job of ensuring they work eventually. The site has been taken over only a couple of years ago by the current owner and as there is a lot for them to do to renovate it, they have to prioratise. The facilities he does have are kept clean and servicable.

I'll reply about scroungers at a later date as I don't believe that side topic applies to you or I.

Regards.

Steve L.

 

[Parksy]

Hi Ian.

Your probably right there. Our seasonal site closes on 7th Jan and me being tight, stayed to the end as we had paid for the pitch. They re-open 1st March so we'll be going back then. The over winter site is quite basic and the facilities are very much 1960's style.

However having said that the site owner does a stirling job of ensuring they work eventually. The site has been taken over only a couple of years ago by the current owner and as there is a lot for them to do to renovate it, they have to prioratise. The facilities he does have are kept clean and servicable.

I'll reply about scroungers at a later date as I don't believe that side topic applies to you or I.

Regards.

Steve L.

Hi Steve &Ian

The comment that you are referring to has been removed as will be any other comments on issues surrounding benefits, claimants, scroungers, entitlements etc.

This is a caravan forum.

 

[Surfer]

Hi Steve &Ian

The comment that you are referring to has been removed as will be any other comments on issues surrounding benefits, claimants, scroungers, entitlements etc.

This is a caravan forum.

Thanks. Didn't quite know what he was on about.

 

[Surfer]

Hi Ian.

Your probably right there. Our seasonal site closes on 7th Jan and me being tight, stayed to the end as we had paid for the pitch. They re-open 1st March so we'll be going back then. The over winter site is quite basic and the facilities are very much 1960's style.

However having said that the site owner does a stirling job of ensuring they work eventually. The site has been taken over only a couple of years ago by the current owner and as there is a lot for them to do to renovate it, they have to prioratise. The facilities he does have are kept clean and servicable.

I'll reply about scroungers at a later date as I don't believe that side topic applies to you or I.

Regards.

Steve L.

Parksy can you please pass on my email address to Steve in Leominster?

 

[Surfer]

Parksy can you please pass on my email address to Steve in Leominster?

Steve please feel free to contact me off forum as I am sure we have lots to discuss. I will understand if you prefer not to.

 

[Parksy]

I forwarded your email address to Steve as requested Ian

 

[Surfer]

Thanks

 

[Steve L]

Thanks Parksy for passing on the contact details.

I've sent a note to Ian.

Got a good 3" of snow here at Hereford this morning. As the site road has a fairly steep slope upto the A49, I might just use the bus today to go to town. Too risky to take a run at the slope in the car being so close to the main road.

If I can find the box brownie, I'll take a few pic's and post them for all to see what caravanning is all about. Nice in the summer sun, try the winter for size though. It does bring out the dunkirk spirit in us though.

All the best.

Steve L.

 

[Surfer]

Hi Steve &Ian

The comment that you are referring to has been removed as will be any other comments on issues surrounding benefits, claimants, scroungers, entitlements etc.

This is a caravan forum.

Unfortunately we have had to abandon the idea of living permanently in our caravan due to health reason. Very sad.

 

[Surfer]

Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control we have had to abandon the idea of living permanently in out caravan due to health reasons. Although we lost half our deposit the owners were kind enough to allow us to stay on the site for several days. Guess it is back to normal caravanning. We now have a used blue 1025-1050 Isabella awning for sale at

 

[Steve L]

Sorry to hear of your change of plans M8.

I do hope your able to enjoy many years of touring and that health picks up.

You have certainly helped me to knock Hereford council into touch and your advise was invaluable.

All the very best to you.

Steve.

P.S. Just seen my consultant and he's going to operate on the Elbow and shoulder again in the next couple of months. If he'd done what I asked for last year, I'd of been back at work by now.

 

[Surfer]

Glad I was able to help. Please feel free to email any time you wish. Later in the year we may decide to take caravan up to your part of the country for a weekend as it is not too far to travel for us from Malvern.

 

[Ogre]

Hi, and just to let you all know that we are still around. I am the guy who oiginally started this post back in 2007.

My wife and i are still in our caravan, although we have exchanged it for a newer model. no problems at all, still loving every minute of it.

Good wishes to you all.

 

[joeby]

Ogre , read the front page of todays Daily express , you might find a few tips to get around your house situation

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Good one joby ... LMAOOOO.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Here's the link Ogre and good luck ....

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/158400/Fury-at-mum-on-100-000-a-year-benefits

 

[Steve L]

Nice one LB, got my blood pressure up a treat.

Don't get any bright ideas about letting out screwumhall though mate. Our council here in Herefordshire are scrouges. Well unless I can get a sex change anyway.

I've had to fight hammer and tong to get a measely

 

[Steve L]

Glad I was able to help. Please feel free to email any time you wish. Later in the year we may decide to take caravan up to your part of the country for a weekend as it is not too far to travel for us from Malvern.

Hi mate. we'll be staying at Eardisland 5 miles west of leominster, lovely black & white village with 2 pubs and now a community shop. Arrowbank caravan park is the site.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Nice one LB, got my blood pressure up a treat.

Don't get any bright ideas about letting out screwumhall though mate. Our council here in Herefordshire are scrouges. Well unless I can get a sex change anyway.

I've had to fight hammer and tong to get a measely

 

[Surfer]

Steve, have you considered moving? I have sent you an email.

 

[Steve L]

Good luck Steve with the op and I'm with you there, I'd rather be in a field than in certain parts.

You've made the mistake of working. If you had been unemployable because of your lifestyle, drink, drugs etc. you would have got all the help you need.

Can't you do a reverse and sneak aboard a lorry to France and then claim asylum ... heh! heh! heh!

The thought has crossed my mind.

Growing my hair at the mo and getting man boobs.

HEEEEE

 

[keith5]

Thanks for the Daily Express link, but we wouldn't WANT to go back to a bricks and morter existance for any money, having now taken totally to our lifestyle. We've been in the caravan for almost 2+1/2 years now.

The sheer hassle of living 'in property' these days isn't worth it, in our view. Constantly increasing bills, being screwed by this stinking government, constant worry, worry worry about how to make ends meet. I can truthfully stay that we have never been so relaxed and hassle free in our lives. We have good friends here, friends who help out, and that we help out, so it works for everyone.

We have had damaged awnings, severe snow, hail the size of marbles, freezing temperatures making access to the water supply impossible, mudfoxes and all the rest of it. Oh...we have several 'pet' rabbis that take care of any vegetable waste.

Can't beat it. Houses.........Nah. not for us.

Let me sum up by saying this. We don't have property, no. But we OWN everything that we have. No credit cards, no debts to anybody, good jobs, and the beauty of waking up every single morning in our lovely caravan with the birds tweeting, and the most fabulous view of the countryside around us.

Yes, we've had a few bad days.....but, very few. Like the day when the awning collapsed under the sheer weight of snow, and had to be put back up in freezing wind chill of -20 degrees, but I'm sure we all have the occasional hiccup.....even with a house.

 

[Surfer]

We got that t-shirt having spent 2 1/2 years in the caravan. Unfortunately health deteriorated and had to move back into bricks and mortar. Almost moved back into caravan again end of last month, but less than a week before we were due to go on site, health took a bit of a bad turn so we had to unpack all our boxes again. Given half the chance and in a warmer climate we would be back inthe caravan in a shot. No stress and every one looks out for every one else.