We hope you're out in your van very soon. In his latest, light-hearted blog, Practical Caravan columnist Martin Roberts is having to fight to go away in his beloved caravan.
What are your 2018 touring plans?
- Thread starter LizziePope
- Start date
Lizzie, we've just got back from our ten-day New Year break, and are now seriously getting down to 2018.
Mid Feb to mid-March will be our UK "tour" in the camper van taking in Lancs, Cumbria, Notts and Herefordshire for a month. April, we're away in Sussex for a few days, sort of en route to Dover to start 12 weeks in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, to include the European Classic Caravan Rally in Echternach, Luxemburg. This will be with the Royale caravan. July, we're attending the Retro Caravan Club UK's AGM at Banbury, probably leading on to a couple of weeks in Yorkshire.
August, tba, as we don't generally venture out. Then September sees us back in France for two weeks in the camper, returning in time to attend the ACCEO AGM rally in Derbyshire in early October, and a week or so with friends in Herefordshire. Halloween will be with the Retro club in Surrey, and November hopefully a four-day weekend at the NEC classic car show.
In among all that, we'll fit in a couple of rallies with the Small Motorhome and Friends group, and some time with the Caravanchat group as well, Then it'll be new year, and we start all over again!
All this is subject to change, depending on our mood and the weather.
BTW, Herself and my total ages are 156 years!
Bring it on!!!!!!
Mid Feb to mid-March will be our UK "tour" in the camper van taking in Lancs, Cumbria, Notts and Herefordshire for a month. April, we're away in Sussex for a few days, sort of en route to Dover to start 12 weeks in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, to include the European Classic Caravan Rally in Echternach, Luxemburg. This will be with the Royale caravan. July, we're attending the Retro Caravan Club UK's AGM at Banbury, probably leading on to a couple of weeks in Yorkshire.
August, tba, as we don't generally venture out. Then September sees us back in France for two weeks in the camper, returning in time to attend the ACCEO AGM rally in Derbyshire in early October, and a week or so with friends in Herefordshire. Halloween will be with the Retro club in Surrey, and November hopefully a four-day weekend at the NEC classic car show.
In among all that, we'll fit in a couple of rallies with the Small Motorhome and Friends group, and some time with the Caravanchat group as well, Then it'll be new year, and we start all over again!
All this is subject to change, depending on our mood and the weather.
BTW, Herself and my total ages are 156 years!
Bring it on!!!!!!
Sorry,but can't match above 
hopefully a weekend break in Feb,Easter week in Shropshire,somewhere local May Spring bank for a few days,2wks summer at woolacombe bay,then see if we can squeeze a couple of weekends away before Christmas.
Managed 32 nights away in 2017,hoping to match or better this year.
hopefully a weekend break in Feb,Easter week in Shropshire,somewhere local May Spring bank for a few days,2wks summer at woolacombe bay,then see if we can squeeze a couple of weekends away before Christmas.Managed 32 nights away in 2017,hoping to match or better this year.
Brasso530 said:Sorry,but can't match above
Managed 32 nights away in 2017,hoping to match or better this year.
32 nights away is a very respectable benchmark – have fun!
Parksy
Moderator
We are usually a bit reluctant to make firm bookings, we prefer to see what the weather is like and if it's good we just go.
Having said that we've booked a week in June at Polmanter in St Ives, Cornwall, one of our favourite sites, and we have our tickets for the Twinwood Festival in August, this will be our 14th consecutive visit. We stay on a nearby certified site for a week before the festival opens to explore Bedfordshire and the local area, and to meet with longstanding festival friends to bag our prime pitches on opening day.
We intend to go on C&CC district association weekend rallies again this year to introduce our six year old granddaughter to the great outdoors away from the tv and Netflix If we have good weather in 2018 we will hook up and be off somewhere for either long weekends or midweek breaks, anywhere within 150 miles of home will do.
Also, if our friends the Woosies from this forum have their annual get together and we can make it there's every chance that we'll be meeting up again.
Having said that we've booked a week in June at Polmanter in St Ives, Cornwall, one of our favourite sites, and we have our tickets for the Twinwood Festival in August, this will be our 14th consecutive visit. We stay on a nearby certified site for a week before the festival opens to explore Bedfordshire and the local area, and to meet with longstanding festival friends to bag our prime pitches on opening day.
We intend to go on C&CC district association weekend rallies again this year to introduce our six year old granddaughter to the great outdoors away from the tv and Netflix
If we have good weather in 2018 we will hook up and be off somewhere for either long weekends or midweek breaks, anywhere within 150 miles of home will do.Also, if our friends the Woosies from this forum have their annual get together and we can make it there's every chance that we'll be meeting up again.
Only 3 bookings so far.
Easter at Baltic Wharf. To mark the 1st anniversary since the father in law passed away.
Whitsun at Uttoxeter Racecourse for a trip to Alton Towers with brother & sis in aw so the cousins can have a fun weekend.
CountryfileLive at Blenheim first weekend in August, booked into Bladon Chains.
Any other will depend on if I'm working.
Easter at Baltic Wharf. To mark the 1st anniversary since the father in law passed away.
Whitsun at Uttoxeter Racecourse for a trip to Alton Towers with brother & sis in aw so the cousins can have a fun weekend.
CountryfileLive at Blenheim first weekend in August, booked into Bladon Chains.
Any other will depend on if I'm working.
Still working out dates so only decision is a trip to Tredegar House in Wales in Augusr to see two of our grand children during the school holidays.
Only one week booked so far this year, that's the week before Easter in the lakes. other thoughts are, a week in Norfolk mid Feb, and Nov,10 nights in Cornwall mid May, A week South Wales Mid Sep, then short breaks in Warwickshire , Derbyshire, maybe Skeggy There could be other breaks such as North Wales, the Lakes again. We can usually find a pitch by phoning shortly before we go, could be the day before.
So far we have only booked 4 or 5 days up at Mellrose Gibson site in Scotland kids half term and hopefully be away every 6th weekend when i get my long weekend at work , can't wait to get away !
first weekend away in 2018 this coming weekend, only local but cant wait.
we have a 3 nighter booked for early feb too.
kevin
we have a 3 nighter booked for early feb too.
kevin
So far I have failed to prise my wife away from our central heating boiler in spite of my assurances that our caravan will be even warmer. There is a vague commitment to a week away in March, probably local during which we will plan the year's trips.
Trouble is March is a long, long way off.
Trouble is March is a long, long way off.
Dodger, tell her indoors that our caravan was at a constant 24 degrees over the new year, and when we got back the house felt cold at only 20!Dodger524 said:So far I have failed to prise my wife away from our central heating boiler in spite of my assurances that our caravan will be even warmer. There is a vague commitment to a week away in March, probably local during which we will plan the year's trips.
Trouble is March is a long, long way off.
Mel
Moderator
Dodger524 said:So far I have failed to prise my wife away from our central heating boiler in spite of my assurances that our caravan will be even warmer. There is a vague commitment to a week away in March, probably local during which we will plan the year's trips.
Trouble is March is a long, long way off.
In the van at New Year. Me to husband. "Turn the (industrial language) heating down, It's roasting in here".
Why not book a weekend close to home with the promise that you will return her to said central heating if it's nippy in the van? It won't be. Good Luck
Mel
Dodger524 said:So far I have failed to prise my wife away from our central heating boiler in spite of my assurances that our caravan will be even warmer. There is a vague commitment to a week away in March, probably local during which we will plan the year's trips.
Trouble is March is a long, long way off.
Tell her that a nice crisp fresh frosty January morning is very nice, and then get off for a refreshing bike ride.
Will be off in February for around 4/5 nights, 5 van site; then we will be using the C&CC Temporary Holiday Sites March, April and May. Our German friends have booked us in June a lakeside pitch for 7 nights at Bad Durkheim, Germany and when the site at Erden on the Mosel River opens April 1, they will book us a riverside pitch for another 7 nights. Then we will stop off in France on the way back for 4 nights north of Boulogne, then on to South Wales, Cardiff for another 6 nights. Who knows, we may stop off for a few more nights on the way back to Yorkshire. Then up to September back to the THS's (5 - 6 nights at a time) and 5 vans sites for October, November and December.
The year does seem to go fast!
Well just waiting for the threat of snow to subside somewhat ( we live in the Peak district!!) as although we aren't fair weather caravaners, we can't actually get the van off the farm when the white stuff falls! then we'll have a few weekends not too far away. Then hoping to go down to South Wales to see my Dad who is having chemo so looking forward to seeing him around Easter time. Then - very brave for us - we are taking the caravan to France in August. This will be the first time we have done this and at the moment are trying to decide on Eurotunnel versus ferry. Then later in the year I would really like to visit the Lakes and/or the East Coast. Determined to get out more this year.
Late January takes us to Devizes for Stonehenge and Bath. (There’s a bus to Bath from outside the club site and hope to see friends there.). Then Malvern for a Max Boyce concert. At the end of half term Drayton Manor site for our centre’s dinner dance and then 5 days at Cambridge, Cherry Hinton is unexpectedly open. Easter is a rally at Weston upon Trent with a follow on at aTHS in Derbyshire. Then the real touring starts!
Jannlin, , France is easy peasy, lots of great site large and small. We prefer the small municiple ones, but get there between just after lunch to make sure of a pitch. No need to book just give yourself enough time to get to the next site. Caravan and club book for Europe has all sites not just the clubs ones. Cl/cs type of sites.
Thanks! EH.... What are your views on Eurotunnel v ferry? We are booked on Chateau De Chanteloup for a week and can't wait!
Hi Jillin, never been there and you have to go past /around the , horrendous Rouen drivers nightmare. Just north is Neuf Chantel en Brae,.a lovely site with a great town about a mile away.
We always go ferry because o our dogs, they are laid back and it cheaper, but each to there own. And stay at Montroul sur Mer. Great place but very hilly walk into town.
We always go ferry because o our dogs, they are laid back and it cheaper, but each to there own. And stay at Montroul sur Mer. Great place but very hilly walk into town.
Hi thanks. we aren't taking our dogs but I am phobic about sickness so tend to steer clear of ferries unless I really have to! and I mean phobic..... However I have never been in the tunnel so am interested in people's opinions. Any tips you have for complete novices abroad would be really welcome......
We always use eurotunnel for our annual holiday to France, for exactly the same reason, better half does'nt enjoy being on any sort of boat !!!
Using Eurotunnel is very straight forward and getting car & caravan onto the train straight forward - just take your time. The staff will guide you on and tell you when to stop, dont panic if it seems like you are very close to the car in front.
I would suggest going to the toilet before getting on as the only toilets are at the end of the train so you may have quite a walk.
When we first went to France I would move our then young son, in baby seat in rear of car, from the passenger side to the drivers side to remind me to drive on other side of road, keeping him nearest the kerb,
Make sure you have money for tolls or get a tag from Sanef to attach to car windscreen - it makes it much easier when at the pay booths.
Most importantly enjoy it, its another part of the holiday !!!!!
Using Eurotunnel is very straight forward and getting car & caravan onto the train straight forward - just take your time. The staff will guide you on and tell you when to stop, dont panic if it seems like you are very close to the car in front.
I would suggest going to the toilet before getting on as the only toilets are at the end of the train so you may have quite a walk.
When we first went to France I would move our then young son, in baby seat in rear of car, from the passenger side to the drivers side to remind me to drive on other side of road, keeping him nearest the kerb,
Make sure you have money for tolls or get a tag from Sanef to attach to car windscreen - it makes it much easier when at the pay booths.
Most importantly enjoy it, its another part of the holiday !!!!!
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