Club Motorhome Bloggers

We are now beginning our Midlife Crisis Tour - On Thursday night we used the pub stopover list and stayed at the Bakers Arms in Lytchett Minster, Poole.  What a great pub, lovely atmosphere and lovely food, it was quite busy for a Thursday evening.  We checked with the landlord that it was ok to stay in the car park overnight who was happy for us to do so.

This pub is literally 7 minutes drive from the ferry port.

I am having a Midlife Crisis and my husband and I have made the decision to quit our jobs, buy a camper van, rent/sell the house and to go off on a trip to France. Yikes.... As I keep telling him "You can't buy memories" .We are now entering our count down for our trip to France i.e panic mode. We're renting out our home as a holiday let and our first booking is 31st March... I will be seeking advice in preparation and updating on how things are going.

Following the interest in my previous blog about overnighting in Car Parks and Laybys.

I thought I would make a short blog documenting the car parks I use during 2018. I will include a few basic details for you to read and update it as the year goes on.

February:

West Beach Hayling Island, Hampshire. 

We arrived at 6.30pm on a Thursday night, found a space with a sea view, obviously the areas with a sea view get filled up quickly, but the car park is very large, so lots of space in other areas and there a no marked bays to park in, so you can squeeze in 'aire' style.

Can we all make sure we don’t leave long tail backs of traffic behind us by pulling over regularly into passing places. Driving slowly on twisty roads is inevitable but we do cause frustration to other users , this will reduce any campervan induced accidents.

I am often asked why I use car parks and random laybys for overnight. This blog is a brief attempt to put into words my reasoning for the way I often choose to use my motorhome in the U.K.

Car parks I have used range from ones in very remote countryside to the middle of a town surrounded by buildings and people but are often on the coast or next to a lovely beach.

I often use laybys for late night park ups.

In both cases I look for flat, sheltered parking in places where it is not forbidden.

For me the main reason is the freedom it gives me to go where and when you want.

Hi Linles here, 

newbie motorhome users.  We are leaving for some months in spain, (pensioners don't yoy know lol). can anyone tell me if we need a gas certificate for the motorhome and should we get a european gas bottle as well as a uk one, or if that is even possible. Also we have an autoquest 100 and have no idea where the flush is on the toilet system or what  the big round stopper  on the right hand side is for?  Can anyone help.  Please. Thanks. 

Hi everybody. Just back fro a fortnight in the motorhome.!st Site - Edisford Bridge at Clitheroe. A really good site. Very efficeient, fantastic toilets, good pitches. Good location for walking, cycling and walking into Clitheroe. Walked up Pendle and many other walks. Would recommend.2nd Site Silsden near Keighley -- inspite of rain and gales we walked and saw the sites. Handy for Worth Valley Railway, Bolton Abbey etc.3rd site Buckden. What a pity, the site is brilliantly located but would give it 3 out of 10. Why? On UK Campsite it says it has all the facilities. Problem is that it is split in two. The bottom half has the showers, the washing up facilities. The top half which is where motrorhomes is 250 yards away up a steep hill. Also the pitches are not good, too easy to get stuck. Buckden is pretty but it is "shut". Pub shut, tearoom shut, shop hardly ever open at the whim of the owner, So will not be back.4th site Hawes . What a contrast. Brilliant facilities and cheaper than The caravan and Motorhome Club site in the village. So strongly recommend.

Has anyone parked for a few weeks in Barcelona.? We are staying there for 2 weeks over Christmas. We are staying with friends and will not need any services.Thanks for any helpSharron Barnett

I was sitting down after polishing the van to with inch of its life. Guess what , it rained so all my work was in vain .  It got me thinking that all the work in getting ready for our hols(France) is totally knackering.  I am not quite there in the retired brigade. Still holding down job. Looking quite envesly at the lucky people to be retired. Not wishing my life away but thinking it must be nice to organise a long trip away not just the two weeks annual leave I get. I was wondering is there a book on trips to France taking in regions and there high lights. There so many out there for longer trips away but not so much for two week trips. I know it is personal to the individual but would give a good starting point. Looking forward to some ideas This my first blog so be gentle with the ramblings of my mind. Just finished my tea and biscuits and getting back to polishing the van again.