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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

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Original poster

would you buy a caravan if you could afford one?

48 replies

Blandmum · 15/05/2006 17:01

I used to think that I would, but a. we never had the cash and b dh wouldn't tow it, and I was too much of a wuss.

Now I have been in the tent a few times I'm not sure it would be worth the extra hassle.

If you had the spare dosh would you buy a tin tent?

OP posts:

LucyCampCat · 15/05/2006 17:29

\link{http://www.haulfryn.info/property.php?location=34&proptype=home\these are on The Warren} near Abersoch in N Wales, they call it Little Cheshire, check out the prices!

Enid · 15/05/2006 17:30

what do you do when you want to nip off to the town and buy a pint o fmilk? do you have to take the whole frickin thing with you?

LucyCampCat · 15/05/2006 17:31

ok so more chalets than caravans but even so.....

Original poster

Blandmum · 15/05/2006 17:31

If you are in a camper van , yes, enid, but you 'Park' your caravan and unhitch it from the car. I have seen big campervans towing little cars,,,,so that the owners can 'nip out' to the shops....bloody odd!

OP posts:

SaintGeorge · 15/05/2006 17:32

Those on the link are actually statics, although they describe them as chalets. They are technically known as 'twins'.

I know all this cos my Dh is the production planner for the firm that makes them

ja9 · 15/05/2006 19:51

saintgeorge - i live in scotland and i feel the cold. caravans are freezing at night IME (even the one i stayed in in the south of france) and roast in the day!

now dont get me wrong, i have and would stay in a caravan (on occasion - and even enjoyed it), but there is no way i would buy one.

Orinoco · 19/05/2006 22:10

My name's Orinoco and I'm a caravanner.

hotmama · 19/05/2006 22:11

Nah - but I'd love a proper old VW Camper.

leogaela · 23/05/2006 10:40

Haven't read all of this thread, but... we just bought one. I find it a bit embarassing but Dh won't sleep in a tent, a camper is too expensive and in some ways less practical and we couldnt find one that is practical to drive around in every day, couldnt afford that and a car so we decided to go for a caravan.

We have a permanent pitch half an hour away from home by a lake which is what sold it to me, we can use it weekends, evenings even during the week in the summer as ist not too far from work and we can also tow it away. Dh says its no problem to tow it (he is welcome to do it!) and when we go somewhere we will just drive shorter distances at a time. We live in Switzerland so there are always hundreds of caravans from Germany here anyway and we are close enough to go to warm places (Planning italian lakes and beach this summer) and exciting places (planning a trip to Zermatt as dh (although he is Swiss has never seen the matterhorn ) to really enjoy it!

alligator · 23/05/2006 10:47

No chance. (anyway would have to learn to drive...or better still get dp to pas his test). I'd love a vw campertoo or a converted ambulance (knew someone who had one which was cool).

Blu · 23/05/2006 10:49

There'a Brain Pattern song:

hey you! You're such a pedant
you've got as much brain as a dead ant
as much imagination as a caravan site....
But I still love you-o-o-o-o

Marina · 23/05/2006 10:52

Brain Pattern love it Blu
I'd not get a caravan but am working on dh to hire a motorhome and "do Europe" for one special family holiday...

cardy · 23/05/2006 10:56

No No No. My idea of a hellish holiday!

motherpeculiar · 23/05/2006 11:17

beckybrastraps

we have part shares in a Marauder! The name gives us all great amusement, typically lengthened to "MarauderVan", we even circulate a newsletter called "MarauderVan News" (full of pictures of old geezers in 70s style speedos and made up "Father Ted" style anecdotes) . My PiL are veteran caravanners and in order to see more of the grandkids they bought all their offspring a MarauderVan (about 40 years old I reckon, but still functioning fine) for Xmas a couple of years ago, along with the right to pitch/park it (you can see from my lingo was not raised a caravanner!) in a tiny site overlooking the Atlantic in deepeset west Kerry (Ireland) - there are about 15 other vans and a pub (haha!) in this field at the end of a small road leading nowhere else (but the pier into same ocean).
DH spent all his summers there and now we go with the two DDs every year. DD1 is only 4 but the thought of her couple of weeks in the caravan in kerry can brighten up even the dullest day in winter.

(oh and my PiL are so fab they even sorted out a site for overwintering the MarauderVan and they do all the pulling it to and fro - definitely deserve medals in my book)

looking forward to August already

(don't think we'd buy one ourselves though, the towing would give DH heart failure!)

anteater · 23/05/2006 12:08

We have a storage compound for caravans behind our house. I move them in and out for the owners (who vary from a little strange to complete fruitcakes) and to relieve the bordom I try to group the caravans of the same name together.. (can not believe I am sharing this information with you lot) And (this is the interesting bit beckybrastraps and motherpeculiar) I once had 9 Marauders in a line.. the most of any one type ever!!

2nd place went to the Musketeer (6), of which I own a very nice example (used for sleepovers for dds pals) The r has fallen off so its now a musketee!!

Blu · 24/05/2006 14:20

PMSL Anteater!
I'll be on hol half way down Ullswater next week - if we get desparate, can we come and look at your formation-caravans as a tourist attraction?

JoolsToo · 24/05/2006 14:24

Hi anteater!

we used to have a tourer and Abbey Stafford - boy, did we have some good times in it. We got it when the kids had more or less grown up so it was basically used for weekend partying around the Lake/Peak District and N Yorkshire Dales. If those caravan walls could talk . We sold it to a mate of mine and its still going strong.

Happy days

nothercules · 24/05/2006 18:43

I would love to buy a caravan in order to extend how long and when we can camping for. We will probably look more seriously next year.

FillyjonktheSnibbet · 26/05/2006 23:26

no, i would rather stick needles in my eyes, tbh.

they make me want to cry.

and whats with the brinylon curtains? are there special caravan curtains or something? And why are all caravans beige, ffs?

(breathe, filly, breathe)

moondog · 27/05/2006 00:12

lol lol lol at Marauder.
Dh and I have laughed about this for years!
And the idea of urbane gal about town MI in one is too too much.

I think I have seen an 'Avenger' too,although poss. wishful thinking?

Blu,that song (cod Gilbert O'Sullivan in his prime) is on a Monty Python tape that my parents would hoot at over and over again (copious quantitiies of beer to hand) years ago.
My sister had it word perfect at the age of about 6.

Luce, at the prices in The bloody Warren (which is up the road to me)
Is it any wonder the locals on the Lleyn Peninsula take a very dim view of holiday home owners???

Jodee · 27/05/2006 00:15

Would never in a million years buy a tow-a-long one, but in the early 80s we used to have a static one in Swanage that we let out, until one year it was demolished by a runaway tractor!

Waswondering · 27/05/2006 05:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gingerbear · 27/05/2006 05:56

Our retired neighbours have a motorhome/roadster/campervan (what IS the correct term??) Huge thing it is. They take it abroad touring eastern europe every year for about 12 weeks. Sounds like a groovy retirement thing to do.

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