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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Hiring a motorhome - stop pissing on my chips!

47 replies

TheOrigFV45 · 14/01/2019 12:03

I'll start another thread with my actual advice, I just want to have a moan first.

I've told 2 people that I'm looking into hiring a motorhome in the summer and going on a road trip with my 2 sons.

Locations ideas have been either Scotland, Cornwall and France.

I've been met with such negativity - midges in Scotland, won't be able to move on the roads in Cornwall, France will be too busy.

Well piss off! I am (like most parents) restricted to the school holidays.
People live in Scotland, I am sure it's a perfectly lovely place to go on holiday.
Sure, the south coast will be busy, but I'm sure there are ways around it.

France - I don't actually know, but I've really only heard good things about their camp sites and I know how great the roads are if you just want to motor and don't mind paying the tolls.

One of these people spends £2000 on a week away in a house in a fancy coastal town in England, the other is not restricted to the school holidays.

OP posts:

ovenchips · 18/01/2019 21:18

I think it's similar to when people say in advance what they are going to name their baby - everybody is a critic and comes up with their own suggestions!

I think a trip in a motorhome, wherever you take it, sounds great.

averylongtimeago · 18/01/2019 21:21

Go for it! We have caravaned and now have a camper van and have been all over the England, Wales, Scotland and France. Plus a couple of holidays in Italy and Spain.

1/ Scotland s beautiful- we love the west coast and particularly the islands. Our favourite site is Fidden Farm on Mull. Google it . Perfection.
But: take lots of midge repellent and stout waterproofs, Autumn can start in mid August if you are unlucky! It is also very expensive on the CalMac Ferries.

2/ Join the Caravan and motorhome club - lots of excellent sites and good advice.

3/ France in fantastic for campers- in vans, tents or caravans. The commercial sites are amazing and put UK ones to shame. They do book up in French peak season, but after 15:8 thin out rapidly.
There are also small "aires" (not the motorway ones) where you can pitch up for a small fee.

4/ Look on fb groups like "campervan overnight parking " - links to lots of sites and lots of good advice.

Finally- Brexit. After 29th March, in the event of no deal, you will have to get an international driving license- these will be available from post offices from 1st feb at a cost of £5.50 on a turn up and get one basis. You will also need a green card (remember them?) from your insurance company. I ordered mine yesterday- it was free.

Sorry that was long! Hope it helps!

MoreHairyThanScary · 18/01/2019 22:15

DSis has a camper van hire company in Inverness, and people have fab holidays all the time, the northcoast 500 is brilliant and the scenery and activities available are fantastic.

We stayed one summer and had no problems with midges ( we go Easter most years now as it's still not warm enough for me as I want lots of heat in the summer😄). We. Got to France for the summer and the roads are perfect for motorhomes ....

3boysandabump · 18/01/2019 22:31

Me and dh keep saying we're going to do this sometime. I think it sounds like the best holiday ever!

Original poster

TheOrigFV45 · 19/01/2019 07:01

Thanks all. Sounds like we could make a MN convoy!

OP posts:

mellongoose · 19/01/2019 07:15

Go for it OP.

We keep talking about this too. Where is everyone hiring their motor homes from? I like the Ireland idea best!

Hazlenutpie · 19/01/2019 07:23

We have a motorhome. We’ve done Scotland, Cornwall and France. If you go to Scotland there are midges, not just a few but masses and masses of them. The east coast is your best bet, Fife is nice. The roads in Cornwall are impossible for Motorhomes. France is very welcoming for motorhoming, it’s a huge country so lots of room for you.

Enjoy.

travailtotravel · 19/01/2019 07:26

This is my fantasy ...

MissMacaron · 19/01/2019 07:36

This thread makes me so envious. I would LOVE to do this and I know our DC would think it an epic adventure, but DH is a spoilsport!

HerLadySheep · 19/01/2019 07:42

@CottonSock, you will need an international driving licence if we Brexit with no deal, that is official advice from the government.

toasterstrudle · 19/01/2019 07:43

East coast Scotland - East Lothian (North Berwick and Dunbar) and East Neuk of Fife. Gorgeous beaches, no midges at all!

troubleswillbeoutofsight · 19/01/2019 07:50

Moho owner here too
Scotland in the summer really does have millions of midges! I’ve still got the scars from two years ago when touring for a month in August. Until you’ve experienced it you’d not believe just how nasty these things are
France etc sounds lovely as do your overall plans fo hiring one but please reconsider Scotland in the summer

Yearinyearout · 19/01/2019 07:54

Sounds fabulous, I'd love to go to France in a motor home! However...they might be right about the Scottish midges, so if you decide on Scotland check the time of year then the midges are out (we are not talking a few annoying midges, they can literally cover you head to foot!)

SockEatingMonster · 19/01/2019 08:05

Driving across France is easy and definitely not over crowded during the summer hols. We do it by car but have family who motorhome across making use of all the aires. There are some great motorhome forums with recommendations.

You’ll most probably need an International Driving Permit after Brexit, but they’re only £5.50 from the Post Office, so no biggie.

toasterstrudle · 19/01/2019 13:46

Just to reiterate - WEST Scotland gets horrendous midges. I loathe them. East does not. I don't know much about the north coast!

Original poster

TheOrigFV45 · 23/08/2019 14:02

Update - didn't go for the motor home as they are really expensive. Add fuel costs and boom - a bit too much really.

Soooo, we are travelling overland to Croatia instead.
Eurostar to Paris, TGV to Munich and night train to Zagreb.
Less than 24hrs door to door. We get our own carriage for the overnight train as me and my 2 boys count as a family (older son is an adult).
AirBnB for a week and then the same on the way back except we're doing the night train in the day (so to speak) so we can see where we're passing through, and an overnight in Munich.
Back home and school for DS2 the next day.
Boom!

OP posts:

HappyHolidays75 · 24/08/2019 23:50

Sounds fantastic! Can I ask how much the train travel costs?

Funf · 31/08/2019 19:58

Where do you live? We have a very old motorhome bought cheaply and repaired. we don't go far but had some fantastic holidays. Bank holidays are best avoided unless you stay away from the tourist hot spots
If you are going to a hot spot, travel early or the night before.
Some nice places here
www.donthibernate.co.uk

Funf · 31/08/2019 20:01

Some hire places advertise on Ebay, if I had the time and funds I would fly to Norway and hire one there, its fantastic and no traffic in August, Friends do France for a month to follow some cycle race and love it

happytoday73 · 31/08/2019 20:06

This sounds lovely.. France or Iceland or perhaps even Finland would be my preferred options

5foot5 · 05/09/2019 15:54

Sorry your motorhome trip didn't happen this time, maybe another year?

However, I really like the sound of your rail trip. We took the train to the south of France this year because we are fed up of flying. I quite fancy Croatia another year so it is very interesting to read the route you took to get there by train. Were the changes easy?

HappyHolidays75 · 05/09/2019 17:45

@5foot5
Any tips for getting reasonable train fares to and in France?
I'd certainly choose rail if the numbers worked.

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