Know anyone or have you travelled round the UK with your kids? In a campervan, for a year?

[LexieH]

We are thinking of taking our children out of sch (primary) and travelling around the UK for approximately a year. Among a million anxieties and questions and thoughts about this I thought the best place to start planning would be to find anyone who had done the same and possibly written a blog about it...

So know anyone who has been brave enough ? Please?

Many Thanks

Your message has just made me lay down with a cold flannel over my face 😳 I wish you all good luck but quite frankly I’d rather eat my own feet.

Sorry to be no help at all

What do you plan on seeing that will take up a year? we're only a small island

I could understand your joy if you were travelling to other countries but a year in a campervan round the UK?

There are lots of things to think about if you take your kids out of school for a year. Not just the practical aspects of travelling but also things like: will there be a school place for them when we get back? how will I continue to educate them whilst travelling when things like wifi etc will be patchy/non existent? How will they cope leaving friends behind in school?

You could do a trial 6 weeks this school summer holidays and see how you get on. but honestly the world is full of travel blogs. This sounds like something that you want to do from a work prospective so I am not really sure its going to be that fair on your children if I am honest. don't underestimate the sheer boredom of being stuck inside a tiny cold van with no wifi for the 6th day on the trot in the rain.

I would trial it first and then think of going further afield as a year in the UK does seem like an awfully long time.

I know someone who drove to Italy in the six weeks hols in a camper but never a year. They loved that. Went through France Germany on way.

A year around the UK does seem like a lot. It's a very small space for a family to live in for a year. How long have you previously spent living in a campervan?

Have you been away in a campervan with your children for any length of time? I recommend hiring one for a wet week in April first before committing yourself. Even a couple of days can be trying.

I've spent many months in camper vans with my kids and lived in one for 2 years. The UK (except Scotland) is the most expensive place we have toured by far (we've done a few trips from 2 weeks - 1 month). We found it significantly easier in Europe and absolutely wonderful in Australia/NZ.

The UK is small and overcrowded (except Scotland which is prob the best place in the world to be in a van if you can just time it between the sleet and the midge invasion!).

Do a minimum 6 week test run before you commit!

These people did it

www.dotrythisathome.com/

It would cost s bloody fortune and you'd run out of things to see well within a year

Why the U.k? Why a year?

I can’t offer any advice but I don’t think you’d run out of things to see! Doing Cornwall and Devon really well could easily take up 6 weeks alone.

Sounds great!

About 30 years ago we toured the West Country for 3 months in a small caravan so I could easily spend a year touring the whole of the UK in a camper. In fact it's what I intend to do when I retire. Whether I'd want to do it with a young family is another matter. Remember half the year will be rainy and chilly, not the best weather to attempt a coastal path or Scottish mountain with reluctant children. If I was you I would probably do 6 months, Easter to October when the weather will hopefully be reasonable as you will be spending a lot of time outside. Have fun!