Archive for the ‘Travel Stories’ Category

Can You Be Too Old To Motorhome?

Sunday, February 3rd, 2008

Can you be too old to motorhome? Just like anything age related, making assumptions or generalisations is likely to make you look like a fool.

I’ve known 30-somethings whose outlook on life and physical fitness levels have meant that a week in a campervan would be akin to army boot camp for them.

On the other hand, some 70-year olds’ ability to effortlessly adapt to motorhome life would put me to shame.

Take this story, for example. A newlywed couple from Paignton in Devon - spring chickens at 93 and 84 - are taking to the road in their motorhome for the honeymoon of a lifetime, touring the UK!

Update: James & Peggy are going strong on their motorhome tour and are currently enjoying a romantic Valentine’s stay at a hotel in Killarney, Ireland - see here for details!

Touring the Western Isles - By Motorhome

Monday, October 8th, 2007

Something I’ve been enjoying reading recently is the latest series of posts on the AvailablePitch.com blog. AvailablePitch.com is a website that allows you to search a wide range of campsites for available pitches - particularly useful if you are booking at short notice.

The owners of the site are apparently keen motorhomers and have been writing up the story of their recent island-hopping motorhome adventure around the beautiful Western Isles of Scotland.

I’ve listed the posts below in chronological order and will add new links as they are published - it’s well worth a read if you are thinking of a motorhome holiday in the area.

Scottish Island Hopping in a Motorhome?

Island Hopping - The First Leg - Derbyshire to Ardrossan

Island Hopping - The Second Leg - Ardrossan to the Isle of Arran

Island Hopping - The Isle of Arran

Added 22nd October:

Island Hopping - Kintyre Peninsula (one of the UK’s most beautifully-located campsites?)

Island Hopping - Kintyre Continued

Added 29th October - the adventures continue:

Island Hopping Scotland - Day Trip to Gigha

Added 5th November - more hopping activity:

Island Hopping Scotland - Kintyre to Islay

Added 20th November - an unusual campsite on Islay:

Island Hopping Scotland - Islay - The Whisky Isle

Added 27th December - the first leg homewards:

Islay to Kintyre - The Journey Home Begins

Added 12th January - continuing homeward:

Kintyre to Inveraray

Added 2nd February - Loch Lomod:

Loch Lomond

Added 16th March - Loch Lomond to Lower Wensleydale - and Home
Loch Lomond to Lower Wensleydale - and Home

To top off this great series of travelogue-style posts, the AvailablePitch.com folks have written a ’summing up’ post with some essential advice for anyone planning to tour the Western Isles by motorhome themselves.

Check it out here.

Hit the road Jack… (& 17.5 million other people)

Saturday, September 1st, 2007

It seems that we are a nation of road-trip lovers - no fewer than 17.5 million Brits went on a road trip last year, notching up an average of 861 miles each time (pah… I recently did 500 just to visit an old friend for the weekend!)

Halifax Travel Insurance have been taking a look at our habits and have found that collectively, we have notched up 15 billion holiday miles over the last 12 months (that’s 600,000 times around the world…).

Around 300,000 people made their trip with a campervan, motorhome or caravan, with almost half using their own cars. I don’t know about you, but I was surprised that this figure wasn’t higher - judging from how many caravans and motorhomes I see on the road at this time of year.

Unsurprisingly, Europe is the most common destination and Halifax senior manager Paul Birkhead hits the nail right on the head (for us motorhomers at least) when he says that “Millions of Britons have been inspired to hit the highway and embrace the freedom provided by a holiday road trip.”

GMTV have more here.

Size + Comfort - Style = RV?

Saturday, September 1st, 2007

I came across this article in The Telegraph today and had to share it with you.

James May (the posh one on Top Gear, for anyone unfamiliar with him) has been spending some time touring California in a ‘proper’ RV - a 42 feet Monaco Dynasty.

While its creature comforts are beyond criticism, he does make some valid points about style. To be honest, it has always puzzled me a little too - the interiors of many caravans and motorhomes appear to be stuck in something of a time-warp when it comes to style - despite offering great functionality.

There are a few motorhomes out there that are starting to buck the trend - a particularly fine example is the Knaus C-Liner - check out these pictures if you haven’t already seen them.

See the full article here.

All Mouth & No Trousers? Not This Guy…

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

You know the kind I mean? Always been further in his motorhome than everyone else, experienced bigger problems and knows all the answers?

Here’s someone who really has done it all:

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