Hi Caravanners. We have been canvas campers for many years but as our backs begin to fail us we are considering turning to the dark side and purchasing a caravan. This sunday after a sunny walk around the peaks (at the end of a lovely weekend camping in the sun), we got to wondering what caravanners do once they have packed up and departed from a weekend trip? We have always (subject to weather) spent the sunday having one last walk or visiting a local attraction before heading home, but we commented that we'd never seen a caravan in a car park?? Is it possible once you have left a site to then go (caravan in tow) and continue exploring the area before heading home? Are there many places that allow caravans as well as cars to park or do many campsites let you leave the van and collect later in the day? We'd hate to give up our final adventures on the sunday and it is something we'll have to factor in when we decide on what our next step is. Apprecaite the thoughts and advice from any caravanners out there. Thanks
We would always have a caravan, one reason being is that you are stuck if your motorhome breaks down; if your car breaks down then you always have the caravan whilst the car is (hopefully) being repaired. Stay near a bus route for this reason.
I don't think you can take caravans into car parks, but sites will often let you stay later if they are not busy, and if you ask of course.
we use to tent camp when the children were small and over the years we now caravan as we are retired we only have a small caravan and find it will fit on services car parks when breaking the journey we never take it to car parks and most sites will let you leave it on the side packed up on day of leaving if they have room
------------- Cuckoo corner nr Hereford 2to 9th September 2017
22nd 23rd September 2017 St Neots
9th 14th October Mablethorpe
Would never consider leaving the caravan unattended in a car park (or motorway services), even though it is securely locked. A theft waiting to happen.
However, as has been said above, most campsites are not too bothered and if you ask them nicely they will let you stay longer if they are not full. Also consider you have less to pack and are not bothered about trying to get the outfit packed up dry.
Thank you all, our neighbour has a motorhome and our son is fascinated by it, reckon he'd love it, but (not wanting to offend any motorhomers), it's not for us. Our son is still young (5 yrs) so we love to go for a final walk or take him to a farm or something like that (chatsworth house farm and adventure playground is brilliant) or stop at a nice country pub on the way home for a spot of Sunday lunch. Don't see the point in shortening an already short weekend by being home by 2pm, but that's just us. It seems as if many sites offer the option to stay a few hours longer room permitting. That helps a lot. So would I be right in assuming that the general touring caravanner either heads home or leaves the van at the site a few hours longer?
We're new to caravanning, but have always been able to leave the van on site until late afternoon on leaving day to be able to make the most of the break. Some sites levy a small charge - others don't charge if they aren't busy
We have been away in our van twice in a month first time left the cl at 5pm and second time another cl at 4.30pm so we go straight home as we are usually about hour and half from home. We arrived Friday evening paid for 2 nights left late Sunday afternoon all ih all great weekends.
Sennen
A caravan has it's own facilities (toilet, shower, etc), so you don't need sites with facilities - join one of the Clubs (or both!) and make use of their weekend meets.
I've not attended CC weekend meets, but I spent many years camping/caravanning at C&CC DA, Region and Group weekend meets - great fun, other children for your small to play with, adults for you to socialise with (or not as the fancy takes you). The meets are usually open until about 4pm on Sunday, so there's no need to rush your breakfast or dash off early - and they are relatively cheap too!
Just be careful to choose CLs with larger field areas if you wish to stay later, and be prepared to vacate your pitch by about 12 noon and park your caravan on a non pitch part of the field. Sometimes during busy times they have other caravanners wanting to get onto your pitch to start their break, and some can get very unhappy if they arrive to an occupied pitch, as happened to us last week end when we were delayed in packing away by a torrential thunderstorm, this woman would not give us any peace and banged on our van door to move at the height of the storm, and it was onlya few mins past midday.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!