Caravan Or Motorhome?
- Stephen Bolton
- May 22, 2020
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 15, 2023
Our journey to Sheldon - Part 2
So when I left things on my last blog, we had just experienced our first caravanning adventure in France. I pick up the story from that point.
For some time we had been looking at the possibility of changing from caravanning to motorhomes. We had looked at this possibility and the differences in each type of holiday offered and there are a number. We did this, and I want to look and share some of the considerations which were taken into account. To do this, I'll use the broad term ‘motorhome’, to describe the various types of motorhomes there are - van conversions, motorhomes, a-class, coach-built etc.
One of the most obvious considerations, (which was not one of our reasons), is that you if you have a motorhome there is no towing involved. However, you will be driving a larger ‘van-like’ vehicle, which can bring with it considerations for those not used to be driving such units.
It’s also true that you’ll probably still need a car for day to day getting around (although some do manage with just a motorhome).
Getting ready to go out in a motorhome, doesn’t take long, you do have to pack things away and if you’re returning, you'll need to ensure you reserve your pitch. Once out you may encounter difficulties in parking, problems going down narrow roads and you always need to be aware of your size - bridges etc.. If you do get out in your motorhome though you have the advantage of having your facilities with you. Your kitchen, lounge, bedroom and bathroom are all available to you at all times, meaning you are self-sufficient wherever you go.
Getting ready to go out in a motorhome, doesn’t take long, you will have to pack things away and if you’re returning, need to ensure you reserve your pitch. Once out you can encounter difficulties in parking, going down narrow roads and you always need to be aware of your size - bridges etc.. If you do get out in your motorhome though you have the advantage of having your facilities with you. Your kitchen, lounge, bedroom and bathroom are all available to you at all times, meaning you are self-sufficient wherever you go.
Not only are things different in the ‘practical’ things. But, we have also found there is a difference in the ‘type’ of holidays you take.
A caravan takes more effort to ’site’ - putting on it on the pitch, levelling, water, electricity, toilet and all the things which need doing on arrival. If you change sites, the van needs packing up and you need to do it all again at your next site.
With a motorhome, it’s a little easier. There’s not so much to set up or to take down when you depart, meaning moving sites is easier and quicker.
Therefore, the type of holiday is different. Our experience shows me that the car/caravan holiday is more suited to one or two site holidays. Whereas, motorhome holidays are more suited to touring type holidays, where you move small distances between sites. Both types of holidays give you the opportunity to explore your chosen area/s. Both forms of holiday are in my opinion excellent ways to relax and enjoy the outdoor life - whether you choose caravan or motorhome is entirely a personal preference.
On consideration, the flexibility which a motorhome holiday offered proved attractive to us. And so we looked for a suitable motorhome for our needs. Now at this time, there was no real accessible ‘internet’ content. So, our decision was based on what we read in magazines and journals and by visiting dealerships to look at what was available. Our need was for the vehicle to be usable as something to camp in, but also as our runabout vehicle (we didn’t need a vehicle for commuting to work or daily use). We looked therefore for a van conversion which would meet our requirements as a family of 4, who wanted to get away for holidays with some occasional day to day use. After much research, we felt that the Autohomes Camelot would fit the bill. It had a well thought out design - 4 berths (driving and sleeping), kitchen and clever bathroom/toilet set up. It looked ideal for our needs and so we set about purchasing what was to be our first motorhome. We soon took ownership of our Autohomes Camelot on a FIAT Ducato body. The van proved to be great and took us to many places.
One visit was to Coniston, where we went with the idea of climbing the ‘Coniston Old Man’. Although this was something we’d wanted to do for some time, it soon became apparent that we hadn't prepared properly. We got ourselves and the children ready and set off early one morning for our adventure. Despite having maps and guidebooks with me, we managed to find ourselves on the wrong track, which took us the long way onto the mountain itself. This was fine at first, as the weather was good, the scenery stunning and the walking not too bad. We were enjoying the day out, but as time passed and we continually ascended and descended fell after fell, we began to tire. Eventually, (after many hours walking), we got onto the ‘Old Man’, but this coincided with a change in the weather conditions. The mist started to descend and visibility deteriorate. Soon after this, our young daughter began to complain of feeling cold, we wrapped her up as best we could and took the wise decision to return to the motorhome. By now visibility was poor and I don’t mind admitting I was worried. We found what looked like a track, back down and started our return. After what seemed an inordinate amount of time, the mist lifted and the atmosphere warmed. Our daughter also began to feel better. Soon we were back at the motorhome, feeling exhausted but thankful and happy. Tea was swiftly made and consumed and we all went to bed at a ridiculously early time - sleeping very soundly for the night. Thankfully, we were all OK, but the adventure had taught us some important lessons. Before going out on the fells, prepare properly, check the weather, wear appropriate clothing and footwear, ensure someone knows where you are going and your expected return time and carry sufficient food/snacks/drinks for all of your requirements.
Our family continued to grow up and it soon became apparent that the Camelot was not large enough for 4 of us and our dog. So we looked around for something a bit larger (but not too big). We came across the Elddis Eclipse, which fitted the bill. It was 4 berth and had everything we needed.
The Eclipse also took us on some great holidays, but it was to be our first adventure abroad in it, which sticks in my memory. We decided to tour the Alsace area of Eastern France. The holiday was amazing and we found many beautiful places to see and sights to see away from the usual tourist ‘hotspots’. The weather was generally good, but this area (like many places in or around the mountains of Europe), was susceptible to afternoon storms. We were quite near Strasbourg and on one afternoon we went for a walk to a local castle. The weather was hot and pleasant but as the afternoon progressed, it started to change. Clouds gathered and we began to hear distant thunder and see occasional lightning. We hurried back to the van as it began to rain. It became heavier and the sky darker. We got wet and were glad to be back at the van, where we were sheltered and could dry ourselves off. Just then though, it changed again. The thunder and lightning increased and the rain became hailstones. But these were not your usual hailstones, these were golf ball-sized hailstones. The van and the surrounding area were peppered with this onslaught from the sky. After what seemed an eternity, it eased off and we (and our neighbours), were able to emerge from our vans. The storm had caused considerable damage to surrounding property and livestock. It soon became apparent that our motorhome hadn’t escaped the damage. On checking, the roof had become pitted with some quite large indentations, from the hailstones. Thankfully though, the roof hadn’t been punctured and it remained watertight. On return home, we contacted our insurers who agreed that the damage was sufficient to require an entire new roof. Again this was quite a frightening experience at the time, but unlike the story from our first motorhome, there was little we could do to prevent it.
Our adventures in both motorhomes were many and despite having to return to a caravan as the children grew more. We knew that motor homing was our preferred type of holiday and we hoped that one day it would be possible to get another one for visiting the many places we want to see. We had to wait many years for this to happen, but eventually, we were able to purchase our current motorhome - Sheldon. Sheldon has already taken us to many places and in future blogs, I will write about why we chose him and tell of some of the places we’ve been. In the meantime can I say a BIG thank you for reading this blog.
Comments