# 1st Timer - Heading for Continent!



## Alkaz (Dec 31, 2012)

HI,
I'm hiring a motorhome in July 2013. I live in North East and my initial thougys were to drive to Hull for Ferry to Belgium. Head to Luxemborg, Germany Switzerland then back through France to head home. I'm away for 2 weeks. Am I being too ambitious??? Your tips/advice would be greatly appreciated. This will be first time in a Motorhome.
Many Thanks
Alkaz


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

Yes you are..
I think we have all been there looking at maps and thinking, go here, go there.. IT's a big place and so much to see, dont spend all your time driving and just buying fuel...
France and Germany are maybe the 2 more friendly motorhome countries. You can easily do 2 weeks just in 1 small area of either of them.
Remember July is also busy season !! Campsites and parking places will be busy so you may need to book ahead or allow time in case you cant get to stay at your chosen spot...
Wait and see what others suggest....

Good luck, sure you will enjoy the experience.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Tonka is right. Reckon on an average speed of no more than 35 to 40mph, unless you are (_in my humble opinion_ :wink: ) daft enough to hammer down the motorways.

Go down the Mosel Valley from Trier toward Koblenz. That is "motorhome heaven" and absolutely ideal for a M/H novice on his first trip abroad. A Stellplatz every couple of miles, some of them free and as good as a €40 campsite, plus a pleasant and interesting trip across France and back through Belgium if you wish. Plus the cheapest diesel around in Luxembourg.

We had to go back after our first two-week trip 'cos we only got about half way. Take bikes if you can - it's absolutely perfect for cycling along the dedicated cycle paths alongside the river.

I would strongly suggest you pay your £12.50 so you can access the Search facility on here. There is a shedload of information on exactly your questions.

Dave 

P.S. Tonka is also right about it being busy, but it's easy to schedule your days so you will have no problem. People usually move on at around 9.00 to 10.00am, so that's when the pitches will be free. In the Mosel we moved on at about 10.30am and had set up on our next Stellplatz by 11.00am. Then we had the rest of the day for cycling, mooching, sitting in the sun with a glass of grape juice . . . . . .


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

Yep - too much too quickly.

I did my first visit this summer for 2 weeks and did almost what you said, saw an amazing amount of road and not enough countryside

Next year we will aim just for the Alsace region and spend some time looking around


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I also live in the north east but I always use dover Calais rather than hull. I can leave In the morning, 320 miles to Dover and I'm I'm France late afternoon. I'm not sure if it's quicker from hull and I think it costs more.

Anyway if I only had two weeks, out of your list I would be heading straight to Switzerland. It's simply stunning. Or if its just mountains and scenery your after the rhone alps area if France is superb and of course in France you have the aires network (cheap or free overnight parking for motorhomes) whereas switzerland can be pricey. It's worth it though but if your going to use any of the Mountain trains or cable cars in Switzerland take a big fat wallet!


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

First time out, only 2 weeks, mid summer - if it were me, I'd go via Dover, tunnel if you want a quicker crossing but ferry is also OK.

Then either Mosel, or French alps or Switzerland but not all 3 unless you want to spend all your time driving. 

Whatever you don't manage this time around will still be there for you on your next trip


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## stevethebeekeeper (Jan 23, 2011)

We did two weeks for our first trip, although round Scotland. Even that was a rush in two weeks.

But it gave us a good insight if tramping/boon docking/ wilding/motorhoming was for us. Now we have our own van and doing things at a more leisurely rate.

Enjoy and go with the flow and see where you end up.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

One of our two week trips was scheduled for the Italian lakes. Weather was poor and we ended up as far down as Pisa. Florence and Milan on the way home. Round trip of 2k miles.
Interlaaken this year stayed for 5 days and then moved into cheaper France. Ending up at Le Crotoy.
We live in North Nottinghamshire and now use the tunnel, courtesy of Tesco vouchers. Late crossing and stay at Cite Europe overnight for early morning start.
We usually go after 10th July and never had a problem getting on a site.
Dave p


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I think we have all made that mistake on our first continental trip

Trying to see too many countries and in the end seeing nothing

Choose an area explore and relax

After all it is a holiday

Have a great time

Aldra


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## selstrom (May 23, 2005)

We live near Carlisle and find it far cheaper and just as quick to use Dover/Calais ferry (not allowed on tunnel, gas tank too big) and we only get 17mpg!

Do not try to do too much, pick one or 2 areas and then a route between with stops at interesting places, but keep it flexible. Unless visiting some of the more popular coastal areas you should not have a problem finding somewhere to stay.

There is plenty of interesting places within 100 miles of Calais to keep you occupied for a fortnight!


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## damar1 (Sep 29, 2012)

Hi alkaz, As others have said 2 weeks is not long, and you dont wont to spend all your time driving. We have traveled Europe for many years a short trip of say 6 weeks but usually about 4 months. I would suggest you pick an area in France, France is geared up for m/h and it need not cost you a lot of money. This year we went to the dordogne area spent 5 weeks there just drifting from stop to stop and never spent a euroe on site rents or toles. We use a book called camperstop just download all the sites into your sat nav and go from one to another, just find the free stop put it into the sat nav then go and your other half does not have to be reading maps and can enjoy the great scenery. Have a great trip and keep an eye out for the big green W in our vans.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

tonyt said:


> First time out, only 2 weeks, mid summer - if it were me, I'd go via Dover, tunnel if you want a quicker crossing but ferry is also OK.
> 
> Then either Mosel, or French alps or Switzerland but not all 3 unless you want to spend all your time driving.
> 
> Whatever you don't manage this time around will still be there for you on your next trip


If you live up north and use Dover you do spend all your time driving before you even get to your holiday. Use Hull or Harwich and not only do you reach the continent a bit closer to the Mosel etc. but you haven't had to endure the scenic tour of Essex and Kent to get there.

Price out the extra mileage at a realistic rate (35-40p/m) and then see if a Dover crossing looks cheaper.

As Keith Harris used to say "I hate that DDDD...over"


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Agree with everyone else, your plans are too ambitious and you will not see anything other than the dashboard and the back of a vehicle in front.......  

We have yet to venture to Germany or Switzerland and have only just done our first trip to Spain.... after MANY years of visiting many different parts of France.

If you were advising someone to tour the UK in 2 weeks the itinerie would be something like;

Day 1 pick up vehicle, drive 200 miles to London
Day 2 drive 100 miles to South coast
Day 3 drive 200 miles to SW, say Devon
Day 4 drive 150 miles to South Wales
Day 5 drive 150 miles to North Wales via West Wales
Day 6 drive 100 miles to Lake District
Day 7 drive to Scottish borders
Day 8 Drive to Stranraer to catch ferry to Northern Ireland
Day 9 Drive 100 miles to West coast
Day 10 Drive 100 miles back to Belfast for ferry, ferry to Stranraer
Day 11 Drive 100 miles to Highlands
Day 12 Drive 150 miles to John o'Groats
Day 13 Drive 150 miles to Edinburgh
Day 14 drive 200 miles, return motorhome
Day 15 collapse of exhaustion and wonder when next "holiday" will be....

OK the distances are slightly fictitious but the basic idea is what you would end up doing and that timetable does not give you the time to actually stay for more than about 1 hour at each venue.....

Choose one country, then one area and see it in greater peace and greater depth - you will then appreciate the reason why we all LOVE motorhoming....

and yes, I agree the £12.50 membership fee for this forum would be the best investment towards enjoyment that you can make - there is a vast amount of information on here about sites, MH operation, and anything else you might think of and if you have a question there will be sure-fire answers within seconds - as you have seen from the number of replies to your original question.... :lol: 

Dave


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## brynric (Oct 17, 2009)

There is good sense spoken here. Europe is very large and well worth lingering. We did almost exactly the same trip last year, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany, back through France. It took us 5 weeks and we spent 12 minutes in Switzerland. (We walked across the bridge in Bad Sackingen) We could happily have spent a week in Belgium, Ypres is a fantastic centre. Most of the places we visited merit further exploration, one day.


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## VanFlair (Nov 21, 2009)

Hi alkaz

We are North East although slightly South of you near Middlesbrough, we use the Hull ferry when we can, yes its a bit more dosh but its only a couple of hours and as soon as you get on board glass of wine, book your meal in the restaurant you are on holiday "no worries".

Other than that YES you are trying to do too much, unless you just want to see Europe from the inside of a motorhome.

Martin


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## Yaxley (Jul 25, 2008)

Hi Alkaz
We did your planned trip this year..... it took 7 weeks.
Good advice and many alternatives on here. Spend £12.50 on the subscription and trawl through the website.
Ian


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## Alkaz (Dec 31, 2012)

Many thanks for your kind suggestions and advice - it has certainly given me plenty to think of. 
Thanks once again - very much appreciated!


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## papaken (Nov 21, 2010)

I am also from the north east so if you pm me i could give you the 2012 copy of ACSI camping card books to give you some ideas of sites, although you would have to buy the 2013 books to get the discounted sites.
I did France via the tunnel last year for a month and as others said tried to cover to much (2400 miles) so deffinately stopping longer in selected areas this year.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Ken

He can't PM you until (_and unless_) he forks out his subscription.

Nice gesture, but it may not be workable.

Dave


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