# Help with UK MH Intinerary



## 98177 (Mar 17, 2006)

Hello,
We are a couple who have hired a MH to travel around the UK for 19 days from April 18th until May 6th 2007.
I was wondering if posters here could comment on our intended intinerary.
We are picking up the MH from Basingstoke and anticipate leaving around 11AM and travelling to Bath. Planned itinerary is as follows

Day 1 Pickup MH	Bath	148kms
Day 2	Bath	0.00	
Day 3 Bath	Chester	6.28	314kms
Day 4	Liverpool	0.00	
Day 5 Chester	York	2.38	190kms
Day 6	York	0.00	
Day 7 York	Durham	2.42	121kms
Day 8 Durham	Edinburgh	4.46	223kms
Day 9	Edinburgh	0.00	
Day 10 Edinburgh/Stirling	Loch Lommond	2.18	109kms
Day 11	Loch Lommond	0.00	
Day 12 Travel from Loch Lommond 3.28	164kms
Day 13 Travel to Windermere
Day 14	Windermere	3.28	164kms
Day 15 Windermere	Colwyn	2.96	237kms
Day 16	Colwyn	0.00	
Day 17 Colwyn back to Basingstoke over 3 days 
Day 18
Day 19

I have asked a few questions on other boards regarding this intinerary with mixed reactions.
Some feeling it is too much others that it is fine.

Would be very interested in any comments or thoughts regarding this trip and in particular camping stops free and paying.

If possible we would like to be able to see the following places over the 19 days.

Bath, York, Edinburgh, Trossachs/Loch Lommond, Chester, North Wales. 

Any ideas on the best way to see these places in that time would be great.

Any other ideas regarding using a MH in the UK like driving tips etc would also be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Trip


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I think it is too ambitious, you are on the move every day! You leave yourself very little time to visit places, probably only half days in place lilke York, Edinburgh and Chester. You really want a full day to do these places any justice at all. I suggest you rethink it giving yourself at least two nights at places you really want to see. 

When I am touring, I always think three nights are a minimum stop over. 
Day one travel, day two visits, day three travel. Ok on the travel days you can plan half days here and there or stop offs but never drive more than 80Kms. Its no holiday otherwise, just a rat race.

peedee

Editted to make it easier to read


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## WingPete (Jan 29, 2006)

*Right route*

The chosen route is good for seeing places that may be only a name to you, but that is about all you will see, the town name ? 
The allowed time for the distances bears no resemblance to actuallity tho'
Distances are relative, traffic is a fact.
The roads all will have an overload of traffic during the hours on the road.
You seem to be making good progress, when another set of roadworks, or an accident appears to bring you to a stop or very slow movement forward. 
I always allow double the anticipated time for most journies above 100 km. Even m/ways are slow compared to most countries.
The best way to cover the distances in reasonable time and maintain a good average speed, is to travel late at night when most people are eating or sleeping.
When you arrive in these large towns, m/home parking will mostly be a few miles out of the centre, where "it all is" , thus taking more of the leisure time that needs to be given to the delights of big towns.
But enjoy it and take your time to see what there is.


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## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

Hi there,
Something to think about when driving a motorhome is that you will be going a bit slower than you would in a car, and it can be a little more tiring to drive. You might need to think about some of your routes, avoiding town centres and narrow roads and low bridges. Parking will also be something to bear in mind as some places can be very restricted.
We never had any problems driving about in Scotland, but wouldn't dream of taking the 'van through Bath.

This site might be useful to you and give you information on parking friendly areas.

http://www.motorhomeparking.co.uk/

Looks like you have thought your holiday out, with a mixture of days travelling and days out and about. You have set yourself quite a trip. Be prepared to be a little flexible about your travel plans, you might find one day in some places isn't enough and one night in others is too much 8O

Remember though relax and enjoy, who knows maybe the bug will bite and you will be another convert :wink:

Tina


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## 98177 (Mar 17, 2006)

Thanks for your comments Peedee, Tinaglen and Wing Pete.

The intinerary is by no means set in stone and basically I am trying to get an idea of what would be a good balance between experiencing different areas of the UK and being able to take it in, and enjoy the people and places we visit.

I have done a lot of touring in Australia, camping and caravaning and have also motor travelled in the US, but I am beginning to learn that the big empty roads we take for granted here and in the US are not going to happen in the UK.

I was toying with the idea of hiring a car and staying in B&B's seeing as we have such a limited time but from experience camping and caravan touring usually means meeting more real people and a better travel experience than you have in hotels etc. 

You also get to go grocery shopping and doing more things that the locals do, again giving you a closer feel for the people in the places you visit. Also after we finish in the UK we have hired a MH to travel Europe for 9 weeks so i thought we could "practice" in the UK.

We are interested in seeing castles, nice english villages, maybe some rugged coast with interesting villages and interesting historical towns.

I would be interested in any recommendations or ideas for around 18 days to see those sorts of things. 

Another plan we had was Bath, up through Wales across to York, Durham, Whitby, then up through the Scottish Borders to Edinburgh and Loch Lommond then straight down to London. Again any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated.

I would be interested in any trip itineraries posters here have travelled.

Thanks again for your replies.

Trip


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## LadyJ (May 9, 2005)

Hi Trip

If you are coming up from Bath why not have a stop at Warwick the Caravan Club site on Warwick Racecourse is only a 10 min walk from Warwick Castle and the castle is really worth seeing as is Warwick town which is a short walk from the CC site.

I would suggest that you join the Caravan Club also the Caravan and Camping Club which would cost you about £66 for the two clubs but you will then have access to nearly all the sites in the UK also might be worth subscribing to Motorhomefacts as we have loads of sites and parking places in our database its only £10

Jacquie


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Hi Trip

Your itinery takes in some good places to visit with the possible exception of one. Colwyn is OK but not the best part of North Wales to visit if you are limited for time. For the countryside try Snowdonia & Betws-y-Coed. For the coast and castles try Caernarfon or Conwy.

Hope you enjoy your trip whereever you end up.

Trevor


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

You can still stay on most >Caravan Club< and the >Caravan and Camping Club sites without being a member but you can easily recoupe your cost of joining if you stay more than three/four nights at their sites with the reduction in site fees available to members. The Caravan Club could be a particularly good one to join because of the location of their sites. Check out York, Chester, Edinburgh as well a Warick on their web site, they have premier locations at these places for visits to these cities.

If you are picking up a motorhome in Basingstoke and your preference is for 


> We are interested in seeing castles, nice english villages, maybe some rugged coast with interesting villages and interesting historical towns.


Why not make your first stop in the Cotswolds, Morteton in Marsh or Broadway spring to mind as having convenient sites close to hand.
I agree with what Trevor says and you could go via Warick to make N.Wales your next stop. To see the best of the rugged coast line, Cornwall and S.Wales, Pembroke coast, are going to be a bit out of your way and so is northern Scotland. Follow that by Chester, Lake District if you must, Loch Lomand, Sterling, Edinburgh, down through the borders to York and that I guess that will just be about it in the time you have?

peeedee


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## 94969 (May 1, 2005)

Trip, 
I agree that your itinerary is a bit full. The first stop Bath, we now try to avoid it like the plaque, it's always got tailback of traffic, one evening last year it took us one hour to get from one side to the other, we now use the nice/picture post card toll bridge at Bathampton, what we spend in tolls we save in fuel and time.
well a nuff doom and gloom if you go to Colwyn I can personally recommend ''Conway camping site'', it's a few miles past Colwyn, with GPS 53.15'58''N / 3.50'13''W. I know CONWAY was not on the itinerary but there is a wonderful Castle and the Iron bridge that I think ''Isambard Kingdom Brunel'' had some part in making.
Why not go to Colwyn after Chester to save going over the same ground twice ?


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

How big a motor home are you hiring? If small like a VW camper then your road schedule will be hectic but possible. A good independant site for Bath is Newton Mill which has a bus or walking route into town

>newton mill<

Try not to take a van especially a large one into the town centre.

As for the rest I although extremely well worth visiting I personally would scrub Edinburgh and perhaps Durham this time they put too much strain on your trip.

Also consider loosing York only because by the time you have done Chester and Bath you will find too many similarities. If keeping York here is a good campsite again on a bus route

>Naburn Lock<

I would add the Peak district either on the way up or down to break the journey The caravan club site at Grin Low allows you to see Buxton or the independant site Rivendale is good for Ashbourne.

Regards Frank


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## 98177 (Mar 17, 2006)

*Great advice!*

Thanks for all of your comments this is exactly the advice I am in need of.
After a web search I see what you all mean about Conwy. That looks like like a good spot.

The MH is 6.5 long 2.2 wide no overhead cab.

I am getting a much better picture now of what is going to not only be achievable but also enjoyable, which as your posts are illustrating is just as important.

I am thinking maybe Bath some castles in southern wales drive up the centre or maybe along the coast(what do others recommend) of Wales then maybe skip Chester and across to York (any ideas what is good to see along the way?) from York go to Whitby then make our way north over a few days to Durham Jedburgh Edinburgh have a full day in Edinburgh then make our way to Loch Lommond Trossachs then take the shortest motorway distance home via somewhere in the Cotswolds like Chipping Campdon.

If you had a choice which would you drop Chester or York?

I think that limits the time on the motorways considerably and has us travelling much shorter distances on drive days. Allow full stop days for Bath 1 for York 1 for Edinburgh 1 rest would be short drives and touring. 
Any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again for all of your previous comments.
Thanks
Trip


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi Trip

As a visitor from NSW Australia you have added many of the tourist "hot spots" to your itinerary and whilst this is perfectly sensible is is still a bit of a "whistle stop" tour. I am sure that you will have done your homework on the places and made up your itinerary to suit but my advice ( based on meeting and dealing with lots of visitors to the UK) is that most admit to trying to do too much and drive too far each day... the UK has something to offer at almost every turn.... but there lies the snag... your itinerary is not going to involve many turns...it will be miles& miles of motorway and main road driving if only to do the required distance in the limited time.

One of the pleasures of driving a motorhome in the UK is when you amble down well chosen, normal roads, that are not direct main routes to anywhere ( with the size of your hire van, A & a limited amount of most B roads (not in SW etc*) will be OK) .. the view from a motorhome cab is so much better than from a car the journey can be as enjoyable as the the stops. But not on Motorways... these will stress you and all you will see is traffic.

I am not trying to fault your plans/itinerary as you will enjoy all of the places that you hope to visit but if I can persuade you to get off the motorways then you may also enjoy the journey in between. ( but to do this you would have to remove a place or two from the itinerary)

Mike

* in certain areas of the UK you will find that even A roads can be small and some B roads are just not worth using for motorhomes unless it is to reach a certain place at the end of the road :wink: ... The Lake District is one, Cornwall ( not on your list ) another.. but to put this in perspective my motorhome is appx half a meter shorter and the same width as your hire van and we always use the byways.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

*Re: Great advice!*



trip2006 said:


> If you had a choice which would you drop Chester or York?
> 
> Trip


I have been to both and I would drop Chester but if you are going to go to York and intend to stay at the Caravan Club site at Rowntree Park (VERY convenient) I would book. As it is you maybe too late to reserve a pitch because it is very very popular.

peedee


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

I agree with Peedee even though I live near Chester ! 

Both are nice historic towns but on balance York has more to see and is very compact to walk around on foot. York Minster is more impressive than Chester Cathedral and the historic town wall is more complete. The railway museum is also worth a visit and is now free entry.

I can also confirm that the Caravan Club site in york is very popular as it is in easy walking distance of the centre. Usually booked up for weeks in the summer. 

Trevor


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Hi Trip2006. I also agree that with your limited time I think I favour York over Chester (but both are interesting). 

I thoroughly agree with you about wanting to experience life over here. We have the same feeling about France. Unfortunately the only way to do this is to get off the motorways and to stay in places a bit longer than your original itineray could offer. 

I feel a bit embarrassed about suggesting that you leave out Edinburgh  . It is a magnificent city, but merits longer than a quick in and out. However, if you do go there I suggest you stay at the Silverknowes Camping Club site. Public transport (bus) at the entrance to the centre of the town. £2.30 for a day ticket. Get on the web to select places to visit - the castle is interesting and Holyrood Palace/Scottish Parliament buildings different :wink: Get the day ticket and you will get around quicker and cheaper, but won't absorb the atmosphere of the place so well. 


Remember you will only get a taster of a place if you are there for just a day. Hope you don't think we don't like Edinburgh. We love it an usually spend a couple of nights there each month (at the CC site). Actually going there next week. 

Where ever you go, enjoy yourselves and have a safe trip. 

Sue 

P.S. Going up the side of Loch Lomond takes forever - it's got views not to be missed but only if you have lots of time.


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

if bath is a must do i would stop at the c/c site in bristol go down the m4 passed j18 to j19 on to m32 the site is on the harbour side you can catch a train in to the center of bath it takes about twenty minutes, from the site you can head for the m5 and in to wales across the severn bridge or north to chester


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