# If they can do it for boaters, why not motorhomers?



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

We were at the CCC's temporary holiday site at Abingdon this weekend, which was right next to the Thames at Abingdon Bridge (a lovely spot, and worth looking out for in future). Anyway, signs by the riverbank stated that moorings for boats are provided by the local council (Vale of White Horse?) free of charge for up to 5 mights. I also read an artilce in Friday's Oxford Times about moorings being provided at Wallingford -

see the OT article and the SODC blurb

wallingford

Oxford times

so the question is what's the difference between boaters and motorhomers? We stop in towns and villages, and contribute to the local economy as well as the boaters - we use pubs, shops, takeaways & restaurants etc.......

anybody feel like writing to these and their own local councils and quoting these examples?


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"what's the difference between boaters and motorhomers? "

You get to tarmac more driveways and crown more trees from a motorhome.

Dave


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

DABurleigh said:


> "what's the difference between boaters and motorhomers? "
> 
> You get to tarmac more driveways and crown more trees from a motorhome.
> 
> Dave


ah but surely there are some gypsy boaters, Dave? 
So should that be the only reason?


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Mike..had you stood with your back to the entrance to the site you were and look across the road you would have seen the aire so thoughtfully provided by the Vale for motorhomers. See my entry in the MHF database under Rye Farm Abingdon. £7 per 24 hours.

It's almost on the river bank, is quiet(ish) close to pubs, town and loos across the road. If you enlarge the StreetView image of it and look to the very back left of the car park you will see the large space set aside.

Rye Farm Abingdon

I might add that this entry has been in the database for 2 years or more . It's also in Camperstop Europe.

G


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

thanks Grizz; yes, I had noted your comments about that. It's a shame that these things are not provided more openly and widely available throughout the UK. Unfortunately the councils don't necessarily want to promote the facility in fear of having the dreaded gypsies turning up

:roll: 

Not quite on topic, but as part of our weekend we spent last night in the new Malmaison Hotel at Oxofrd Castle which has been superbly converted from the old prison, and were strolling around Oxford reliving old memories - we saw 2 (foreign) motorhomes parked up yesterday evening in the car park in the old canal basin at Hythe Bridge street - outside Nuffield College - it seem this a good deal for an overnight - £2.60 I think for 8pm to 8am, but horribly expensive during the day (as is most parking in central oxford), and no apparent overnight sleeping restrictions. :wink: 8)


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

bognormike said:


> It's a shame that these things are not provided more openly and widely available throughout the UK.


How very true ! Though I can see their point- we need a fresh look at the law that dictates that evictions of squatters takes so long and costs so much. Given that was eased I think many more councils and LAs would make a bit of land available.



> - we saw 2 (foreign) motorhomes parked up yesterday evening in the car park in the old canal basin at Hythe Bridge street - )


Cheeky !  We often see vans attempting to park or drive into Oxford and it is difficult to resist running out in front of them and telling them how expensive/ difficult it is. I think that your observation proves though that we( ie MHers) are knocking at a semi-open door as far a LAs are concerned. Oxford however does not actually need any more tourists- it's full enough already ! :wink:

G


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I did notice that!! 40 years ago it was a few Americans - now half of Japan seems to be there :lol: :lol:


----------



## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

Well you could have come and said hello Mike!! 

We were on the same field with you with MHF stickers in 2 of the windows. We where down by the rivers edge, Rollerteam and an old Hymer both members on here. 

We saw the signs for the boaters too and made more or less the same comments, then we saw the mess that the boaters had left in the morning all over the river bank and decided we would have behaved in a much more civilized manner.   

Had a lovely weekend though and it was nice to see some Europeans on the rally with us, I would imagine joining our 2 clubs and using the THS/rallies/CS/CL's would be a much cheaper way of seeing the UK than using ordinary sites. 

Mandy


----------



## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Having had boats before buying our first motorhome I would say that the picture is mixed in boating too. There are some places which provide free berths (more on inland waterways, I don't know why) but in the main the cost is similar to that of parking a van overnight, Alan.


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

mandyandandy said:


> Well you could have come and said hello Mike!!
> 
> We were on the same field with you with MHF stickers in 2 of the windows. We where down by the rivers edge, Rollerteam and an old Hymer both members on here.
> 
> ...


Hi Mandy - sorry  , we were occupied with a family do, so didn't have much time for looking around! We were on the "town" side, from Thursday only. We normally have a scout around for MHF-ers.... :roll:

The mentality of some people when not clearing things up after them is unbelievable, isn't it? :x


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

mandyandandy said:


> We saw the signs for the boaters too and made more or less the same comments, then we saw the mess that the boaters had left in the morning all over the river bank and decided we would have behaved in a much more civilized manner.


I'd hesitate to blame the boaters for the mess. There are 3 small wooden rubbish bins on that reach and a huge number of people walk the path between Abingdon lock and Day's Lock. It's especially popular at weekends when the bins do overflow. There is a well-signed skip for boater's rubbish outside the RC clubhouse a very short walk away. It's hard to know what can be done: providing bigger/ more bins on the path spoils the look of the path and we don't have the money to empty them several times a day at weekends.

This morning the whole reach is clean and tidy and all the moorings are taken.

G


----------

