Camping plans for 2026?
Discussion
What plans do you have for the coming year?
We are off to Spain in January until March and the only other commitment we have booked so far is a 3 week trip to Cornwall and Dorset in late June/early July.
I think for April/May we'll do a bit of a tour of Britain: visiting friends in Herts and Suffolk before heading up through Lincs and up to Scotland.
September may well be France but we are undecided on Brittany/Normandy/Loire Valley or down to the Pyrenees/Cote D'Azur.
What about you?
We are off to Spain in January until March and the only other commitment we have booked so far is a 3 week trip to Cornwall and Dorset in late June/early July.
I think for April/May we'll do a bit of a tour of Britain: visiting friends in Herts and Suffolk before heading up through Lincs and up to Scotland.
September may well be France but we are undecided on Brittany/Normandy/Loire Valley or down to the Pyrenees/Cote D'Azur.
What about you?
Probably just one this year, we have done winter summer and September camping the last few years, winter camping whilst is spectacular for vistas it can be brutally cold! so September is now the sweet spot for us, warm not hot weather and camp sites that are pretty quiet, we also wild camp too, so with that said, this year we will do 2 weeks driving through the Pyrenees to the Alps and then the Med coast.
Nothing set in stone just yet, a lot will depend upon how successful we are in rejecting our current motorhome. We had some super trips (nearly 5k miles) during Mar-August 2025 (York, Wild Atlantic Way, Holland & Austria) until multiple bits let go and it's been the subject of a rejection claim ever since.
If we get back into another van this season then we'd plan to be back in Holland (Duinrell) and Austria (Zugspitz) again as main holidays, plus whatever we can squeeze in around the kids school holidays in the UK and maybe Northern France.
Longer term plan is to take a short sabbatical next year or the year after to do Scandinavia during a school holiday.
If we get back into another van this season then we'd plan to be back in Holland (Duinrell) and Austria (Zugspitz) again as main holidays, plus whatever we can squeeze in around the kids school holidays in the UK and maybe Northern France.
Longer term plan is to take a short sabbatical next year or the year after to do Scandinavia during a school holiday.
Spuffington said:
Nothing set in stone just yet, a lot will depend upon how successful we are in rejecting our current motorhome. We had some super trips (nearly 5k miles) during Mar-August 2025 (York, Wild Atlantic Way, Holland & Austria) until multiple bits let go and it's been the subject of a rejection claim ever since.
If we get back into another van this season then we'd plan to be back in Holland (Duinrell) and Austria (Zugspitz) again as main holidays, plus whatever we can squeeze in around the kids school holidays in the UK and maybe Northern France.
Longer term plan is to take a short sabbatical next year or the year after to do Scandinavia during a school holiday.
This sad saga still not settled? If we get back into another van this season then we'd plan to be back in Holland (Duinrell) and Austria (Zugspitz) again as main holidays, plus whatever we can squeeze in around the kids school holidays in the UK and maybe Northern France.
Longer term plan is to take a short sabbatical next year or the year after to do Scandinavia during a school holiday.
We've just booked Keswick (hoping it doesn't flood) for Feb half term. For 3 weeks in summer we are off via Rotterdam to Troyes, Annecy and Vosges (near Gerardmer). I'm looking at Wales for April and want to explore Snowdonia area but not sure where to base. CC has a site south of Blenau Ffestiniog and CCC has one at Bala? Walking, mountain biking, some activities and a nearby pub for good grub is always welcome. Kids are 12 and 8 so outdoor stuff tailored for them. I do fancy the zip wire stuff and the MTBing around there though.
Edited by Chicken Chaser on Sunday 11th January 00:02
Rob 131 Sport said:
glennjamin said:
Normandy from 1st June to 14th then Brittany from 15th to 30th first time taking camper overseas, so should be fun sharing Driving with the Mrs .......
Just a great time of the year to be in France. Enjoy!Another thumbs up from me for Normandy. I've done it twice now in the motorhome - once solo, which allowed me to properly indulge the WWII stuff and once with the family in two - in fairness we did the big must see items from the Normandy landings with them also.
Can only echo the others in terms of the great setups there in the region (and nationally also). Only thing we found going there in summer was that you need to adjust your pace to how busy everything gets and in the more popular regions at height of the summer people tend to move on very early in the morning to arrive at the next Aire around lunchtime. This means that if you have young kids like we do and tend to have lazier mornings before moving on, or stopping to see stuff en route in the middle of the day, turning up at Aires after 13:00 frequently means you're out of luck with finding spaces.
We ended up having to do a lot more campsites than normal last time we were in France.
Sounds like you're going at the tail end of the season so should be fine, but something to bare in mind if you're travelling at busier periods.
Can only echo the others in terms of the great setups there in the region (and nationally also). Only thing we found going there in summer was that you need to adjust your pace to how busy everything gets and in the more popular regions at height of the summer people tend to move on very early in the morning to arrive at the next Aire around lunchtime. This means that if you have young kids like we do and tend to have lazier mornings before moving on, or stopping to see stuff en route in the middle of the day, turning up at Aires after 13:00 frequently means you're out of luck with finding spaces.
We ended up having to do a lot more campsites than normal last time we were in France.
Sounds like you're going at the tail end of the season so should be fine, but something to bare in mind if you're travelling at busier periods.
We use the camping car club, if you join as a preium member you can book in advance and when you get to the barier just enter a code and in you go when people who just turn up have to wait! Felt very smug at Mont St Michelle When there was a big wait but we went straight in!
https://www.campingcarpark.com/en_GB
https://www.campingcarpark.com/en_GB
We have already been out - took our Eriba to a friend's place for New Year's Eve, parked it in their large paddock and kipped in it there.
The gas fire (and fridge) are seemingly low on pressure so it could have been warmer. I have replaced the regulator and hose with no improvement, I think we need a gas service. Some forums say that over time you can get a tar like substance blocking the pipes? Am also going to do the soapy water test ot see if we have a leak anywhere.
We have got a few festivals planned in and will do a few random weekends away as and when.
The gas fire (and fridge) are seemingly low on pressure so it could have been warmer. I have replaced the regulator and hose with no improvement, I think we need a gas service. Some forums say that over time you can get a tar like substance blocking the pipes? Am also going to do the soapy water test ot see if we have a leak anywhere.
We have got a few festivals planned in and will do a few random weekends away as and when.
ChocolateFrog said:
Tent didn't come out last year, which is a shame.
Will hopefully get atleast one trip in this year, Devon and Cornwall way would be nice.
Yep I’m doing Dorset in June (great part of the world) and Lizard Point in July, a long drive from South Yorkshire but well worth it.Will hopefully get atleast one trip in this year, Devon and Cornwall way would be nice.
Still not sure about this year.
We downsized to a small camper (from a good sized moho) some time ago, but have found it to be too small for us and the large-ish mutt. You live and learn.
We did do a few weeks in England in it last year, followed by a five week circumnavigation of Ireland followed by a week in north Wales, but it wasn't the best, tbh
Anyway, we've decided to get rid and get a panel van (probably Stellantis), maybe partially converted already, although I quite fancy building one out myself (even if I'm getting too old for that sort of thing
).
I quite fancy another run down to Spain, partly to see me old mate, and best man, in Valencia now that he has virtually rebuilt his family home following the floods. We also need to catch up with 'er indoors' cousins near Confolens, France. We haven't seen either for a couple of years. Eight weeks should do it I think.
Just need to get orf me rse...
We downsized to a small camper (from a good sized moho) some time ago, but have found it to be too small for us and the large-ish mutt. You live and learn.
We did do a few weeks in England in it last year, followed by a five week circumnavigation of Ireland followed by a week in north Wales, but it wasn't the best, tbh
Anyway, we've decided to get rid and get a panel van (probably Stellantis), maybe partially converted already, although I quite fancy building one out myself (even if I'm getting too old for that sort of thing
).I quite fancy another run down to Spain, partly to see me old mate, and best man, in Valencia now that he has virtually rebuilt his family home following the floods. We also need to catch up with 'er indoors' cousins near Confolens, France. We haven't seen either for a couple of years. Eight weeks should do it I think.
Just need to get orf me rse...
Chicken Chaser said:
We've just booked Keswick (hoping it doesn't flood) for Feb half term. For 3 weeks in summer we are off via Rotterdam to Troyes, Annecy and Vosges (near Gerardmer). I'm looking at Wales for April and want to explore Snowdonia area but not sure where to base. CC has a site south of Blenau Ffestiniog and CCC has one at Bala? Walking, mountain biking, some activities and a nearby pub for good grub is always welcome. Kids are 12 and 8 so outdoor stuff tailored for them. I do fancy the zip wire stuff and the MTBing around there though.
We stayed here when we visited the area. Nice campsite and easy walk into Llanberis which you can do through the woods behind the site. Plenty of pubs, places to eat and easy walk to one of the main routes up to Snowden. Edited by Chicken Chaser on Sunday 11th January 00:02
https://www.morris-leisure.co.uk/touring-caravan-s...
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