Camping plans for 2026?

[stevemcs]

Just been to pinecones in Norfolk, should have been two days but we kept getting messages saying smoke was detected in the house, so had to comeback to see if the house was still standing. The campsites was very quiet though.

Edited by stevemcs on Monday 2nd February 13:21

[tobinen]

Solo camping with a tent this year (yet to buy the tent, still researching):

June: Austria F1 and may camp along the way and back (Le Havre port).
July: Dorset near Swanage
August: south of Bath for a wedding reception.
September: Madrid F1 and may camp along the way and back (Santander port).

I am open to suggestions in Europe ref the above.

[j4r4lly]

tobinen said:

Solo camping with a tent this year (yet to buy the tent, still researching):

June: Austria F1 and may camp along the way and back (Le Havre port).
July: Dorset near Swanage
August: south of Bath for a wedding reception.
September: Madrid F1 and may camp along the way and back (Santander port).

I am open to suggestions in Europe ref the above.

You could take in Haro on your visit to Spain. We’ve stayed here a couple of times. Haro is the capital of Rioja and is surrounded by bodegas, many of which have tours of their facilities with wine tasting included. The site is 10 mins walk along the river into the town which is very Spanish and picturesque.

https://www.campingdeharo.com/

[j4r4lly]

We’re regular visitors to Southwold and have a couple more trips booked already this year following one last month. We have a long weekend to Dorset and are trying fit in a couple of long weekends to Cromer in Norfolk and Broadway in the Cotswolds.

[tobinen]

It looks good, thanks. Bookmarked.

[_Rodders_]

Tent didn't come out of the shed last year.

Really need to this year. It'll depend to some degree on what we do for our main summer holiday but would love to get down to Devon if time off and the weather allows.

[The Gauge]

No definite plans or bookings made for this year, but I've just had my first trip of the year being a long weekend at Somers Wood caravan site whilst visiting the NEC.

Edited by The Gauge on Sunday 29th March 22:55

[Rob 131 Sport]

The Gauge said:

No definite plans or bookings made for this year, but I've just had my first trip of the year being a long weekend at Somers Wood caravan site whilst visiting the NEC.

Edited by The Gauge on Sunday 29th March 22:55

I think I’ve mentioned before that your car and caravan are a lovely combination. Just in case I didn’t, I certainly have now.

[The Gauge]

Thank you. I'm just relived that the 7 Series is certified to tow as some big cars aren't, It really does tow the caravan well, and without any effort.
I'm contemplating upgrading next year to the newer G11 variant of the 7 Series, or possibly an X5. But for now I'm pretty much in love with this F01 model.

[MOMACC]

Did the first trip of the year at the weekend.
White Lodge in great Heywood nr Stafford.
Basic but a good park for the kid
5 minute walk to the local pub with good ale and food.
Small bar at the site, had the boxing on and John Smiths was £2.50 a pint.

First trip out in our new Weinsberg

[Ed Boon II]

We moved our caravan to a seasonal spot at Newlands in 2025, fees are £4500 and we used it twice for a total of 3 days, oops.

2026, still at Newlands, but on a better pitch. We are not going overseas until Trump and Iran have made friends so we’ll be spending more time here, but need to see where this tiny damp spot is coming from,any ideas very welcome,

[Rob 131 Sport]

Ed Boon II said:

We moved our caravan to a seasonal spot at Newlands in 2025, fees are £4500 and we used it twice for a total of 3 days, oops.

2026, still at Newlands, but on a better pitch. We are not going overseas until Trump and Iran have made friends so we ll be spending more time here, but need to see where this tiny damp spot is coming from,any ideas very welcome,

I’ve just watched something on YouTube regarding the cost of caravan ownership. To me unless you really used it a great deal the numbers don’t really stack up.

[Ed Boon II]

Agree, at one time after Covid caravan residuals were incredibly strong, I have a relative who works at Swift and they could not build them fast enough.

But to counter that the cost of siting caravans, motorhomes and tents went through the roof, in the UK anyway.

More recently Swift got rid of half their workforce, I think other manufacturers are in the same position.

But will this swing the other way again if people are forced to stay closer to home due to the cost of fuel?

This will be the first year we haven’t ventured abroad since Covid, Staycation could be back for a while if Iran drags on.

The great thing about a caravan is that when the weather is crap you are at least in the warm and dry.

We’re packed and ready to go, a 90 minute drive and our little Easter break commences, beer, bbq and bingo on the plans for tonight, classy

[Sway]

Big step forward for our plans this year. Bought the base vehicle to convert (luckily, a very nice example came up at the right price just before year end as I'm buying through company). Under 50k miles 2019 Sprinter chassis cab direct from Merc.

Initial layout test (with essentially zero systems in place, nor indeed proper furniture or windows!) will be Mrs Sway's scout camp over the May Bank Holiday. Then it's a mission to get it into final spec to see the Northern Lights this winter in Scandi. In between, really should do some UK shakedown - maybe Lake District/NC500.

[The Gauge]

Ed Boon II said:

More recently Swift got rid of half their workforce, I think other manufacturers are in the same position.

But will this swing the other way again if people are forced to stay closer to home due to the cost of fuel?

Whist this fuel issue is happening I’m not planning or booking any holidays, abroad or caravan. We might still go away in the caravan but it’ll be spontaneous and using more local sites depending on fuel availability

[Spuffington]

We’re currently in Ireland after a 600mile (to date) trip around the UK then down to Dublin. Back to Cambs next week.

We have summer booked in Austria in the van but now very much doubting whether that will be possible with the fuel situation in August.

Think it’ll be a case of responding ad hoc to the situation as it unfolds. You’d have thought having a van would give some flexibility but having a 90litre tank and 21mpg limits things a bit if fuel is at a premium.

[Ed Boon II]

I’m glad (lucky) we moved our caravan to a seasonal pitch that’s only just over an hour away, we had a lovely few days away and I only used a quarter of a tank of diesel.

Coming home I needed to fill up and it was £2.09 for a litre of super diesel, that’s crazy and definitely means we won’t be doing our annual trip to Port Grimaud this year.

[classicaholic]

We have just come back from nearly 3 weeks in France in the camper and didnt see many problems with fuel apart from the price!

We were going to do the Alps in June but have decided to do the complete Welsh coast as it will save £750 in fuel and ferries.

[POIDH]

Ed Boon II said:

We moved our caravan to a seasonal spot at Newlands in 2025, fees are £4500 and we used it twice for a total of 3 days, oops.

Wow.
And I thought running a camper was spenny....
Although I have just seen friends scrap a Mazda Bongo bought in 2022/end of pandemic for £12k and last week it was scrapped for £100...

[TwinKam]

Just booked up for BSB at Brands, Thruxton, and Donnington (also WSBK), a week near Wareham in August, and will doubtless grab a couple of improv. long weekends nearer home.