Campgrounds/sites that can accomodate large RVs

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Tom

Tom

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I can't imagine driving a large RV on the wrong side of the road, but how do you find a campground/site in the UK with pitches large enough to accommodate an RV?

Note: For folks who're unsure what a pitch is, it's the UK equivalent of a campsite. Click the Glossary button above and you'll find other RVing terms that are used on both sides of the Atlantic.
 
Tom, Whenever we enter a new camp ground and get chatting to the local natives the conversation eventually gets around to the fact that we intend to export our A class 39 ft diesel pusher back to the UK and which point the conversation goes like this.

American or Canadian: "How are you going to drive that great BIG RV on those itty bitty roads back in England?"

Me: "In America & Canada they have RV / coaches where the bed, shower, kitchen, sofas have all been removed and several rows of seats installed, the driver sits at the front, occasionally stops his vehicle to allow people to climb aboard his vehicle, they then pay the driver to take them say into town.
Believe it or not we have similar vehicles in the UK and England and we call them buses.....now wherever a bus can go I will be able to go with my 39ft RV, but I will NOT be picking up passengers"  ;D ;D ;D

American / Canadian:  :eek: :) :) :) :) :)

Yes the problem will be a few camp grounds who think they cannot accommodate us but some especially the Caravan Clubs site appear to restrict 'out fits' ( car & trailer/ caravan)  to say 35 feet when I know that a much larger outfit could be accommodated, I know because on certain sites I've done it.

Like our American / Canadian cousins some camp ground owners/ managers need educating
 
LOL Mick, having lived for 32 years in not-so-sunny South Wales, I'd love to see you get into some of the campgrounds on the Gower Peninsula. Whether it's a local bus or an RV, you wouldn't get through this road at The Mumbles (see attached photo). I doubt I'd get our toad (Chevy Suburban) through there, and sure wouldn't attempt it with the coach.

BTW have you read Keith Mashiter's book How katie pulled Boris? It's hillarious when it comes to some of the campgrounds (aka sites) they tried to get into in France and Spain. I wrote a brief book review here.

I've been along a few country roads on the Emerald Isle that I wouldn't want to take an RV. There's a reason you local Bobbies used to drive small cars (Ford Anglias or Minis) down those roads  ;D

I just noticed my typo in the subject line and fixed it. I have no idea what a capground is  :-[
 

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Tom,

As you will no doubt already know finding suitable camp grounds will only be one of our problems, powering up all the American goodies whilst on a little French municipal camp site which only has a 3amp YES 3 amp electric hook up will be another. :(

I know very little about electrics and as you know as being TJ-RV on the British RV forum Motorhome Fun I have tried to get a simple answer to that very problem........had a few replies but still waiting for the question to be answered. ::)  LOL
 
Mick,

Maybe you're asking on the wrong forum  ;D  The question has been answered here on several occasions. Check our library (click the Library button above). More specifically, check this article.

I don't answer "over there" with a link to this forum as I feel that's bad form.
 
Mick & Pat said:
now wherever a bus can go I will be able to go with my 39ft RV, but I will NOT be picking up passengers"  ;D ;D ;D
Click to expand...

Tom, you might want to rethink the passengers, with today's fuel prices it might pay...

Steve
 
Hello All,

Itchy Feet were pushing this book at the Newbury Show earlier in the year:

I've not read it myself but it might be useful.

Hope this helps :)
 
Hi Derbyflan

The books are compiled by Mo and Dick Kingswell, who often share a trade stand with Itchyfeet.

The Big Pitch Guide does cost a few quid and can be useful to carry in the RV when there is no internet access available or for those who prefer to have something in hard copy.

When there is internet and for forward planning, the Big RV Pitches being compiled on the RVOA website can be accessed for free.

I do believe there is a demand for both and we provide a free advert for Mo and Dick on the website.

Paul


 
Paul,

I don't know why Dick & Mo don't produce a map overlay containing pushpin locations of ALL their Big Pitches for Auto Route this would be a good way of getting around any copy write problems and I'm sure similar downloads could be produced for Tom Tom?

Mick
 
Hi Mick

I would think that copyright concerns are the reason they don't do it.

If you wanted to share their book with others you would have to scan/photocopy every page, which obviously puts people off.

If you have a computer file it is too easy to share/resell that file and all their hard work goes straight out the window.

It would have been so easy for the RVOA to steal their campsite database and give it away for free; but I promised Dick from the outset that it wouldn't be done. He was kind enough to say he didn't mind, but I feel it only fair that they should continue to receive payment for their efforts.

Paul

 
RVOA said:
Hi Derbyflan

....the Big RV Pitches being compiled on the RVOA website can be accessed for free.
Click to expand...

Sorry Paul :)

I didn't know you were also offering that service.

Saved to faves now ;)
 
Paul,

I know what you are saying and once we have the USA out of our blood and ship back to the UK I will immediately purchase BOTH UK & European copies of Dick's BPG, however I have become so use at using Tom Tom for our main navigation and Streets & Tips or Autoroute for route planning.

Mick
 
Hi Derbyflan

Mo and Dicks guide is handy to carry in the RV.

The "problem" with it is the lack of information about each campsite - there is only so much you can fit onto an A4 sheet and they decided from the outset that it would be good to show pictures of the route into the site and perhaps a photo of the designated RV pitch/es available.

Dick has now started to add a bit more detail on each new pitch added (such as Amps), but he wont be able to do that for existing sites, due to the time taken.

If you contact him, I'm sure he would email you a sample page.

Paul




Mick,

Mo and Dick do provide the Lat/Lon for each site, so I'm sure you could spend a day or two adding them to an excel file and make a POI for your TomTom.

Unfortunately, there is a bit of apathy amongst RVers in the UK and they are slow in coming forward to add new RV pitches to the RV Owners Association website. It's a bit frustrating as the facility is there for everyone and if each member added just 1 site each we would have 400 RV campsites listed for everyones free use.

Once we get to that level, I will format a set of free POIs for each SatNav type.

Paul
 
Hi All

Olley and myself have been compiling a Google map  with all the sites we have used and know can accomodate an RV .. it can be found on the forum RVFulltiming or by direct link here ;
RV Suitable sites in Europe

Full details with GPS are on each flag, these can be downloaded by using the 'print' command on the map ..

Hope I haven't broken any forum rules by posting ..

Regards

Jim 
 
That's a great resource Jim; Good work by you and Olley. I first saw it when you posted it elsewhere, and it gave me some ideas for some things we could do here.
 
Tom said:
That's a great resource Jim; Good work by you and Olley. I first saw it when you posted it elsewhere, and it gave me some ideas for some things we could do here.
Click to expand...

Hi Tom , thanks

we are continually updating and also looking for others who wish to collaborate .. we particularly need more sites in central and eastern Europe , Turkey, Greece etc ..
if anyone wishes to contribute please let me know.. I'm also more than happy for it to be displayed as a map on the forum..

I feel a resource like this should be freely available to all RVes, just like a Wiki ..

Jim
 
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