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I'm planning on making use of our self converted van next year and going away in it for a month. I'm after inspiration/suggestions on where to go/base myself.
I'm thinking of not spending the whole month in one spot and instead moving slightly each weekend or fortnight.
- Drive-able distance (Dont want to spend a week driving to the location but a broken up weekend is fine)
- Must have good internet (I know this is down to a specific location but people may be specific)
- Fantastic walking from the door, sensible walks for week days but epic hikes for weekends/evenings.
- Dog friendly area.
- Nice weather area but not roasting (I've not decided which month but I'll certainly avoid all school holidays)
- Some road biking or MTBing from the door but nothing epic that takes all day.
- Supermarket for food supplies without needing to drive for an hour or more.
What ya got?!
Auvergne or Limousin areas in France.
Morocco?
i would base myself somewhere near Clermont Ferrand.
nice town, amazing walking, amazing biking, amazing local food in super markets and 5 national parks withing a couple of hours drive.
Carcassonne in the south of France.
Morzine/ Les gets?
when makes all the difference on the Roasting part 😕
Briancon/Serre Che area. Or Annecy
Hourtin
Black Forrest Germany.
Recommended what you know - Oriental Pyrenees / Spanish border/ Perpignan region. Multi national area with the French, Dutch and Germans holidaying there. Lots of campsites/Aires. Good for supermarkets.
Good area for artists - Dali etc
Nice clean not busy beaches
21hours drive for us (just north of Manchester)
La Jonquera is just down the road for cheap 'duty free' booze/fuel/food/meats (it's where the French go for their big shop).
Local markets with great fresh fruit/veg/cheese etc
Cheap wine
Good for water sports - some good inland salt water lagoons/lakes at Barcares for kite surfing/sailing etc
Les Angles for bike parks/walks, or head north for Morzine.
The French love dogs - our big doggo has always been welcome everywhere
Me and MrsRNP have a foothold in the area and have been visiting for 20years.
An overnight ferry to Santander,then explore along that North coast or head into the Picos 👍
TBH as it’s a month you could actually take a leisurely drive down the east coast
https://www.spain.info/en/route/road-trip-east-coast-spain/
and do a 2 day drive back the direct route.
An overnight ferry to Santander,then explore along that North coast or head into the Picos
^ this.
Ferry to Santander or Bilbao, from there you have your pick of northern Spain, south of France, bay of biscay, Pyrenees etc. guaranteed good weather, great food and campsites galore.
There are 2 down sides to the Northern Spain via Ferry thing. Firstly the ferry with a van will be expensive.£900? Secondly that coast, Lovely as it is, can be wet.
That wouldn’t make it a no for me but good for thought
I’m really annoyed that I don’t have a good answer myself
Henley on Thames
Slovenia but its further.
Germanys seriously under rated. Boat from hull to zebrugge n boom through the Netherlands into the fatherland
Any hilly area in Germany/Poland/Slovakia.
Polands a great shout
Norway.
Camber Sands Pontins?
Galicia - NW Spain, head to Pontevedra.
Ventoux area of Provence is lovely.
Thanks all some great ideas to look up.
Middle of France - parents live an hour north of Limoges so seems a bit daft to be quite close because I could just stay with them.
Norway - although I like the idea of it, you can no longer sail to there from the UK so it looks like it works out a blooming long way!
I think anywhere from April onwards but before summer holidays sounds like a good shout. I'm a little worried the north of spain will be getting too hot.
Germany and Black Forest sounds a good shout, overnight ferry to Amsterdam maybe and then drive from there.
"April onwards but before summer holidays sounds like a good shout. I’m a little worried the north of spain will be getting too hot."
I certainly wouldn't worry about that too much - the weather temperatures there are marginally higher than England, but even in August it doesn't get oppressive.
Slough
I'd drive down to the Riviera, going via Alps one way and more direct the other.
Dunno how hot it might be, but it's cooler up in the hills in Liguria anyway.
I’m a little worried the north of spain will be getting too hot.
TBF, we had a couple of days of late 20's while we were there - but certainly less than further inland would be. Mostly though it was early 20s.
Baltic coast appeals to me as well
Mmmm yeah I'd rather 20 and below, just drier than England would be fine! My dog will be travelling with me and hotter than 22 and he starts to get uncomfortable and walks become a challenge to continually factor in overheating.
Had no idea direct ferries to Norway had stopped, old housemate ~25 years ago lived there and ferried to Stavanger iirc.
Norway – although I like the idea of it, you can no longer sail to there from the UK so it looks like it works out a blooming long way!
It's a three day touristy/relaxed drive from HoH to Oslo up through Germany, Denmark and Sweden. Good campsites, and once out of Germany, bugger all traffic.
Can either drive it all, or use ferries to cut out bits of the driving.
I do Göteborg/HoH in two 6 or 7 hour hits, so it can be done to Oslo in one (long) day.
What @mert said. HoH from Harwich overnight, a day to Köpenhamn and then across the bridge to Sweden and north (then east, west or moar north depending on your fancy). The West Coast is nice at that time of year (I hear), but it's right at the point that things are getting normal temperatures and fifth false spring has passed.
How about Denmark? We went there for 3 weeks in the summer and had a great time.
Plus points:
Lots of low lying islands and picturesque places, great for watersports (sea canoeing, sailing, paddle boards), everywhere has bike lanes in towns, lots of cycle routes outside towns.
Quiet but friendly people.
Can usually get understood speaking English.
Lots of great campsites.
'only' about 800km from the Newcastle to Holland ferry.
Loads to explore
Not too hot
Some nice rolling hills
Ready made 'shelter campsites' all over for wilderness nights out.
Supermarkets we're affordable (not cheap)
Good cultural stuff in the towns and citiesSchool holidays differ from UkLegoland
Minus points:
No big mountains
More expensive than the UK. Bit more than Netherlands (fuel was about the same as NL and cheaper than Germany)
Everyone speaks English so not so foreign
Its 800km from the ferry
Eating out is expensive
Legoland
Id definitely go back.
Svendborg
Campsite views
Hell.
It must be good as so many people have recommended I go there, IIRC it's in Norway.
How about Denmark?...Can usually get understood speaking English.
Not only are you likely to be understood speaking English, but they speak it so well they're likely to correct your grammar if you make a mistake!
If you do the Hull - Rotterdam ferry thing to Black Forest then you can also detour to some of the Netherlands Heathlands or Harz Mountains which are worth an explore.
Similarly the Scandi options aren't a terrible drive as mentioned by others (have done Rotterdam - Puttgarten in a day including losing 3 hours to a breakdown). Love Denmark but wouldn't want an extended stay if you are a mountain person.
Have also done Rotterdam to Bregenzerwald in Austria in a long but steady day (arriving at 10pm). Free lift and bus passes if you are staying local but not sure if that extends to campsites. Heading across to Kassel and then south is a slightly easier drive than the busier west side / Koln / Frankfurt.
Sounds a bit like Croydon. I believe the mayor once described it as the New York of England. Good Swedish Meatballs to be had on Purley Way.
TJ's for the crack.
Meander through Spain and Ferry into Morocco.
Morocco is a good shout - I've driven there from the UK as part of an organised 4x4 tour (twice) so have seen a lot of the country.
The people are really nice (except for the usual chancers in the cities) the landscapes are awesome and its pretty cheap to live there if you avoid the boutique hotels/spas/etc.
Downsides are what happens if you have a vehicle issue (accident or breakdown) or need medical assistance - however my mate cut his hand badly and the hospital, whilst a bit agricultural were great.
My choice would be Italy - I've driven from London to Lake Garda twice - we did the return journey in one hit each time - which was 12 hours from Garda to Calais - although this was in a BMW MPV which was an awesome mile-muncher.
Yeah its a bit of a trek but you can break it up with a stop in France/Switzerland/etc. There is loads to do in Northern Italy, loads of campsites and again, pretty cheap to live if you're sensible.
We love lake Garda - North end is great for 'adventure' sports - MTB, hang gliding, etc - whereas the south is a little more calm/chilled.
NE Spain, french & Spanish Pyrenees, Provence and north Italy within easy reach - I do it every year
Norway is awesome. Shame the ferry doesn't go there direct any more but great place for vanning.
Having said which, I went to kayak, ski and ice climb. If you're not into any of them then....
Germany. Had loads of great tips to Frankenjura, but that was mainly rock climbing and seeing in laws. Reasonable MTB and great road riding in the area.