By: Blonde Two
Ever since our quest to attain the most northerly point of Europe in May, Mr B2 and I have been considering camper options. The camper we rented in Tromso was basic, painted in strange graffiti and the most excellent fun ever. Of course, a huge part of the fun was to do with the fact that camping on roadsides is far easier in Europe than it is in the UK and that, in Norway, you can free camp in the most stunning of locations.
Our plan is progressing (albeit slowly). We have sold one of our vehicles and are currently going round and round in circles (mental not motorised) about what adventure vehicle it is we actually want to buy. Vans are great but have size issues, we have to buy Japanese because we have a most knowledgeable expert friend who says so, we are very reluctant to sell the truck (Toyota Hilux Surf) and lose our 4×4 ability, we would consider a roof tent… the circles get bigger and bigger, luxury (relative) versus size, versus economy, versus general good looks, versus winter cosiness, versus driving enjoyment…
Although it has never been an option for us, I had the fun opportunity to try out a couple of nights on Exmoor in my good friend Running Girl’s motorhome (AKA Molly). We had a lovely and very comfortable time and made good use of my ‘Exmoor’s tiny roads’ knowledge gained via my minibus adventures with Blonde One.
Molly has all the mod cons, four beds, a fridge, an oven (deep bliss), a loo, a shower, lights… and even a gas fire! Those are her advantages (and they are big advantages) but she is a big girl… and I am a less than confident driver. Here are my five pros and cons of motorhome life (remembering that I only tried it for two days):
Motorhome Pros:
1. Warmth (loads of options for heating)
2. Comfort (seats that are worth sitting on and soft beds)
3. Views (windows all round for cuppa and vista moments)
4. A toilet (also a con, see below)
There is one additional (and girly) pro to having a motorhome (or more specifically an oven) when you are camping. Should you have been silly enough to neglect to store your slightly damp bra in your nice warm sleeping bag, you can always do this… (thanks to Running Girl for the tip!)
Motorhome Cons:
1. Size (too big for many Dartmoor lanes)
2. Visibility (no ‘stealth’ camping with Molly)
3. Toilet (needs emptying and cleaning, bushes don’t)
4. Housework (motorhomes are little houses)
Running Girl and I had a lovely time in Molly and she did a great job of keeping us warm, dry and happy. Mr B2 will be relieved to hear, however, that I don’t think Molly (or one of her sisters) is for us… maybe we should go back to the roof tent plan!
Have you looked at the Opus Camper? I’ve been a camper, backpacker, bivvyer all my life but my Opus is the height of luxury camping for me, not a cumbersome motor home type beast. All of Molly’s mod coms but feels more like camping. And once it’s up you have the freedom of the car. opuscamper.co.uk
That’s really cute and certainly a smart alternative. Looks like a lot of fun!
It is a lot of fun, and very cosy on cool nights!
Vehicles are no different to people really they come in all shapes and sizes, some are small run over mountains through rough terrain, whereas others are built bigger for comfort amble along yet still enjoying the great outdoors. xx
Daisy, I have always felt, is one size too large for our little lanes; she’s fairly basic, but she has all I need. I’d get rid of the gas heating before the loo, though. On a long trip, the loo is bliss and most winter sites have electric hook-ups these days. Consider whether you have room for the inflatable boat/oars, canoe/paddles, bike & boots and anything else you need for your holiday hobbies. If you have to erect extra awnings and things, you might just as well erect a tent and be done with it – it’s a lot cheaper! The joy of the van is parking, and immediately starting the holiday.
All worth considering… but the joy of a 4×4 that you know will start at dawn and get you home off a snowy moor was highlighted this week. Mind you, it would have been a lot warmer sleeping inside a vehicle!