Weekend near Bridlington

Please post your photos and descriptions of your Carawagon, Dormobile or Camper here.
Fletch
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 9:56 pm
Location: Sheffield

Weekend near Bridlington

Post by Fletch » Sun Mar 23, 2014 4:58 pm

Frosty morning
Frosty morning
2018.jpg (14.54 KiB) Viewed 9077 times
First weekend away...........and possibly the last :shakehead: :banghead:. It was one of those weekends when you should just stay at home. The wife is now looking at caravans.
Attachments
2012.jpg
2012.jpg (15.03 KiB) Viewed 9077 times
Fletch
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 9:56 pm
Location: Sheffield

Re: Weekend near Bridlington

Post by Fletch » Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:05 pm

One of the wee men was ill, and I mean ill (all over the place at night). Skin missing off my finger and thumb. Feet are still cold. Very tired. And the roof had a little accident when I folded it down.
User avatar
RMS
Posts: 2236
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:02 am
Location: Near Wakefield, UK, in God's own Country!

Re: Weekend near Bridlington

Post by RMS » Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:36 pm

Well, I think you were brave to try it :bow:

Personally, although I love my Carawagon(s), I'm not convinced they are for everyone.
Indeed, travelling solo I think they are great; room to do everything you need to and nobody gets in anyone's way.
Travelling with a group of vehicles, as I tend to do most of the time, we tend not to 'live' in the vehicle - awning poles out, tarp thrown over, tables, chairs and firepit out and the vehicle is only used for sleeping.

Travelling as a couple gets a little more difficult, unless you use a rear awning as there's not really a lot of room inside, and that's where you want to be when it's cold outside - nice and cosy inside with the Eberspacher/Propex going.

Travelling as a family? I really wouldn't do it. I remember my parents having a VW Dormobile when I was a kid - my sister and me in the bunks and parents in the bed. We spent weeks away every holiday, sometimes with the awning to accomodate my grandparents and auntie as well!
It seemed to be accepted back then, but folk don't seem to want to camp like sardines these days - look at the size of modern 2 berth caravans! They are bigger than the 5 berth we had back in the 70s!

Three of us, all adults, went to Morocco in Patrick's Carawagon (Station Wagon version), but although the bunk is adult sized, most nights Patrick spent in a hammock slung between vehicles or trees or Susan & I put up a ridge tent rather than all sleeping in the vehicle.

As I say, you were brave to try it as a family, and I do know couples and families who regularly go on Continental trips in their LR Campers (both Dormobiles as it happens), but to me, a camper is perfect for one and ok for two :cheers:

Oh, and what happened to the roof?

Cheers,
Robin.
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
Fletch
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 9:56 pm
Location: Sheffield

Re: Weekend near Bridlington

Post by Fletch » Sun Mar 23, 2014 6:43 pm

We're happy enough it was just one of those weekends, I think :wink:, The roof didn't sit right as I folded it down and a few of the hinge screws came out of the wood, I'll get around to fixing it but I've got an operation next weekend on my shoulder so maybe a weekend or two after. Booked again though for in a months time, can't give up just yet........unless the wife finds a buyer :aaagh:
User avatar
DanC
Posts: 308
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 11:22 am
Location: Carlisle, Cumbria

Re: Weekend near Bridlington

Post by DanC » Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:16 pm

These things happen, don't listen to Robin the harbinger of doom... Two of us use my Dormi for weeks, not a problem, I lent it to my mate with two young kids, they loved it. For every bad experience (and they happen) you get ten good ones. I like it in mine, nice and cosy, drink in hand and portable DVD... Fab night in.
'The Wagon' 1962 Martin Walters Dormobile, 2.25 Petrol
'Bessy' 1965 2.25 88" diesel
'Daisy' 1958 2.25 88" diesel
User avatar
RMS
Posts: 2236
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:02 am
Location: Near Wakefield, UK, in God's own Country!

Re: Weekend near Bridlington

Post by RMS » Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:36 pm

I did say it was ok for two Dan :neener:

When you lent it to your friend with the kids, was that in the summer? There's a world of difference between camping out when it's nice enough to stay outside, just using the camper for cooking and sleeping, and when it's cold and miserable and everyone wants to be inside where the heater is :wink:

As I say, we used to go away for weeks in the VW Dormobile as a family of four when I was a kid - I don't remember being terribly unhappy then so maybe I'm just getting grumpy in my old age :whistle:

Cheers,
Robin.
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
User avatar
DanC
Posts: 308
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 11:22 am
Location: Carlisle, Cumbria

Re: Weekend near Bridlington

Post by DanC » Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:49 pm

It was cold and wet... Having camped in mine in all conditions I have no issue. What I am saying is don't put the guy off on one experience, it's just one experience. These vehicles are fine for two adults and two kids, regardless of weather.
'The Wagon' 1962 Martin Walters Dormobile, 2.25 Petrol
'Bessy' 1965 2.25 88" diesel
'Daisy' 1958 2.25 88" diesel
User avatar
DrivingDutchman
Posts: 392
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2014 11:44 am
Location: Raunds, Northants

Re: Weekend near Bridlington

Post by DrivingDutchman » Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:22 pm

Hope youre not going to be put off from one experience that wasn't perfect.
I had to convince my missus to not go camping in our caravan and to try the landrover. We haven't used the caravan for about 2 years now. I just bought my dormobile, so we still need to work out what the best setup is for us as a family of 4. I have got 2 girls of 10.
It's always best to try a first camping outing in a new vehicle when you have nice weather. At least you can get used to the whole thing and when you do get a bad spell, you have had some good experences to compare it with and then it doesn't look so bad.

Hope to see you on a ralley or show.


Michiel
1969 109 sw dormobile Dora
1996 overland defender sw 110 Nellie
1962 109 sw safari diesel Hannie (sold)
1973 88 series 3 soft top in various bits on the drive...
Jabbawocky
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:11 pm
Info: Barney the Dormobile
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Re: Weekend near Bridlington

Post by Jabbawocky » Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:08 pm

HI Fletch

For a first trip, I think you should have waited until it got a little warmer. We love camping, but not at this time of year. Even with a cab heater in the vehicle, it is no fun as we go camping to be at one with the great outdoors.

We are family of three and love our Dormobile, but to make sure Louise continues to love it I normally head into France to try and improve the chances of good/warm weather. We also have a very solid rear awning, which connects to the side awning, making quite a large area to live in.

This did not happen overnight and I have been camping all of my nearly 50 years. Like Robin, I grew up in VW campers and had to get use to cramped spaces as there was 7 of us. We did take a trailer tent as well and us kids slept in the tent, with mum and dad in the van.

The trick with these vehicle is to take as little as possible. This type of camping is just like backpacking. The less you carry, the more you will enjoy the trip.

I have been relooking at the storage in my Dormobile, to try and have everything packed away. Luckily for me my next door neighbour is a retired Woodwork teacher with a joiners shop behind his house.

We need to have a camp where we can all meet up and share our experiences.

Looking forward to the warmer weather.

Cheers Mick
jonjeans
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:36 pm
Info: jonjeans
Location: South West UK

Re: Weekend near Bridlington

Post by jonjeans » Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:51 am

Sad story and I sympathise. But well done for going ahead with the trip.

An early holiday in my Dormobile in the Cambrian Mountains was so cold that I fitted a Webasto heater. Wife and I much more content.

Lent my spare Dormobile to my brother and partner to accompany us to Wales last summer on a beautiful weekend – wall to wall sunshine. Were they content? Nope!

Apparently the beds, both the fold done Dormatics and bunks, were too short for them. Wife and I are perhaps 3 inches taller than them and we don’t have a problem.

And the Land Rover was too noisy. Well it is a 2.25 diesel from 48 years ago.

So, some folks cannot put up with compact and older campers. Ho Hum.

Hope you give it another go.
Post Reply