Visit UK with Fitroën camper

[furriegurrie]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the right spot on the forum to place this question, if not please move the topic to it's appropriate place.
We have an '78 Fiat 242 camper with a UK build Hilton camper set-up. The 242 has been co-produced with Citroën and is basically 95% the same as a C35.
I already placed a picture of it in the awful camper topic a while back
This is what it looks like:


I've got a topic on it on the Dutch Citroen Forum if you'd want to see more:
http://www.citroen-forum.nl/forums/viewthread/227768/

For this summer holiday we are thinking of taking the ferry and visit the south of England. Any tips? Do's or don'ts? Any support points should we have a breakdown either mentally of mechanically?
We have two boys age 5 and 7 who do like to get out and walk trails (exciting ones, not concrete paved roads and only a couple of hours). We'll be looking at the second half of August for this holiday.
We like to camp on smaller camping grounds with mostly tents, not the big luxury mobile home places.

Any suggestions are most welcome!

[NewcastleFalcon]

.....have to declare my bias here...

Dont bother with "The South" get the ferry from Amsterdam straight to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, make the "sea voyage" part of the holiday, take in a bit of the Northumberland Coast and Castles, head over the border to Scotland, stop off at Dunbar and take the train into Edinburgh for a bit of entertainment at festival time, head over the Forth Road bridge up to Perth and head for some Mountains and lochs. Pootle back at your own pace back down to Newcastle, and have a nice ferry ride home with an easy drive at the other end.

Might add some pics later to tempt you! Believe me...the South has absolutely nothing to offer!

Regards Neil

[furriegurrie]

What about the weather??


But please do put up some pictures! Nothing is set yet, we're just starting to plan. The advantage of going to the UK is that it does not require days of driving to get there as the ferry trip will indeed be part of the fun!

[CitroJim]

I will wish you an early welcome to the UK Furriegurrie

My vote would be to visit the South West - in particular the Somerset/Devon border regions between Minehead and Ilfracombe along the costal stretch of Exmoor..
There's some supreme hiking trails around there and the scenery is stunning, especially around Lynton/Lynmouth...

Sea fishing is good along there too. Catch, gut and cook all within 15 minutes for a perfect snack!

I'll be going there for a bit of a cycling holiday later in the year when the weather is good. There's some very serious hills down that way...

[CitroJim]

What about the weather??

Late August should be fine... It often is but the UK weather can be very variable...

Normally the very best weather is the second week in September.. Just after the children return to school after their summer holiday...

[Stickyfinger]

If you cannot get to Scotland (:)) the I also would vote the Dorset coast down into Devon....very English

HMS Victory and Mary Rose Museum (on the way) New Forest (cycling) ...Tank Museum....Haynes Motor Museum...>Salisbury Cathedral....Stonehenge ......Jurassic Coast.....Sidmouth/Ottery St Mary...........Lots for you and the kids as well.

[furriegurrie]

I'd love to go to Scotland or Ireland, but my girlfriend is too afraid we will not see anything but the inside of the Fitroën because of the rain...

[daviemck2006]

Well I'm biased so I say Scotland. Yes, it may rain, but I have spent 2 weeks in the English lake district when it rained every day, and 2 weeks in Cornwall in July when it rained most days. You just take a chance in the UK, any part of the UK with the weather.

Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk

[NewcastleFalcon]

I'd love to go to Scotland or Ireland, but my girlfriend is too afraid we will not see anything but the inside of the Fitroën because of the rain...

Take a chance, and if it rains just go out and get wet!

Now my little journey for you in pictures goes something like this

Arrival in the Tyne.....between Tynemouth/South Shields Piers


Tynemouth Priory


Northumberland Coast and Castles.....nicely summed up by Bamburgh Castle. Try Lindisfarne(Holy Island) for miles of beach to run about on.


and a nice location to eat your fish and chips at having bought them at Carlo's in Alnwick.


That's Northumberland in a nutshell......

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

..on to the Scotland leg......stop off at Dunbar

We have stayed at the Camping and Caravaning club site which has a very nice situation to the south of Dunbar, looking down over the coast to the town. Yes on one side there is the Cement Works, but its still pretty good . At least when you see the cement works off the A1 you should be able to find the camping site easily



Edinburgh at festival time....



Over the Forth Road Bridge heading for the hills



Perth



and then on to the hills and lochs nearby





Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

...then there's the slow pootle home...back down to Newcastle and sail off between the piers with small tears rolling down your cheeks as you bit farewell to the Tyne.



Regards Neil

[Stickyfinger]

Jurasic Coast....South coast walks ect
https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl= ... 3VV8MJCkE=


Hunt for Dinosaurs with your kids
http://www.visit-dorset.com/about-the-a ... ssic-coast

[furriegurrie]

so it's been decided bij the better half that the North is out of the question, or at least so while the boys are small (ish).

So we'll be taking the ferry from Calais to Dover and we'll be touring the South part of England. Jurrasic coast is definitely on the list, which is normally made by my girlfriend. I just do the driving
To be fair she does normally pick out the right things to see and do! There are just 2 things I've put on the list: Stonehenge and the motor museum in Beaulieu.

Looks like we'll be over in the UK for about 3 weeks, starting 8th of august and back home somewhere end of week 34. Seems our holiday has been made a little bit cheaper recently, always a nice thing!

[CitroJim]

Do very much enjoy I hope you'll find us Southerners friendly and hospitable

As you are in the south may I recommend the Haynes Motor Museum for a visit...

[furriegurrie]

Thanks Jim! It'll be a challenge driving on the other side of the road with this vehicle. I've driven in the UK before and a good few kilometers in New Zealand as well, but that was with "normal" vehicles. Not with 1 where you have to drive in 4 dimensions: length, width, height and time!