>> Have a yearning for a motor caravan. But having been stuck on the motorbike behind
>> a lot of them bringing Scotland to a standstill a couple of weekends ago I'm
>> not so sure now :S. However it was peak season.
>>
....motorcaravanning is of course (or at least should be) a very different pastime to caravanning. (It's also much more classy and upmarket ;-) )
It really lends itself much better to extended touring and exploring, not stopping anywhere for any great length of time (unless, of course, you find somewhere special). The contrast with traditional caravanning does not suit everyone.
I've had campervans and motorcaravans for over 30 years (since before they were so fashionable and ubiquitous, at least in the UK). They've now become an aspirational purchase for a significant proportion of the population (much more so than caravans, as evidenced by the changing mix we've seen on sites over the years). This, combined with the general increase in tourism in general, and to "honeypot" areas in particular*, has made it more of a challenge to get the best from the lifestyle, but it is still possible.
Our 'van gets probably 100+ nights' use in a good year; lives on the drive so we can be away at the drop of a hat, and supports our preferred holiday practice of heading off into Europe with only an outline plan, seeking scenery, food, wine, walking and cycling. We've been to the North of Norway, Sweden and Finland, and as far South as Venice. West to Ireland and East to the Czech Republic and Slovenia. We never fail to find some delightful and entertaining places, largely unexpected and off the beaten track.
In Scotland, the promotion of the NC500 has led to an overpopulation of motorcaravans, as it has with other forms of tourism (frankly, it was already becoming a pain in season without that promotion - it has now lost it's almost unique (UK-wise) attraction of relative solitude). Of course, many of the 'vans are now from the continent, and motorcaravans, unlike the towed variety, have an active hire market, leading to drivers unfamiliar with a unit of that size. Combine that with the propensity to travel in convoy (notably the Italians and French, but sometimes the Germans as well) and you have a recipe for chaos.
In Europe, the only other place I've encountered so far that suffers similarly from motorcaravans is the Lofoten Islands in Norway. It's not so much the traffic, as the feeling that it would all be a lot more attractive without all these other vehicles (mine is fine, of course ;-) )
If it's any consolation, though I don't particularly dawdle, I do always watch out for motorbikes, and "assist" them past if necessary.
*having had two longish sessions in NZ in the last 18 months, in addition to 3+ weeks in Canada, it is obvious that certain locations are rapidly drowning under the weight of tourism. The popular places in NZ are on the cusp if not already there, Canada, particularly around Banff and Lake Louise is definitely already there. Both the NZ tours were by motorhome, and we found it relatively easy to miss the worst but still see the best sights; Canada we did fly-drive, and were glad we hadn't taken an RV as we did 19 years ago, as the roads were awash, and the sites full.
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