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Sugestions for somewhere other than France

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  • 14-01-2015 12:40pm
    #1
    Repolho
    Registered Users Posts: 381 ✭✭


    Hi All,

    Time to start planning this years holidays. The Mrs wants to go somewhere other than France this year so I am looking for suggestions.

    Criteria.....
    • We're flexible about when we go but we can only go for 2 weeks.
    • There are just the 2 of us.
    • We enjoy walking & cycling and sightseeing when we go on holidays.
    • Our van is a 1976 vw westie. It's not the fastest van in the world so really long distances are not feasible.

    All suggestions greatly appreciated, thanks.


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    #2
    Benbecul97
    Registered Users Posts: 988 ✭✭✭Benbecul97


    South Wales / South West England


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    #3
    piuswal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭piuswal


    Benbecul97 wrote: »
    South Wales / South West England

    Lovely - was there a long time ago.
    If GB is out you could consider going Dover Calais and on into Belgium, Southern Holland or Luxembourg and parts of Germany.


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    #4
    niloc1951
    Registered Users Posts: 2,037 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    piuswal wrote: »
    Lovely - was there a long time ago.
    If GB is out you could consider going Dover Calais and on into Belgium, Southern Holland or Luxembourg and parts of Germany.

    We spent a few weeks in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern area of Germany, the area north of Berlin up to the Baltic coast. It's a bit of a hidden gem, when we were there in the month of July we saw only the occasional DK reg and no UK or F.
    The Baltic ports and resorts are beautiful and a throw back to the early 20th. century a lot was left unchanged during the time the area was part of the old East Germany and it still retains its old charm like cobbled streets in the towns.
    The area around Lake Muritz is also worth exploring.

    There is an abundance of low priced campsites and stellplatz (Aires)

    The area is about 800 or 900 kms from the Belgian or Dutch ferry ports. The best one for the shortest drive would be The Hook of Holland where you can get a ferry to from Harwich in the UK

    A Visit to Berlin would be well worth the extra few kms, there is a Campsite at N52.5951602 E13.2896213 for about €15 per night inc. EHU, toilets/showers and a launderette. It's a short walk from a U-Bahn (metro) into the centre of the city.


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    #5
    Repolho
    Registered Users Posts: 381 ✭✭Repolho


    Thanks for the suggestions.

    We went to South Wales and South West England a couple of years ago and it was lovely so definitely worth considering again.

    I like the Germany suggestion but am a bit worried about driving the English motorways. I found it quite stressful driving them the last time we were there.


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    #6
    moodrater
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,638 ✭✭✭moodrater


    Netherlands good weather generally very friendly and speak english you can cycle everywhere and they all drive like grannies you'll have to bring your own craic though :-)


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    #7
    Nekarsulm
    Registered Users Posts: 11,190 ✭✭✭✭Nekarsulm


    If you can stomach the driving time, Germany would be great. We found the people ultra friendly, the campsites well run and friendly, road manners excellent and road users there seem to love a Westy! Small villages have great little festivals and the food and beer and wine are all great. We hope to head from Cherborg over to Germany this year.


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    #8
    *Kol*
    Registered Users Posts: 2,549 ✭✭✭*Kol*


    Scotland would be nice. You could get the ferry over from Larne and avoid England. Some great sights to see in the highlands and some nice cities too.


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    #9
    piuswal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭piuswal


    Nekarsulm wrote: »
    If you can stomach the driving time, Germany would be great. We found the people ultra friendly, the campsites well run and friendly, road manners excellent and road users there seem to love a Westy! Small villages have great little festivals and the food and beer and wine are all great. We hope to head from Cherborg over to Germany this year.

    Calais to Seehof, about 100km east of Hamburg is c 800-1000 km.
    Beautiful around Seehof.
    Lots of campsites - still showing signs of the old GDR setup, at least in 2012 but very reasonable.
    Hamburg is enroute - you can actually camp in the city; e.g. see http://www.camping-buchholz.de/

    Arnhem is an option on the way - if you've any interest in history and WW2, A Bridge Too Far.

    Run Calais to Seehof on google maps and see the route options it gives; lots of very interesting places on the different routes. All good roads and, I think, all toll free.

    Quite a few campsites around Arnhem- this is the one I stayed in

    "We near by the airborne museum 4km. John frost Bridge: 4km. Airborne
    cemetery 3km. museum 40-45: 3km.
    Information center near by the JF bridge: 4km.
    1 day is to short to visit all but you very welcome!


    Kind regards and see you on Warnsborn,
    Felix and Margo
    Camping Warnsborn
    Bakenbergseweg 257
    6816 PB Arnhem
    Tel: 0031 26 44 234 69
    www.campingwarnsborn.nl

    Direction Arnhem Noord - Burgers Zoo- than following the camping direction.
    Don't follow Arnhem centrum than you must cross the city center and that is
    not necessary."

    I suggest that you look at both Cherbourg and Calais as points of entry to mainland Europe. Decide about how far you are willing to travel and run a few routes out of both ports.

    If your interested in beaches etc you could consider Noirmoutier-en-l'Île, just SW of Nantes but really there are lots of choices.


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    #10
    SeamusG97
    Closed Accounts Posts: 384 ✭✭SeamusG97


    Was in Sweden once and thought it would be a great place to visit with the MH. It was during a heatwave though in 2006. Beautiful country, nice beers and pleasant people. It never quite gets dark in summer which can disorient the Irish drinking patterns. (Shur it's only evening - we'll have one more....) Nightfall is sometime in October I think...


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    #11
    killalanerr
    Registered Users Posts: 1,322 ✭✭✭killalanerr


    *Kol* wrote: »
    Scotland would be nice. You could get the ferry over from Larne and avoid England. Some great sights to see in the highlands and some nice cities too.

    Never been in the van but back in our biking days we done Scotland quite a few times,the highlands are breath taking,i would love to do it in the van


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    #12
    shaysue
    Registered Users Posts: 67 ✭✭shaysue


    Germany is very motorhome friendly. Try along the Moselle river. Much nicer than the Rhine. Bavaria fabulous.


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    #13
    Morgan The Moon
    Registered Users Posts: 115 ✭✭Morgan The Moon


    Repolho wrote: »
    Hi All,

    Time to start planning this years holidays. The Mrs wants to go somewhere other than France this year so I am looking for suggestions.

    Criteria.....
    • We're flexible about when we go but we can only go for 2 weeks.
    • There are just the 2 of us.
    • We enjoy walking & cycling and sightseeing when we go on holidays.
    • Our van is a 1976 vw westie. It's not the fastest van in the world so really long distances are not feasible.

    All suggestions greatly appreciated, thanks.

    10 Day's ! !

    Try Ireland !








    Morg


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    #14
    Repolho
    Registered Users Posts: 381 ✭✭Repolho


    Morgan The Moon wrote: »
    10 Day's ! !

    Try Ireland !




    Morg

    Stayed in Ireland last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great walking cycling and food. We will definitely get a few weekends away in Ireland over the summer but for our main holiday we would like to go abroad.


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    #15
    Repolho
    Registered Users Posts: 381 ✭✭Repolho


    Thanks everyone for all the suggestions.

    Having a look at Belgium, Netherlands and maybe some of Germany. From what I can see, Dublin to Liverpool & Hull to Zeebrugge or Rotterdam seems to be the route with the least driving. Has anyone any experience of this route?

    Thanks again. Nothing like planning the summer holidays to shorten January :)


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    #16
    sunchaser
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭sunchaser


    If you are looking at Belgium, Holland or Germany also look at Dover/Calais sea route . The Romantic Road is worth a visit or a trip down the Rhine is also interesting.


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    #17
    karlmarker
    Site Banned Posts: 12 ✭karlmarker


    Portugal or spain


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    #18
    Nekarsulm
    Registered Users Posts: 11,190 ✭✭✭✭Nekarsulm


    We drove from Hannover down to Mainz in a T25, Hamlin, Paederbourn etc. Visited farmers yards near Bodenheim, and loaded up on wine. Average price was about 3.50 a bottle. No problem to the Westy. Through Luxembourg and France to the ferry in Cherbourg. two weeks.


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    #19
    killalanerr
    Registered Users Posts: 1,322 ✭✭✭killalanerr


    I know it's France but I really injoyed annecy last year we will be going back again at some stage for sure. It gives you lots of oppourtunitys to visit other countries from there


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    #20
    Betsy Og
    Registered Users Posts: 337 ✭✭Betsy Og


    There's also Harwich (Essex, east of London) to Hook of Holland, seems to shorten the road.

    Hull to Zebrugge would be a fair haul in a ship.


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