Absolute beginner, any help/tips/definitely don't do's?

shayser

Have fancied the idea of a campervan for years. This year I'm going to hire one for two weeks and see if it's as good as I imagine it would be, or not!

Their will be four of us, me, missus, two lads, eleven and three. The plan is to start in Donegal, down the West and back up the East.

TBH, I'm a bit apprehensive. I mean, how the heck it is possible to manoeuvre something that big!

Is two weeks too long, and for a first-timer? Hire ain't cheap, best so far is €2200 basic for the fortnight. A generator is an extra €90. Then the gas, diesel and site charges. Anything else I'd need to budget for? What do I need to bring that doesn't come included?

Has to be the first 2 weeks in August. Have I left it too late to start planning? Any advice at all would help a great deal.

Sorry for so many questions but as I said I'm a complete newbie and it's a case of where to start and how to make it a good holiday for the family.

Thanks.

Malta1

Drop the generator....absolutely no need if your going to be staying on camp sites.

Always believe what your wing mirrors tell you......if you have faith in them, they will bring you through all situtations

2 weeks will fly by

Just a little tip........when emptying the toilet cassette....make sure that you pust and hold the yellow button....the easiest way to remember is to forget once

Good Luck

3ps

On my first campervan trip I got a puncture at 11pm with a 6am start, got stuck in mud and had to get pulled out by tractor, and my wife had to be brought to hospital by ambulance, at midnight, in France, on Bastille Day.

Didn't put us off!



My tips for a newbie.....

Make sure you ALWAYS lock/tie/tidy things away when driving. Especially if you store something in the luton above your heads.

Take your time when manoevering and dont' get stressed if others are impatient. Have your partner get outside and help you.

Keep an extra special eye on water/waste levels until you get used to them. Nothing worse than needing to go to the bog in the middle of nowhere and finding it's full....

If moving from campsite to campsite.... I always empty waste/water and top up before I leave so I don't have to worry about it when I get to the next place.

muint

1.Dont forget to change over your fridge power supply when you park up / driving / hook to mains etc
2.If we ever forget anything, well you can always buy it in the next town!!
3.Pray for good weather

shayser

Thanks for all the good tips (so far!).

Just checking the long term forecast there on the bbc website and it ain't good for August.

Don't want all the answers, want it be a bit of a discovery, but I do have couple more questions.

Is there anything I really should bring? Is it possible to buy a map of Ireland with campsites listed, a particular one I could ask for in the book shop? Or does anyone recommend a site or two on our route that you know are good, down the west and back home the east?

Will I give Kerry a miss, the Ring of Kerry at least? I was hairy enough in places in a car the time I was there!

That's a lot of questions.:)

peasant

First off, i think that trying to cover 80% of Irelands coastline in 14 days is a bit ambitious. You'll be doing far too much driving and Irish roads aren't exactly made for a road-trip kind of holiday.

Part of the attraction of having a campervan is that you can just let yourself get washed along. You stop where you like it ...have a cuppa, maybe stay for longer than you planned because it's just too nice and bypass other spots because the weather doesn't suit or whatever. Not having a set route and no particular target for the night is part of the attraction ...for me anyway.

As for maps ...get the four part holiday series. They are pretty detailed and list some campsites as well. On the campsites you visit, pick up leaflets for other campsites and that should cover you.

CamperMan

Malta1 wrote: »

Just a little tip........when emptying the toilet cassette....make sure that you pust and hold the yellow button....the easiest way to remember is to forget once

Good Luck

I have seen this happen at campsites, campers forgetting to push the yellow vent button, can be funny so long as it doesn't happen to yourself

2 stroke

I don't have a yellow button:eek:

Irelands coastline is a bit longer than you might think. You could do your trip by following main roads and hitting main towns but then you'ld be missing out on the best bits.
My advice, pick a county or 2 and explore.

shayser

Got it, the yellow button!

Bit of a problem getting a camper at this late stage. One is available http://www.donegalmotorhomes.com/MotorhomeSales/Burstner574 LHD with just the one static double bed. Kids will have to sleep across the seating area (can just see one end in the pic on the link). Doesn't look suitable for a (nearly) three year old. Might have to give them the bed. Going to see another one in another place at Monday lunchtime. This had two static doubles and is RHD but the renter did say that is was a small camper. Will have a look at it.

Donegal motor homes gave me a camp site guide published by campingireland.ie. Lists all the sites.

Looking forward to it (if I can get a van!).

Thanks for the replies.

Edit: Renter also said I could arrange my own insurance which means he would charge me quite a bit less. Would this be straightforward?