Best trip ever?

SeamusG97

Sitting by the stove and listening to the wind outside with the last of the French wine two questions:

What was your best trip this year ? We did a huge journey through europe this summer but Terryglass on the Shannon was up there with the best.

What surprised you/disappointed you/amazed you on your travels?

What is your dream MH trip for next year? I'd like Scandanavia or Eastern Europe but I think i'd be on my own while the rest of the household were in lanarotte.

Roll on next spring

killalanerr

First thing you need to buy more wine if your running out pre christmas

For our Irish trip we took to the east coast this year, The Dublin/Wicklow mountains were wonderful but I was a bit under whelmed by the gold coast with no where to park in the Waterford area but loved the air in Cobh we had a wonderful night with a meal out followed by beers at a trad night,finishing with a night cap back at the van over looking the bay a super night we will be back,we then went on to Killarney to ride the ring on the bikes with pints near the campsite to finish off our week another good night.

Again the big trip was to France I had done a lot more research than I normally do and had a fairly firm plan, So yes you guessed it after 3 days the weather didn't play ball and the plan was abandoned and we winged it for the best part of of the 3 weeks,we found some lovely spots and met some really nice people along the way ending up in Andorra for the queen stage of the tour of Spain cycle race getting to ride the stages with my new Dutch pals the day before you can't plan days like that,We picked up our wine before we left Andorra some great value and diesel @80c L ,I will do more on the trip soon it might be of interest to some.

As for next year we would like to update the van so thats a big one,for the Irish week I'm thinking maybe back to Donegal and for the European I'm thinking the black forest and back to Annecy but who knows !
I still have it in my head to do the year on the road it won't be next year but its nice to have a goal

piuswal

killalanerr wrote: »

First thing you need to buy more wine if your running out pre christmas

For our Irish trip we took to the east coast this year, The Dublin/Wicklow mountains were wonderful but I was a bit under whelmed by the gold coast with no where to park in the Waterford area but loved the air in Cobh we had a wonderful night with a meal out followed by beers at a trad night,finishing with a night cap back at the van over looking the bay a super night we will be back,we then went on to Killarney to ride the ring on the bikes with pints near the campsite to finish off our week another good night.

Again the big trip was to France I had done a lot more research than I normally do and had a fairly firm plan, So yes you guessed it after 3 days the weather didn't play ball and the plan was abandoned and we winged it for the best part of of the 3 weeks,we found some lovely spots and met some really nice people along the way ending up in Andorra for the queen stage of the tour of Spain cycle race getting to ride the stages with my new Dutch pals the day before you can't plan days like that,We picked up our wine before we left Andorra some great value and diesel @80c L ,I will do more on the trip soon it might be of interest to some.

As for next year we would like to update the van so thats a big one,for the Irish week I'm thinking maybe back to Donegal and for the European I'm thinking the black forest and back to Annecy but who knows !
I still have it in my head to do the year on the road it won't be next year but its nice to have a goal

Did you not checkout the Lookout in Dungarvan?

Nekarsulm

Best trip was down through Germany, from Hannover to Hamlin, Paederborn and on to Mainz. Taking in lots of love it little villages along the way, happening on small village festival's and several tiny vineyards at the southern end. Over through Luxembourg and into France. Against all efforts getting sucked onto the Paris ringroad/motorway and whist there having motorcycle cops pull us over to let the French Rugby team tour bus get a clear run through. A week in Brittany and finally the ferry at Roscoff.

SeamusG97

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Best trip was down through Germany, from Hannover to Hamlin, Paederborn and on to Mainz. Taking in lots of love it little villages along the way, happening on small village festival's and several tiny vineyards at the southern end. Over through Luxembourg and into France. Against all efforts getting sucked onto the Paris ringroad/motorway and whist there having motorcycle cops pull us over to let the French Rugby team tour bus get a clear run through. A week in Brittany and finally the ferry at Roscoff.

The Paris peripherique has its own gravity field. It sucks in all unwary traffic like a black hole. One hour into our first ever MH adventure with a much too big hired van and in pre GPS days, on a Friday rush hour, I could see the Eiffel tower getting closer and closer, even though we were meant to be going in the opposite direction towards the west. Never driven a van before let alone a LHD behemoth in a foreign city. Six month old firstborn screaming in the car seat and co-pilot refusing to navigate. Just kept going faster and faster and exiting to the right until we hit escape velocity and it spat us out somewhere and then followed the sun westwards to the coast.
Many years later and with GPS, having driven it many times since - it still needs concentration - we laugh about the first experience but it was a stressful hour and a half at the time.

SeamusG97

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Best trip was down through Germany, from Hannover to Hamlin, Paederborn and on to Mainz. Taking in lots of love it little villages along the way, happening on small village festival's and several tiny vineyards at the southern end. Over through Luxembourg and into France. Against all efforts getting sucked onto the Paris ringroad/motorway and whist there having motorcycle cops pull us over to let the French Rugby team tour bus get a clear run through. A week in Brittany and finally the ferry at Roscoff.

Bought our first van in Hamburg and made much of that route our holiday on the way home. South of Paderborn is Bad Pyrmont where they seem to have removed many of the street pavings and replaced them with gravel giving an old world feel. Charming place with a castle and lake. It was there that Mrs SeamusG discovered that bulky items can be purchased on holiday and transported home in a MH. i.e garden furniture and a triffid which was stored in the shower until we got home and the Irish climate killed it.

Nekarsulm

We went down to Orleans this year to visit friends. Then had to hit Euro Disney to fulfil a promise. Heading away back to Normandy afterwards skirted Paris on the southern side. Still scary!
A lot of those motorbike thingies with two wheels at the front and one at the back, ridden in a fairly suicidal way.
Am a sucker for Brocantes and markets, so tend to collect odd stuff as well. Best buy was a vintage socket set. ( wife still not convinced!)

TrailerBob

I know we're cheaters in this forum as we don't have a campervan, but I do have a landcruiser that behaves like a touring truck, and a large tent and there's nowhere else to talk about this!
We did the entire south coast of France this year. Based in Perpignan to begin with, took in Andorra and various towns between there and the Spanish border. Also stayed in Narbonne, finding time for some off road trails. Across to St.Tropez (Ramatuelle) then, and scooted about Nice and Monaco. Highlight was a few days up in the Alps taking in the Tour de France in Digne les Bains and Pra Loup even though the weather was awful. Much wine was also carried home.. Some of which is being consumed currently!

Next year I'd love to do more of Germany and Switzeland. Did Italy last year, and Northwest Germany a few years back, but would love to go around the Black Forest and the like. Saving for a house move might scupper the plans though.... But I stand to get a new 40ft shed in the deal so all is good

SeamusG97

Getting back on track - Vinadio near the Italy/France border amazed me this year. It is in the mountains and 900m over sea level. We had spent the night there a few times in the past few years in a big parking area at the side of the road on the way from France to Italy. . There's a huge deserted 19th century fort that I had partially explored by Mountain bike previously. It looks like the set from Beau Geste or some western. All dust and tumbleweed. About ten or more acres in size it is all steep downhill from the road where the Airee is. The town itself is inside the upper part of it. And pretty in itself. Farmers use the ammunition bays downhill for storing feed and machinery. All of this is surrounded by stunning alpine scenery and intense sunshine.
This time we discovered the idyllic man made made pool on the lower part of the fort near the ice cold river - downhill from the road, via grassy slopes and through the stone cloisters inside the fort. There was a craft exhibition going on at the time inside the fort and a concert in a canopied courtyard where I am sure I saw cattle the last time I cycled through on my mountain bike.
The Airee de Sosta overlooks the fort and has a panoramic view over the river valley. We hung a hammock on a nearby tree, at the rear of the MH, made a barbeque and then took some wine and beer downhill to swim in the limpid (cold though) pool and sunbathe and later go to the concert.
It was all unexpected and a delight that will be long remembered.
Can't guarantee that there will be anything going on if you are passing by but well worth a look. As a minimum there is a summer long book and antique sale in a marquee in the parking area.
I haven't mentioned the hillwalking opportunities - it is a hugely popular kickoff point for the many trails and cycle routes in the area.

SeamusG97

piuswal wrote: »

Did you not checkout the Lookout in Dungarvan?

TrailerBob wrote: »

I know we're cheaters in this forum as we don't have a campervan, but I do have a landcruiser that behaves like a touring truck, and a large tent and there's nowhere else to talk about this!
We did the entire south coast of France this year. Based in Perpignan to begin with, took in Andorra and various towns between there and the Spanish border. Also stayed in Narbonne, finding time for some off road trails. Across to St.Tropez (Ramatuelle) then, and scooted about Nice and Monaco. Highlight was a few days up in the Alps taking in the Tour de France in Digne les Bains and Pra Loup even though the weather was awful. Much wine was also carried home.. Some of which is being consumed currently!

Next year I'd love to do more of Germany and Switzeland. Did Italy last year, and Northwest Germany a few years back, but would love to go around the Black Forest and the like. Saving for a house move might scupper the plans though.... But I stand to get a new 40ft shed in the deal so all is good

Oops -looked like my last post was a reply to yours and would appear rude. Not so. How do you get on with a 4wd and tent in general? . I'm sure many would like to know.

TrailerBob

SeamusG97 wrote: »

Oops -looked like my last post was a reply to yours and would appear rude. Not so. How do you get on with a 4wd and tent in general? . I'm sure many would like to know.

No offence taken! I'll start a thread on it, for anyone who is interested.

CelticRambler

I have a head-start on the rest of you, being halfway across France before I put the keys in the ignition!

... but still end up going to the same places! Best trip this year was at the end of August, heading east via Moulins and Chalon-sur-Saône (horrible trek) to get to Annecy, then weaving my way south to the St. Bernard pass, over the top and down into the Val d'Aoste for a four-day (free) trad music festival. Afterwards, up-and-down each of the side valleys until past the Fort de Bard, then a straight drive back to the French border to visit Briançon and the Durance part of Provence.

Going back to the Aosta Valley is definitely on the cards - really friendly locals and hardly any tourists (at least at that time). And free wifi just about everywhere!

piuswal

First trip to Italy was via Mont Blanc tunnel down the Aosta Valley and stopping in ASTI - 1988 - terrific. Liam Brady and U2 were the Open Sesame for all the Italian kids in the campsites at the time