TRAVEL ADVICE

Why Knott go on a great adventure?

Here’s some great travel tips and suggestions for your next great adventure:

Destination adventure...

Travelling in a motorhome offers you so much potential to explore places in your own time at your own pace in the comfort and convenience of your own surroundings. Whether you need a motorhome rental for a few days or a longer period, you are sure to be a blessing to have the best of times in the comfort and luxury of one of our modern motorhomes.

Share the drive...

Enjoy our family video clip of our epic adventure to France with Luna travelling to the Dover Calais sea ports and off to south of France.. 

Make it a nationwide adventure...

Exploring the British Isles is the perfect adventure in one of our luxury motorhomes. Check out the regional tourist information links below:

Visit Scotland

Your Scottish adventure starts now. Delve into a land steeped in history and legend, lose yourself in our dramatic landscapes and uncover our ancient Celtic roots. Vast lochs, glens and munros – easily accessible from our vibrant cities and towns – make Scotland the perfect place to lose yourself. From crashing waves on our rugged coastlines to live trad music in our local pubs, step away from the everyday and experience a true Scottish welcome.

Fàilte gu Alba! 

https://www.visitscotland.com/

Visit Wales

Strap a surfboard to the roof, a bicycle carrier to the back, get the cool kids onboard, and plan to get lost. 1,000 miles of coastline calls. Find out why Wales is one of the best campervan and motorhome holiday destinations in the world. Campervan trips are blissfully simple to prepare for, making them ideal for short breaks, a week away or longer. Most campervans will sleep a family of four in comfort. If you have a larger group, you might pick a motorhome, or just book two campervans. As long as the fridge and the petrol tank are well-stocked, you are good to go. That means less time messing around getting to where you want to be, particularly if you love the great outdoors. You can wake up at the foot of one mountain, hike up it, then drive to the next for the following day. You’ll appreciate not having to pack away a wet tent after a night’s rain. In the evening you just sit out on a folding chair and take in the Milky Way above your beachside campfire. Roof bars, roof boxes, rear ladders and bike carriers mean you could carry several surfboards, bikes, mountain gear, or whatever else takes your fancy for your trip.

https://www.visitwales.com

Visit England

Planning a weekend break or a much-needed romantic trip away and in need of fresh ideas and holiday inspiration for 2024? We’ve got just the thing. From England’s best gardens to Harry Potter filming locations, 24-hour city breaks ideas and some of the most charming villages and countryside in the world, we have plenty of recommendations to help you escape the everyday.

https://www.visitengland.com/

Visit Ulster

We are delighted to welcome you to Northern Ireland. Take a small step and start planning your next giant adventure today. We’ll provide trip inspiration and local tips on where’s good to go. You’re about to discover a true hidden gem which tucks in more amazing, truly memorable experiences than you could ever imagine. And they’re all just a stone’s throw away from each other. With your every step, you’ll uncover something surprising and new, filling your trip with delightful holiday memories. We have wild, rugged coastlines that demand awe and adventure. Gently unfolding rural landscapes filled with trails, local stories and nature. Buzzing cityscapes and towns, flowing with life and urban exploration. Cafes, hotels, guesthouses, campsites and attractions.

https://discovernorthernireland.com/

Make it an international affair...

Why Knott go further afield and explore the EU and discover the perfect adventure in one of our luxury motorhomes. Check out the tourist information links below:

Visit Europe

From the thrill of fresh powder on the mountain top to the peace of a twilight stroll through a gorgeous medieval town, Europe is a place that stimulates your sense of curiosity. Through shared history, cultural diversity, and natural beauty, this continent inspires connections, experiences and memories that stretch beyond borders. Whether you wish for the serenity of a quiet trip in the countryside or the excitement of a music festival, it’s all here in Europe, waiting just for you. In a continent where travel is free-flowing, adventures are limitless. All that matters is that you are #naturallycurious, #creativelycurious, or #historicallycurious.

www.visiteurope.com/en

Ferry Ports

Should you wish to travel overseas to the islands around Britain or further afield to Europe in your motorhome, this is a great resource to for you to check out the various sea ports and their destinations.

 www. anyferry.co.uk

Travelling overseas...

Here is some essential information for your overseas trip in a motorhome:

There is nothing more exciting than embarking on a journey to discover Europe in one of our luxury motorhomes. This allows you to travel at your own pace to absorb the different cultures and landscapes.  In preparation of your trip, you will need to have the necessary paperwork. 

Passports

In most European countries, you will need to have at least three months remaining on your passport at the date of departure. Since Brexit, it’s much more common for this to be checked when you go through Passport Control than it was before. It is worth checking at this link to ensure your documentation is all in order and meets the requirements of the countries you plan to visit 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Driving Licences

A valid UK driving licence is required for touring Europe, and you will need to carry your photo card driving licence with you at all times whilst you’re driving.  If you do not have this, you will require an International driving permit available from https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit 

Insurance

Insurance is required and our vehicles carry 3rd party European cover.  If you are intend  travelling to Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia (excluding Kosovo) or the Faroe Islands, you will need to advise us as we will need to increase your insurance cover to comply with local insurance laws. You will also need to check with your insurer to see whether you need a Green Card. 

Health and Travel Insurance

You should ensure that you have adequate cover in case one of your party becomes ill or involved in an accident.  Your EHIC or GHIC card provides emergency medical treatment both at the roadside and in hospital.  The older European Health Insurance cards (EHIC) continue to be valid in an EU country until their expiry date – but if you’ve replaced once recently, you’ll have noticed that they are now called the ‘UK Global Health Insurance Card’.  They are available free of charge to UK citizens here (UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC).  Both EHICs and the new GHIC provide the same access to emergency and necessary healthcare coverage for travel to the EU.  Should you require more than emergency medical treatment, then that is where your travel insurance would normally kick in.  As well as providing a range of other benefits, travel insurance will likely cover the costs of medical expenses and getting you home if you’re injured or fall seriously ill abroad. 

UK Stickers

A UK sticker must be displayed on the rear of the motorhome – replacing the old GB stickers (which are no longer legal/acceptable).

European Breakdown Cover

European breakdown cover is essential to avoid any unwanted costly surprises – and being stranded in a non-English speaking country when you break down out of office hours and ‘in the middle of nowhere’.  Why Knott Motorhomes include European breakdown cover.

Documentation checklist

  • Passport (for each traveller)
  • Photo card driving license (for each driver)
  • Motorhome Insurance certificate
  • Travel insurance certificate and cover details
  • VE103 Vehicle on Hire Certificate 
  • Letter of Authorisation from the hire company
  • European accident statement
  • Where will you be staying in Europe

Once you have all your documents in order, you can then plan where you will travel to, and where you will be staying. 

  • European campsites are no different to UK sites, with the same options depending upon what you have booked.  As with some hotels in Europe, you may need to provide ID on arrival or allow your passport to be kept during your stay.
  • If you are planning to travel around and only stay one or two days in any particular location, ‘Aires’ are very popular in France or ‘Stellplatz’ in Germany. 
  • These are booked on a first-come, first-served basis – with pre-booking unavailable – and are approved motorhome/campervan parking spaces. 
  • Information about Aires in Europe can be found at 
  • Euro Tunnel – The Best Aires in France
  • Vicarious Media – Motorhome Aires Stopovers
  • Park4night – lots of countries listed
  • They often have electric hook-up, waste disposal and chemical toilet points. 

Wild Camping

Wild camping is another option. However, it is essential to do your homework on the area you may be wild camping in first. Wild camping is tolerated in most European countries. However, there are different rules for each country – especially Portugal, where it is not straightforward to wild camp. When wild camping, the basic rules are to turn up late afternoon and leave by mid-morning. Do not light BBQ’s or have table and chairs out – and try to stay away from residential areas and, most importantly, leave the area tidy. Park4night.com and searchforsites.co.uk are both great sources of information to help with this. Once you have decided where you want to stay and what type of travelling timeframe you have, it’s important to plan your route carefully – especially if it’s your first time abroad in your motorhome.  Ensure your Sat nav has European maps. Be aware of toll roads. The Michelin website is a good source of information on this, among other things. 

More Essential Items to Take With You

Other items to consider carrying are 

  • A First aid kit
  • Warning triangle (two in some countries such as Spain) 
  • A Hi-Vis jacket for each occupant of the vehicle
  • Headlight/Beam deflectors
  • Headlights of vehicles which are built for driving on the left (as in the UK) require beam deflectors or adjusting, so that they don’t dazzle oncoming traffic when being driven on the right-hand side of the road. On some vehicles, you may have a switch to change your headlights for European driving. Check your owner’s manual for details on this. 

Taking your pet with you

You must ensure that you have covered all the relevant steps before travelling to Europe with your pet.  Your dog or cat will need to be microchipped and all vaccinations must be up to date.  You will require an animal health certificate signed by a vet, and in some countries, your pet will need to be tapeworm-treated.  When you arrive in Europe, you will be required to go through a designated traveller’s point of entry. Visit gov.uk for more information on taking your dog, cat or ferret abroad.

Bon voyage!

 

Campsite etiquette

Here is some essential tips when staying on a camping and caravanning site:

Mobilehomes are an incredibly versatile way of travelling and holidaying with friends and family. However, learning exactly how to start caravanning properly can feel like a challenge with a steep learning curve. As with all things, the key to becoming a comfortable caravanner is practice, research and experience – there’s nothing better than getting out there and giving a few things a try to become comfortable.

Check Your Licence

First things first, if you are thinking of driving a mobile home, make sure that you check your driving licence. Different licenses allow you to drive or tow different vehicles of different weights, check it against what you are legally allowed to drive or travel with. Nobody wants to cause an accident whilst towing their caravan or realise they are breaking the law after being stopped by the authorities.

Setting up your Mobile home for the first time 

If you’re using a mobilehome and you’re wanting to go on a road trip or take an extended break, always learn how to set up your mobilehome properly before you leave.

  • Select a pitching site – it may sound obvious but it’s an important step. Consider how close you want to be to local amenities such as toilets, shops and social venues. Additionally, there are different types of pitches available, varying from site-to-site. Some pitches have their own water outlets whilst others don’t and similarly, some have space for awnings and others won’t. Research the site you are visiting to get a better idea of what you’ll need.
  • Reverse your caravan into your pitch of choice – this can be challenging if you have never done it before. 
  • Check that your motorhome is level – once your motorhome is in place, check that it is level using a spirit level. If the ground isn’t flat and your motorhome is not level, consider using a levelling block or ramp to help balance it.
  • Plug in your electrical supply – make sure to plug the cable into the motorhome first and then the supply to ensure you aren’t carrying a live cable at any point.
  • Set up your water supply – if you have a dedicated water supply, utilise it; otherwise, travel to the communal water source and collect the water you need.
  • Connect the wastewater collector for the sink or shower
  • Turn on the gas inside your motorhome
  • Power up your motorhome by pressing the relevant button
  • Turn on the water pump
  • Open the hot tap until you achieve a steady flow – this will indicate that the water pump is working correctly, cleaned out and ready to use.
  • Turn on the water heater inside your motorhome
  • Turn on or apply the toilet chemicals – the exact steps for this will vary with each vehicle.

Following these steps, you should find setting up your caravan for the first time as easy as possible.

Start somewhere easy

Now that you know you’re allowed to leave and you have an idea of how to set up your motorhome once you arrive at your site of choice, it’s time to decide where you’re going. If it’s your first time, we strongly advise that you select a location fairly close to home. This is recommended to increase your confidence and help ensure that you arrive at the caravan site during daylight, which will make all the difference during the setup process.

Speak to your neighbours

Caravan sites are complex communities. Everyone speaks to everyone and everyone helps each other to settle in, get comfortable and look after one another. With this in mind, it’s worth taking some time out to chat to your neighbours after arriving. Not only will they help you learn what the park has to offer and where everything is, but they will probably have recommendations on what to do and see in the local area too. It’s the perfect opportunity to create friendships and become embedded in the friendliness of caravan culture.

Learn caravan etiquette from those around you

Caravan parks have their own distinct etiquette. There are a few unwritten rules surrounding what you should do and how you should behave which can seem a little unusual to first-timers. Most caravan etiquette can be learnt through observation; however, it’s important to recognise when people mention or do something you don’t quite understand. In these situations, be sure to ask for clarification so that you can quickly pick up the details and bond with the rest of the community. This applies to all types of caravan destinations whether it’s a touring site or a holiday park.

Brush up on the caravan site rules

Finally, every caravan site is different and features different amenities whether it’s dedicated security or an on-site lake. Due to this, each site its own rules that need to be followed. Sometimes this can involve curfews for young children or opening times for certain attractions; regardless, learning these rules is an essential part of making sure that you get the most out of your journey away. Consider doing your research before you leave and once arriving, contact the park authorities if you have any questions or queries that the neighbours can’t answer.

With these tips in mind, you should be perfectly placed to have the best first-time caravan experience possible.

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