Big Ant

Around Tavira there are 'swarms' of motorhomes, but we rarely if ever see caravans. Anyone know why ?? Is it too far to tour from UK/NL/Germany etc ? Thanks.

Squidlydidly

We used to have a motorhome and the main reason you see more of them is that there are many places to overnight... all over Europe there are legal free/cheap aires de services or official stopovers for motorhomes and you can also wildcamp.
Most "Tuggers" book a campsite and then tour in their cars as there are few (Italy the exception) places you can stop overnight with a caravan without breaking the "No camping" rules that apply in most countries.
Hope this answers your query.

Big Ant

Interesting point - would never have guessed. So these "free pull in parks" we always use enroute down in the car, aren't OK for caravans...sort of understand why, layout certainly don't cater really for something 12m long.

agave

Another consideration is that for some generations the Roma community have used caravans as homes throught europe as well as the UK,maybe this has some bearing as to why they are not catered for in the "aires" of France and the "stellenplatz" of Germany.

Squidlydidly

It`s more to do with the fact that motorhomes are designed to be fully self sufficient and all have full onboard facilities....and the French and Germans and Italians corner the market in motorhome manufacture so ecourage their use.
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CHOPPER

We had 12 motorhomes down beside us next to the salt flats, most of them have parked up there every winter for the 3 years we have lived here until last week the Police actually moved them on after complaints against them putting their sewerage in the drains, then low and behold we now have a large caravan parking there.

masterbaits

It seems there is less tolerance these days from the locals and gnr for the motorhomers , i can see why when you consider that there is plenty of places now catering for them yet the majority choose not to use them....purely because of costs.They might as well get technological and hit the places once a day with one specific unit and digicams , but what bugs me is that you dont see them doing anything about gypsie camps at the same level.

The legit services are there for the long termer , having been a motorhomer myself i used these services , regardless of cost , yet still actually did overnight wildcamping most of the long treks to get there.The long termers , new cabs and old , actually give the true motorhomer a bad name.

I dont think i can say anything other than retired posh gypsies is the only name they can be given.I dont think you can say any one country are worse than another , they seem to be pretty varied.

Eventually things like the public toilets next to pingu , that used to be illegally used for dumping the blue stuff , these will be gone.You will not be able to top up water in garages or secret spigots.

Whether we like it or not tavira has plans to go more up market , and with it comes clear outs of the hymers new and old , converted vans with little roadworthiness and questionable legality , insurance and taxes.

Fortunately the little gem was discovered before it becomes another ablufeira , qurteira , villamoura by us .... and its for that reason we are now moving in land.

A few years back i toyed with the idea of buying some top of the hill land for forestry in CM , yet having cheap overnighting helping to fund the reforesting , A bit like the site in monte gordo but on a much more grander and sympathic to the enviroment scale.

I was putting in lots of my own cash and could neither find additional backers or anyone at council and forestry willing to help , after the fires you would think they would be screaming for it.The reason being that wild campers will not even pay for off season ultra cheap parking long term , christ some of them grudge paying for filing up the water tank.... pretty much sealing their fate.

Eastern europe rather than the eastern algarve will allow wildcampers and take these touristic euro dregs for thier teabags and groceries all too willingly , putting up aires with euro grants thats meant to be spent on roads and increasing the ease of trade inward and outward through europe.

kyles Mummy

Hi guys

caravans aren't allowed to wild camp so even though there are lots of caravans about you will only see them in campsites.

We stayed on a campsite for a while at olhao before we settled in silves and there was very few caravans but lots of motorhomes.

kind regards


sam
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