6 metre motor homes

We have decided to buy a motor home to explore the West Coast of 
Scotland, which is where we live.  We are wondering if it is practicable 
to drive a 6 metre motor home along Scottish country lanes.  We were 
thinking that 5.5 metre motor homes would be the longest sensible. 
Originally we looked at 5 metres or thereabouts, but decided that we 
need more storage etc, as we plan on staying away for a couple of weeks 
at a time.

There is a great deal of difference in storage and living space between 
the 5.5 and 6 metre vehicles.   A 15 seater Ford minibus is 5680mm and 
they get everywhere.  Are we being over cautious in trying to stick to 
the 5.50 metre and less vehicles?  The maximum vehicle length we can 
have for home parking is 6 metres.

Thanks for your help

Susie
-- 
Susie Thompson
If you can't stand the heat, don't tickle the dragon!
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date: Sun, 1 Jul 2007 13:27:21 +0100 author: Susie

Re: 6 metre motor homes

Susie,

Susie schrieb:

> We were thinking that 5.5 metre motor homes would be the
> longest sensible.

our motor home is 8 metre long. On several tours throughout Great 
Brittan we never got stuck... ;-)


Roland
(Austria)

date: Sun, 1 Jul 2007 16:13:44 +0200 author: Roland Messerschmidt lid

Re: 6 metre motor homes

"Susie"  wrote in message 
news:dCfq7cAp25hGFw5Q@arrandragons.demon.co.uk...
> We have decided to buy a motor home to explore the West Coast of Scotland, 
> which is where we live.  We are wondering if it is practicable to drive a 
> 6 metre motor home along Scottish country lanes.  We were thinking that 
> 5.5 metre motor homes would be the longest sensible. Originally we looked 
> at 5 metres or thereabouts, but decided that we need more storage etc, as 
> we plan on staying away for a couple of weeks at a time.
>
> There is a great deal of difference in storage and living space between 
> the 5.5 and 6 metre vehicles.   A 15 seater Ford minibus is 5680mm and 
> they get everywhere.  Are we being over cautious in trying to stick to the 
> 5.50 metre and less vehicles?  The maximum vehicle length we can have for 
> home parking is 6 metres.
>
> Thanks for your help
>
> Susie
> -- 
> Susie Thompson
> If you can't stand the heat, don't tickle the dragon!
> to email me, replace deadspam.com with susiethompson.co.uk

Depends just what lanes you want to drive down, and how often you're going 
to use the really narrow ones.

My current  van (as was my previous) is approaching 7 metres plus bike rack 
(and slightly wider than many).

I have no problems with the (remaining) single track roads in Scotland, but 
wouldn't attempt some of the *very* minor roads. What this means is that you 
can tour very easily, but maybe not  get down the very last drop to say a 
beach or somewhere.

We don't find this at all restricting, since we walk and cycle to get access 
to such places.

So, North Coast round from Wick to Durness, Fort William to Mallaig, Cock 
Bridge to Tomintoul for instance, hold no problems. Gairloch out to Redpoint 
no issue, and neither is driving round Ardnamurchan.

Certainly, extra length will have a few downsides (more difficult to park, 
but hey, if you can't get a 5.5 metre van parked, odds are you won't a 6 
metre one either, and sometimes the turning circles at the end of Scottish 
dead-ends will be challenging).

IMO, width/height are a greater limiting factor in such circumstances, 
combined with your own confidence and familiarity in the vehicle. They look 
big, but you quite quickly get used to it.

You will be able to go anywhere that delivery lorries etc. go, but you might 
be a little more fussy about the vegetation scratching the side of the 
'van' - polycarbonate windows in particular are prone to twigs and branches. 
In reality, cars will give way to you on single track roads, 'cos its the 
line of least resistance.

Only you can assess your ideal balance, since motorhome are almost always a 
compromise.

If you want to tour and have a base from which you can walk/cycle, consider 
the space and comfort as a priority (and get some externally accessed 
storage for all the wet gear ;-)  )

If you don't walk or cycle, and want to drive around in the day every day, 
you may find this slightly too restrictive, and choose to limit the size.

HTH

Bob
-
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date: Sun, 1 Jul 2007 15:16:59 +0100 author: Bob Douglas

Re: 6 metre motor homes

Susie,

Susie schrieb:

> We were thinking that 5.5 metre motor homes would be the
> longest sensible.

our motor home is 8 metre long. On several tours throughout Great 
Brittan we never got stuck... ;-)


Roland
(Austria)

date: Sun, 1 Jul 2007 16:13:44 +0200 author: Roland Messerschmidt lid

Re: 6 metre motor homes

"Susie"  wrote in message 
news:dCfq7cAp25hGFw5Q@arrandragons.demon.co.uk...
> We have decided to buy a motor home to explore the West Coast of Scotland, 
> which is where we live.  We are wondering if it is practicable to drive a 
> 6 metre motor home along Scottish country lanes.  We were thinking that 
> 5.5 metre motor homes would be the longest sensible. Originally we looked 
> at 5 metres or thereabouts, but decided that we need more storage etc, as 
> we plan on staying away for a couple of weeks at a time.
>
> There is a great deal of difference in storage and living space between 
> the 5.5 and 6 metre vehicles.   A 15 seater Ford minibus is 5680mm and 
> they get everywhere.  Are we being over cautious in trying to stick to the 
> 5.50 metre and less vehicles?  The maximum vehicle length we can have for 
> home parking is 6 metres.
>
> Thanks for your help
>
> Susie
> -- 
> Susie Thompson
> If you can't stand the heat, don't tickle the dragon!
> to email me, replace deadspam.com with susiethompson.co.uk

Depends just what lanes you want to drive down, and how often you're going 
to use the really narrow ones.

My current  van (as was my previous) is approaching 7 metres plus bike rack 
(and slightly wider than many).

I have no problems with the (remaining) single track roads in Scotland, but 
wouldn't attempt some of the *very* minor roads. What this means is that you 
can tour very easily, but maybe not  get down the very last drop to say a 
beach or somewhere.

We don't find this at all restricting, since we walk and cycle to get access 
to such places.

So, North Coast round from Wick to Durness, Fort William to Mallaig, Cock 
Bridge to Tomintoul for instance, hold no problems. Gairloch out to Redpoint 
no issue, and neither is driving round Ardnamurchan.

Certainly, extra length will have a few downsides (more difficult to park, 
but hey, if you can't get a 5.5 metre van parked, odds are you won't a 6 
metre one either, and sometimes the turning circles at the end of Scottish 
dead-ends will be challenging).

IMO, width/height are a greater limiting factor in such circumstances, 
combined with your own confidence and familiarity in the vehicle. They look 
big, but you quite quickly get used to it.

You will be able to go anywhere that delivery lorries etc. go, but you might 
be a little more fussy about the vegetation scratching the side of the 
'van' - polycarbonate windows in particular are prone to twigs and branches. 
In reality, cars will give way to you on single track roads, 'cos its the 
line of least resistance.

Only you can assess your ideal balance, since motorhome are almost always a 
compromise.

If you want to tour and have a base from which you can walk/cycle, consider 
the space and comfort as a priority (and get some externally accessed 
storage for all the wet gear ;-)  )

If you don't walk or cycle, and want to drive around in the day every day, 
you may find this slightly too restrictive, and choose to limit the size.

HTH

Bob
-
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Antispam measures in force - remove nobumf from address to reply
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date: Sun, 1 Jul 2007 15:16:59 +0100 author: Bob Douglas

Re: 6 metre motor homes

In message , Campa-Man 
 writes
>We have a 6m Hymer, don't really find the length to be a problem as even
>though its 6m the wheelbase is just under 5m so it turns well etc. the
>biggest problem with the narrow lanes is the width as we are 7'5" wide.
>
>
I think we've decided that something just around 5.5m is going to be the 
answer.  After spending ages (too long!) googling for motor homes of all 
shapes and sizes, at the moment Autocruise seems the most likely - 
especially the Starfire or Valentine.  Has anybody got one of these and 
how do they get on with it?  Thanks for all your help so far.

Susie
-- 
Susie Thompson
If you can't stand the heat, don't tickle the dragon!
to email me, replace deadspam.com with susiethompson.co.uk