Tent or b&b

[MELLOWYELLOW]

Sunday will see me and the mrs ( she on her f650gs ) are heading off to Europe for 2 weeks. Dolomites, Croatia etc. Done Europe loads of times but always stayed in hotels etc.

My panniers are now packed with camping kit but unsure of availability of sites.

We never plan or book ahead. We just ride and find digs.

Question is this. I hate big panniers. But will put up with them if the trade off is worth it. I.e. I'll get the chance to use it all.

Thoughts and experience would be appreciated

Cheers.

 

[David Lee]

If you hate big panniers then travel light.

Take a big bag on th pillion seat instead

 

[Blackal]

If you hate big panniers then travel light.

Take a big bag on th pillion seat instead

No way to speak about his wife!

Al

 

[MELLOWYELLOW]

Luggage options aren't the problem, what I'm after is feedback on availability of campsites and the trade off between humping around the big ass panniers and getting the use out of the kit I'm carrying otherwise it will be top box and guest houses. Etc

Cheers.

 

[E. Buygum]

My 2p worth:

Last unplanned trip I did (Eastern Europe into Turkey) , I ended up camping just once in 3 weeks. Shouldn't have bothered taking tent. I enjoy camping but the big drawback for me is you often end up out of town. Great for a couple of nights in the Lakes but if you're touring Europe, it might be the towns you want to see. In general, I like to stay within walking distance of bars and restaurants and once I have finished riding for the day, I just want to park up the bike and forget it. We passed through Koblenz recently and camped nearby. Drank and ate heartily at the campsite, had a very pleasant stay but saw nowt of Koblenz: just too far to walk into town and too much of a hassle to suss out transport...arriving early evening, I just want beer, food and bed. Of course, there are towns with central campsites but hit and miss whether you find them.

However, camping is a great fall back: camp site availability is excellent and you can always find somewhere even if you can't find a campsite. I slept in Austria in a field down a track behind a service station. It was dark when I arrived. Woke up the next morning to the sound of distant church bells and found I was overlooking an idyllic valley where I slowly watched the sun burn off the early morning mist. Marvellous.

I never camp without a good chair, ability to make a brew, a really good sleeping mat, and a warm, roomy sleeping bag. If I can't be bothered carrying all that, I don't bother camping.

I find Western Europe so expensive these days, camping makes a lot of sense. If you're heading out East out of the Eurozone, that's less of an issue. We stayed in a great hotel in a small town in Poland for under £30 (twin room) including breakfast. I'd assume double that in France, Germany etc.

Hostels are a good compromise. Stayed at Colditz Castle/ Youth Hostel recently: very comfortable (in twin room, not dormitory) and very cheap. However, the good ones get very full in Summer months so some planning is probably necessary.

 

[cowgillbiker]

We too are off on 2 bikes to Europe with all the camping gear, me on F650GS and him on Crossrunner. We always camp and never ever have a problem finding campsites. They are usually close to a village or town. Most towns or vilages in France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria (havent been to Croatia yet)have campsites. Occasionally we have to hop back on the bikes (or just use one bike) to go into town to shop or eat, but it isn't a problem.
We wouldn't swap to hotels even if we could afford to, the camping is a major part of the fun.

 

[Jhock]

I think a lot of it comes down to if drink or not, I don't so do not mind getting on the bike to ride into town in the evening.

If I did then camping would be an issue, as mentioned as you can be out of the town.

What ever you decide to do have a great time

 

[STUBBS]

if the weather is nice camp some great campsites to choose from

 

[ThorH]

Don´t know how you do it. I always end up with panniers and big roll. Even without camping gear. Rain gear, warm gear, stuff, crap, more stuff,... To me, luggage is like gas: Expands to take up any available space.

Ok, hijack over: I´m in Münich now, on my way to the Alps. Crap weather all around for days ahead. Dry rooms are cheap, just saying´...

 

[Homer1968]

if the weather is nice camp some great campsites to choose from

I agree with this , i took all my camping kit last year but used several hotels on my trip due to crappy weather. I love camping in the sun and dry but having spent 8 years in an Infantry unit in the past i made a living from being cold and wet. So hotels it is now for me

 

[ThorH]

For the last ten days in the Alps, I have had mostly sunshine and nice weather, but there has been (heavy) rain at least 6-7 afternoons, nights and/or mornings. In a tent it would have been a bad vacation. With the bike and myself under a solid roof, let it rain. Now down in Treviso, where we had a major thunderstorm with heavy winds and rain last night. Large flower bins are toppled over, etc.

Tents are for the army!

 

[Bury_Dave]

Just because you take camping gear doesn't mean you have to use it all the time.

When the weather is good, tent it. When bad, find a barn or grab a hotel. I've slept in bus shelters before when the rain has been heavy.

Camping kit takes up less than one pannier's worth of space and weighs nothing so it's not a big deal to take it and not use it all the time.

Have a great trip whatever you decide to do and don't forget the trip report

 

[cookie]

When the weather is good, tent it. When bad, find a barn or grab a hotel. I've slept in bus shelters before when the rain has been heavy.

the glamour of it

 

[Bury_Dave]

I'm not a glamper and I never said it was glamourous I travel light, alone and adapt to the weather, circumstances and people i meet along the way. It may not be your way and isn't the only way but it is my preferred way

 

[(RIP) 163phil]

We always camp & love it. We've never had a problem finding sites, (although admittedly we go in September), and if it's wet, we can always go into B&B.

Well, that's the theory. In reality we end up camping regardless of the weather.

A good adage - Pack your gear, halve it, then take twice the cash. Works for us

Enjoy your trip

 

[ThorH]

Camping kit takes up less than one pannier's worth of space and weighs nothing

I need bigger panniers!

 

[Dellis]

Camping makes a holiday for me. Last year we spent two weeks heading through the Picos, Central Spain, Pyrenees and back up through the French Alps and Switzerland. We planned to eat out most nights but ended up cooking for ourselves having a drink by the tent and it was great. We spent one night in a hotel, one we actually like and have spent many nights at over the years in Gridelwald and this was the low point of our two weeks away, we should have spent the night at the campsite at the bottom of the Sustenpass. Anyway for me the pleasure of spending a few nights under canvas (well ripstop) makes the effort of pitching camp, striking camp and carting the gear well worth it. We did plenty of miles too, around 4,500 and managed to wear out the sides of my rear Tourance while we were at it even two up and carting our gear!

We're off to Scandinavia this year and will be camping all the way.

Go for it.

Dave

 

[Dellis]

We always camp & love it. We've never had a problem finding sites, (although admittedly we go in September), and if it's wet, we can always go into B&B.

Well, that's the theory. In reality we end up camping regardless of the weather.

A good adage - Pack your gear, halve it, then take twice the cash. Works for us

Enjoy your trip

Spot on

 

[King Rat]

Youth Hostels are great. If you are a member of YHA then Hostel International is part of the membership - or you can still stay f you are only going to use them very infrequently, costs an extra £3 per night! £25 per year family membership soon pays for itself for us.

i am off to Belgium next week, only for a couple of days so I have booked a bed in a hostel in Brugge - 2 nights B&B = 38 euros all in! I am not taking a tent this trip, but for the Picos in End Sept early Oct I shall be for the duration. I use the outside of the panniers for tent (it gets wet anyway) make sure my sleeping bag is properly protected in a dry bag (again it takes up too much room to go in a pannier) then use the pannier boxes and tank bag for my personal gear. Top box carries a few spares and puncture repair kit where it is easy to get at.

A small folding stool is useful.I don't know how people manage to carry a camping chair- point me in the direction of a good,lightweight one that folds up compact and I'll buy it! I use a pannier box as a table.

 

[Dellis]

A small folding stool is useful.I don't know how people manage to carry a camping chair- point me in the direction of a good,lightweight one that folds up compact and I'll buy it! I use a pannier box as a table.

Aluminium panniers make great stools! We pack the sleeping bags on top of the panniers in dry sacks, they don't get in Blondie's way and they save valuable pannier space, tent goes on the rack one panniers for clothes one panniers for camping gear (stove, plates, sleeping mats, backgammon board etc) and the tank bag has camera, waterproofs, charging kit etc.

Works for us

Dave