The Planning Begins!

Four weeks to go and we are busy planning our adventure! Having spent the past decade exploring Scotland you would think that we know everything there is to know...however, we have never been to the East, and we have never ventured higher than Clachtoll beach. 

This first thing we planned was our transport. We don't have the space or the budget to own a brand new motorhome so we will be hiring one. We have done this a few times and so we know which layout works best for us. Space in a motorhome is limited and with a family of five, you really need to make the most of it! For us a six berth with rear lounge works best. Three kids means that we need space for them to separate when we stop. Like most, they have their moments!  Oh boy do they have their moments!

We will be travelling in a Peugeot Eldiss Autoquest Majestic 180. It is a six berth vehicle with six belted seats. It has a rear lounge that turns into a double bed, an over cab double bed and a dining and seating section in the middle that turns into a double bed. The boys will take the over cab bed, they will agree to share as they like that spot and it means they never have to make their bed as it folds up out of the way and drops down when we stop. Our teenage daughter will have the middle dinette and we will be in the back.

A rear lounge is a must for us as we have two living areas. The dining area and the rear lounge. We have tried other layouts with bunk beds but there just isn't the living space that we need. With three windows on three sides you just know you are going to have a knock out view when stop somewhere amazing, The whole of the NC500 has spectacular scenery and amazing views so choose a vehicle that makes the most of them!

Choosing and renting a motorhome took us well over a week. The nearer you get to the start/finish of the NC500, the higher the rental charges are. Also, you need to make sure you thoroughly check all the terms and conditions. The vehicle we are hiring came with a mileage allowance of 1000 miles - sounds like a lot? Not when you are 477.6 miles from the start of the NC500 it isnt...

We had a really competitive price of £699 for a week, but we upped the cost by an extra £96 and negotiated unlimited mileage into the contract. At a cost of 20p per mile we would have incurred an extra cost of well over £200 on our trip, as well as the stress of watching the miles add up as we traveled to and around the NC500. Just getting there and back would have sucked up our entire allowance so make sure you ask before you sign the dotted line!

Ask about unlimited mileage, insurance for extra drivers, are chemicals for the toilet, gas for the fridge included? Find out how much the safety deposit will be? We are leaving a £500 deposit which will be returned when we bring the vehicle back. I came across some companies charging £1750 so watch out for those hidden extras. Our hire includes outdoor furniture, solar panels, and fully comprehensive insurance. Find out BEFORE you pay your deposit!

Having chosen a layout you think will work, and finding a rental at the right price you can really start planning your adventure. The cost of renting a motorhome may seem very expensive at first, but it will allow you two important things, freedom to travel when and where you want and freedom to eat what you want and when you want it. When travelling with children, this is a godsend! I'm hungry, I'm tired, I need the toilet!!! If staying in B&B's you could spend a lot eating out twice a day, every day.

Talking of toilets, it is not a nice subject I know but there are some things you need to think about. Chemical toilets are handy when in the middle of nowhere and little Johnny just has to go...but they do have a certain whiff about them and they do have to be emptied. You might need to use green or organic toilet solutions or you won't be allowed to empty it at certain camp sites. If you are wild camping you cannot just empty it into a public toilet as a lot of rural toilets run into septic tanks and some chemicals can be a problem.  My advice would be to encourage all your passengers to use public facilities as much as possible and minimise the number of number two's in your vehicle! Click here for more info on chemical toilets

Facilities in motorhomes can vary so be sure to check what your vehicle has on board. We will have an oven, a grill, a fridge with ice box, a microwave oven and a hob. When going "wild" you need to be aware that anything on the 240v will not work. Fridges are usually 3 way in that they work off your battery when you are driving, you can then switch to gas to power them off grid, or use electric hook up if you are on a camp site that has hook ups available.

If you have phones to charge and are not paying for hook up on a site, make sure you charge them as you drive so you don't drain your leisure battery when you stop. The leisure battery will power your lights but the plug sockets will not work, the microwave will not work, and if your motorhome has one of those new fancy electric drop down beds be sure you save enough juice to lower it at night! 

We have learned through experience that you also need a very level pitch to get the fridge to work on the gas. If you are on a hill, it will not work so use levels or find somewhere flat to park up. We also now bring 12v chargers for phones, portable games etc and charge everything while we are driving to maximise the power we have when camping.  The toilet pump works off the 12v leisure battery too, as does the lighting. Heating, hot water, fridge, hob, oven and grill use gas.  Most motorhomes have two gas bottles so you are unlikely to run out. Never leave the fridge running on gas when driving - very dangerous! Always check you have switched to the battery before travelling - secure the cutlery draw too...we didn't notice till we took a sharp bend!