Naughty Cal

Yep. They are not cheap. A new one of our van is now knocking on the door of £90k. And that's a mid range van. High end manufacturers are well over £100k now. Not a cheap choice anymore. Used vans are holding their prices well because new ones are so expensive.

Just had a very quick Google for something vaguely similar to ours and for the same dates (1st week in July) we could get something for £80 per night, so £720 for the 9 nights we will be out. https://www.leisurerentalsdirect.com/motorhome-hire-doncaster/17311 Still considerably cheaper than a boat hire! (Was surprised to find availability for this summer so easily. Looks like van bookings are slow this year as well)

Our van is compliant with the Portsmouth ULEZ requirements so that won't cost us anything. Ferry cost has come out at £160 return with the Caravan and Motorhome Club discount and I have booked us on sites for 3 nights out of the 7 we will be on the island. 2 nights at Stoats Farm which is fully serviced at £37 a night and 1 night at Kite Hill Farm which is £20 but not a serviced pitch just a spot in a field which is fine for the last night and it's near the ferry terminal. The other nights we will just find park ups and pubs to use. Leaves a lot in the fuel, food and beer fund to match the hire boat price!!

Yes it isn't just boating holidays that are overly expensive in the UK. Little wonder that people are heading back abroad again!

We looked to hire a boat on the Broads this summer for a week but very quickly changed our mind when we got to the price page. (£2768 + £25 parking + £40 pet charge) https://www.broads.co.uk/boats/fair-chancellor/?unit_id=1556&arrival=2024-06-29&duration=604800&adults=2&children=0&arrival_time=16:00:00 We have booked the Isle of Wight ferry instead and will have a week over there with the van. Including food, drink and fuel it will come nowhere near the cost of the boat hire! The hire yards are very much at a point now where they are pricing themselves out of the market. Foreign travel is open for business again and it makes holidaying in the UK look damn expensive.

On this day 2013 A sunny day (remember what those are?) on the Fossdyke.

On this day 2014. Off CRT waters and onto The Old River Witham to the Thywritt Arms.

On this day 2017 Cocktails in the Electric Bar, Brayford Pool

It's a good place to spend the weekend. A couple of lovely pubs within walking distance. We spent many a weekend there.

It has. We drove over the bridge at the weekend on our way home from a lovely weekend in Louth, and the pontoon was still there.

On this day 2017 Fiskerton to Dunham Bridge, River Trent

I guess in a similar way that it will eventually be rolled out to all vehicles on the road?

On this day 2012 Leeds to Whitley Lock, Aire and Calder

We had 3 tests done on NC all by different surveyors. (Boston Marina, Geordies at Langrick and Ian Lumley at BW) Never had a problem with them. We were never present for any of the tests, but we were always within the locality for if a trivial item needed attending too that could be done there and then.

On this day 2022 Brancaster Staithe

On this day 2022 Wells next the Sea Looking forward to heading back here towards the end of May.

On this day 2022 Burnham Deepdale