cotswoldiver
Well-known member
Westy for camping - my tuppence worth
If you are travelling as a family of 4 then it is doable in a westy, but and it is a big but, its all the odds and sods you take away with you that you need to think of where they are going to be put over night. Simple option is a shade attached to the side of the bus and a windbreak. That will give you an outside seating area and some (not without risk) space to put cool boxes etc. You then have to think about cooking and if the heavens have opened and the rain is pouring down, 4 in a westy without anywhere to quickly go and sit or rest or play gets you into short fuse mode very quickly :lol:
Best option is an awning and Kyham do some great family versions with divider tents inside as sleeping areas. This give you the space and additional storage area. So if you have a tin top this works anyway.
Again personally, I like the forward sloping westy roof, it means you can stand up without banging your head. On the bed front, having had both in my westy's, give me a full width bed every time - its worth sacrificing the wardrobe. And Faux's roof top bed is very good option to consider.
Garage doors - look at side opening options not top options because then even a pop top westy will fit in without lowering
In short, yep there are limitations of camping in a 40+ year old bus, but all of them you can get round with a little planning and ingenuity and although I do look at modern campers on the road from time to time and think yep an on-board shower, loo and space would be nice, but it doesn't get a look in when you factor in the smile factor ... and like Clem says its sort of the point of being slightly daft and using an old bus isn't it?
If you are travelling as a family of 4 then it is doable in a westy, but and it is a big but, its all the odds and sods you take away with you that you need to think of where they are going to be put over night. Simple option is a shade attached to the side of the bus and a windbreak. That will give you an outside seating area and some (not without risk) space to put cool boxes etc. You then have to think about cooking and if the heavens have opened and the rain is pouring down, 4 in a westy without anywhere to quickly go and sit or rest or play gets you into short fuse mode very quickly :lol:
Best option is an awning and Kyham do some great family versions with divider tents inside as sleeping areas. This give you the space and additional storage area. So if you have a tin top this works anyway.
Again personally, I like the forward sloping westy roof, it means you can stand up without banging your head. On the bed front, having had both in my westy's, give me a full width bed every time - its worth sacrificing the wardrobe. And Faux's roof top bed is very good option to consider.
Garage doors - look at side opening options not top options because then even a pop top westy will fit in without lowering
In short, yep there are limitations of camping in a 40+ year old bus, but all of them you can get round with a little planning and ingenuity and although I do look at modern campers on the road from time to time and think yep an on-board shower, loo and space would be nice, but it doesn't get a look in when you factor in the smile factor ... and like Clem says its sort of the point of being slightly daft and using an old bus isn't it?
