So as the last of the forums members winter tyres are wrapped up and put to store, some of the summer gear that has been occupying that space makes it's first reappearance and with it the day dreams of summer fun again.

Those dry days cruising along the open road, enjoying the handling whilst forgetting the menace of potholes and the mumbled curses as your arm and door panel are soaked in windscreen washer fluid as you wash the dust off whilst trying to feel that summer breeze in your hair(or where the hair used to be).

The memories of my two months away in Europe last summer become less of a memory and more of a blueprint for a future adventure. I have a couple of months before I start a grown up job, and due to this I am thinking a few weeks away in Europe again, making use of the channel ports before my new location is a long way away from them. I must return to the wonderful Germany again, and wish to finally get to the czech republic to see some old friends and drink...

So I'm thinking across Central Northern Germany seeing what I can find before another trip to Berlin, down to Leipzig and Dresden and down towards Prague...

So where is anyone else taking their Yeti this year? And any tips for me would be great!

Edit:sorry to any members that won't have there Yeti!

Edited 11 May, 201313 yr by angrybeard

Weekends away, Manchester next week. Will be at least one run down to the smoke to visit the youngest. Main adventure though will be camping in the Dordogne here, in July, via the western crossing to St Malo. Can't wait. It's either blowing a gale up here or p*ssing down. I'm getting fed up with it.

Beynac, on the Dordogne:

A lot fewer foreign miles for my Yeti this year. I don't tend to holiday in the UK so last year it managed just under 10,000 miles, 6000 of which were in Europe covering France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia and Italy. This years it'll be doing a three week trip around Italy in the summer, a week in Germany to see friends and quite possibly a few weeks on the Costa Blanca, Spain.

...Beynac, on the Dordogne:....

Oh, I do like the look of that!

Jersey - daughter decided to get married in a Castle on the West Coast of the Island

My Yeti will be making a long drive to Skye when finally built.

Might also visit the outer isles, Lewis/Harris but wont expect him to drive across the water...we'll take the ferry

Norway via Rotterdam, Kiel to the BSA motorcycle rally - towing a bike trailer.

Return Bergan, Denmark, Rotterdam via Legoland

My current one will be going to The North Devon Festival in June Buxton in July I hope the new one will be here ready for Malvern in August and then Brighton in September.

Once you get across the channel, the realisation dawns how compact UK is.

I just got back from visiting Big Sis in Frankfurt. This time we avoided the m'ways and drove more or less along the edge of the Ardennes, criss crossing in to and out of Belgium. The roads were mostly good, the villages cute and interesting. Once we got to Trier, time was starting to press and we did resort to Autobahn, which drops us about 1/2 mile from our destination.

Turning homewards from Frankfurt, we pootled as far as Verdun and stayed in the Etap (the chain now morphing into Ibis Budget) and found a good value bistro open on a Sunday. For some obsure reason, there was a Venice festival on. Lots of folk dressed up in C18th gear, posing, performing and dancing for the visitors.

The town was the focus of some of the most vicious fighting of WW1, roughly 400,000 on each side killed. Naturally there is a lots of memorials and sites to visit.

Next day we continued across the WW1 front line, not particularly by design but it looked nice and pastural. We did get pulled by the Gendamerie, but waved on - with a smile! - once they realised we where etranger.

Valenciennes turned out to be a bit of a mistake. Recent developments had made life difficult for visiting motorists. Perhaps it needs more investigation, planning and time than we had. In the end we carried on to Boulogne and had a couple of days eating our way round some of the great fish restaurants there. (L'Epicure in Wimereaux still the food I have ever eaten).

I have recently been on the ICE train to Berlin which just showed how big abroad is - 31/2hrs ish at 300kph from Frankfurt. Very changed compared to my visits before the wall came down.

From Berlin you could then drive down to CZ, then loop back through southern Germany. Maybe take in the car centres of Munich, Ingolstadt and Stuttgart. They all have visitor centres/museums. Sinnsheim near Mannheim is worth a trip too for gearheads.

Already had one trip to Oxford, two trips to Kent, and a few to Northumberland. I am planning to go to Waddington for the annual air display and Duxford for Flying Legends. Then in August we move back to Northumberland for good - after 15 years being a Geordie missionary in Yorkshire, I'm going back to the Promised Land! Woot!

Thanks for the tips Nick, I actually went to Sinnsheim on my way to Munich last summer, had no idea it was there, just stumbled upon it. Amazing place.

Sounds like some fun this year for you Rev Tony, a friend has been trying to get me to go to RIAT, but I'll be being a grown up by then!

Well this year my Yeti has been to Port Enyon in Wales, then Penpont in Wales over the Bank holiday and the next Bank Holiday he's going to north Wales. He's also going to Glastonbury in June the Peak District in late June and the Meon Valley in Hampshire in August. After that I'm not sure what I'll do yet.

As to Europe. :-( None planned with the Yeti this year. Time will tell! He likes driving to the Frankfurt motor show in September though... and I might also go visit my friends in the Netherlands again (from where my Monster went to Monster!)

And hopefully fingers crossed my friends' villa is free again in August to go there! The Yeti REALLY loved going there!

Thanks for the tips Nick, I actually went to Sinnsheim on my way to Munich last summer, had no idea it was there, just stumbled upon it. Amazing place.

Sounds like some fun this year for you Rev Tony, a friend has been trying to get me to go to RIAT, but I'll be being a grown up by then!

RIAT would be very appropriate, then - watching aeroplanes is a grown-up thing to do. Only grown-ups can be REAL anoraks.

Betty, equipped with appropriate tyres, went to Les Arcs and Samoens in January/February loaded up with skis and all the gear. Not anticipating much travel outside Norfolk over the summer ... she'll be to and fro between home and the boat for sailing jollity on many occasions though.

RIAT would be very appropriate, then - watching aeroplanes is a grown-up thing to do. Only grown-ups can be REAL anoraks.

I couldn't agree more, children shouldn't be allowed to airshow's, that would cut the rubbish distractions, but then that might put the price up...

Actually children shouldn't be allowed anywhere, or allowed full stop.

Riat depends on work, and the outcome of will it/won't it F35, but glad the wokka display is back this year

Some awesome Yeti adventures going on, I look forward to some further trip reports

My Yeti goes on its hols pretty much every other weekend from March to November and a little less frequently from December to February ... not to mention longer trips during the school hols! All of this years trips are within the motherland! Mid Lothian, East Lothian, Fife, Ayrshire, The Borders, Angus, Aberdeenshire, The Trossachs etc etc etc

The joys of caravanning!

Don't laugh chaps but I'm taking my snow monster to ..erm ...Munsterland in Germany in June. I'll be doing some cycling from a fixed base and very much looking forward to it. First overseas trip for my new car. :-)

Furthest mine's been so far was a running-in trip down the A40 to Cheltenham, and back via the Cotswolds. Might take it down to the south coast later this week.

Mine has already been to Norfolk and Scotland this year, and will be going back to Scotland late summer, to the beautiful Isle Of Mull. I'm hoping to avoid hotel gate posts this time if possible! Aside from that little incident, the Yeti was about as good a car as one could hope for on there, with the roads as they are, inclement weather and need for economy. Big windows are also great for sticking big lenses through up at passing eagles.

Quite fancy a trip to Anglesey before then though, so no doubt I'll divert to pootle around Snowdonia too. I really ought to get down the south west, as the Gufsmobile hasn't been further than Somerset yet.