We have decided to visit SIL in Oulton Broad, Lowestoft. We will take the caravan and stay at Jaydene, a very reasonably priced commercial site, and another well priced site near Bury St Edmunds en route, where you can have a bath for £2!
Having decided to go away by coach this Christmas, it is now time to winterise our caravan as it's highly unlikely we will be using it again until spring. I absolutely hate the cold so the idea of being cooped up in a warm caravan or having to go out in the cold seems like my idea of torture. Good luck to anyone who is planning to use theirs over the festive season, I really hope you enjoy yourselves, but it's not for us. Staying at home or going out locally to visit family, as we have done every year for decades, is a far better option, as is what we have decided to do this year. Stay in a hotel and get waited on.
We had wheel bearing problems with the car (it's getting old like me) when we were away with the caravan in September, but at least the weather was great. We could still get around (free) by bus and train, and the car got us home ok and I got the problems fixed at our local garage. Breaking down in freezing December doesn't appeal at all! At least if the coach breaks down at Christmas it's up to the company to sort it, not me.
We seem to agree on many things Colin, but cold is one we are not it seems! I'm off to Cumbria end of Oct-early Nov, in the caravan of course, and I'll spend hours sat/stood on the shores of Coniston Water watching and photographing the Power Boat Speed Trials, typically in temps of around 8C, maybe with a wind chill knocking that down even lower, and of course the rain will be obligatory, but may wimp out if it's too wet and visibility poor!
Evenings and overnight I'll be tucked up cosy in the caravan of course (the occasional dog wee excursion aside!) where balmy 8C will potentially become sub-zero.
I've plenty of warm outdoor kit, the caravan is warm, and I'll be as happy as Larry. Even my old dog, being a Border Collie who was born in Scotland, pays no heed to the cold, she'll not flinch at a bit of a chill wind. If it's a lovely bright sunny day, I don't care how cold it is, got the clothes to deal with that, I want to be out there with the dog.
…. on the other hand, you couldn't pay me enough money to persuade me to go to the Med in August! ... truly my idea of Hell! You'd need a crow bar to prise me away from the A/C and venture outdoors!
Only thing about caravanning in the winter months that worries me is the state of the roads, driven on plenty of snowy/icy roads without too much concern in a solo car, but towing the caravan is another matter! Done a few hairy moments in the car without any consequences, including 'pirouettes' on black ice, but car AND caravan, not sure I see good outcomes from that!
I have just had my 78th birthday and the idea of a coach/hotel holiday is just not me, but each to their own and I hope you enjoy it Colin. My SIL is a courier on such holidays but she will retire soon. We will have a couple of weeks away in the caravan before Christmas.
Quote: Originally posted by Mrs. Bonce on 18/10/2025
I have just had my 78th birthday and the idea of a coach/hotel holiday is just not me, but each to their own and I hope you enjoy it Colin. My SIL is a courier on such holidays but she will retire soon. We will have a couple of weeks away in the caravan before Christmas.
I'm 15 months younger and I'm not sure it's for me yet either Mrs Bonce, I've never done it as a passenger, only as a driver. That is quite different, apart from the fact that as I driver I was paid, as a passenger I have to pay! I never did one as a driver over Christmas though, mainly during summer.
Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 18/10/2025
We seem to agree on many things Colin, but cold is one we are not it seems! I'm off to Cumbria end of Oct-early Nov, in the caravan of course, and I'll spend hours sat/stood on the shores of Coniston Water watching and photographing the Power Boat Speed Trials, typically in temps of around 8C, maybe with a wind chill knocking that down even lower, and of course the rain will be obligatory, but may wimp out if it's too wet and visibility poor!
Evenings and overnight I'll be tucked up cosy in the caravan of course (the occasional dog wee excursion aside!) where balmy 8C will potentially become sub-zero.
I've plenty of warm outdoor kit, the caravan is warm, and I'll be as happy as Larry. Even my old dog, being a Border Collie who was born in Scotland, pays no heed to the cold, she'll not flinch at a bit of a chill wind. If it's a lovely bright sunny day, I don't care how cold it is, got the clothes to deal with that, I want to be out there with the dog.
…. on the other hand, you couldn't pay me enough money to persuade me to go to the Med in August! ... truly my idea of Hell! You'd need a crow bar to prise me away from the A/C and venture outdoors!
Only thing about caravanning in the winter months that worries me is the state of the roads, driven on plenty of snowy/icy roads without too much concern in a solo car, but towing the caravan is another matter! Done a few hairy moments in the car without any consequences, including 'pirouettes' on black ice, but car AND caravan, not sure I see good outcomes from that!
Yes indeed we do agree on most things Monty, but on the cold, no way! As I get older extreme heat seems to affect me more too. My comfort zone seems to be between about 18 degrees and 28 degrees, and I really do like to be comfortable. If I'm out and about I much prefer to be in jeans and a shirt, not multiple layers like an arctic explorer. If I can't go out in my preference in clothing and be comfortable, I don't want to go out, and if the alternative is to be stuck inside a small box on wheels, no thanks. I like to be able to move about and at home I'm in a 3 bedroom house with all my things around me. Give me that any day over being stuck in my caravan, much as I love it in summer. This Christmas for us is an experiment, something we have never done before, but we may yet decide we don't like it and never do it again. But we have to try as the idea of being looked after and waited on does have an appeal. With a caravan holiday I do all the driving and my wife does all the cooking. She doesn't drive and I'm a terrible cook. It suits us fine in summer, but this Christmas we have decided to let someone else do both.
I set my house, car and van at 18.5degC throughout the year!
Heating in the house is not on yet, and I still need to turn on the air con in the bedroom at night!
I can do cold, however, I can't do hot. 20degC would be ideal for me.
When I installed air con in my house as part of its extensive renovation back in 2006, peeps thought I was mad commenting air con was not needed in this country, etc. etc... Whenever we had a heatwave and peeps complained about being too hot, I tried not to smirk too much!
A roof mounted air con was a must have item in my van's specification, and it had been put to good use for certain. It can also be used as a heater, however, I prefer the diesel Webasto heater as it is quieter and quicker to heat up the van.
Not for me staying in hotel rooms, besides, it will cost extra for the dog, as much as 20 GBP a night at some places! I would rather stay in the comfort of my second home on wheels.
If I were to go to south of France in my van one day, it would be in April/May when it is not too hot.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
We both love being in the caravan. We always go away at Christmas and I cook Christmas Day lunch, having been disappointed with pub lunches. This time though, OH's niece will be cooking. She loves Christmas and probably already has the outside of her house decorated. DK, you should have married OH, he is always hot. Unless it is freezing, he is always in a t shirt.
Quote: Originally posted by Mrs. Bonce on 19/10/2025
We both love being in the caravan. We always go away at Christmas and I cook Christmas Day lunch, having been disappointed with pub lunches. This time though, OH's niece will be cooking. She loves Christmas and probably already has the outside of her house decorated. DK, you should have married OH, he is always hot. Unless it is freezing, he is always in a t shirt.
I love cooking and Christmas is the only time I would make a roast nowadays as it is too much food and faff to do a roast just for one person IMHO.
This year will be roast pork (I alternate between duck and pork) and I reckon a piece that can fit into the mini oven in a 20cm round pan would probably last the whole trip if I use the leftover over a number of meals in different flavours and formats.
I shall bring a piece of steak as back up as it can be sliced up for stir-fries.
There will be at least a tin of Spam if not more as back up too.
As for feeling hot - I was still in Hawaiian shirts and cargo shorts at the end of September! Changed the Hawaiian shirts to flannel shirts with long sleeves still with shorts for another 2 weeks, and only changed to treggings last week!
I miss the cargo shorts for the pockets as I am not a handbag person. With treggings I would need to wear a bum bag, hey ho!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Good job we aren't all the same isn't? Apart from being as boring as hell, some businesses would clearly go bust!
I have always been a cold one, even as a kid. While others are strolling around in shorts and a tee shirt, I've still got my thermal socks on and a woolly jumper. Not just those of course, I don't want to frighten the horses. I just think I've got bad circulation. Whenever I have to go for a blood test I often come out with about 5 holes in my arms as they can never find a vein. When the temperature drops much below 10 degrees, if I don't have gloves on my hands are like blocks of ice!
Our heating has been on for about 3 weeks now, although only for a couple of hours first thing and a couple of hours in the evening if we are sitting watching TV. The house is well insulated so it stays warm for ages after the heating goes off. For comfort the thermostat is set at 21 degrees. Much lower and I'd need a coat on if I was just sitting around.
No air-con in our house, although it would be handy in heatwaves. The house is rented and I certainly couldn't afford to put it in regardless. If it's really hot the best place is in the car. That has climate control and it really works!
Quote: Originally posted by Mrs. Bonce on 19/10/2025
I am exactly the same with blood tests. I have just prepared the meat and veg but still don't feel warm.
I know what you mean. The thermometer on my lounge wall is reading 21 degrees but it doesn't feel like it to me. It's probably because I am just sitting down, but I'll either have to get up and do something or put a jumper on.
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 19/10/2025
...... For comfort the thermostat is set at 21 degrees. Much lower and I'd need a coat on if I was just sitting around. .......
GOOD GRIEF!!!!! 21C!!! When I fitted new storage heaters a couple of years back, the FIRST job after powering up was changing the default 21C thermostat setting to a more tolerable 18C!
21C would be like having the worse fever ever! ... and clothes would be redundant! Sitting here now, heating not on, room thermometer saying 17.8C and I'm quite comfy.
Always used to think of A/C in UK homes as total overkill (car was a different matter!), then we had some toasty summer days a few years back and I picked up a portable A/C unit for free from Freecycle - now, I'd marry the thing if I could, it's the love of my life now, and those horrible sweaty nights where sleep was impossible are a thing of the past. My free A/C has a new bought and paid for housemate these days too, which gets used in the caravan if it's gonna be hot on my trips, otherwise it earns it keep at home. Can't believe I thought A/C was unnecessary, complete opposite view now, the utter joy of the chill! ... even the dog loves it, usually to be found lying in whatever position gets the coolest draft from it!
Tales to be told about the gender WARS (they did get fairly antagonistic!) over the years with various partners when we were poles apart on comfortable temperatures! . About only time we were in agreement was during those years aging ladies seem to no longer control their own thermostats! .... otherwise they seemed hell bent on roasting me alive!
Quote: Originally posted by franbee on 15/10/2025
Mucker (and others), do you know about Camping Carpark, mainly in France?
Their MH stops are all open all year and have hard standing, disposal point and water. No toilets or showers except a limited few in the high season. Lots of them, and you don't need to book, but can check on availability, and pay for any 24 hours.
Thanks Franners!
Yes, I was aware of their existence, but not in any great detail.
I was planning to check them out before we go, and see if they suit our needs/way up costs/suitable locations etc. but haven't got around to it as yet. I intend to.
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 19/10/2025
...... For comfort the thermostat is set at 21 degrees. Much lower and I'd need a coat on if I was just sitting around. .......
GOOD GRIEF!!!!! 21C!!! When I fitted new storage heaters a couple of years back, the FIRST job after powering up was changing the default 21C thermostat setting to a more tolerable 18C!
21C would be like having the worse fever ever! ... and clothes would be redundant! Sitting here now, heating not on, room thermometer saying 17.8C and I'm quite comfy.
17.8 degrees is fine if I'm doing something but if I'm just sitting watching TV I'd need a big thick jumper on at least and possibly a coat. Temperature in here is currently 22 degrees so heating has gone off. I'm comfortable without a jumper on, just. If I bring the back of my hand up to my face it strikes cold! I'd never make an arctic explorer.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Festive Period 2025
via mobile 18/10/2025 at 7:46am
It suits us fine in summer, but this Christmas we have decided to let someone else do both.
Sitting here now, heating not on, room thermometer saying 17.8C and I'm quite comfy.
. About only time we were in agreement was during those years aging ladies seem to no longer control their own thermostats! 
