Hi again
We have come back a day early from our camping in our precious tent. It got quite scary as, although the tent was pegged down with big hefty pegs, the pegs were being lifted out of the ground by the strong winds and the tent was flapping around like something possessed!
It took us three and a half hours to pack everything away today and two and a half hours to set up last Friday!
Anyway, I have decided there is no wat I am gong in a tent again now I have seen how comfortale Nd warm allof my fellow capers were in their caravans!
The problem I have is now deciding on a caravan. I can't decide whther I should look at a tow car first or the caravan first, the other thing I am ot sure about is the layout of caravans.
We have two children that we like in bed at a reasonable time as they are only little. The configuration we saw today was a fixed double and two singles that were changed from the seating area.
This kind of defeats theobject as we won't have anywhere to sit once they are in bed!
Does that mean that we need to look at a six berth? We were hoping to get something smallish but I am not sure how the sleeping is going to work.
Does anybody know of a caravan where the children can sleep and we can have a seating area still please? And is it best to choose a van first and then the car to suit? I am a little worried that I will see a van I realy like and then find I can't afford anything to tow it with!
Thanks!
------------- Center Parcs April 2015
Chestnut Meadows Bexhill August 2015
Once in lifetime trip to Florida Oct 2015!!!
Have you considered the double dinette layout, you have a parallel lounge as normal, so you can make that up for you and OH as a double, and at the back of the van is a similar layout ( just a bit shorter, which is good for the kids to sit up in the day and then at night turn into bunks. Usually the washroom is in the middle of the van opposite the the cooker and fridge.
Bailey ranger 500/5 is one, lunar zenith 4 or 5 lunar don't make the zenith anymore and i don't think bailey make the ranger, but both are nice second hand vans,and are quite lightweight so you wouldn't need a big big car. This layout still does exist though in newer models too. It also depends on your budget and how old or new you want the car or van really.
------------- "I'm a fool for my dogs"
Adopt a rescue, rescue dogs make great pets, don't support puppy farms.
The road can be tough and rough,but what you put in you get back 10 x more.
Hi my sister in law as just got a Avondale dart 510 model 5 berth and max weight is 12kg great layout for children as u got double bed at back and as a blind that pulls across when they go to sleep and 2 1ong seats at front but toilet and shower are in middle so toilet and are togerther so means if u use shower you got wipe everything out caravan finder is good for showing lay outs just put search in there what caravan you want good luck
We have caravan with end bathroom and we love that lay out as we use it all the time
We had an avondale. A 4 berth. - 2 bunks in the back and the diner made into a double bed when you are ready to turn in. There are many variations. Have a look around a large dealer at the various options.
If you have to change the car anyway I reckon you need to get a good idea of the size/style of the caravan first then sort out a mondeo that can handle it.
If you decide on a 6 berth you may well have to consider a 4x4.
Sounds like you need to chose the caravan first & then the large 4x4 to tow it. Alternatively find a caravan with bunk beds. If you want bunks, a fixed bed & seating you will probably have to buy a German caravan.
We were tenters and have converted to a caravan, similar situation, fed up of putting up and taking tent down in bad weather and watching caravaners pulling up and within 1/2 hour sat with kettle on.
We have just bought Lunar Quasar 556, 6 berth, layout is lounge at both ends with kitchen and washroom in the middle, rear lounge makes up into double bed, or two single beds with two bunks over, front lounge makes into double bed, ideal configuration for families as children can be put to bed and screen pulled across . Lunar make lightweight vans so great for towing with the 'smaller' car.
Best decision we ever made, even though I loved my tent.
Hi Madmum, I have just bought a S/H Bailey Pageant Champagne. It has two, single seats (with table top) which can be turned into two bunks at night leaving you to use the long seats at the front of the van. These long seats can then be made into a large double bed. Oh, and a huge shower which is great for kids.
we have the bailey 500/5 and you use the small bunk at the back or make up a double bed for them.there is a folding door that can be shut off at night time.our granchildren love the rear bed all to themselves as its so large.the front makes to a double or two singles.ours is MTPLM of 1272 kgs.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
The double dinette model suits us as a family of four, two teenage girls. If we go away on our own, we have a double left made up at the rear of the van, with both girls with us they use the rear double and we make up the double at the front. This easter there was just me and one daughter so I had the rear double and she used one of the front settees as a single. It is a similar situation with young children as teenagers - you want somewhere for them to go to bed and you still have space, my two want to stay in bed but we want to have breakfast!!!
ignore the myth about needed a big 4x4 to tug something suitable! there are plenty of options. When we got a caravan we got a magazine and matched up the layouts from this to narrow the search.
we have two youngsters - now 7 & 5
have had a twin axle Sprite quattro ES (fixed bunks) and a nice rear bathroom. the dinette area was OK, but turned into a dumping ground for kit (only changed as this was written off by a rally driver)
we now have a sprite Major 6 with the fixed bunks (single axle). We are a lot better with storage now, so the dinette area is a great eating area and a place to keep the kids occupied away from the main seating area.
the advtage of fixed bunks is that they are already made when you arrive on site, so gives great flexibility and the kids love playing in them.
You can then put them to bed and relax in the front seating area.
you can get smaller vans with the fold out bunks, but you lose the above advantages.
hi we had the bailey 500/5 double dinette which holds 2 single and 1 bunk at the rear of the van. wehave now changed to the coachman 550/5 again 5 berth with dinette at the back these are ideal as youve plenty of space that you use in your van as well asthe sleeping area which can be closed off.
look on caravan finder theres all the layouts of all caravans sold this might be of help to you
------------- Sandringham 22nd mar - 30th mar
thorpe park 27th apr - 1st july
thorpe park 1st sept 2015- 1st nov 2015
clumber park 29th dec -4th jan
we have just converted from our folding camper to a 'van - we had the same issues so we bought a s/h bailey ranger 550/ 6 berth its huge but light at 1250. we have 2 fixed bunks at the back , mid bathroom/ kitchen combo - opposite a single dinette that we easily fit around {it converts into 2 etra bunks which we don't need} and then the 2 long bunks at the front can be changed into a double if you want to snuggle - or 2 singles if you've had a tiff! we think its the best thing since sliced bread! The bathrooms not huge- but we use sites wwith washrooms so its only needed for the toilet and sink and suits us down to the ground. our masda5 pulls it no probs - but we had a mover fitted so we have no worries burning out the clutch.
Hi mad mum, wecalso moved from tenting. 1 thing I knew at the very start was that I wanted a separate shower / toilet so this ruled a number of vans out. We finally decided on a 4 berth elddis avante with end bathroom and the side dining area which changes into bunks for grandchildren. I love it when on our own but difficult when kiddies come as we like to watch a film or tv in evening and this disturbs them. I do know that since we bought ours there are more double dinette vans with a side bathroom with sep toilet etc which would have suited us better.
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Topic: Caravan Layout
