Having had our worst winter for a few years and having to sweep snow from the caravan roof twice It set me wondering would I really want to spend time in the caravan in this weather. I know a lot of folk caravan all year but my earliest trip has been the end of April and my latest the end of October Do you camp all year Or am I just a wimp
Must say, being a tenter... and a winter tenter at that, given the chance... we spent new year away in our tent, but with the added bonus of spending the evenings in our friends caravan. I don't deny I was somewhat surprised at just how warm, cosy and comfortable they actually are. 'Twas an eye-opener, and I'm now starting to see the attraction (just not enough to go down that route just yet, of course!)
We were also due to go again just this last weekend, and again the plan was for us to sleep in our tent, but spend the evenings in their caravan. Alas, the weather put a stop to that, as they couldn't even get the caravan off the drive!!
Having looked at the site over the weekend (we still went away, but ended up in a hotel nearby), I honestly think we'd have been ok, even in our tent, and certainly if they could have got their caravan there.
If need be, leave the awnings at home, and obviously don't forget the wellies and coats for outside, but there's not a lot of scenarios where you can feel as warm and cosy in the winter as you can in a caravan.
We go as often as we can in the year, Both trips out this year in Jan, and Feb hit - 6 at night.
Snow etc, but the van was cosy and warm.
To be honest i sooner have it cold and dry , than wet, at least you can wrap up if your cold.
I do put a porch awning up,2nd hand for £150, because that helps with the grandaughters bike and the dog if he is covered in mud or wet.
Also if it gets muddy am not to fussed if the awning gets in a mess.
Give it a go, but do go for hard standing which helps in winter, and a good site.
Away again at A1 pits next weekend 4 nights, and thats a genny and gas job lol.
I used to go camping in a tent in all weathers but I seem to have become a bit of a warm weather camper in my old age despite using a fan heater.
A few years ago I had a small caravan and with the gas fire running it was comfy cozy...in fact I didn't often need the fire because the caravan seemed to be well insulated and warmed very quickly especially if cooking. If I had one now I would still go winter camping. I only got rid of it because of the cost of storage and maintenance and although I was pretty good at towing, with being on my own I always worried a wheel would drop off or something so decided it was less hassle just to throw a tent in the boot of the car...often wish I had kept it though
The only part of caravanning during the winter months is the added risk of towing in less than ideal conditions, but as long as your careful then there is no reason to not caravan in winter.
all modern caravans have to pass a test whereby they put them in a huge freezer, reduce the temperature to -20 (I think that's the temp) and then give the caravan an hour to get up to +20, and then they turn the heating off, and the caravan has an hour to stay above I think +10 (or something like that)
Long story short, modern caravans have better insulation than a lot of houses I've lived in.
Another renter who used to camp in winter when I was able to take a few days off in Dec and Feb.
Stopped when I changed jobs and tent, as the ESVO is too big and cumbersome to dry indoors.
I started to spec a camper van for 2021 season, as was wondering if I should have 4x4 on the van to cope with the road conditions in winter.
Still deciding, however I am leaning towards it
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
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- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
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Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 08/3/2018
I started to spec a camper van for 2021 season, as was wondering if I should have 4x4 on the van to cope with the road conditions in winter.
Still deciding, however I am leaning towards it
DK
I would go for a 4x4 ... not only road conditions but also wet grass and muddy pitches.
I have a rear wheel drive van.. not the best, I've found that out a couple of times.
During all the snow before Christmas we were living in our caravan for a couple of weeks while we had some building work done at home. To be honest, I think we were warmer and cosier in the caravan than we would have been in the house. It was -10 one night and the caravan was toasty warm. It is very easy to warm up a small space like a caravan. We usually caravan all year although due to other commitments we rarely go away in December and January but from early February to the end of November we are out there as much as we can.
First time in the winter for us. Snow and very windy during the night, but toasty in the caravan once it warmed through. I couldn't believe how cold the fixtures were. Insulated water barrel, kept heating on low and we survived. Porch awning for wet gear, muddy shoes and the cadac.Used hard standing pitch. The only thing that bothered us was if it the weather deteriorated would we get home? Fortunately we were fine. Need to keep a close eye on the weather, have to say we did enjoy it and it got the van moving-and warmed up
Due to a school move for children from Wales to England, I have relocated and spent this winter in the caravan term times. Have a large awning reinforced and insulated against cold and very high 70 mph gusts of wind - am on a windy site. Aiming to buy or rent locally but taking time on deciding what / where. Heating the caravan is easy as others have said, it's a small space very well insulated. In the recent cold snap there was frozen ice all down the outside of the caravan (off-side) while it was very warm inside. The awning however has had to have a few modifications - a large roll of two metre wide silver foil insulation used for awning roof and half way up sides, all the poles from an unused porch awning also brought into service, for extra ceiling struts, also 2x2 wooden supports made into A frames as additional support for front and sides to prevent wind gusts against front of awning retracting the ceiling poles, and 5 vertical snow poles to support ceiling strusts for snow weight. Further addition of two 100 metre X 1 metre wide bubble wrap rolls (£16 each on ebay) provided final layer of insulation on ceiling and sides, so a 2 kw heater is able to keep awning a toasty 20 - 22 degrees C in all weathers - mostly running on a 750 watt setting. Only problem it takes 3 people a full day to disassemble this lot for the required moves between two neighbouring sites, though I had a seasonal pitch for most of the winter on one site to save on moves. Next winter the wife has stipulated we'll rent a house instead, though I would prefer to continue caravanning as it is 'your own home' on wheels and I like how everything is organised and within reach. Main issue is moving around in winter, setting things up in all weathers, especially as sites get boggy / wet. (Bought some plastic ridged paving also, so no mud walked into awning!). Bubble wrap is very effective insulation for an awning, and of course, light, so does not add to towing weight.
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: Winter camping
