Message Forums

Hello, we are new to caravanning this year.  We bought a 2nd hand caravan in the summer but have recently upgraded this to a (almost) brand new Fleetwood Sonata Prelude.  We are so excited and we are going to 'Woodlands' in Devon for Bonfire night.

I have been reading alot of the messages and it appears that people caravan all year round and was wondering how comfortable it is in the winter.  Do you still use the awning? Can you have a heater in it (the awning)?  Do you still use the showers or toilets or do you tend to use the ones in the vans?  It would be nice if we could get away before the spring so any info would be appreciated!

thanks Cath

We use our van right through the year. We dont always use the awning as its quite often wet!! But as soon as we get there we put on the heating and leave it on low all the time.

It depends on the facilities wether we use them or the van as some of the sites have freezing toilet blocks but others are ok with the heating on.

You just need to go prepared and tke it as you find it at each site you visit.

hi if you use caravan club sites there toilet and shower faclites are nice and warm always have the heating on in the van and leave it on low even at night

have a good hol

we go all though the year in our caravan, we too keep the heating on low all the time and wedo youe the toilet in the van but havnt tried the shower, usually use the ones on site.  It depends on the weather if we use the awning or not and for how lobg were staying, wher we go and how long it took us to get there, as its a right pain to get it up in the dark. 

pardon

We also caravan all year round and once your heater is on in the van it is nice and toasty.!!!......we don't take the full awning,last year we made do without it...we just bought a large container with a lid to put the wellies in and muddy shoes.We have bought a lightweight porch awning this year so I think we will cope alot better this year......I love winter camping it is fun and it gets you out and about instead of being stuck in at home....Have fun

 Netty

We have a small porch awning for winter use which has a very sloping roof and is reinforced with extra poles. (It needs to withstand quite heavy snowfall) and a large awning for summer use.  We have tried managing without an awning but found it impractical for all but a day or two.  In bad weather you really need that transition point between inside and out to avoid rain/snow etc blowing into the van as well as somewhere to change shoes etc.  It is also possible to use the awning as extra living space in the winter depending on the temperature and heating arrangements. I have seen caravans where the blown air system has an outlet into the awning but we just use a fan heater if we need to dry damp clothing etc.

We tend to use the showers on sites as we normally stay where there are good facilities, but the caravan loo gets a lot more use in winter than summer as it often seems too much effort to leave the van in the cold and dark winter weather.

Happy camping.

Going to a larger van, we were unable to get a reasonable offer for our 800 cms Trio Mexico awning.  It is now being converted to a combi-porch for winter use.  Our new van, with end bathroom, has a one-piece moulded shower cubicle, so we will be using that in winter, as well as summer.  The blown air system gets the bathroom as warm as any on-site facilities, and this, coupled with adequate ventilation, avoids the risk of dampness or condensation. 

To prevent freezing of the water barrel an inlet pipe, in addition to a waterproof thermal cover I am considering the use of one of those flexible heating bands sometime seen in shop windows to prevent the class from misting over.  This would be wound around the pipe and barrel, and fed from the external 240 volt socket.  An alternative would be the heating band used by home brewers, if the residual heat can rise sufficiently to keep the inlet pipe free from freezing.   It goes without question, that full electrical safety will be a mandatory factor above all else.

Bertie. 

We caravan through the winter and have great fun. We  try to use sites with all the amenaties, but we go to a new year rally that is held at a village hall and we are on the car park with no electricity. 4O caravans last year and a good time was had by all. No problems Cath.

         Yes we Caravan all Year also, in fact we will be up in Broadway C/C Site for Christmas for 10. Days, No Matter what the weather want's to throw at us, we have found that putting up the full Awning is a bit of a bind, so recently we bought a Sunncamp Ultima 260 Porch Awning, just for getting in under to wipe the dog down really, and for taken off those mucky boots etc, another usefull point is make sure your using Butane gas, and not Propane as last year we were up in Hunters Moon, one morning waken to an outside tempeture of -5 Degrees and running with Propane gas which had froze again as many others we leave the electric convector turned down low over night so its usually cozy in the van.

                                    Go for it Regards Conqueror

Conqueror,

Haven't you got propane and butane around the wrong way?  I thought it was butane that had problems in cold weather.

Isn't the new plastic bottle from BO propane?

Farrant

Now I've got BO confused with BP!!!!

Farrant