Tips for first-time caravanners

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If you’ve been thinking about embarking on your caravanning journey for some time now, now’s a great time to take the first step! Caravanning offers all the fun of camping with none of the compromises!

The kids will experience the adventures of the campsite, the ability to explore outdoors and play in the fresh air, with the added bonus of a comfy caravan to come back to at the end of the day! It’s easy to get away at the drop of a hat as you’ll have the caravan fully kitted out, ready to go, and once you arrive on site, they’re quick to pitch - unlike some tents!

 

Why is caravanning so great?

Self contained
One of the biggest advantages of caravanning is that you have everything you need inside your home on wheels. All caravans come with their own washroom facilities, equipped with loo, basin and shower - bliss! What’s more, having an onboard kitchen allows you to prepare and cook all your meals in your van too - and no queueing for the washing up station afterwards!

Easygoing holidays
Caravanning provides the ultimate freedom! Once you’ve purchased your caravan and have it all kitted out, it’s easy: you pack some clothes and off you go! Everything is ready and waiting in your van every time the fancy takes you. Plus, unlike holidays abroad, there are no worries about language barriers, passports and visas. You simply need to choose your destination, book your pitch and start looking forward to your upcoming adventure!

Near or far
It’s your holiday, so you choose where you go! With a caravan you can go near or far, the only limit is how much travel time you can put up with - an important factor if you’re travelling with kids or pets. Identify some places you’d like to visit and ask the rest of your party for ideas. You could opt for several destinations if you have a couple of weeks to spare, but be sure to plan your route well to make the most of your holiday.

Quality time
Taking some time out to enjoy some quality time with our nearest and dearest is essential. Whether you’re planning on a trip with just your family unit, or meeting up with fellow caravanning friends or extended family - enjoy! Sit back, relax and soak up the simple things in life - good company and the great outdoors!

Tips for new caravanners

Pick a destination close by
It’s a good idea not to venture too far for your first trip away. Pick a destination 90 minutes from home or less. This will remove the pressure of a long journey, particularly if you are travelling with children or pets. It may also be your first time towing, so this can be your practice run! As you won’t be an experienced caravan packer, there’s the chance that you may leave something important at home, so knowing you can nip back for any essential items on that first trip is reassuring.

Take your time towing
You’re likely to feel nervous about towing your caravan for the first time. If you can get out for a few local practice runs on your own (without the family on board) in the weeks leading up to the trip, you’ll probably feel more relaxed about it on the day. On the day, take your time, towing takes some getting used to. You won’t be able to travel as quickly as you usually would and you’ll need time to get used to driving with the extra length. Your driving ‘spacial awareness’ will also be different!

Trip duration
For your first trip away, it’s nice to have time to relax, unwind and experience all that a caravanning holiday has to offer, without the pressure of having to stay too long. A week would be the ideal duration for your pilot trip - ample time to chill and see if you enjoy it, but not too long that you are pining to go home!

Pack the essentials
There’s nothing more annoying than arriving on holiday to realise that you’ve left something important at home. In the weeks leading up to the trip make a list of all the things you will need and also ensure that your caravan is fully kitted out for caravanning life. Make sure your kitchen has crockery, cutlery, cups, pans, chopping board and utensils etc, and that your washroom is equipped with wash products, loo rolls, towels and bath mat. Other things to remember include:

- Bedding (remember spares if travelling with kids!)
- Outdoor chairs
- Barbeque
- Mini vacuum and dustpan and brush
- Rubbish bags
- Toolkit
- Electrical hook-up cable
- Water containers

Electrical hook up
One of the big advantages of caravanning over camping is all the creature comforts caravans provide, many of which are run on electricity. Lighting, fridges, microwaves, hair dryers and phone chargers are never appreciated more than on a caravanning trip! So be sure to come equipped with your electrical hook-up cable, or if you’re opting for a more ‘wild’ caravanning experience, invest in a good leisure battery to keep you going. You could even consider a solar panel - they’re inexpensive and provide free power directly into your leisure battery!

Get active!
Caravanning presents the ideal opportunity to get back to nature and get active! Be sure to pack your walking boots, trainers and swimmers and be ready to make the most of the great outdoors! Walking and hiking across local landscapes is fun for all the family and there’s nothing quite like a paddle in a local stream to help the kiddies cool down. You could even invest in a bike rack for your caravan and take your bikes along with you too!

Why buy from us?

Exceptional customer service
We pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service. We endeavour to find out what each customer wants and needs from a vehicle and work with them to find them their ideal match. We want to help the customer discover which option will be best for them, to ensure they're happy with their choice long-term. We love hearing stories of the many great trips that customers have enjoyed over the years!

Award-winning service
We were awarded the Gold Award as a Supplying Dealer of New Caravans at the 2023 Practical Caravan Awards; this is the fourth year in a row that we’ve been awarded this prestigious accolade. Gold Awards are bestowed upon high achieving companies that show quality and consistency and this year’s award was earned with an impressive score of 85.9%.

Knowledgeable staff
Our company is made up of four teams - sales, accessories, aftersales and workshop. We’re all extremely knowledgeable in our respective areas and always ready to advise as and when needed.

NCC-approved workshop
Our workshop is NCC-approved and run by fully-qualified caravan technicians. Using an approved workshop like us gives you peace of mind that the technician working on your caravan is a professional and qualified to the required standards.

We have all you need…

We’re an approved dealership for two of the leading caravan manufacturers in the UK, Bailey and Swift. We stock new caravans from both, as well as a wide range of pre-owned caravans, so we’re sure to have the right van to suit your requirements and your budget.

Get kitted out for your first trip away - visit our onsite shop for a leisurely browse and a chat with our friendly shop team. You can also log onto our new online shop - pop what you fancy into your basket and take advantage of the 10% discount we’re offering on all awnings and accessories purchased online right now! Plus - we’re now offering FREE DELIVERY on all orders over £25!

 

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