Winchester Caravans' Blog
Keep up-to-date with the latest news, promotions and events with our very own blog. Updated weekly.
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Celebrate the 2024 season with a new CADAC BBQ…
Caravanning holidays provide the ideal opportunity to get the BBQ out! It’s a time when you’ll have plenty of outdoor space to do it and it’s also a great way to bring the whole family together and get everyone involved. Caravan kitchens are fully-equipped and great for cooking but BBQs give you that secondary option when the weather’s too good to stay inside!
CADAC is renowned as the caravanners’ gas BBQ of choice thanks to their compact size, high quality design and ease of use. There’s much more to CADAC than just BBQs; they also produce a range of cooking equipment, utensils and essential parts to keep your sausages sizzling!
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Invest in air con for your leisure vehicle…
If you like to stay cool during the summer months, fitting an air conditioning unit to your leisure vehicle will ensure your comfort! Whether you’re thinking of starting your adventures this season, or you’re a seasoned caravanner or motorhomer, we can help.
At Winchester Caravans and Motorhomes, we can order and organise the installation of your Truma air conditioning unit of choice. If you’re looking to buy a vehicle soon, we can add it on as an extra to your purchase, or if you already have your vehicle, you can book it in with us to be fitted at a time convenient for you.
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Do festival season in style!
For all the music lovers out there, it’s that time of year again - festival season! May-August is bursting with various festival dates, catering for a wide range of music tastes from pop and rock to 80s and dance.
One of the things that deters a lot of people from going along and enjoying these festivals is the sleeping and bathroom arrangements offered - namely camping and shared toilet and shower blocks. Let’s face it, at festivals, the campsites can be crowded and noisy, and the bathroom blocks are busy and perhaps not the cleanest!
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Celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee in style!
With the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations fast approaching, what better excuse to get away from it all and enjoy a bit of quality time with your loved ones? With two consecutive bank holidays (Thursday 2 and Friday 3 June) giving you a four-day weekend, if you haven’t got any plans yet, now’s the time to make some!
Hitch up the caravan or get the motorhome out of storage and head off to enjoy the long weekend - hopefully the weather will be kind! If you just want to make the most of the extra time off with a few days away, great! Or you could look into how you could really take part in the Jubilee Celebrations...
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Which VW campervan is right for you?
VW campervans continue to be a popular choice with singles, couples and small families looking to get away from it all! There are many models to choose from so be sure to explore all the options before making your choice.
VW campers are great as they offer the best of both worlds - they allow you to enjoy your creature comforts such as electric hook-up, kitchen facilities and real beds to sleep in, whilst remaining compact so that they’re easier to drive and park, and cheaper to run than larger motorhomes.
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Keeping your caravan clean
Cleaning your caravan will really help keep it in tip top condition and maintain its value, so be sure to set aside some time to make this happen!
It’s a good idea to clean your caravan regularly - monthly, before each trip and after each trip too. That way, you’ll know you’re caring for it in every way you can. Plus, whatever time of the year, if the opportunity for an impromptu trip crops up, your van will be ready to go!
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All you need to know about caravan storage
Internal storage space in any caravan is limited, but the key to being able to take all your creature comforts with you is to make the most of every inch of storage space available!
If you’re considering a caravan purchase, read on to find out more about the storage options available and discover the top considerations storage-wise. For caravan owners, our top storage tips may provide some fresh ideas on how to maximise the available space and may give you some things to think about if you’re contemplating an upgrade...
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7 great places to caravan in Somerset
Somerset, the gateway to England’s south west region, is known for its cheddar cheese and cider. A peaceful rural county, it is home to several Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty including the Blackdown Hills, Cranborne Chase, Mendip Hills and Quantock Hills.
In addition to these, Somerset also comprises the stunning Cheddar Gorge, part of Exmoor National Park, the Somerset Levels and 40 miles of beautiful coastline. If enjoying the great outdoors and breathtaking scenery is high on your agenda, you’ll be spoilt for choice here. It shares borders with Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire and the bridge over the River Severn into Wales is just 25 miles away, making that an easy day trip option too.
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Get barbecuing!
One of life’s great pleasures is barbecuing in the great outdoors; cooking and eating outside is something we Britons relish in the summer months when the weather allows it!
Caravanning holidays provide the ideal opportunity to get the BBQ tongs out! It’s a time when you’ll have plenty of outdoor space to do it and it’s also a great way to bring the whole family together and get everyone involved. Caravan kitchens are fully-equipped and great for cooking but BBQs give you that secondary option when the weather’s just too good to stay inside!
Read more ›
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Top 10 most wanted accessories
Peak caravanning season is approaching and nothing makes a trip away more enjoyable than having everything you need to ensure your holiday goes smoothly!
If you’re new to caravanning you may not realise the extent of the accessories available, so be sure to pop into our onsite shop or browse online to see what’s on offer. Experienced caravanners may also benefit from an accessory refresh! Check out our Top 10 most wanted list to ensure you have those all-important items...
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Caravan cooking made easy!
Sometimes cooking can be a chore, especially when you’re on holiday and what you should really be doing is relaxing! The odd meal out or takeaway is great, but if you’re away for more than a few days you’ll undoubtedly need to cook some meals.
It doesn’t have to be hard work though - read on to discover some helpful hints and tips for keeping kitchen work to a minimum and to ensure the whole family can enjoy mealtimes and play their part. We’ll even throw in a few meal ideas too!
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7 great places to caravan in Devon
Glorious Devon! There are many things that are great about it, not least that it’s in the south of England, benefitting from some of the best weather the British Isles has to offer! With beautiful sandy beaches, picturesque rural villages and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), what more could you ask for?
Perhaps afternoon tea? Well, you’re in luck as the cream tea was actually invented here! Historians discovered hard evidence that the cream tea started at Tavistock’s Benedictine Abbey over 1,000 years ago, when monks fed workers a combination of bread, clotted cream and strawberry jam. Today we have graduated to scones with our yummy toppings and a pot of tea to accompany it, but the big question is - jam or cream first? The traditional Devonshire way is cream on the bottom, jam on top!
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Why caravanning = great family holidays!
Caravanning has provided fun family holidays for decades. Add to that the rapid growth in the popularity of motorhomes and campervans in more recent years and it’s clear to see that leisure vehicle holidays have never been a better option!
The past year has been a difficult one, with most families finding themselves unable to enjoy their annual summer holiday abroad due to the pandemic. This has however, resulted in a rise in those opting for caravan or motorhome holidays instead; a great option as with washroom and kitchen facilities on board, you can remain completely self-contained, limiting contact with others as much as you want to.
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What’s new in awnings for 2021?
Awnings are a great way of creating more space whilst on a caravanning holiday. Some can even double your footprint - that’s a lot of extra space to play with! Whether you’d use it to house extra guests, as an additional living space or as a play area for the kids, awnings are invaluable!
There are three main types of awning to choose from - full awning, porch awning or canopy. Full awnings are practically the length of your caravan and therefore offer the most space, porch awnings offer sheltered space outside the caravan, ideal for drying off and storing boots etc, and canopies offer a retractable roof which could provide shelter from the rain or sun if required.
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Planning your spring/summer getaway...
With caravan sites reopening from 12 April, there should be plenty of opportunities to get away and enjoy some quality time with your loved ones this spring/summer.
After a year of uncertainty, it seems there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccine roll-out at a midway point and some restrictions starting to be loosened. April will see non-essential businesses start to reopen, along with outdoor hospitality. Hopefully by the summer, more amenities will be up and running again, allowing us to get back to enjoying the things we love, with friends and family around us.
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Get equipped for the 2021 season!
2021 caravanning holidays are on! Sites are set to reopen from 12 April so it's time to prepare for the new season! As well as making sure that your caravan is ship-shape and ready to go, have you considered if you have all you need for a smooth, hassle-free trip?
Whether you’re new to caravanning or have been doing it for years, it's always good to check you have all you need ahead of time. There are a number of accessories that are essential to making your trips that little bit easier, as well as those that are just nice to have! Check you have all the vital things and consider if you’d like to update any of your existing items such as new homeware, towels or bedding.
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Get ready for the 2021 season!
Caravan sites will reopen from 12 April so it’s time to start preparing for the new season. After a long winter of restrictions and lockdowns we’re all looking forward to a spring and summer dotted with trips away in our caravan or motorhome, so let’s get ready!
The new season kicks off in just five weeks, so if your leisure vehicle has been sat on your driveway or in storage all winter, you haven’t got long to get everything ready. Make sure you’re sorted, organised and ready to go in advance so you can enjoy the lead-up to your trip without any last-minute stressing or list of tasks to complete.
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Discover caravanning in 2021!
James Mainwaring
01/03/2021
blog / advice / new caravans / motorhomes / summer / holiday / family, All
If you’ve been mulling over the idea of a caravan or motorhome for the past few years, there’s never been a better time to take the plunge! 2020 saw caravans become the new cool as they offered couples and families alike the best option for a holiday during a global pandemic.
Although things are looking up with vaccines being rolled out and dates in the diary for the country to (cautiously) start reopening its doors, staycations are likely to be the most sensible holiday option this year. It is hoped that all adults will have received the vaccine by the end of July, but that may be too late to organise holidays abroad, so why not stay on home soil to enjoy your annual leave?
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7 great places to caravan in Dorset
James Mainwaring
22/02/2021
blog / advice / new caravans / motorhomes / summer / holiday / family, All
Dorset is a stunning county with the best of both worlds; picturesque villages and sleepy hamlets set in jaw-dropping countryside, but with the glorious Jurassic Coast to the south. It really does have it all and offers the ideal location for a caravan holiday, whatever your tastes may be.
Wherever you choose to stay in Dorset, you’ll be able to travel between places of interest easily enough, but with no motorways at all in the county, you could find yourself using country roads much of the time, meaning journeys could take a little longer! Before embarking on your trip, be sure to plan your route in advance to avoid any nasty surprises that involve you trying to squeeze down narrow lanes whilst towing a caravan!
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7 great places to caravan in Hampshire
James Mainwaring
11/01/2021
blog / advice / new caravans / pre-owned caravans / summer / holiday / family, All
The new year is a great time to start thinking about the trips you’d like to take during the year ahead. As lockdown #3 continues, having some breaks planned for later in the year is sure to give you something to look forward to during these long winter months!
Foreign travel is still looking uncertain at this time, so caravanning could be your ideal alternative! It will allow you to be completely self-contained if you choose, whilst also enjoying some glorious surroundings. We’re extremely lucky to live in Hampshire as the county offers many fantastic places to head off to with your caravan in tow!
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Get kitted out!
James Mainwaring
17/08/2020
blog / advice / awnings / accessories / shop / summer / holiday / family, All
Now that the 2020 caravanning season is in full swing, it’s time to get that trip away booked! But before you go, make sure you have all you need to ensure a smooth trip with all the essentials on board.
You can visit our on-site shop at our Colden Common showroom or take advantage of our new online shop, where a good range of our products are available. You could be new to caravanning or a dab hand who needs to upgrade a few items - but what are the most important things to buy to make your caravanning summer holiday complete?
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Top caravanning destinations for 2020
2020 has certainly been one for the record books! The coronavirus pandemic has meant that everything has been done differently this year and that many of the things we’d usually do have not been possible at all.
Luckily, restrictions have been lifted in recent weeks and from 4 July, campsites were permitted to reopen, with social distancing measures and increased cleaning of communal facilities in place. This will allow campers and caravanners to enjoy a few months of adventures should they wish to go.
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We are passionate about caravans, which is why we have created our very own Winchester Caravans blog. If you want to keep up-to-date with the wonderful world of caravanning and are always looking for tops tips and handy hints, then why not check out our regular blog posts?
What's more, our blog is the perfect opportunity to share your caravanning stories. If you have a story to tell, send us an email (marketing@winchestercaravans.com) and you could see yourself published on one of our blog posts. We want to hear about your journey!
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Ask a question ›News & Blogs
Get your caravan ready for winter
The days are getting shorter, the mornings crisper and the evenings darker - yep, it’s British wintertime! Whether you’re year-round caravanners or prefer to stick to the warmer months ...
14/10/2024
blog / advice / new caravans / pre-owned caravans / winter
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Celebrate the 2024 season with a new CADAC BBQ…
Caravanning holidays provide the ideal opportunity to get the BBQ out! It’s a time when you’ll have plenty of outdoor space to do it and it’s also a great way to bring the whole f...
25/03/2024
blog / advice / accessories / summer / holiday
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5 great places to caravan in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire has a rich history, diverse landscape, and vibrant cultural scene, making it a popular place to live as well as visit. With a population of 675,000 and covering an area of 1,236 sq km,...
18/03/2024
blog / holiday / family
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