Caravan - all year round?

[LMH]

Hi

Just wondered how many members on this forum caravan all year round.

If you do, reasons why, if you don't reasons why.

We're hoping to get away in next month, then throughtout the winter.

Lisa

 

[emmerson2]

Hi Lisa. As you know, Herself and I caravan from March to January. The main reason we do this is because we can, as we're retired. The second reason is, well, why not? The van is warm and cozy, and well weather-proof.We have a very capable tow-car which can cope with almost anything, so hey-ho, off we go.We'll be in Warwick in November, Thursford in December, and Moffat for New Year. We do leave the van at home for our February holiday, though and go in hotels!Give it a go, you'll enjoy.

Time was that we were very often the only ones on site in winter, but its becoming more popular now.

 

[magicdragon]

We do, its all about the great outdoors no matter what the weather.When you invest as much money as we do in our caravns you need to use them as much as possible..............

 

[Gumbo]

We do Why

Because it's quiet,and always

Nice to come back to the van after leaving the C/Htg on and it has been a cold frosty day out on the fells. Great wildlife and landscape photo's when no one else is around.

 

[ValA.]

We generally 'put ours to bed' about the end of October - and wake it up in early March - but we have been away a couple of times at New Year, or other times during the winter, when we've been invited to parties and didn't want to drive home.

Main reasons we don't use it much -

1. The weather is usually awful - today I'm looking out on pouring rain, a grey sky, it's freezing cold, with a wind all the way from Siberia, and it's just depressing.

2. We like 'hot' - and use our caravan in France a lot because we can sit outside late into the night. It's too cold in the winter to sit outside.

3. We don't have a television or other entertainment in the van - and long nights playing card don't seem so attractive - although perhaps I could think of other more exciting ways to spend some evenings at least!

4. We tend to go away for weekends to see friends in Scotland or Norfolk, or my son in London, or go to North Wales where a friend has a lovely cottage overlooking the bay and across to Snowdon.

I do envy those who get year-round use out of their van - but I'm just too much a 'hot-weather' person and when it comes down to 'Shall we go away in the van this weekend......?' it just doesn't appeal as much in the winter as the summer.

 

[James_374408700]

Lisa,

We use the van all year round.

I think it was Billy Connolly that said:

"There is not such thing as bad weather... omly the wrong clothing" !

Go on try it.

Jim

 

[Gilbert_374242131]

I have been thinking about all year caravanning as I usualy put my caravan into hibernation in October.I dont know about others but I get down in the mouth thinking of how long it will be until April when I start touring again.However, on the upside it gives me time to gather a little cash again and I really do not know where Id want to go in the winter months as I dont fancy sitting on an empty caravan site. So you can see im MR. confused.

 

[Guest]

We follow the same pattern as Val A and today was the day we put the 'jammies' on the van and basically said 'goodnight' until Spring. Like her we do not like the cold weather. I have thought about using it in winter but then it would be in Spain where it is warmer. Today it was dark at 5 pm and next week it will be even worse so i regret I do not see any fun in sitting in a wet field, and paying for the priviledge. Televison is so awful that we rarely watch any of it, and so yes, we could go for walks, but we do that anyway and then come home to a hot bath and a warm flat. My monthly costs for the flat are less than paying site fees, even on CL's, so why do it?? and whatever I do., I still pay the dreaded Council Tax.

We prefer to save the money that would be spent and use it for the long summer months, but to each his own.

Yes, there are costs involved in the caravan, but in my case depreciation has already done its worst, so whether or not I use every day, makes no difference financially, unless you consider I do not wear it out so fast.

 

[trucker]

We use the van all year and very much enjoy winter caravanning.

The sites are usuallly quieter, and cornwall in March this year was fantastic weather (cold but very sunny) compaired to Scotland in August. cold and very wet{pipe delimiter}{pipe delimiter}{pipe delimiter}

Xmas is great, last year lovely sunny crisp mornings walking the dog heating on 24/7 so when you come "home" its lovely and warm. People do their awnings up with lights and have snow men and father xmas lit up outside, its realy quite cool.

Its our special time whilst were away. We both work long and hard so we tend to have a 3/4 day break with the van most months and also the main 1 week and 2 week holidays oh and 10 days at xmas as well

kevin

 

[LADA]

We only bought our first caravan in July this year and have had 8 trips away already and can't wait to have a winter break in it. Heading up to Berwick for the New Year celebrations and it won't matter what the weathers like - we'll keep the heating on if need be. Christmas lights in the awning, walks on frosty mornings, knee deep in snow - all hopefully part of the fun and our grandkids will have a ball no matter what the weathers like.

I think the adults going are more excited than the kids! Can't wait so don't let the fact it's not brilliant sunshine and 30' outside stop you from enjoying your van - we certainly won't.

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

We love winter caravanning Lisa, the sites are quiet, OK the weather my not be great, and of course it's dark, but we'd be sitting at home doing the same thing in the evenings as we would in the 'van - so we go out, simply for a change of scenery. For somebody who suffers from SAD as I do, this is a relief, it definately break the winter up!! :O)

 

[johnwendy]

We caravan throughout the year and always on CL's with EHU.

It's lovely to visit places when it's quieter in Winter and having a whole site to ourselves is great!

The heating is enough to keep a small space cosy, even when the snow is on the ground. The oven copes with most of what we need and a recent edition is a slow cooker so we can return to a lovely stew after a day out.

If there is nothing on TV (or Freeview) we get the DVD films out, turn the lights down low and ...dig in to the popcorn lol!

A walk along the beach on Christmas Day in Cornwall is one of the things I look forward to, escaping the hustle and bustle and having time to unwind with breathtaking scenery whatever the weather!

Wendy

 

[tj1]

we also rally all year in fact last year in usk which is were we go for new year, loads of us had trouble with the gas freezing the water freezing not being able to open the door in the mornings, going into each others van to find which one was the warmest lol but we love it .. ( without electric mind )happy days

 

[ProfJohnL]

we also rally all year in fact last year in usk which is were we go for new year, loads of us had trouble with the gas freezing the water freezing not being able to open the door in the mornings, going into each others van to find which one was the warmest lol but we love it .. ( without electric mind )happy days

tj,

The liquefied gas does not freeze! it stops boiling fast enough to supply the gas vapour which we use.

 

[carol_374470575]

Im very glad to hear lots of you get away in winter, we bought our caravan in August and have had a few w.ends away.

We are really looking forward to using it all over winter. We are very excited caravanners!!! we have the site books and are planning away right now!!

We are new to caravanning but we enjoy it so much and are grateful for all the help we recieve on here and on the sites.

Thanks

Carol & James

 

[swpostie]

Hi Lisa,

We use our caravan all year round. Every six weeks, when I get a long weekend off work, we head off somewhere.

Winter caravanning's great - the site's are quieter and the van's cosy.

You won't get cold - you're in a caravan!

 

[LMH]

Thanks, for all the replies.

We're looking forward to using it over winter too.

Lisa

 

[joeby]

we go all year ,off to spain in December for 5 weeks , we like using the gym and having a nice swim then the sauna, or off for some real fishing

 

[swpostie]

we go all year ,off to Gloucestershire in November for 6 nights , we like using the blown-air heating and having a nice big drink or two (or three) then filling our faces, or off to the supermarket for some more booze and grub!

 

[swpostie]

Sorry Joby!

 

[ValA.]

I've been thinking about this - and I wonder if it makes any difference to 'use all year' where you store your caravan? My reasoning is, if you store at home it's easy to clean thoroughly afterwards (which it tends to need after a winter weekend away). If it's in storage usually there are no facilities for a good clean - we have no access to water or electricity, and it can be a real pain to clean thoroughly.

Do those people who use their vans year round store them at home?

 

[Soozeeg]

I've been thinking about this - and I wonder if it makes any difference to 'use all year' where you store your caravan? My reasoning is, if you store at home it's easy to clean thoroughly afterwards (which it tends to need after a winter weekend away). If it's in storage usually there are no facilities for a good clean - we have no access to water or electricity, and it can be a real pain to clean thoroughly.

Do those people who use their vans year round store them at home?

Ours is in storage, but there are wash facilities there, and our van is stored under cover anyway, fortunately.

We also use it all year round and love it. Going out walking on a crisp, cold but sunny morning, then back to the lovely warm van for hot soup is wonderful.

 

[swpostie]

We keep ours in storage as we have no drive.

The storage site do provide electricity and water so we can go and clean our van whenever we want.

It would be nice to have it at home though.

 

[James_374408700]

Val,

You have a very valid point. I have often had to give the van a good wash on returning home, especially to remove any road salt.

Jim

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

Our 'van is kept at home as well. :O)

During the winter it's always a bind to try and keep the 'van looking here and there, so usually, not only do we wash it before we use it, more often than not, we have to give it another going over when we get to the site. (I say we, I really mean OH!! lol)