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Caravanning "Season"

C

Christhecaravanner84

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Mildly bemused reading everywhere about "packing down for the winter". "Getting the van into storage for next season" etc. It seems to be mentioned a lot in both Practical Caravan mag and forum as well as CAMC mag. What is this "season" folk in caravanning talk about so much? It seems a shame to put a cover over your caravan and not use it until the spring.

I plan to be using my 'van year round. I am booked into a site in South Devon for new year, fully serviced pitch with a pub nearby. Very much looking forward to it. There's a lot to be said for visiting the West Country in the winter when it's quiet. I can appreciate that it might be challenging in freezing temperatures with preventing aquarolls and pumps freezing etc. But how often does it get really cold in the South of the UK, especially the English Riviera? The only stipulation for me is that in the colder and wetter months I want full facilities despite enjoying offgridding in the summer.

I'm not out to criticise anyone. We all have our own reasons and personal preferences for things. But am I in the minority as a (planning to be) year round caravanner?
 
Christhecaravanner84 said:
Mildly bemused reading everywhere about "packing down for the winter". "Getting the van into storage for next season" etc. It seems to be mentioned a lot in both Practical Caravan mag and forum as well as CAMC mag. What is this "season" folk in caravanning talk about so much? It seems a shame to put a cover over your caravan and not use it until the spring.

I plan to be using my 'van year round. I am booked into a site in South Devon for new year, fully serviced pitch with a pub nearby. Very much looking forward to it. There's a lot to be said for visiting the West Country in the winter when it's quiet. I can appreciate that it might be challenging in freezing temperatures with preventing aquarolls and pumps freezing etc. But how often does it get really cold in the South of the UK, especially the English Riviera? The only stipulation for me is that in the colder and wetter months I want full facilities despite enjoying offgridding in the summer.

I'm not out to criticise anyone. We all have our own reasons and personal preferences for things. But am I in the minority as a (planning to be) year round caravanner?
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Given the number of sites closed during Nov-March, and the generally lower numbers going on sites in that period , you must be in a minority. But what the heck, we used our van during those months, so it’s good to be in the minority.
 
I think we are in "the minority" I have never had the Aqua roll freeze as I have insulated blankets for them. If your on a fully serviced pitch, it's worth lagging your supply pipe with the grey insulating stuff. Very light to carry and easy to store.
An old anorak is very good for aqua rolls as one sleeve can be used to to cover the inlet pipe to the van.
 
Some years ago we also use our caravan between Nov- March and we use to put a jacket on our Aqua roll never had a freeze but we were on a service pitch on a caravan club site up north it can get colder up there .
 
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We don’t put our caravan away during the Winter months either but we do keep an eye on the forecast so we can avoid snow. I have to say that our salted roads are not very kind to the chassis though.
Lagging your Aquaroll and hose has already been mentioned but, be prepared for frozen taps on the pitches. The owners of the site I’m currently on in Yorkshire have lagged the rising supply pipe to the tap and the tap itself because they open all year. However, I have seen all year sites without adequate protection on the water supply leading to frozen taps.
Just something to be aware of.
 
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Most people do use their caravan only in a specific time of year although this varies from one person to the next but the number of sites closed in Winter bears this out. We have used the caravan out of season, but only at short notice if the weather looks good and once for a wedding to cut costs.
 
well, my wife is a teacher, so we are a bit limited to school holidays. As she doesn't get home until after 5:30 in the winter it's not much fun towing and setting up in the dark, so that leaves us with Saturday night only. With arrival times and departure times it's not worth the hassle. if we were lucky enough to be retired I dare say it would be a different story, though retirement age will probably be 70 odd and my pension not worth a bean at current rates
 
Bluetonic said:
well, my wife is a teacher, so we are a bit limited to school holidays. As she doesn't get home until after 5:30 in the winter it's not much fun towing and setting up in the dark, so that leaves us with Saturday night only. With arrival times and departure times it's not worth the hassle. if we were lucky enough to be retired I dare say it would be a different story, though retirement age will probably be 70 odd and my pension not worth a bean at current rates
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Before retirement we were lucky enough that I could take time off attached to a weekend, or longer periods if required, and my wife did not work so there were no constraints to us going at weekends. Then along came the grandchildren !!
 
We put ours to bed for the winter as I have to keep working to pay my taxes that pay for your pensions so you can go away........................
How considerate am I 😉😉
 
Gagakev said:
We put ours to bed for the winter as I have to keep working to pay my taxes that pay for your pensions so you can go away........................
How considerate am I 😉😉
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At least it will not rain on pitches, unless it's 50 miles of your home. 🌨
 
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Bluetonic said:
well, my wife is a teacher, so we are a bit limited to school holidays. As she doesn't get home until after 5:30 in the winter it's not much fun towing and setting up in the dark, so that leaves us with Saturday night only. With arrival times and departure times it's not worth the hassle. if we were lucky enough to be retired I dare say it would be a different story, though retirement age will probably be 70 odd and my pension not worth a bean at current rates
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Before my retirement me and the wife work long hours and occasionally we would get a long weekend together and we would hitch up the caravan and go .
 
......no problem with buying a round Hutch as I will be reclaiming £15000!!
Just bought a new house and had to pay higher rate Stamp Duty.
Can claim the refund as and when old house is sold as long as within 3 years.
 
We're heading off to Manchester tomorrow (200 miles), packing tonight with ice on the windows. We'll have the heating on high when we arrive !

We have further trips planned early December and then New Year, but more local.
 
Always caravanned all year round, spent many a new year in the wilds of Scotland, only had a problem of wastes freezing, so got used to putting an eggcup full of salt down the plug holes last thing at night, since 1990 have had twin axle vans and have fitted an extra water tank under one of the beds, no willy warmer on the aqua roll.
 
We've never really done winter caravanning although one year we did start our season in February (when it dropped to -12 C overnight) - the main reason is that daylight hours are very short in winter for our outdoor activities - we can sit in a nice warm pub anytime at home!
 
We lived in a motorhome for best part of a year while the house was being built. The cold wasn't really the issue but the rain and wind were the real problem. The rain drumming on the roof and having to hang up and dry wet clothes and boots. The wind caused a certain amount of rocking but was just about ok.
 
Mandarin said:
We're heading off to Manchester tomorrow (200 miles), packing tonight with ice on the windows. We'll have the heating on high when we arrive !

We have further trips planned early December and then New Year, but more local.
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Safe travels and have a nice time 👍
 
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