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Christmas

J

joanne_5119923

We are thinking of going away between xmas and new year (without our 2 year old so perhaps on an adults only site) Can anyone recommend a good site to stay on during this time, we would like somewhere picturesque with a good country pub! Any help would be appreciated as we have never been away in the caravan in the winter before. Thanks Jo
 
Hello joann

I was looking on the web yesterday and this caravan park looked alryt give it a look you never know you might likehttp://www.bainland.co.uk/ best of luck.Ian.L
 
hi joanne re ian`s comment on bainland just came back the weekend and it`s a great site,on-site bar with swimming pool and

the staff are friendly and helpful ,would love to go back.
 
Hi Jo - Anne

Are you in the N S E or W of the UK ??. We are looking forward to winter caravanning,sometimes I wonder why!!!

Braemar or Banchory CC sites in the North East maybe OK depends on the snow ???.

Val & Frank
 
Hi Val & Frank

We are in the Midlands, about 15 miles north of Birmingham so anywhere in UK is easily accessible, is winter caravanning more difficult, for instance does the water freeze and is it too cold in the van?
 
Joanne,

Having done many years of winter caravanning in ice and snow the following points are important.

1. To avoid condensation never switch your heating off, even on going out for the day or at night.Your caravan will always be nice and warm.

2. Unless there is a strong wind blowing leave one window on night catch and roof light on night catch for air circulation.

3. Make sure you have if possible two full gas, or nearly full, gas bottles when you start your holiday.This is because on a lot of sites, even caravan club sites,the high demand for electricity can cause cuts in supply during periods of high demand.

4. If your caravan has an end washroom take a low powered electric heater with you and an extension lead to heat the washroom in really cold weather.This is because blown air heating is not very efficient when the temperature drops near to freezing.

5. Make sure you have winter covers for your fridge vents. These are to be used if the daytime temp drops below 10c.

6. If the temp drops to freezing leave a couple of kitchen cupboard doors slightly open at night to let the warm air circulate to your water pipes.

7. Cover your water container with insulation such as hot water tank laging. Also bring your pump into the caravan at night.

8. Empty your waste water before it goes dark. If a small amount freezes during the night it does not matter.

Please do not be put off by all this advice.It is a wonderfull feeling sitting in your warm caravan and seeing the frost or snow outside. I assure you once you have done it you will do it again.If you have any questions just ask.

Oh nearly forgot, if possible leave your handbrake off and chock your wheels so they will not freeze onto the hubs.

Enjoy winter caravanning, dare I say it the real way to caravan!!!

HAMER
 
Joanne,

Having done many years of winter caravanning in ice and snow the following points are important.

1. To avoid condensation never switch your heating off, even on going out for the day or at night.Your caravan will always be nice and warm.

2. Unless there is a strong wind blowing leave one window on night catch and roof light on night catch for air circulation.

3. Make sure you have if possible two full gas, or nearly full, gas bottles when you start your holiday.This is because on a lot of sites, even caravan club sites,the high demand for electricity can cause cuts in supply during periods of high demand.

4. If your caravan has an end washroom take a low powered electric heater with you and an extension lead to heat the washroom in really cold weather.This is because blown air heating is not very efficient when the temperature drops near to freezing.

5. Make sure you have winter covers for your fridge vents. These are to be used if the daytime temp drops below 10c.

6. If the temp drops to freezing leave a couple of kitchen cupboard doors slightly open at night to let the warm air circulate to your water pipes.

7. Cover your water container with insulation such as hot water tank laging. Also bring your pump into the caravan at night.

8. Empty your waste water before it goes dark. If a small amount freezes during the night it does not matter.

Please do not be put off by all this advice.It is a wonderfull feeling sitting in your warm caravan and seeing the frost or snow outside. I assure you once you have done it you will do it again.If you have any questions just ask.

Oh nearly forgot, if possible leave your handbrake off and chock your wheels so they will not freeze onto the hubs.

Enjoy winter caravanning, dare I say it the real way to caravan!!!

HAMER
Click to expand...
I agree completely with Hamer, we use the Poston Mill site in Hereford through the winter months and love every minute of it, waking up in the morning to a blanket of snow covering everything is fabulous.

Sometimes things do freeze but its a quick walk over to the shower block to thaw out the pump and mains aqua roll adapter and your back in business.

As Hamer says, it might well be real way to caravan for a lot of us. Great tips Hamer.
 
I agree completely with Hamer, we use the Poston Mill site in Hereford through the winter months and love every minute of it, waking up in the morning to a blanket of snow covering everything is fabulous.

Sometimes things do freeze but its a quick walk over to the shower block to thaw out the pump and mains aqua roll adapter and your back in business.

As Hamer says, it might well be real way to caravan for a lot of us. Great tips Hamer.
 
Hi Mike & Hamer,

Thanks for the tips very very welcome. I see the CC have some tips as well, but I don't think you can beat personal advice

Val & Frank
 
Joanne,

Couple of things I forgot to mention.

1. Always use propane( red bottle). Butane will cease to give off gas when the temp drops below 1 degree c. Propane will work down to minus 20 degrees C.

2. Always have a hair dryer in the caravan. Good for thawing out frozen pipes.

Enjoy winter caravaning.

HAMER
 
Hi Hamer

Hope this is not a daft question, but do you leave your gas heating on all the time, and if so, is this safe? Or do you use some sort of electric heater. Thanks.

Chris
 
Hi Chris, we haven't tried winter camping yet this is our first van in donkeys years!!!!. We have bought a co alarm to be fitted to the van just in case we decide to use our system on gas anytime in the winter. I believe that snow blocking the flue can cause problems, but someone will give more advice soon.

ps will use electric if on EHU afterall, youv'e paid for it !!!

saw that tip in a caravan magazine

Val & Frank
 
Hi Hamer

Hope this is not a daft question, but do you leave your gas heating on all the time, and if so, is this safe? Or do you use some sort of electric heater. Thanks.

Chris
Click to expand...
Chrissylizzie,

No not a daft question.I use sites with electric hook up. However on a couple of occasions the electricity supply has failed for at least 24 hours. We switched over to gas, as did other caravanners without any problem at all.

Make sure in heavy snow enough snow is cleared to allow plenty of air to circulate under your caravan.

Make sure the air holes in the caravan floor beneath the cooker,fridge.fire and water heater are clear. Gas is heavier than air and should you have a leak the gas will disperse through the holes.

When your caravan is serviced the gas system will have been pressure tested for leaks.

As has already been stated keep your fridge vents clear. when using winter covers the breathing areas on the vents are much reduced.

For total peace of mind you can buy a gauge from caravan dealers to connect to the cylinder to test for leaks. Some caravans like my own Senator Wyoming have them fitted as standard. They double up as a gauge to tell you approx how much gas you have left.

Many caravanners winter caravan on C.L.s on gas only without any problem.Winter rallies are also held on siteswhich are gas only.

There is no problem in going out and leavung your appliances on gas providing you have taken the above precautions.

Don't forget you must use Propane gas.

Happy winter caravanning.

HAMER
 
Hi Hamer

Hope this is not a daft question, but do you leave your gas heating on all the time, and if so, is this safe? Or do you use some sort of electric heater. Thanks.

Chris
Click to expand...
Chrissylizzie,

I should have also said,if the site electrics will allow it, I always use electrics not gas. However on non caravan club sites sometimes the electric supply to your caravan is limited to 10 amps.This can limit how many appliances can be used at the same time on electric. For instance we use a microwave for cooking. In cold weather we switch the heating to gas while we are cooking and then back to electric.

In cold weather never switch off your heating day or night irrespective of whether or not you are in or out of the caravan.

This will stop condensation and cold spots in your caravan. In really cold weather ( below say 5 degrees C ) we never use the blown air heating. Instead we run the caravan fire on 1 kw and run an extention lead into the washroom where we run a Dimplex coldwatcher heater on 500 wats. It is not a fan heater,therefore no noise.

Hope this helps .

HAMER

If the electrics fail and we switch to gas, we have no option but to use the blown air. However the caravan fire on gas is 3.6Kw and therefore produces a lot more heat.

Hope this helps.

HAMER
 
Chrissylizzie,

I should have also said,if the site electrics will allow it, I always use electrics not gas. However on non caravan club sites sometimes the electric supply to your caravan is limited to 10 amps.This can limit how many appliances can be used at the same time on electric. For instance we use a microwave for cooking. In cold weather we switch the heating to gas while we are cooking and then back to electric.

In cold weather never switch off your heating day or night irrespective of whether or not you are in or out of the caravan.

This will stop condensation and cold spots in your caravan. In really cold weather ( below say 5 degrees C ) we never use the blown air heating. Instead we run the caravan fire on 1 kw and run an extention lead into the washroom where we run a Dimplex coldwatcher heater on 500 wats. It is not a fan heater,therefore no noise.

Hope this helps .

HAMER

If the electrics fail and we switch to gas, we have no option but to use the blown air. However the caravan fire on gas is 3.6Kw and therefore produces a lot more heat.

Hope this helps.

HAMER
Click to expand...
Hi Hamer

Thanks for info. which is very helpful and reassuring. I feel much more inclined to try winter caravanning now as previously I have felt I would be cold,so thanks for that.

Regards

Chris
 
Hi Hamer

Hope this is not a daft question, but do you leave your gas heating on all the time, and if so, is this safe? Or do you use some sort of electric heater. Thanks.

Chris
Click to expand...
Chrissylizzie,

Me again. If your caravan has a roof extractor fan, or ay other extractor fan make sure you switch it on before you start cooking and only switch it off after cooking. This really does help to eliminate condensation.

HAMER
 
Hi Hamer

Hope this is not a daft question, but do you leave your gas heating on all the time, and if so, is this safe? Or do you use some sort of electric heater. Thanks.

Chris
Click to expand...
Hamer,

After all of your very good advice you have let the side down!!!

Quote in really cold weather say 5 degrees C

When it's 5 C we swim in the sea here in Aberdeen and all the folk rush to take their clothes off to catch a tan.

I have printed off all of you good advice thanks

-) Val & Frank
 
Hi Chris, we haven't tried winter camping yet this is our first van in donkeys years!!!!. We have bought a co alarm to be fitted to the van just in case we decide to use our system on gas anytime in the winter. I believe that snow blocking the flue can cause problems, but someone will give more advice soon.

ps will use electric if on EHU afterall, youv'e paid for it !!!

saw that tip in a caravan magazine

Val & Frank
Click to expand...
Hi Frank

Thanks for tip on alarm which I will bear in mind. Chris
 
Hamer,

After all of your very good advice you have let the side down!!!

Quote in really cold weather say 5 degrees C

When it's 5 C we swim in the sea here in Aberdeen and all the folk rush to take their clothes off to catch a tan.

I have printed off all of you good advice thanks

-) Val & Frank
Click to expand...
Val and Frank,

We lived in a village in Derbyshire for 18 years, narrow steep roads out of the village. Each winter we would get snowed in for several days.

For the past 14 years we have lived on the West coast of wales and have only had about 4 days of snow, usually melted by lunchtime. Frost is virtually unheard of. As they say in Derbyshire we have become "nesh".

Winter caravanning back in Derbyshire or the lakes has therefore become a novelty. Locals cannot understand why having come to live in such a mild area we disapear in winter to areas with snow and ice.

As my wife says we must be mad!!!!

HAMER.
 
We have just booked tonight for Christmas and New Year, I know it's early but once everyone has had their summer holidays Christmas comes to mind, we are off to Suffolk on a CL, we have been before and It does have some hard stands, we have been going at this time of year since 1985. You will love it go for it
 
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