Hi! We've just bought our first caravan - a Swift Challenger 560 (new to us) - and we're driving from Glasgow to Nottingham later this month to collect it. We're so nervous about towing! We've looked into courses but haven't been able to find one that would work in with our dates. I'm just hoping we'll be okay on the drive back north and also using the motor mover to reverse the caravan into our drive. Hopefully we'll be ok!
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- Thread starter Didi
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Thanks so much, Gary! I wonder which are the best services to stop on the M6 with a caravan? Are there dedicated spaces for cars with caravans?
Your obvious route home is to go north up the M1, then A1(M) to Scotch Corner, A66 to Penrith and then M6/A74(M)/M74 up to Glasgow. Stick to 55 on the motorways, same speed as the trucks.
Wetherby services on the A1(M) have drive-through caravan spaces - but gets very busy at peak times. It's less than halfway from Nottingham-Glasgow but may be a good choice to reflect on your first hour or so's towing.
Whether it's a dealer or private purchase, make sure that they take the time to go through everything with you and help make sure that you're hitched up and checked properly, that you've got your extender mirrors adjusted correctly and that the caravan lights are working correctly.
When you set off, you'll be surprised that it is easier to get moving than you perhaps expect, and keep telling yourself 'remember that I'm wide'. Take quite a slow, wide line around corners, but you can see in your mirrors how close you are to the kerb and get used to where you need to be. Once you've got accustomed to it, you won't always be massively aware of any feeling that you are towing, but do stay below 55mph until you feel comfortable and genuinely capable.
My experience is that 95% of other road users are generous towards you, giving you space and so on. Just occasionally, you'll come across someone who makes life difficult, but just be relaxed about it.
Using the motor mover is easy peasy. The only thing you're likely to get wrong is forgetting to release the handbrake (or apply it) before and after.
When you set off, you'll be surprised that it is easier to get moving than you perhaps expect, and keep telling yourself 'remember that I'm wide'. Take quite a slow, wide line around corners, but you can see in your mirrors how close you are to the kerb and get used to where you need to be. Once you've got accustomed to it, you won't always be massively aware of any feeling that you are towing, but do stay below 55mph until you feel comfortable and genuinely capable.
My experience is that 95% of other road users are generous towards you, giving you space and so on. Just occasionally, you'll come across someone who makes life difficult, but just be relaxed about it.
Using the motor mover is easy peasy. The only thing you're likely to get wrong is forgetting to release the handbrake (or apply it) before and after.
Note that Wetherby Services is off-road - exit at J46 and turn right. The next services after that are also off-road on the right at J51 - Leeming Bar. Watch the lane discipline. There are also services at Scotch Corner, again off road to the east side. There are few places to stop on the A66, then services on the M6 between 41 and 42.
It depends where you are going in Nottingham but I would recommend the M74/M6/A66 (exit M6 at J40)/A1(M) and M1 and advise that you follow the same route obviously in reverse going back. There have been long ongoing roadworks on the A1 south of the M62 around Darrington on the Wentbridge Viaduct sometimes/often with extended delays.
It depends where you are going in Nottingham but I would recommend the M74/M6/A66 (exit M6 at J40)/A1(M) and M1 and advise that you follow the same route obviously in reverse going back. There have been long ongoing roadworks on the A1 south of the M62 around Darrington on the Wentbridge Viaduct sometimes/often with extended delays.
Welcome , for the towing course look on the CAMC website there are also independent ones available . THO went on one and learned so much and gained so much confidence,We made a weekend of it and then during the week she attended the course . I towed it to a nearby campsite and she towed it home!
WE also stop in the lorry part of services unless there is a designated Caravan section. also we do not leave the caravan unattended. You could attach the towball lock if you wanted to , but some people frown on that whilst towing, although it is not illegal to fit the hitch lock whilst towing , but some folks will tell you it is
Google Earth is an excellent PC tool to see the layout of service areas - and approach roads to sites. The HGV parking at some services is drive-through but many need you to reverse in, a daunting manoeuvre for a newbie on their first tow.
The suggestion that towing with the hitchlock on is pure urban myth - Alko themselves make clear that their hitchlock can be used while towing and on site - since they design the chassis, they should know.
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The Emergency Services prefer us not to use them when towing. It hinders the recovery of the car /caravan after an event eg crash, fire,
But there is no Law on the matter.
Thanks, Andrew. Good advice re collection. We're going to really take our time at the dealership and make sure we go through everything with them. I'm relieved to hear re motor mover too.
Great idea - I'll check out Google Earth for the layout of the service areas. We'll be arriving back in Glasgow quite late (i.e. in the dark!) Our driveway is on a slight incline and I have had nightmares about the caravan rolling down the hill and into our neighbour's house! Should we make sure the caravan is level, even when we're not using it?
In storage, at home, I leave the caravan slightly off-level as this stops the rain pooling on the roof - so sometimes nose up, sometimes nose down - doesn't need to be much off-level.
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