Great Caravanning Books

Make the Most of Your Caravan

Rob McCabe, £10.99

As well as practical advice, this book will show you how to enjoy your caravan to the max! From purchase and maintenance to towing and driving abroad, all aspects are covered. Suitable for newbies and seasoned pros, this guide is even recommended by Jeremy Clarkson!

The AA Caravan & Camping Guide 2020

AA Publishing, £10.69

The UK’s best-selling annually updated caravanning guide is a must buy. All sites within the book have been professionally inspected by AA inspectors, have all site facilities listed, and are handily split into sections including small sites, quite locations and those perfect for families.

The Caravan Manual

John Wickersham, £16.45

Having sold over 75,000 copies, the Caravan Manual is now in its fourth edition and contains everything you need to know about caravans old and new. The author is a caravanner of over 40 years and provides all the advice you could ever need, from legal issues, maintenance, repair work, gas and electrics.

Vintage Caravan Style

Lisa Mora, £11.38

If vintage caravans are your thing, this book is a delight! Whether you just want to browse through the wonderful retro caravans or fancy a project, Vintage Caravan Style explores the interiors and exteriors of a plethora of creatively restored small spaces.

Leisure Logs Journals

£13.50

These fantastic journals will inspire you to record adventures in your caravan or motorhome to remember the places you visit, the people you meet and the fun times had!

Caravan Cookbook

Monica Rivron, £7.72

Caravan cooking needs to be uncomplicated, easy to prepare and satisfying, and this collection of recipes are just that. As well as providing advice on store cupboard essentials, there’s plenty of inspiration to use locally sourced produce and foraged ingredients.

 

 All prices correct as of September 2020.

 

There are hundreds of caravan clubs out there, offering great benefits, events, rallies and discounts. Whilst there are far to many to mention in detail, here are a few of the top clubs you can join.

The Camping & Caravanning Club

• Over 100 club sites
• 30% off club sites
• Discounts at attractions, caravanning equipment, motoring services
• Over 1300 exclusive small sites
• European sites and tours
• Members only social events and meets
• Technical advice & support

From £41/year

The Caravan & Motorhome Club

• 2700 sites in the UK and Europe
• Discounts at club sites
• Savings at 900 UK attractions, services and products

From £54/year 

Historic Caravan Club

If you’re interested in vintage or classic caravans, this is the club for you. With the aim of promoting the preservation and use of vintage and classic caravans, this club organises rallies, encourages the rescue and restoration of old caravans, and provides a bi-monthly magazine.

From £25/year 

International Caravanning Association

The main aim of the International Caravanning Association is to encourage international caravanning in all parts of the world by all nationalities.

Members can join rallies throughout the world, receive a regular magazine and get access to the members only area of the website.

From £20/year

The British Caravanners Club

This club is a section of The Camping & Caravanning club (of which you must be a member to join this group) and welcomes tents, caravans and motorhomes.

Each area group is run by a committee of its own members who run all their own meets. If you’re looking for a smaller, more personal club, this could be the one for you.

You’ll need to be a member of the Camping & Caravanning Club first, which costs from £40/year. This club will then cost you £5/year.

What Do I Need To Start Caravanning?

Towing License?

First things first, you’ll need to check when you passed your driving test. If it was before 1 January 1997 you’ll be able to tow. If it was after that date, you’ll only be able to drive a vehicle up to 3500kg and a trailer (caravan) up to 750kg behind it. So, if you want to tow a heavier caravan you’ll need to pass an additional test. For more information, head over to the Camping & Caravanning Club information page.

Towbar

Choose the right towbar for your car. To do this, check manufacturer’s websites (Witter, Westfaila, AL-KO) to find one suitable for you.

Caravan Hitch Lock

Security

There are various devices on the market which can help to protect your caravan.

• Hitch lock
• Wheel clamp
• Alarm
• Tracker
• CRiS

Check out this useful guide to Caravan Security Devices for more information.

Insurance

Your car insurance will usually provide third party cover for towing your caravan, so would cover any damage to other cars if you had an accident. However, you would have to pay for any damage to your caravan, so make sure it’s protected against accidents, breakdown and theft with adequate insurance.

Caravan Awning

Awning

Extend your living space with a caravan awning. Our guide to caravan awnings may help you choose.

Motor mover

Caravan motor movers allow you to easily manoeuvre your caravan into position whether that be into a driveway, storage or touring pitch, or even hitching up. This guide gives more information.

Water Carrier

You’ll need to have a container suitable for collecting water to bring back to your caravan. An Aquaroll is a great option which can be rolled along the ground.

Caravan Water Container 

Water Pump

Connect your Aquaroll to your caravan taps with a waterpump. Popular brands are Whale and Truma.

Waste Water Container

Waste water, or ‘grey’ water needs to be collected by a waste water container, which plugs into your caravan waste drain points. Wastemaster is a popular brand.

Leisure Battery

Whilst most campsites will provide EHU (electric hook up), it’s still useful to invest in a leisure battery so you can power your fridge, heater and lights. There are several types of leisure battery, and all have their pros and cons, so make sure you do your research before you purchase. This guide to leisure batteries is very useful.

Gas Bottle

Power your fridge, heating, gas cooker and shower with gas. Bottles are typically butane or propane and come in 6kg or 7kg bottles. Butane gas is ideal for the summer months, but for winter, propane is better as it’s unlikely to freeze in cold weather.

Electric Hook Up Mains Lead

Mains Lead

To connect to an EHU, you’ll need a mains lead which costs around £50. Make sure it has an IP44 rating which indicates the level of protection given to sockets from water penetration.

Step

Don’t forget to pack some portable steps to make getting in and out of your caravan a whole lot easier.

Corner Steady Jack

When you pitch up you’ll need to lower your corner steadies. Wind them down with a corner steady jack.

Toilet Chemicals

Reduce unpleasant smells, break down all the nasty stuff, and keep your toilet working effectively with toilet chemicals. Pink chemicals are added to the fresh water tank to keep the flush clean and provide a nice aroma. Blue or green chemicals are put into the waste tank and break down waste matter.

Towing Mirrors

Caravan Towing Mirrors

If you’re towing a vehicle wider than your car, you’ll need towing mirrors. You can buy stick on towing mirrors, strap on towing mirrors or bracket style towing mirrors. Prices range from around £15 to about £150.

Eco-friendly Caravanning

It’s safe to say that we should all be attempting to become more eco-friendly and live more sustainably. This shouldn’t just apply to when you’re at home or work. We’ve got some advice to help you make your caravan or motorhome holidays better for the environment.

It would make sense to say that caravanning holidays reduce the need for air travel and if you’re staying in England, the ferry too, therefore saving tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and other pollution every year.

Buying a Caravan

If you’re new to caravanning, why not consider buying second hand. Save a pre-used caravan from the scrapheap; it’ll still have plenty of life left in it, and it’ll cost you significantly less than buying new.

If you’re buying new, choosing a lightweight model will mean you’ll use less fuel to tow it, whilst effective insulation will help to reduce the need for air-con in summer and heating in winter.

Try Solar Power

Solar panels can be easily fitted to your caravan roof. Using sunlight, they can then charge your caravan’s batteries when no mains hook up is available.

There are many solar powered products which you could switch to: lights, speakers, toothbrushes, cookers, and even showers!

Rather than using electric chargers for your mobile devices, try solar powered alternatives. You can pick these up online from as little as £30.00 from retailers like Amazon and Mobile Solar Chargers.

Plastic, Plastic, Plastic!

Just as you would at home, try and avoid single use plastic.

• Invest in a metal flask for your drinking water
• Store foods in stainless steel containers – they’ll be lighter than glass jars.
• Use reusable wax paper to wrap leftovers or picnics in, rather than cling film or foil.
• Use eco-friendly tableware. OLPRO Husk plates, cups and storage sets are made from rice husk which is an agricultural waste. This tableware is biodegradable and doesn’t contain any harmful substances. Other alternatives to plastic would be bamboo or recyclable stainless steel.
• Colapz make collapsible products like water dispensers, portable showers, tableware and storage containers made from eco-friendly materials, and produce a smaller carbon footprint because they take up less space when being distributed.
• Avoid buying food wrapped in plastic by shopping at local markets and farm shops. 
• Bring frozen meat from home – it’ll keep other food items cold, and you can eat it once it’s thawed.

Cleaning

Rather than using harsh chemicals to clean your caravan or motorhome, try a non-toxic alternative. Companies like Sleek Clean Care provide a range of eco-friendly cleaning products which provide powerful cleaning whilst being biodegradable and not tested on animals. Even the container it comes in is recycled. 

Remove the need for toilet chemicals and install a SOG Toilet. A low powered extraction fan draws air to seal off odours and filters them via a charcoal filter to the outside of the caravan. The naturally treated waste has far less smell when emptying the cassette. 

Eco-Friendly Caravan Sites

The David Bellamy Conservation Awards program recognises caravan sites which do their best to minimise their impact on the environment. These sites encourage wildlife, reduce their energy and water consumption, reduce and recycle the waste they produce and support their local communities. Find an eco-friendly caravan site here.

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Caravan Fire Safety

It’s easy to forget about fire safety in your caravan whilst you’re enjoying yourself on holiday, but some simple safeguards can help to keep you safe should the worst happen.

FIRE SAFETY EQUIPMENT

SMOKE DETECTOR

Fit a smoke detector. All NCC approved dealers and manufacturers are required to fit smoke detectors in all new and second hand caravans, but it’s worthwhile making sure that this is the case.

FIRE BLANKET

It’s easy enough to fit a fire blanket in your caravan. Ideally, it should be somewhere between your cooker and your caravan door. These can be picked up for as little as £5.00, but make sure it conforms to BS EN 1869.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER

A fire extinguisher should be in everyone’s caravanning kit, but it should only be used once everyone’s out of the caravan and safe. You should also know the type of extinguisher you’ve got and how to use it effectively.

Whilst dry powder fire extinguishers are effective at putting out most fires, they’re not recommended for use in small spaces like caravans. A fully charged water or AFFF foam fire extinguisher is ideal for use on small fires.

For more information about the different types of fire extinguishers please click here.

GENERAL FIRE SAFETY ADVICE

· When you arrive at your campsite, look out for Fire Points located around the site.

· Turn off appliances when not in use – unplug phone / device chargers

· Don’t leave clothes to dry on heaters.

· Be aware of pressurised containers (aerosols) stored in cupboards next to overs / heaters.

· When pitching up on a campsite, it’s recommended that 6 meters is allowed between each caravan to reduce the risk of fire spreading.

· Don’t block air vents.

· Never leave a cooker unattended when preparing food.

· Turn off gas cylinders when not in use, and keep outside your caravan.

· Never use a barbecue or camping stove in your caravan or awning.

And finally...

Should the worst happen and there’s a fire in your caravan, don’t attempt to tackle the fire yourself, and don’t attempt to start moving or unhitching a caravan. Your primary concern should be to evacuate the area to ensure yours and others safety.

Call the Fire & Rescue Service on 999 as soon as possible, giving your location and nearby landmarks to help them to find you.

Caravan Water Systems

A bit of background…..

Most caravanners will recognise the submersible pump that sits inside an external water container, like an Aquaroll and pump the water on board. They use a small 12-volt motor to drive the water through a pipe and into your caravan.

Traditionally, water pumps would be turned on and off by a switch built into each tap. Alternatively, pressure switching can be used – when turning a tap off, the pressure rises, causing the switch to operate and turn the pump off.

Heating water in a touring caravan can be done using mains electricity of LPG, or sometimes both. Water heaters sometimes heat water alone, but combination units are available which also provide space heating. Common heater brands include Truma, Whale and Alde.

Image via www.outandaboutlive.co.uk

You’ll need to sterilise your water system to make sure the water you’ll be using is safe, and to ensure grease and deposits are reduced.

Here’s how:

• Close all the taps and valves.
• Add a cleaning agent to your fresh water tank, then fill with water.
• Turn on taps starting with the one furthest away from your water tank. As the water runs through you’ll start to smell the cleaning solution.
• When this happens, turn off the taps and leave for up to 12 hours to properly sterilise the pipes.
• After 12 hours turn on the water again to run fresh water into the grey water (used water) tank.
• Repeat this step until you can no longer smell the cleaning fluid.
• Empty the grey water tank.
• You may also want to change your filters.

It’s also worthwhile cleaning your Aquaroll to ensure it lasts as long as possible. To do this, add 4tbsp of bicarbonate of soda and fill with water. After gently rolling it on its side, leave for 24 hours before rinsing thoroughly.

Another way to prolong your water tank’s life is to clean your toilet cassette regularly – around 2-3 times per year. You should always check manufacturers guidelines before performing any maintenance, but as a guide you’ll need to do the following:

• Pour 300ml of specialist cleaner to the toilet cassette, adding 5 litres of lukewarm water.
• Shake the tank back and forth several times then leave for at least 16 hours then empty.
• Rinse with fresh water.

How to buy a Caravan at a Show

There are a number of caravan and motorhome shows throughout the year, taking place at locations across the country. These events see new model launches, great offers and the opportunity to view a huge range of caravans and motorhome all in one place.

If you’re looking for a new caravan, one of the shows could be an ideal time to make your purchase. Here are our tips for getting the most out of a show, and hopefully making the right purchase for you.

Make a shortlist of caravans you want to see.

Do some research prior to visiting the show, so you’ve got an idea of which types of caravans or motorhomes you’re looking for, and which brands and dealers you want to visit. Exhibitor information will be available on the event websites prior to the show, so you can 

plan your day.

Don’t forget to check that your car can safely tow the caravans on your shortlist. Use an online caravan and tow car match tool to find out and make sure you won’t have to buy a new car too!

Dealer Specials

At shows, dealers will often offer a number of special edition versions of standard caravans. 

These special editions will be more expensive than standard models, but the value of the extras will represent excellent value for money, then it’s worth considering these.

Caravan Magazine have an handy comparison list printable to help you compare caravans when you’re at a show.

Special Offers

Dealers will be competing for your business at shows so there should be some excellent deals to be had. However, the best price for your ideal caravan may be from a dealer based miles away from your home. You’ll need to consider that if there is an issue, how easy will it be to tow your caravan to the dealership to get it repaired under warranty? This could also be the case for annual servicing.

Remember that you don’t have make a purchase there and then, unless it’s the last day of theshow and a show only offer. Take a coffee break to mull over your options, or better still, sleep on it.

Finance options should be available at the shows, but it’s worth considering this in advance, if you’re planning to make a credit purchase.

Insurance & Storage

Before you make the final decision, don’t forget to consider how much it will cost you to insure, and where you will store your new tourer – you may not be able to park it on your driveway. CaSSOA has over 400 secure storage locations across the country.

Why do caravans snake?

….and how to avoid it.

Caravan snaking happens when a tow car and caravan become out of sync with each other and veer side to side. This usually happens as a result of a sudden swerve, crosswinds or high speeds, though can also happen when a tyre blows or if the caravan is loaded incorrectly.

Snaking is relatively uncommon thankfully, but can cause serious accidents and major disruption to other road users.

Good towing practice is the first step to prevent snaking, and this begins even before you start the engine. Correctly loading your caravan is vital as one which is unevenly loaded is far more likely to sway. Make certain that the nose of the caravan isn’t overloaded.

Next, make sure your tyre pressures on both your tow car and caravan are at the right pressure. Check out our post on Caravan Tyres for more information about caravan loading.

Snaking can sometimes happen if a caravan is travelling at a high speed and is passed by a larger vehicle like a lorry causing crosswinds. Towing mirrors are therefore essential in alerting a driver to approaching vehicles so that they can slow down.

When it comes to speed, always tow within the legal limit. Don’t feel you need to reach the limit, and take into account weather conditions like rain or high winds.

Anti-snaking stabilisers are available, often attracting a discount on your caravan insurance if you use one. These devices automatically apply the caravan brakes if a snaking movement is detected and cost in the region of around £200.

12 Apps for Caravanners

Here’s a round-up of our 12 favourite apps – from travel apps to keep you moving to first aid apps to keep you safe, we’ve got all the essential apps you need for your caravanning trips and holidays.

Caravan Sitefinder

£-FREE

Caravan and camping directory of nearly 4000 campsites across the UK and Ireland.

IOS / Android  

Caravan Buddy

£2.99

Everything you could need as a caravanner. Features include:

• Caravan Site Search
• Services Search
• Caravan Leveller
• TV Signal Finder
• Set off / arrival Checklists
• Weight Calculator
• Document Store
• Service Reminders
• Storage Reminder

IOS / Android 

Live Traffic Info – Highways England

£-FREE

Check how the traffic is flowing on motorways and major A roads in England with official information live from the Highways England National Traffic Control Centre.

However, a great alternative is TomTom GPS Navigation Traffic, which combines precise traffic and speed camera alerts along with navigation for roads in over 150 countries.

IOS / Android

Talking Caravan Level

£1.99

This app tells you what leg / wheel to raise on your caravan or motorhome, when to raise lower jockey when and when its level. Place your Phone / Pad on a flat surface and follow the audio instructions. Can be used with or without a motormover.

IOS / Android

iBBQ

£-FREE

This great little app provides a host of handy features for both BBQ lovers, and those cooking outdoors. Features include:

• Locate the nearest Quality Standard accredited butchers
• Recipes
• Video Guides
• Weather forcecasts for your BBQ location

IOS / Android

UK Motorway Services

£1.99

This app provides comprehensive information on every motorway service station in the UK.

You can search and filter service stations, find those closest to you, as well as being able to see which food outlets, shops and petrol providers are at each services.

IOS / Android 

Sun Locator

£-FREE

Sun Locator predicts the sun and moon position and path at a specific location during the course of a day, perfect when you’re pitching up and want to know where the sun will shine on your caravan.

IOS / Android

Met Office

£-FREE

This app needs no introduction. This weather app is a must for all caravanners.

IOS / Android 

Antenna Aligner

£2.99

Take the guesswork out of aligning and tuning your aerial by using Antenna Aligner. With just one click, this app will show you where to point your aerial, and which channels to focus on when fine tuning.

IOS / Android

Caravandroid 

This is one for all the list lovers out there. Caravandroid creates checklists that can be checked off as appropriate. Lists can be edited and there are also screens for storing outfit details, insurance and clubs. There’s also a vehicle to caravan weight ratio calculator and renewal reminders.

IOS – Not available / Android  

Calor / Flogas Gas Stockists

£-FREE

The app helps you find your nearest cylinder gas stockists, so you’ll always be able to locate one of the 10,000 stockists whether you’re at home or away in the caravan.

IOS  / Android  

First Aid by British Red Cross

£-FREE

Free, simple and life-saving – and doesn’t need an internet connection as all the information is contained on the app itself.

IOS / Android 

If you’ve got a favourite app you couldn’t do without on your caravan holiday, let us know. Share it with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Have you ever considered hiring out your caravan or motorhome?

Buying a caravan or motorhome is a lifestyle choice and investment for many owners. For some, it is a home that can travel with you and makes an array of planned and impromptu trips a reality.

But for some individuals, after the purchase they find themselves using their caravan or motorhome much less than first anticipated and when considering the costs of maintenance, storage and insurance, the possibility of selling does seem a viable option.

But before you make that move, why not think about hiring it out?

Hiring out to trusted hirers can be a great option for any owner wanting to earn some extra money whilst they aren’t using their caravan or motorhome. It is estimated that some owners only use their caravan or motorhome for just eight weeks of the year, so for the additional 44, why not consider hiring it out?

Benefits of hiring your caravan or motorhome

• Money – The amount is dependent on a number of factors i.e. how often you are willing to hire your caravan or motorhome, but you can then use the money however you see fit and it could potentially help towards maintenance and storage costs for your caravan or motorhome 
• Hiring caravans and motorhomes could become a business within itself - You could build up to a larger fleet and earn more from hiring multiple caravan or motorhomes at the same time 
• You give others the opportunity to experience the joys of camping 
• You get to meet new people 

Things to consider

• Hire insurance - You need to make sure that along with your comprehensive insurance you have the adequate cover for hiring it out to other people for their use 
• Other people – Not everyone will be pleased at the thought of other people in their caravan or motorhome 
• Damage – There is always a risk that your caravan or motorhome won’t come back in the same condition that you hired it out in 
• Marketing effort and costs - To make sure you get some interest in your caravan or motorhome you really have to think about putting some time, effort and money behind marketing it out to the general public. Choosing the right audience and putting your caravan or motorhome in front of them, at the right time and in the right place, can be trickier than you think! 

How to minimise effort and maximise opportunity?

If you want to make the most out of hiring out your caravan or motorhome, you can attempt to alleviate some of the above risks by working with a reputable and trusted third-party platform with all the bells and whistles.

When choosing a trusted third-party platform you need to ensure that you are happy with what they provide, that if you need it, they have the right insurance options for you and that you have a level of control that is right for you.

Camplify UK is one such platform that can assist you with all of these considerations!

Why choose to hire out through Camplify UK

Camplify are the fastest growing peer-to-peer caravan and motorhome sharing platform designed specifically for owners of caravan, campervans, motorhomes and trailer tents. Through our service, we connect you with hirers looking to spend their holidays and breaks in other people’s caravans or motorhomes. We look after everything from marketing to payments and insurance so that you don’t have to worry about all the time and effort that goes into hiring out.

• It is FREE to list your caravan or motorhome with us 
• A full hire insurance solution is available 
• RAC breakdown cover is included with every hire 
• We can help you calculate what to charge your guests. Try our online calculator for a rough guide of what you could charge holidaymakers 
• Our platform allows you to talk to guests interested in hiring your caravan or motorhome – you’re in control and can opt to approve or decline each hire 
• We hold a £1,000 pre-authorised security deposit from all holidaymakers at the time of booking, to cover any minor damages if they happen whilst out on hire – anything over that is covered by the insurance so you’re not out of pocket 
• Give you tips and guides on caravan and motorhome hire that you can refer to time and time again 
• Inspire holidaymakers with our blogs and guides about locations all over the UK 
• An ongoing customer service 

Whether you want to list your caravan or motorhome with us or just need some advice to help you decide what is best for you, we’re here to help!

Top Caravan Blogs

Here at CaSSOA we are always looking to be inspired and love to read about other people’s experiences of caravan life.

This blog simply outlines some of our favourites, if you do have any suggestions for us however, please send them straight across!

In Pursuit of a Dream

Deb and Steve decided they needed to upgrade their camping holidays in 2014 and are now seasoned caravanners, travelling around the UK and Europe. As well as detailing trips across Italy, Spain, France, Germany and of course the UK, In Pursuit of a Dream includes really useful advice on winter caravanning, campsite cooking and product reviews. Updated regularly, this is a must read for all caravanners.

Twitter: @DebLudford 

Facebook: @TheLudfordsCaravanPage

Tin Box Traveller

Claire’s blog is an award winning family travel blog which features a range of holiday inspiration as well as invaluable travel tips and ideas for days out with kids. As the name suggests, Claire is a big fan of caravanning so there are plenty of site reviews and advice on how to survive road trips with a young family. We particularly love how Claire refers to the rest of the family; Mr Tin Box, Tin Box Tot, Tin Box Baby and Tin Box Dog!

Twitter: @TinBoxTraveller

Facebook: @tinboxtraveller

Get Your Legs Down

It all started 20 years ago when @legsdown started writing home to his parents on a trip to Australia. A blog then followed on a trip to Egypt in 2009.  

Richard has now been caravanning since 2012 and chronicles all his trips, including an epic 3-month trip around the UK, product reviews and a wealth of other caravanning advice and tips.  And finally, we couldn’t not mention the ‘Pubs’ section – a must read for any ale lover – which is a rundown of where to get a decent pint within walking distance of a caravan site.

Twitter: @legsdown

Facebook: @getyourlegsdown

Caravan Chronicles

Caravan Chronicles was started in January 2012 about 6 months after Simon & Sue bought their first caravan. They initially thought it’d just be a simple blog about learning to caravan. However, after writing a post about towing, the blog became massively popular and now features ‘How To’ guides, equipment reviews and posts about their travels around the UK and Europe.

Twitter: @CaravanChron 

Facebook: @caravanchronicles

Our Life in a Caravan

Jools Mauro lives in a caravan full time, and blogs about what to do and how to do it. With posts about how to check for damp, to dealing with post, caravan security and even Cossack Beard Oil, Jools’ blog is a great read.

Twitter: @caravanliving

  

The Trudgians

The Trudgians are a Wiltshire based family who have recently embarked on the great caravan adventure. Their blog is full of useful reviews, and details of their trips. Their YouTube channel is also worth a visit. 

Twitter: @TheTrudgians  

Facebook: @TheTrudgians