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Well Guys I have just booked my first weekend away in the caravan.  Towbar gets fitted onto the Vitara tomorrow, picking up my 2009 Lunar 546 next Sunday, it comes with all the extras inculded so hopefully I will have most things I need.  Booked to go away on the bank holiday weekend at the end of May to Tullan's Farm, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, with the Mrs and the 2 young kids.  I have no idea what I am doing - hopefully I will by then. 

Any good advice for a caravan virgin?

Keep calm and open minded!

We thought we had everything last year when we went away, its amazing how many 'bits' make your life easier!

Enjoy!

1. Take your time. Don't worry about the drivers behind you, enjoy the open road in front. Only time you ever get to see the open road is when you have a caravan!

2. Always have a last leisurely look around the van before you drive off. Ok who has left the corner steady wrench or mover remote on the floor as they drove away?. 

3. Checks before you set off:-  

noseweight - A frame touching the floor - too heavy; Rear car wheels off the floor -back end of van too heavy.

corner steadies up;

jockey wheel up ....best to lock it as well;

brake cable on and moving freely;

doors and windows locked; Keys safely stored rather than left in the front locker door.

Electrics and aerial disconnected from the stand although it will amuse your fellow campers to leave them connected.

vents/windows closed; Blinds up so you can look into your lovely new baby as you drive along. Look ahead sometimes though...it helps 

Lights (side then full indicators brake then fog, that way all lights can be seen to work together); Reverse towards the wardens house to check lights in their front room window

Try to put the mirrors on before you drive off rather try to find a large layby to pull into to put them on. If you do that there will always be a bus pulling in behind you!!! 

Fridge door locked - the left over beer tends to get too fizzy if left to fall out and roll about the floor

Caravan switches off 

Drain the water out preferably when the local cat has just gone under the van

Tyre pressures - bit more than a kick usually

Torque your nuts (pardon); 

4. Look at your route. See if there are any steep hills!

5. Before you put the awning up just remind yourselves that you are happily married.

Enjoy

Phil

Good choice of van, have a great weekend out in it. Great advice from all the posters, don't worry about being a novice - we all were at some point, just relax and have a great time.

Nicky

We are also new to caravanning into our second yr, the best advice i could give is to take it easy, take advice from the many posts on the forum here.  But most of all enjoy and don't worry,, most other caravanners are more than eager to help another in need.

Our last time out at easter we forgot the shelves for the fridge, so had to pile everything on top of one another, so a bit hairy when opening the fridge door.

Our friends during our Feb break, arrived on site in just his slippers and had driven from Sussex to the midlands like that and had brough no other shoes either.

Moral of it all is dont worry and enjoy and dont forget the wine.

enjoy. Chris W

"Our last time out at easter we forgot the shelves for the fridge, so had to pile everything on top of one another, so a bit hairy when opening the fridge door. "

Isn't it easier to pile the cans of beer in, one on top of the other, without the shelves in the way? Then use the site shop to store your milk (pick it up in the morning and keep it in a bucket of cold water during the day, or pitch beside a stream. The local supermarket can store your meat etc and they let you collect it up to gone midnight if its Tescos. really helpful. Priorities Chris W!!

Ah never knew that about Tesco, and as for the Beer that in the cool box in the Awning (full).!!!

Congratulations on your new van!

We're only just beginning our 2nd season so are still quite new.  Tips for your 1st trip would be

(1) Don't be afraid to ask for help - we've found most fellow caravanners to be more than willing to share their experience & help us out 

(2) Take paper & pen to jot down things you need as you think of them & also make a note of things you took but didn't use so you can leave them behind next time.

(3) If you have an awning, don't get worked up over it if you're struggling - take deep breaths, smile at each other then try again!

(4) Enjoy your weekend!

Hi Surgi78

A warm welcome to the UKCsite and welcome to Tin Tenting as other members have already advised, just take you time and enjoy every minute of it because belive it or belive it not! it will all be over to quickly, Happy Future Caravaning to you and yours

Best Regards

Woggle

Congratulations and welcome to the world of tin tenting!!

Remember the first few trips are definitely learning curves, you will spend time with your nose in the handbook, you will have forgotten something and you will spend two hours erecting the awning and wondering why you bothered. We have all done it. Awning instructions are designed purely for the amusement of other campers, awning erection for virgins is a spectator sport.  Again, we have all done it, I call the awning "a divorce in a bag!"

Above all, dont be afraid to ask for help or advice on site, we are a friendly lot and only too willing to help out if we can.  And DONT forget the corkscrew or the wine!

We're into our 7th year of tin tenting and our 3rd van. I STILL forget things (last time it was Mr Squirrel's jeans, before that it was my knix ) Luckily there's always the supermarket!!

Our motto is, 'if you forget it, either do without or (as in my case!) go and buy it!'  

Hello

We are novices aswell, just had 2 trips so far, 1st was for a nite to try everything and 2nd was the holiday weekend past, the lists on here are very good and helpful. I did say to the Mrs that I could do with a break after my weekend away as I was alway on the go fiddling at things and running after the little ones.

As said before N.Ireland sites get booked up very fast as I found out to my shock when I got my van home and was itching for a trip away. It would seem that normal weekends are fine but holiday ones e.g Easter / Bank holidays etc..  are nearly impossible unless booked months in advance.

Hope you enjoy