Well after 2 years with a folding camper and lot of trips that were great we have taken the plung to a caravan !,
Towing a pathfinder was easy but I think a little more caution will be required with our Bailey pursuit !
I assume a little more i depth planning is required on road trips to avoid lanes any tips !
Look forward to it already no more unpacking and packing the folding camper was the breaker in the end after we have just turned from the south of France stop overs for caravan seem a lot easier !
I wouldn't worry too much, just check your route before you go and read the road signs.
Also practice reversing if you aren't confident, supermarket car parks are useful in the evenings.
We tow a twin axle and have only got 'stuck' once when I had to unhitch, turn the van on the mover and re hitch. The road just wasn't wide enough to turn and their was a low entry which we missed the sign for.
Discounted Insurance Quotes for UKCampsite.co.uk visitors! Up to 12.5% off!
Hope you enjoy the 'van Glamamping. We certainly are enjoying our first year, after many with a Folding Camper. Just remember the van is longer, and it will take you a bit more time to get places. Also be ready for a bit of a "pull" if a lorry passes you. No great problem though.
------------- Alan
2016
February C&CC Theobalds Park
March C&CC Salisbury
May C&CC Adgestone IOW
July Le Clos Auroy, Auvergne France
August C&CC Polstead
August C&CC Oxford
October C&CC Lauder
You won't look back to be honest.
Wish we had done it a couple of years back.
We had the pathfinder but just found it to much like hard work and hated wet pack ups and having to put the thing up again once we were home.
Towing the caravan is no real problem just load it correctly (no weight in the back) all the heavy stuff over the axle and it will be fine.
Happy caravanning
We were campers until 4 years ago, bought our first caravan and wished we had done it years earlier. We find that most camp sites give excellent directions to them and if in doubt we use Google Earth on street view.
We are now able to plan breaks all year round in the caravan whereas the tent was put away in September until the following Easter.
We have just done the same; having upgraded from a 1988 Pennine Pullman to a 2004 Avondale Argente.
Our only question is - why didn't we do it sooner? Don't get me wrong, we had lots of wonderful times in the FC but turning up late one night and putting the pole through the canvas was the last straw for us (as well as being next to a caravan whose exterior light was on all night!)
Now we arrive at site day or night and can be set up within 15 minutes. Bliss.
We moved up from a Conway Crusader to towing a 7m+ caravan behind and to be honest it is quite amazing how one adapts. Like us I'm sure you won't regret it at all, especially when it's cold windy and raining outside.
Dave.
------------- Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day,
Teach a man to fish and you can get rid of him for a whole weekend.
Dont know if you have been advised but,your caravan has probably got an ALKO hitch and your camper a normal one,check that your towball is compatible with the alko one before you go,woundn't want you to find that the hitch catches the rear of your car,happy caravanning and enjoy it
Many thanks for the info on the tow ball, I assume ours is fine it is a Webber tow bar and the pathfinder had an alko hitch so assume the alko will be fine on the caravan too.
Can anyone else advise if my thinking is right ? Many thanks
2016
February C&CC Theobalds Park
March C&CC Salisbury
May C&CC Adgestone IOW
July Le Clos Auroy, Auvergne France
August C&CC Polstead
August C&CC Oxford
October C&CC Lauder