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Subject Topic: Winter Break Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonJoanne4
30/12/2016 at 9:28pm
 Location: South Derbyshire
 Outfit: Pennine Pathfinder 2006 View Joanne4's Profile View Profile   Reply to Joanne4 Reply   Quote Joanne4 Quote  
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Having bought our first caravan a few months ago, we haven't yet had the opportunity to try it out! We are tempted to go away for a few days during February half term, however, having never camped during the Winter months or used the caravan, I am a little nervous!

Do we just go for it even though we're not entirely sure how everything works or would we be wiser to wait until March when the weather may be a little kinder? We won't be going too far away from home first time out, just in case it really is a disaster! (We will be taking four kids with us!)

If we do go what advice could you give for caravanning in cold weather?


PersonRay Clayton
30/12/2016 at 9:33pm
 Location: Ilkeston. Derbyshire
 Outfit: Disco 4 Unicorn Barcelona 4 View Ray Clayton's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ray Clayton Reply   Quote Ray Clayton Quote  
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Hi
Can you set it up on your front before you go.
Test your electrics and water system etc.

If they ok then go for it.

-------------
Cheers
Ray

Discovery 4 & Bailey Barcelona 4







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PersonWhite Rose
30/12/2016 at 9:37pm
 Location: West Yorkshire
 Outfit: Sterling Eccles Sport & S-Max View White Rose's Profile View Profile   Reply to White Rose Reply   Quote White Rose Quote  
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Are you a member of the C&CC, by any chance? If so, Leeds DA have a rally/Temporary holiday site at Three Rivers Woodland Park at Clitheroe that runs over Feb half term. You'd get loads of back up from everyone there if you needed it, there'll be plenty of children there for yours to play with, there's EHU, full facilities and even a swimming pool on site, and its only £12 a night....


PersonJoanne4
30/12/2016 at 9:42pm
 Location: South Derbyshire
 Outfit: Pennine Pathfinder 2006 View Joanne4's Profile View Profile   Reply to Joanne4 Reply   Quote Joanne4 Quote  
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We were c&cc, but cancelled last year, we will be rejoining this year.


Personchrisn7
30/12/2016 at 10:48pm
 Location: West Yorkshire
 Outfit: Bessacarr Cameo 625 2011 View chrisn7's Profile View Profile   Reply to chrisn7 Reply   Quote chrisn7 Quote  
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As Ray says, test everything at home. Caravans often have their own quirks, so its useful to get to understand these otherwise you may think something is not working, when you have simply overlooked something else.


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PersonWhite Rose
30/12/2016 at 10:54pm
 Location: West Yorkshire
 Outfit: Sterling Eccles Sport & S-Max View White Rose's Profile View Profile   Reply to White Rose Reply   Quote White Rose Quote  
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Has the van been serviced? If you are taking 4 kids I guess you want to make sure all the basics (gas, tyres, running equipment) are all safe before you set off, and that you've run some puriclean through the water system? If it hasn't been serviced, perhaps a mobile service engineer could run through everything with you?


Personct955
31/12/2016 at 12:39am
 Location: Leicester
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Assuming everything is working then go for it. Our first trip in a folding camper was February. Our first trip with caravan was march and it snowed! We are still doing it!!

-------------
Chris


PersonOpensauce
31/12/2016 at 8:02am
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Assuming caravan is mechanically sound to tow then all that really matters is that the electric hookup works so you can use an electric heater & you have propane gas so cooker will work ok.


PersonJoanne4
31/12/2016 at 8:17am
 Location: South Derbyshire
 Outfit: Pennine Pathfinder 2006 View Joanne4's Profile View Profile   Reply to Joanne4 Reply   Quote Joanne4 Quote  
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It's a brand new caravan so everything works, or at least it did when the dealer went through everything!

The earliest we've camped is March in a Folding Camper and the weather wasn't too bad, but then we did tend to avoid the bad weather! Just don't fancy snow on our first trip out!

Do we need to insulate the water tank or pipes in anyway in case of frost? We do have propane gas too as originally we were considering using it over New Year, but work had other ideas!


PersonGrandad Kenny
31/12/2016 at 8:58am
 Location: Essex
 Outfit: Fiat Ducato 3.0 Autotrail Mohican View Grandad Kenny's Profile View Profile   Reply to Grandad Kenny Reply   Quote Grandad Kenny Quote  
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Brand new, it will be like home from home, go for it


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PersonJohnnie Boy
31/12/2016 at 10:08am
 Location: Cleveland
 Outfit: Swift select 164 View Johnnie Boy's Profile View Profile   Reply to Johnnie Boy Reply   Quote Johnnie Boy Quote  
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First time we used ours was a December cold think it was below freezing (twas a while ago) day after we bought it.

You can buy an insulation kit for about twenty quid or use an old jacket for the aqua roll if it gets too cold take your pump inside and have a container full of water for the morning brew.

We always take a fan heater as a back up.. and keep your eye on the weather forecast.

Our Caravans been used more in winter than summer


PersonWhite Rose
31/12/2016 at 10:19am
 Location: West Yorkshire
 Outfit: Sterling Eccles Sport & S-Max View White Rose's Profile View Profile   Reply to White Rose Reply   Quote White Rose Quote  
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Quote: Originally posted by Joanne4 on 31/12/2016
It's a brand new caravan so everything works, or at least it did when the dealer went through everything



That's good :-) It's still worth running puriclean through your water system just to make sure it's got nothing odd lurking in there. Other than that, a jacket for your water barrel is a good idea, we like to lift ours off the floor on a couple of blocks of wood if it's properly cold, we put foam pipe lagging on the water and waste pipes, and have been meaning to lag the heating pipes to the rear of the van where they run outside as the back and bathroom are always colder than the front - still haven't done it yet though!!



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