Winter touring tips
Chris Hogan, 18th January 2016, Caravan
While there are many more touring caravans on the road in the warmer months, for many caravanners the weather is no barrier to getting as much enjoyment out of a caravan as possible. As winter draws in around the UK, here are our tips to help you tour safely in winter.
Insulation
A modern caravan with Grade 3 insulation is tested by lowering the temperature in a chamber to -15C. The heating is then turned on and the caravan has to reach 20C inside within four hours, so it should be able to keep you warm during a UK weekend.
With older caravans, replacing or adding to the existing wall and roof insulation means a complete strip-down so it's probably not economically viable. But you can add internal wall coverings that will help and it's also worth considering insulating the floor too.
The underneath is easier to reach and foam fire-retardant sheets an inch thick can be stuck on. This will also help with one of the problems with caravans in that the air near the floor is often always colder than the air at higher up, meaning your feet always feel cold.
Heating
Modern caravans are more likely to come with a wet heating system and many manufacturers are moving toward the Alde system which combines central heating with water heating. This is slower to warm up the caravan than a more conventional blown-air system but the heat is more evenly spread and most caravanners who've experienced it would not go back to their old system
The advantage of a blown air system is that there'll be hot spots where you warm up quickly, although you can get the same effect by having a gas heater to complement your heating system.
Make sure gas heaters are properly serviced and vents checked, particularly if they'll be left on low overnight to prevent the overall temperature of the 'van lowering too much.
Energy
You'll inevitably use more power in the winter - the heating and lights will be on for longer, you'll cook more hot meals and more cups of coffee and tea! Solar panels will help to keep batteries topped up but of course they won't be as effective in winter months.
Look for sites with electrical hookups to relieve the pressure on batteries and if you're going to tour a lot during the winter consider adding extra leisure batteries.
Alde reckon that (as a general guide) a 6kg propane cylinder will keep one of their systems going in the UK for a weekend, but don't say if that's in the winter or the summer. So make sure that you have full bottles and consider an extra spare too. If you get snowed in you may not be able to get another one.
Finding open sites
One other slight disadvantage is that many caravan and camping sites close around October and open again in the spring if they don't get enough custom in the winter. This seems to be particularly the case with inland sites that aren't near attractions or spectacular countryside.
Obviously looking at the Camping and Caravan Club and Caravan Club websites is the best way to find year-round sites. There may be non-affiliated sites open all year but many caravanners seem to prefer affiliated sites as they are considered more likely to have facilities to make winter touring easier. If you're anticipating snow the choose a site with paved pitches.
Driving
Of course, no amount of caravan preparation will be worth it without paying attention to driving and towing in bad weather. Take all the advice out there about how to drive safely in bad conditions .
Snow tyres are a good idea and chains a must. Take more time preparing your route to avoid potential tricky situations and slow down, probably more than you think is necessary.
Keep a broom and shovel in the boot and some pieces of old carpet or mats to help with clearing snow and maintaining grip. Rock salt (or a bag of dishwasher salt will do) will help to defrost ice on the road. You can also buy purpose-made grip mats which will also be useful in wet and muddy situations in the summer.
Keep warm clothes, including hats, gloves and stout boots, in the boot as well.
Top tips
To finish off here are a few other tips we've picked up from seasoned year-round tourers:
- Empty the caravan of things that you are unlikely to be using when the weather is bad - garden furniture, barbecues etc. This will give you more space and weight allowance for the other things you'll need to carry.
- Be careful on super pitches as the hoses can freeze and split - insulate and keep an eye on them and disconnect if you're at all concerned.
- An electric blanket can be a godsend if you're heating and insulation aren't the best, but keep an even closer eye on battery levels.
- Carry an emergency stock of canned food and an extra camping stove just in case.
- Keep your water supply topped up - you never know when a site's pipes may freeze.
- If you think fresh water carrier might freeze, put a clean tennis ball in it. If the top freezes you can dig the ball out, leaving a hole through to the water below.
- Watch out for toilets freezing up and pick a toilet fluid with the widest possible working temperature - usually 'blue' but not always.
Finally - if you're getting too cold don't forget that exercise will warm you up. Go for a brisk walk or try some star jumps if you're up to it. It's vital to keep your body temperature up.
