What you need to know before caravanning abroad
Ben Hackney-Williams, 1st May 2017, Caravan
Plan ahead to make the most of your trip overseas with your caravan.
If you don't plan properly then towing can be a handful, should things get frantic on the road. Combine this with a visit to a country abroad and the language barrier can prove to exacerbate the situation. However, panic not, as a little thought and preparation will have you in the middle of an incredible, stress free holiday experience that you'll never forget.
Before you go
You should already have a checklist of what you'd take on a UK holiday. Use this and add any specifics to it for continental travel, such as your passports, foreign currency, traveller's cheques or your CampingCard ACSI.
Sort your insurance out. Have you let your insurer know of your trip? Remember you'll need to arrange travel, car and caravan insurance.
Make sure your outfit has the GB stickers on, and that you've packed headlight deflectors or convertors so that the only thing dazzling other motorists is your gleaming tourer.
Research the rules of the road for your destination. Not only that, but national speed limits can depend on the weight of your outfit. For this reason and a multitude of others, it's essential to take your tourer and tow car to a weighbridge so that you know exactly how much you're towing before you set off.
On the ferry
Make sure that the jockey wheel is stowed away as high as it can be to ensure that it doesn't catch on the ramp as you drive on to the ferry and disembark when you're across the Channel.
On the road
Starting with the obvious one, driving on the right isn't anywhere near as worrying as some people think it is. One thing to note, though, is to be cautious in towns about how close you are to the kerb until you're used to it. Take it slow, pay attention and you'll be fine.
It's worth repeating that you need to pay attention to local legislation. Speed limits, what you need in your car and alcohol tolerances (our advice is to have none when driving as it's the only way to be certain) all change from country to country.
Speaking of alcohol, you'll also need breathalyzers in the car on many roads, plus a high vis jacket, warning triangle (in Croatia you need two!) and first aid kit. Most of this should already be in your vehicle anyway. Make sure it is.
Car tax. Some countries (we're looking at you, Switzerland) require you to purchase a tax sticker known as a vignette that you place on your windscreen. These can sometimes be bought in advance but many are sold at the border or neighboring service stations.
Check your navigation system is legal in the country you're travelling in. Some European ruling forbids the use of camera detectors, which can be built in to a standard sat-nav.
It's best to keep proof of ownership and insurance with you for both your car and your caravan while abroad.
Differences between UK and European sites
Enquire about any cultural rules that may be different from what you're used to
Look into what power sources are on site due to Europe's lower ampage and reversed polarity. While this is often not an issue for most holidaymakers, other than not being able to run as many appliances at once, be very aware that the polarity reversal means that plugs and switches are still live, even when off. If you're the handyman type or you need to change a bulb, make sure you disconnect from the mains before undertaking the job. There are convertors available, so it's worth reading up the benefits and weighing up the cost.
Also enquire about any cultural rules that may be different from what you're used to. For example, many sites in France state that no swimming shorts are allowed, so pack those Speedos to avoid a frowning warden.
