Keep on Caravanning & get ready for Autumn & Winter - Top Tips

[@rozwood1668]

I'm a newbie caravanner as from April this year and am here exactly 2 years after you posted this video. A lot of useful tips and I'm hoping to have a few trips over autumn and winter too! The woolly pully for the aquaroll looks smart and an excellent idea. I don't tend to get cold at night (I have a fan on even through winter!) ATB Roz 😊

[@HelenandDave]

Hello Roz, thanks very much for watching and we hope you’re enjoying your own caravan adventures. The aqua roll won’t freeze with the thermal jacket on, it’s really useful. Stay safe and happy travels. Helen & Dave 👍

[@geoffclarke9157]

We love our 2 weeks over Christmas. Christmas day seal watching at Hemsby. Ps we're in our 70's. God bless Alde heating.

[@HelenandDave]

Hi Geoff, We’ve yet to get away over Christmas/New Year’s but really fancy it. Couldn’t agree more, Alde heating is the best! Cheers, Helen and Dave. 👍

[@CaravanningwiththeMrs]

I think you covered everything! 🙃 Very comprehensive vlog, well done. Yes we loved caravanning through the winter and strangely enough, I'm looking forward to doing it again this year, as you say, nice and quiet, we have the Truma blown air but find it just as comfy as at home and keep it on low during the night.

[@HelenandDave]

Hi Kevin and Sadie, thanks very much for watching. Yeah, got to get out in winter. I think maybe our warm air system was a bit of a museum piece but we do love the alde. Best wishes to you both. Cheers, Dave & Helen.

[@robentwistle10]

Great vlog Dave, enjoy your vids

[@HelenandDave]

@@robentwistle10 Hi Rob, thanks very much. Really appreciate that. Stay tuned. ATB Dave and Helen 👍

[@keithalangrundy8009]

My advice is a porch awning for winter. Can dry it out in the garage when back.

[@HelenandDave]

Great advice too Keith. Somewhere to keep wet coats and shoes 👍 thanks for watching and leaving a comment. ARB Dave & Helen

[@gillianchisholm6432]

Looking forward to my winter caravanning. I'm a crafter, so this is my mad busy time, but this year my last craft fair is this weekend and I've limited my orders, so hoping to get a couple of trips away, just as soon as I replace my battery as I forgot to isolate it and my solar panel hasn't done its job 🙄 I went out to the storage yard to check it the other day as we've had relentless rain and flooding here recently. Caravan was nice and dry, but battery was dead. Not so many club sites open now in NE scotland, but there are a few, so after this weekend I'm planning.

[@HelenandDave]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Hope you have a great trip when you get out in your van. ATB, Dave & Helen 👍

[@ronaldyardley8965]

Looking Forward Once Again To Christmas and New year At Cirencester Park, Love to see the lights ect" On People's Caravans & Motorhomes 🥂👍

[@HelenandDave]

Thanks for watching Ronald. Agreed, the vans look great at Christmas time. Hope you have a lovely stay at Cirencester. Cheers, Dave & Helen 👍

[@dbarber2003]

Glad to see your well and back in the swing of things. This is our first year caravanning and we plan to keep it up when possible over the winter.

[@HelenandDave]

Great Daryl, hope you're having fun. Keep an eye on the weather and you'll be fine. We love it. Thanks for watching, Cheers, Helen & Dave

[@davidandrewstarbuck2151]

Really looking forward to our winter trips 👍🌧⛄️⛷❄️

[@HelenandDave]

Should be good, especially if you do all the cooking and wait on me hand and foot 😂😂

[@planecrazyaviation7773]

Great video Dave and some really useful advice, even for us seasoned caravanners! Love it. Steve 👍

[@HelenandDave]

Thanks Steve, hope you have some lovely winter trips in your van. Thanks for watching. Cheers Dave & Helen 👍

[@DesmondsDonders]

All common sense Dave. We argue about the temp. Everything else is common sense. We are out all winter and love it.

[@HelenandDave]

Hats off to you & Lindsay, I can imagine how harsh the winters are in your neck of the woods. Stay safe, happy travels! ATB Dave & Helen 👍

[@paulandsarahcaravanlife]

Hi Dave. Great video. We caravan in the winter months. Infact we are away for Christmas and New year and will be nice and toastie and we will be using our awning like you said its never good to put a wet awning away. We are very lucky to have a alley way between ours and next door and we've rigged up a block and takle and the wind whips down there and drys the awning quite quick. 😀 anyway enough about me 😆 have great time over winter. Cheers Paul and Sarah

[@HelenandDave]

Hi Paul & Sarah, that's a great way of drying the awning out Paul. Yes, we're looking forward to our winter trips as well. Hope you have some wonderful trips. ATB Dave & Helen.

[@andrewjones-productions]

Lots of excellent advice in this video! Here in Japan, caravanning in winter for those who have one is popular. Especially, parking up at a ski resort carpark and staying a couple of nights. From the experience of towing here in Japan, I would suggest considering putting snow tyres on the caravan. "Why?" I can envisage many thinking. Other than for us here where using winter tyres is mandatory on both tow vehicle and trailer, winter tyres are also depending on the brand & model are excellent on ice. They will help prevent your trailer/caravan from slipping sideways. Also, they will help your caravan tyres grip better when stopping going down slippery hills and when doing an emergency stop. If your tyres are not gripping, then your overrun brakes become null and void. These are the advantages and benefits. The disadvantages of winter tyres are they are not as efficient on wet roads as summer tyres, but this is marginally so. The biggest disadvantage is that winter tyres need to be supple and the general rule of thumb here in Japan is that winter tyres are renewed after their third season of use, regardless of tread or sidewall conditions. This is because their effectiveness drops significantly. Just for those that are curious, when there is a 'chain regulatory' (mandatory use of winter tyres or snowchains) on our expressways (they are with a few exceptions all tolled and effectively a closed system), all traffic heading into snow country will be directed into a parking area (a very simple service area that have toilets and are also for putting on snow-chains in winter) and the Highway Patrol (not police) will check each and every vehicle to see if they have winter tyres or chains attached. If the trailer has summer tyres, then chains must be put on them. If you don't have the appropriate tyres, you will be escorted off of the expressway and also likely be fined.

[@HelenandDave]

Very interesting indeed Andrew. Plenty to consider especially when it comes to staying safe and keeping legal. ATB, Dave & Helen 🎅🎄👍

[@andrewjones-productions]

Aside from my separate comment on tyres, here in Japan, mainland European caravans are more popular than UK ones. The reason being that UK caravans have a tendency towards having an aquaroll outside, whereas non-UK European caravans tend to have an on-board water tank. Model and brand dependent of course, but when you are parking at a ski-resort in for example Kurumayama, Nagano Prefecture, then you are very likely to experience temperatures of -20C. An aquaroll would be useless and pulling one through freshly fallen deep snow would be as you imagine it to be. Whilst the Swift Basecamp is on my shortlist of two, the lack of space to put an on-board water tank is where the Basecamp fails to live up to its name and concept.

[@HelenandDave]

Hi Andrew, completely agree and these are key considerations. Our first caravan was a Bailey Senator 6 Indiana but that had an internal water tank with the option of using aqua roll too. Interested to find out what you opt for on the end 👍 thanks again for watching and Merry Christmas to you 👍🎅🎄

[@terryfielding8836]

Hi Dave another great vlog with great tips. Thank you

[@HelenandDave]

Cheers Terry, much appreciated, hope you’re well. ATB Dave and Helen 👍

[@jamesdavison9483]

I enjoy all your posts thank you 🙏🙏

[@HelenandDave]

You are so welcome James, thank you so much for leaving your comment and watching our vids. Much appreciated. ATB Dave & Helen.

[@raybennett2994]

A great video and very well presented thank you 😊

[@HelenandDave]

Thanks very much Ray, appreciate you watching and leaving a comment. ATB Dave and Helen 👍

[@castlequay2327]

my caravan hot air heating is great but for night time warmth i have just bought a small portable oil filled heater which is designed for caravanning ( low wattage) for £40. Its got a thermostat and diffefent temperature settings. i can sleep comfortably.

[@HelenandDave]

Morning, that’s a great idea, keeps you warm and is safe as well as keeping the damp out. What more could you ask for? Well done! Helen & Dave 👍

[@robswiseways5697]

Very well put across Dave. I can appreciate the work that goes into editing these videos. Lots of advice there for newbies and seasoned caravaners alike 👍. January is the only month we’ve never ventured out. This is due to work holiday entitlement etc. We have however found ourselves snowed under on a couple of occasions and loved it. Our caravan has blown air heating and we’ve perfected the settings for day and night. Would be nice to try the Alde though like you have. Take care and all the best, look forward with envy 😀following you on your many travels. Rob & Gail

[@HelenandDave]

Thanks Rob & Gail, we’ve only ever been caught in a snow flurry but I can imagine a good fall of snow would be great. We were out last January in some sharp frost and that was nice too. Thanks again. Dave and Helen 👍

[@drbdrb113]

Very informative it just makes me want to get away.

[@HelenandDave]

Thanks, I know, I felt exactly the same when I was doing the edit 😂 Thanks for watching, Cheers Dave & Helen 👍

[@busterboy7505]

Thank you very much Dave, I will be following you on your winter breaks, picking up your tips, not check this out yet but are the caravanning and Motorhome clubs open all year ?, 👍.

[@HelenandDave]

Morning Buster, thanks, that’s great to know you will be watching. A lot of the CAMC sites open all year, but not all of them, so you will need to check on an individual basis. Hope you find some lovely trips for Autumn & Winter. ATB Dave & Helen 👍

[@dotwillcoxson5352]

Excellent. Thank you. 🦘🦘🦘

[@RetiredLovingIt]

Great tips!

[@HelenandDave]

Glad you like them! thanks very much for watching. ATB Dave & Helen.

[@paullawrence8572]

Yes Dave tyres are important had a blow out once ( mind you only the once) in over 30 years of touring and I can tell you it wasn't funny! Coming down to our neck of the woods ( Dorset) Will give you a shout out if we spot you! 😆👍

[@HelenandDave]

Hi Paul, my biggest worry is a tyre blow out but once in 30 years has got to be pretty good going. Appreciate you watching as always, thanks and we'll look out for you lol. ATB Dave & Helen

[@Bugs1953]

You are preaching to the converted.

[@HelenandDave]

Nice one Steve, hope you have some fab trips this winter. Take care, Helen & Dave 👍

[@Auxbeam]

Hi Do you need some great lighting for your car to help you better driving, off-road? We're the pro auto lighting manufacturer for nearly 20 year and we're looking for sponsorship!

[@HelenandDave]

Thanks for your comment but I don’t need an lighting. ATB Dave and Helen 👍

Reedham ferry caravan park

[@HelenandDave]

In one! you're in the draw. Cheers, Helen & Dave

[@sueharrison8193]

Is it ok to use caravan lighting when on the road? We have a solar panel

[@HelenandDave]

Hi Sue, this is something we’ve never been asked before. Our lighting in the caravan doesn’t work when we are connected up to the car, just the external running lights. 👍

[@sueharrison8193]

Thankyou