[Closed] So, I've just bought a caravan...

I'm in the 'new to caravaning' club too!

Welcome 🙂

Bring it to www.bigbikebash.co.uk and we can compare setups 😉

We are also being tempted. Not so much the weather but the hitch & go convenience rather than the hours of car packing involved in camping with 2 young kids.

the hitch & go convenience

For some inexplicable reason, it is never anywhere near that simple.

I'm sure it's not that simple but Gotta be better than being under canvas and all the associated faff that goes with that?

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jonny m - Member
I'm sure it's not that simple but Gotta be better than being under canvas and all the associated faff that goes with that?

There's no denying it, camping is shit.

We had a shed-towing experiment.

Didn't make it that much more enjoyable in the miserable UK weather and a whole planet more hassle getting there and manouvering it on site.

Was glad to see it go.

Got a 4 man Quechua quick pitch tent instead.

Our van is now on a permanent pitch. We can move it off if we want, we don't.

I wondered whether the faffage might get in by other means!

I have never been concerned about nights under nylon even in snow and/or torrential rain and gales. We have a khyam 5 berth goes up and down in ten minutes but its all the other faffing of stoves and tables etc and trying to ram all that a pushchair and bikes into the car.

The other thing we thought about was a camping trailer left loaded but without a garage security and weather proofing was the issue.

Welcome to Middleagetrackworld!!

The simplicity often appeals over our camper when we want to head off from basecamp, but towing and parking and manouvering and reversing and levelling and connecting up water and waste and having to have a small yappy dog and tartan rugs and tissue boxes with a knitted cover and the assorted patio furniture you seem compelled to take and the aggro from neighbours for leaving it in front of the house and the cost of parking it in storage and the way they weave and sway in cross winds on a motorway and if there ever an accident the way they transform magically from a caravan to matchsticks and belongings on the motorway - I think I'll stick to either the camper or a tent. 😀

We finally got fed up with camping last year, all the faff, cold, damp, dog that hated it so we thought stuff that we're getting a caravan and picked it up the other week.

After an epic journey down to Stafford, leaving Edinburgh at 0800, to pick it up including a 2 hour time on way back parked on the M6 due to an accident we arrived at Hoddam Castle at around 2200 for a few nights. No faffage, parked it up, hooked it up and that was that. It was dark and freezing outside, we had light and heat and were toasty and happy. Stuff camping, even the dog loved it cos he could sit and see what was happening out the window. No looking back for us, caravanning all the way now, can't wait for the next adventure, likely Aviemore.

It's not a big one, but it's perfect for us.

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Sprocket says "Stuff camping dad, this is ace, woof"

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Once everything is set up camping in the caravan is very relaxing especially with 4 kids. It's the day packing the caravan and the day unpacking I hate 🙁

you need a daaag

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Did you buy a people sized one too?

😉

It's got 3 berths and room for the dog, it's like the tardis

now we're back and it's not going to be finished for another 2 or 3 weeks.

Ah, so the picture you've uploaded is of the dog's berth then? 😆