We recently went on our first ever campervanning holiday and absolutely loved it. The freedom of being able to go wherever you please and not be tied down by booking hotel rooms or Airbnbs was perfect for us.
We took this trip in November when temperatures are cold and the weather isn’t always the best, so we have compiled a list of things that we found helpful when campervanning in the winter.
Warm clothing & plenty of bedding
When campervanning in the winter be sure to bring plenty of warm clothes to wear both inside and outside of the van. We bought a warm winter sleeping bag as well as a winter duvet with us and we felt warm at night.
We bought a double sleeping bag, as well as our duvet, so that we were really warm on those colder nights.
Empty your wastewater more often
In the winter months when temperatures are sometimes at a freezing point, you need to be careful that your wastewater doesn’t build up and freeze. It is a good idea to release your wastewater whenever you can, to prevent this from happening.
Choose the correct gas type
When heating your campervan in the winter it is better to use gas instead of electricity whenever possible, at least to initially get the campervan warm. This is because gas is quicker at heating up a van, you can then switch back to electricity to maintain the heat.
Choosing the best type of gas is also quite important in winter. Propane gas works better in colder conditions than butane, so always try to buy that type. Depending on how long you will be touring for, it might be a good idea to take a spare bottle with you, so you don’t need to worry about using it all up. However, if you do run out you can find them at a lot of petrol stations throughout the UK.
Try to avoid parking on grass
In the winter the ground is often wet and muddy and could be a hazard for campervans getting stuck. When choosing your campsite, always try to find ones that offer hardstanding pitches, so that you can avoid getting stuck and also don’t trudge mud into your van.
If you have a tent or awning that can attach to the side of our van, then you could use that area to store all your shows to avoid any mud or dirt being walked across the floor. This can also be an area where you store any wet clothes you might have if you ever get caught in the rain, which we all know is likely to happen in the winter.
Campsites.co.uk
A lot of campsites close in the winter as business is usually quite slow for them during the colder months. In winter it is advised that you use campsites to ensure that you can charge up your campervan and make sure that your campervan is kept warm to protect the heating and water systems in it. Researching campsites to stay at can be harder in the winter and can be quite time-consuming when you keep finding that your favourites are closed. Campsites.co.uk is a great website, where you can put in your requirements and dates and a list of campsites in your area of choice that are open and available during that time.
Park4Night
As a lot of campsites are closed in the winter, you might find that you need to do more wild camping to be able to stay in the towns or near the attractions that you want to visit. We found the app Park4Night to be super helpful when trying to find somewhere we were allowed to park for the night. The app is free to download, and you can search parking spots by area. Other people can review the spots, so you can read through those before choosing where to go.
Keep an eye on the weather reports
In the winter, weather conditions can change in the blink of an eye. It is always a good idea to keep an eye on the reports to check that there isn’t any treacherous weather on the way, including snow or strong winds. If this is the case, then it might be an idea to cut your trip short or find a campsite that can accommodate you on a hard standing pitch with an electric hook up so that you can stay safe and warm during those days.
We personally believe that campervanning is a fantastic way to travel and the colder weather shouldn’t put anyone off. As long as you stay safe and take the precautions to stay warm during these months then you will have a great time. Happy camping everyone!
Without A Paddle Travel 