Winter is not normally a time you immediately associate with caravanning but many sites (including our own) are open throughout the year – so why not make more use of your caravan or motorhome through the winter season.
There are some things you need to take into account when caravanning in winter – particularly when it comes to travelling to and from your destination. Keeping your vehicle in good order is obviously very important, making sure that tyres are in good condition and all lights are working. Making sure that your leave plenty of time for travelling in the light is also a good idea when towing a caravan. The roads can be slippery and muddy at this time of year and taking the time to keep your caravan or motorhome clean will mean that your road lights are more effective.
You will know that it can get very cold in a caravan at night so do make sure that you are prepared for this. Any fixed or portable heaters should be checked to make sure they work properly and for safety. Make sure you have appropriate clothing and a good torch. It is also essential to have a good supply of blankets for evenings (and maybe a hot water bottle!). Condensation is likely to be more of a problem when using a caravan in cold weather so make sure you maintain the ventilation as well.
Whilst a winter break almost certainly requires more planning to ensure a successful trip, there are advantages with being away at this time of year. Many traditional holiday destinations take on a completely different character over the winter months and it can be a really lovely time to visit the coast and the countryside. Visitor attractions will be quieter in winter and normal hassles like parking become less of a problem. Added to this is the fact that it will certainly be cheaper to come away in the winter.
Somerset is a lovely place to visit at any time of year, and there are some great places to visit in the winter months as well. We love the house and gardens at Montacute and seeing them illuminated for Christmas at this time of year in the ‘Lantern of Light’ is spectacular (2nd to 31st December). Combine your visit with the award winning Level’s Best Craft and Farmers Market on 16th December to take advantage of some great Christmas shopping opportunities.
The Yeovil Railway centre is holding the wonderful Santa Specials on 10th, 16th, 17th and 23rd December. See the website at http://www.yeovilrailway.freeservers.com/santabooking.htm for more information and booking.
If cars are more your thing, you can head over to the Haynes Motor Museum. Some of Santa’s elves have gone missing there this year and Santa needs help finding them. Why not go along to the museum this December and see if you can help him locate the missing elves.
Before embarking on a winter caravanning adventure is the ideal time to book your caravan in for a thorough winter service. Always make sure that you use an approved workshop to carry out servicing and repairs to your vehicle, that way you can be sure that you are receiving a specialist service by a suitably qualified technician. For more information on servicing and repairs and our own approved workshop, or to book a slot, visit our website http://www.southforkcaravans.co.uk/storage/servicing. We also run a wash and wax service to make sure your vehicle stays looking its best and our onsite shop is the ideal place for parts and accessories and to stock up on consumables.