It’s fair to say that for many motorhomers and caravanners, there is a “season”. Generally speaking that does not always include January! However, up and down the country there are various caravan sites that are open all year round. Others have an extended season – such as 11 months opening out of a 12 month period. Winter camping brings a range of pros and cons. The pros may be quieter sites, crisp winter morning walks and off-season, lower camping fees. The cons may come from the weather! However, there are numerous steps that the motorhomer or caravanner can take in order to make things tick along.
The waste outlet soon become solid!
- Fresh water – top up regularly – as on site outdoor taps may be frozen from time to time
- Waste water – if an on-board tank is fitted, leave the drain tap open and decant the water into a bucket. A frozen tank can take a long time to defrost.
- If leaving the caravan/motorhome unattended when you go out for the day, consider leaving the heating on
- Waste pipes may freeze in severe conditions – we have found a half cup of salty water poured down the plug holes at night will prevent this
- Lift the electric hook up cable daily – this can become frozen to the ground!
- Carry extra food stuffs – you might get snowed in!
- Consider a bit of extra insulation – we fix a large square of bubble wrap to the inside of the roof light/Heki
- Take extra wine and spirits for those quiet nights in!
- Do you have the means to get moving if you get stuck – a shovel, a couple of old mats and some grit should help. See below for a link to the Fiamma grippers.
- Check the legal requirement to carry snow chains when travelling overseas
Advantages to winter camping
Rudding Park in winter
Often, campsites are quiet at this time of year so you may get an excellent deal in terms of value for money, and the pick of the pitches too! Taken a few years ago, the photo above shows the Kontiki getting buried in the snow. There was plenty of food on board though and I could have stayed put for quite some time!
Hey Russell, thanks for these tips. We are visiting Scotland for the first time in February and weren’t sure whether or not to go the motorhome route (we love travelling this way), but we’ve never done it somewhere that gets as cold as Scotland. Your post has convinced me that we should be fine as long as we take a few precautions. Looking forward to our trip!!