1st time caravaning

I think lots of us own that particular T shirt! A few years ago we missed a turn to a CL in the Yorks Dales and found ourselves heading into Malham, desperately looking for a lane, farm entrance, drive to turn in. Found one and half way through the reversing manoeuvre a local bus service mini bus turned up to watch! Oh what fun!

Enjoy your travels.

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You still have to experience leaving the breakaway cable attached when un coupling from the car and trying to move off with motor mover still engaged 

Not to mention TV aerial still extended, Battery box lid open, rooflight not fully closed, jockey wheel not raised and a myriad of other things you forget about, even after 'donkeys' years of 'vanning experience.

Even after close on 30 years experience, we went to Chester Fairoaks  last autumn for a few days only to find on arrival I had left the van keys at home. Fortunately my better half had the spare set with her. Worse was to come, however. On setting up I found the hook up cable was still in the garage at home. I had to go out and buy a new hook up cable from the nearest dealer. What was particularly annoying was, that apart from the current cable, which is normally kept in the front locker, but for some reason was in the garage on this occasion, I also have another two brand new unused cables stored in the garage. That tally has now risen to three!

Caravanning is a learning curve, sometimes steep, sometimes not so, but each trip out is different to the last one even if you go to the same site, just enjoy it!

 

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After a few trips you should be more familiar with the basic do’s and don’ts. 

Many moons ago a caravanning neighbour gave me a small laminated list of things to remember. 

I now have my own version for our Eriba Troll which clips nicely above the sun visor.

Like all instructions, I run through the list once I’ve finished - both hitching up and unhitching 😀

From memory there’s around 25 or so items and it does help to remember what I’ve forgotten. As others have said though, check the Club Directory for your approach to the site.

Happy caravanning ☀️

Leaving the motor mover still  engaged makes a huge racket .... apparently 🙄

Forgetting to turn the gas bottle off is another, as is not handing in your site tag and remembering it after 30 miles.

When my mover is left engaged, its like the caravan has been chained to a tree behind it..... Apparently

I managed to travel/skid about 100 meters on hard packed snow with the mover engaged, and only realised when trying to drive up hill. Have also lost 1 small roof light, presumably by having left it open when setting off, quite often tried to operate the mover with the caravan hand brake still on, driven forward with breakaway cable attached, and have left the handle for waste barrel at home, so now always carry a spare. You's think that after 40+ yrs of caravanning I'd know what I was doing, but appears not!

 

Arrived on site, threaded the awning along the rail and realised we had left the poles and Mr s wallet at home,