New to autumn and winter touring

or go to the Caribbean....tho' not with the van...

its generally accepted that there are only three places in europe that are far enough south to allow warm(ish) touring winters....sicily, southern greece and spain/portugal.

yes, we tour a little in the uk in winter (up until new year, of not already away) and will be doing a couple of 'uk markets' but only for a few days at a time so not really 'winter touring' here...the weather is just too unpredictable with the prospect of heavy rain more likely than crisp, clear walking days.

with central Scotland a thousand miles return, and Valencia a thousand miles, i know where ill be heading after Christmas...

“its generally accepted that there are only three places in europe that are far enough south to allow warm(ish) touring winters....sicily, southern greece and spain/portugal.”

You could add Morocco to that list, but maybe not for the faint hearted?

I’m always surprised at the number of motorhomes in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura during the winter months, Germans rather than Brits though.

There is no such thing a unpredictable weather in the UK it is inapropriate clothing for the conditions

As I no longer sea fish, don't now have a dog and don't work outside for a living I no longer carry full leggings and wellies 

That has helped with the load then

We go away all year around in the UK and don't let the weather (unless very severe) stop us getting out and about.

If we know it's going to be very wet or snowy we book sites near the coast so we can take out dogs for long beach walks without us all getting covered in mud. Northumberland is perfect for this in particular the beaches around Bamburgh and Druridge Bay.

We pack wellies, waterproofs and loads of old towels and ensure we've got warm clothes etc.

If it's freezing we always fill the kettle and a water container before going to bed so we have water in the morning, if the pipes or the site water tap should freeze up. 

We take our small porch awning, which is used to store wet or muddy gear and prevents such stuff having to come into the caravan and is easy to dry out at home when we return.

We also tend to take more food and drink supplies away with us in the winter, as you then don't need to leave the van much at all if it's really pouring down!

We have always been away whenever schools are closed and had some fantastic weekly breaks.

We now book serviced pitches and always take pipe insulation for the fresh water hose and padding for the tap itself as that has frozen on occassions.

Never had the waste master freeze.

If we do use Aquaroll we place it on a wooden base raised off the ground and a lagging jacket.

We do chose CLs now with hardstandings and useually find them empty apart from us esp over Christmas.

Just some observations.

This is probably a thread about touring in the UK? or at least touring in winter and autumn conditions and asking for suggestions in doing so?

I'm just wondering if a staff member posted and asked for suggestions about touring over there, would certain posters mind if some posted that they shouldn't bother in the first place, or even tell of their plans to tour over here, and even question why would one bother and it is clearly not fun to do so with all that heat and humidity? Anyway I'll find out.

Yet this has happened, I'm afraid it's a case of overpostitis. Nothing can compare and be better than touring over there whatever the season and we need to be educated in our strange beliefs and strange ways of having fun? We have to have our choice 'debated' (why?) as we cannot see the error of our ways.

I'm all for winter sun, but I go where there really is a difference, and  an average temperature of about 16C, with lows of 8C in southern Spain in January is not at all that attractive relative to the cost involved. It has to be at least high twenties  or even bettter for me.

No touring in winter over here (and I suspect in northern Europe) is fun and as much fun as touring in summer, to me anyway.  Always great to be away isn't it no matter what? 

So sorry for taking this off topic, but just my thoughts. 

is there a difference to touring over the winter months ? , I do it and all I take is a torch, willies and a few extra tins of soup , I still bbq and do all the things I would do in the summer months

but were all different and that's great , if you don't want to tour over winter then don't .......

“…torch, willies and a few extra…”

😵😱😵