How to… Carry on camping! Don’t let winter weather deter you from touring! John Sootheran shows you how
‘Make 2020 the year to sample the wonderful feeling of being warm and cosy in your van, whatever the weather’ If you want to carry on touring over the winter, follow our guide and maximise your memory-making, whatever the weather. John Sootheran shows yo
YOU NO LONGER need the fortitude of Captain Scott to be an all-year-round caravanner. Almost all modern vans have incredible insulation and heroic heating, which make four-season touring not just possible, but a positive pleasure.
There are plenty of benefits to all-year touring, too: sites are emptier (so you get the best pitches and views), popular attractions are quiet, and coldbut-sunny winter days can be unbeatable. Plus, there are all those magnificent Christmas markets and events to savour.
I’ve been winter caravanning since 2011, and the only problem I’ve ever had is being too hot to sleep in the van! Who knew expanded polystyrene was the caravanner’s best friend?
So 2020 is the year to ‘max’ your investment and sample that wonderful feeling of being warm and cosy in your van, while the weather does its worst outside. Here’s how…
Pick the right caravan
Most caravans are now suitable for all-year touring. Some may reckon German caravans are unbeatable for this purpose, but they come with their own drawbacks, so we suggest you consider every suitably insulated and heated caravan (see the grades on p92).
Unlike summers spent basking outside the van, from October to April you’ll mostly be inside, so select a caravan with sufficient space to live indoors in comfort. This might preclude tiny two-berths.
If you have kids, one of the many twin-lounge tourers could be a winning choice, so that adults and children have their own spaces.
The extra inches of width you get with an 8ft-wide caravan make a huge difference to the sense of space you feel inside. Check one out and you’ll see what I mean.
Pick a light and airy caravan to make the most of minimal daylight in winter. Modern vans usually feature large windows, and many are also fitted with sizeable rooflights.
Likewise, good ambient lighting, mood lighting and spot lighting can really enhance a caravan interior. Many vans do it brilliantly. It’s a good idea to factor some ‘illuminated thinking’ into your decision.
Insulation
Those who are heading out in the worst weather conditions will benefit from a caravan with Grade 3 insulation. This official accreditation for four-season use is otherwise known as BS EN 1645-1 certification.
The NCC manages this accreditation, and all accredited caravans are embossed with an Approved badge. It makes hundreds of British and EU standard compliance checks on leisure vehicles. Part of BS EN 1645-1 accreditation covers thermal insulation.
Each model is chilled to -15°C in a cold chamber. The doors and windows are then closed and the caravan heating turned on. Experts measure the time it takes for the interior to reach 20°C. The power required to keep the internal temperature at 20°C can also be measured.
Most manufacturers include BS EN 1645-1 thermal insulation grading in their technical specs.
Some use the phrase ‘Suitable For Four-season Use’.
From the 1999 model year onwards, caravans that have been built to EU standards receive one of three gradings, indicating thermal-insulation and heating performance:
n Grade 1 This rating specifies a minimum degree of insulation, but does not measure the effectiveness of the heating system. These are spring and summer caravans.
n Grade 2 This rating requires the same level of insulation as Grade 1, but adds a requirement for a heating system capable of maintaining the interior at 20°C when it is 0°C outside. These caravans may typically be considered for spring, summer and autumn use in the UK.
n Grade 3 This denotes a higher standard for both insulation and heating. The interior must warm from -15°C to 20°C within four hours and the water system must function within an hour of this. The van must be able to maintain a temperature of 20°C, and the water system must operate, when it is -15°C outside. These caravans are suitable for use all year round.
Caravan sidewalls, floors and roofs are a composite construction. The walls and roof comprise a thin layer of GRP or aluminium on the outside and thin plywood or GRP on the inside.
Sandwiched in between is a thick ‘insulative’ foam core. In a modern Swift caravan, for example, the walls have 25mm of polystyrene foam insulation, while the roof has 32mm. These are light, strong and efficient.
Caravans hold their heat quite well. In (unscientific) testing, a van heated to 20°C at 10pm had dropped to 8°C by 4am, with the outside temperature at 4°C. We advise keeping the heating on low (16°C) throughout the night.
Heating
There’s an excellent choice of heating systems in caravans. Most function on gas and electricity, and combine the two for maximum output.
Truma and Whale make blown-air heating systems. These pipe hot air from a heater through ducting and distribute it around the caravan.
Alde, meanwhile, uses a wet system. Like domestic central heating, hot water pumped around the van to radiators hidden behind the furniture warms the interior.
Both systems have their devotees. Some caravanners believe that blown-air heating can leave cold spots around the van, so they prefer the ‘all-encompassing’ heat from the Alde radiator system.
I’ve never found this, and I like the speed with which blown-air can heat a van.
Alde needs more maintenance, has a potential risk of leaking, is heavier and costs more; but it is quieter, and you also get heated towel rails with this system, which is a bonus.
Whale has a clever heater unit, mounted underneath the van to save space.
Winter tourers should check their van doesn’t have exposed heating ducts underneath, because this will greatly affect the performance of the heater