Caravanning problem? Our panel can help!
Got a burning caravanning question? Ask one of ourur teamteam onon ththe email addresss below!below!
HOW CAN I FINANCE MY NEW TOW CAR?
QI plan to change my tow car this autumn. I don’t need help choosing the model, but I would like to know your opinion on whether a personal contract purchase (PCP) or personal contract hire (PCH) agreement would be better.
N Harper
ADavid Motton replies… For some years, PCP has been the most popular form of car finance.
Under this arrangement, you pay an initial deposit, then a series of monthly payments. This is cheaper each month than traditional hire purchase schemes, because a portion of the loan is deferred until the end of the contract.
At that point, you can make the final payment to take full ownership of the car, use any equity as a deposit to start a new agreement, or hand the vehicle back with nothing more to pay.
PCH is now becoming more popular, however, because it shares one of the main advantages of PCP – namely, low monthly payments.
At the end of the agreement it’s less flexible than PCP – you have to return the car because you have been hiring it, rather than buying it. However, this set-up can work out cheaper than PCP.
Which of the schemes would be better for you depends on the specific deals available, and how highly you value the greater flexibility of PCP.
PLEASE EXPLAIN SITE ETIQUETTE!
QWe’re new to caravanning (we bought our first van just before the coronavirus lockdown was imposed), and we can’t wait to get away as soon as we’re allowed.
We do have a bit of a daft, newbie question, though! It’s concerning campsite etiquette.
Is there anything that we should be aware of, in terms of where we set up when we get to the site and so on?
David and Christine Barnes
ASarah Wakely answers... It’s not a daft question at all – we were all in your shoes at one point, and it can be a bit intimidating if you’re not sure what to do on your first time out!
You don’t say which type of campsite you’re intending to stay at, but given it’ll be your inaugural trip, it would be a good idea to stay at one with plenty of facilities – that way, should you not be able to operate something in your van, you’ll still enjoy your tour.
Where you are pitched depends very much on the campsite: you might be given a choice of location, or you
‘If you pitch yourself, bear in mind there is a minimum separation between vehicles in the UK, usually of six metres’
‘Joining a club is a great way to enjoy solo camping in the company of others’
could be allocated a spot. If you’re allocated a particular spot, you can always ask to be pitched near (say) the washrooms, if this is going to be important to you – the wardens might not be able to accommodate your request, but it’s worth asking.
If you pitch yourself, bear in mind that there is a minimum separation between vehicles in the UK – this is usually six metres, but the site wardens should be able to advise.
It’s also a good idea to pitch yourself somewhere where you won’t need to run your electric hook-up lead over any path, or someone else’s pitch.
Be aware, too, that grass pitches can become muddy and slippery very quickly – you should always plan your exit to avoid getting stuck. Again, the wardens can advise.
CAN I JOIN A CLUB FOR SOLO CAMPERS?
QSadly, I lost my husband a couple of years ago, but despite this, I have continued to travel in our caravan and love spending time out and about on tour.
Could you please tell me if there are any clubs that cater for single caravanners? I’m not looking for romance – I just want to join some like-minded people to enjoy the occasional weekend away!
Jean Dawson
AClaudia Dowell says... I have found three clubs that are designed for single caravanners, all with the specific object of enjoying companionship and a shared love of the great outdoors.
New Companions Camping Club (newcompanions.org.uk) has 700 members from all over the UK, who camp in caravans, motorhomes, tents and fifth-wheelers, often accompanied by their pets.
They come from all walks of life, with an age range from 40 to over 80.
The club is run by members and any member can host a meet. These are normally held all year round and all over the UK; some members winter in Spain and Portugal.
The ethos is similar at the Phoenix Camping Club (the phoenixcampingclub.co.uk), formed 20 years ago, with meets hosted by members and organised events that you can dip in and out of as you like. 3
Likewise at New Horizons Camping Club (newhorizons campingclub.co.uk). It advises that being a member of the Caravan & Motorhome Club, the Caravan and Camping Club, or both, is beneficial, as it often meets on Club sites.
Joining any of these groups would be an excellent way to continue your solo camping in the company of others.
WHAT IS OUR BEST ROUTE TO IRELAND?
QWe’re considering a trip to Ireland later this year with our caravan, but we’re not sure of the best (or easiest) way to go. Can you advise please? We live in Shropshire.
Tony and Jane Baker
AClaudia Dowell says… From Shropshire, your quickest route across the
Irish Sea is going to be the Holyhead-dublin crossing.
Irish Ferries offers four 3.5-hour sailings a day, with a 30-minute check-in time.
Stena Line also has four crossings a day, taking 3.25 hours. There is little difference between the sailing times of the two service providers.
At the port in Dublin, you can get straight onto the M50, which circumnavigates the city and connects with the major routes that fan out to take you to different parts of the country, including the M1, which will take you north to Northern Ireland.
If you live anywhere near Ludlow and want to visit the southern part of Ireland, a better option might be the Fishguard-rosslare crossing.
Stena Line has two services: the lunchtime departure takes 3.25 hours, arriving at 4.25pm, while the night crossing takes 4.25 hours, delivering you into Rosslare at 4.00am. Check-in time is 60 minutes.
In both cases you will want to arrange a site nearby, to get there before reception closes or use a late arrivals pitch.
Colleague Bryony Symes and I took the late-night ferry to Rosslare and drove the 45 minutes to Duncannon Holiday Park in Co Wexford, and were able to pitch in the overflow field, which provides electric hook-up. In the end, we never quite made it onto the main campsite, preferring the open aspect of the field.
HOW CAN WE ADAPT SLEEPING AREAS?
QMy wife and I have been caravanning for many years, but this is a new problem for us – we have a two-berth caravan, and our grandchildren also now want to join us!
We’re about to retire our awning and would like to buy one that offers the opportunity to create separate sleeping areas so the two children, aged 11 and 13, could sleep in the awning if they wanted to. Would this be possible, and if so, is there anything I need to bear in mind?
Chris Peters
APeter Baber answers… There are plenty of awnings out there that offer inner tents as an optional extra, in which you can put a camp bed or mattress. Just remember you will have to find somewhere in the caravan or car to stow the extra beds when you are on the move.
There could also be times when you might have to stop using the awning before you leave – say, if the warden asks you to take it down because of forecast bad weather, or you have to get up very early to catch a ferry and so need to dismantle the awning the night before.
You might need to work out where the children are going to sleep in such a situation.
Bear in mind that some children, particularly if they have never camped before, might find it difficult to get to sleep in an awning – so the person who ends up sleeping there might be you!
‘Travelling to Ireland, you’ll want to arrange a campsite near the ferry port, to get there before reception closes or make use of a late arrivals pitch’