It's cold outside, but that's no reason to put away your van this winter. Here's ten great reasons to wrap up, hitch up and get out there.
By Matt Clark

Below are extracts from the full article published in the December 2005 issue of Practical Caravan.

Most of us like to get together with the relatives at Christmas, but houses can get cramped, and tempers will sometimes fray. To preserve the festive cheer, why not create your very own guest wing and take the caravan with you. Many sites stay open over the Christmas period. It might mean a taxi ride or a calorie-burning walk back ‘home' afterwards, but at least you've got a good excuse for dodging the washing-up.

If all those second-helpings of Christmas pudding and endless rounds of turkey sandwiches, have added to your waistline, it's time to get active. Start off by hitching up and heading for some of Britain's most stunning mountain scenery. In Scotland, it doesn't always rain - sometimes it snows as well, so don't forget your skis.
The Cairngorm Mountains in North East Scotland and Glencoe in the Highlands are both popular ski resorts. But the Lecht, Fort William and Nevis Ranges are equally good - if less well known. Naturally snow fall is less reliable in Scotland than in the rest of Europe, but a phone call to Visit Scotland will let you know the conditions in advance.

If Christmas shopping feels like more of a chore than a pleasure, why not combine it with some sightseeing in a new location, and treat it as a holiday? Edinburgh, London, and Birmingham are good choices for a shopping-orientated city break, but there are plenty of other places worth considering, too.
Glasgow certainly takes some beating. Buchanan Galleries is the largest shopping centre in Scotland and contains all the big high street names - as does the St Enoch Centre. Princes Shopping Centre is filled with designer shops, including the UK's first Versace store, and the De Courcy's Antique Craft Arcade in the city's West End is crammed with antique and craft shops.

Christmas is the biggest festival of them all, and a traditional and atmospheric way to celebrate is to attend the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve at King's College Chapel in Cambridge. This popular service has taken place every year since 1918, and always begins with ‘Once in Royal David's City'. The service begins at 3pm: simply queue for tickets on the day. Cherry Hinton Camping and Caravanning Club Site is a good nearby place to stay.

Do you ever feel as if electronic gizmos are taking over your life? If so, when daylight hours are in short supply and you fancy a cheap night in, why not get back to basics with a board game? For good old-fashioned sociable fun they're unbeatable, and because they're so lighweight, they're perfect for us caravanners. Monopoly and Scrabble are reliable old favourites, but you could also try one of the newer games that are on the market.
If you're not from London, ‘Trouble and Strife' will help you brush up on your rhyming slang. It's suitable for four or more, so your ‘dustbins' (dustbin lids = kids) ‘trouble and strife' (wife) and even your chinas (china plates = mates) can join in as you translate phrases from the Queen's English, into Cockney in a race against the clock.

Once the summer crowds have departed, tranquillity reigns throughout the UK's diverse range of countryside. Tour the Lakes in the winter, and the silence means you can appreciate the beauty of the area even more. Winter rain gives the hills a velvety look as they rise from the still, black waters of Ullswater, and after the first snows the hills take on an eerily bleached look.
Snow makes beautiful places look even more special. For example, the Grampians appear like a white desert with a soft covering of snow. The sunshine and blue skies that often accompany a fresh snowfall make for an invigorating walk, but do dress sensibly: temperatures can drop as low as -20°C

When the cold weather comes, you'd be forgiven for thinking that birds and animals would either curl up and hibernate, or up sticks and head for sunnier climes. Not so. Winter is an excellent time to spot British wildlife - particularly if you're prepared to head for the coast.
Grey seals that live offshore for much of the year, return to the coast to moult during the winter months. Males gather in huge numbers in December and females gather in February. The Norfolk coast is a good place to see them, but they are easily disturbed by human activity, so take binoculars and keep your distance

On summer breaks we tend to make the most of the good weather. Beaches, country walks and beer gardens will all take precedent over indoor attractions. So this makes winter the perfect time to catch up on all the exhibitions you missed out on when the weather was hot. So why not use your caravan to go on an indoor break, and catch up on your culture.
The Tate's fabulous collection of artwork is spread across four galleries. Tate Modern and Tate Britain are in London, Tate St Ives is in Cornwall and Tate Liverpool is exactly where its name implies. All are well worth a visit, but of course you can kill two birds with one stone if you head to London. Tate Britain features British artworks from the 16th century to the present day, by the likes of Hogarth, Gainsborough, Barbara Hepworth and Francis Bacon. Some would argue that the star of the show at Tate Modern is the building itself: the lovingly converted Bankside Power station offers views across the Thames, while inside you'll find a vast range of modern international art spread over several floors.

If the weather begins to close in, or you just want to unwind after a bracing country walk, what could be better than a relaxing drink in a fine country pub? There are so many traditional country pubs to choose from in the UK that you're almost spoilt for choice. But what's perfect on a chilly winter's day is a pub with an open fire. Here's a selection of some of the best.
If the kids are with you, you might like to try the Little Mill Inn in Rowarth, Derbyshire. This whitewashed waterside pub dates from 1781 and welcomes children. There are board games to keep them amused, and if they wrap up warm they can play outside on the swings and climbing frames. There's also a good kid's menu.

If you've got the winter blues, and are pining for the sun, pack up the van and take it abroad. Site and ferry fees are much cheaper in the winter, and touring sites are a lot less busy.
The Spanish Costas, the Iberian Peninsular, Barcelona and Alicante are all popular with caravanning Brits. Don't be put off by the long drive – you can alway have a stop-over on France on the way there. And just imagine waking up on a December morning, to gentle warmth and the scent of pine trees, then sipping a chilled sherry in your awning in the afternoon sun.
The Caravan Club (tel 01342 316101) and the Camping and Caravan Club (024 7669 4995) can take the stress out of touring abroad by arranging ferries, insurance and site bookings for you. Alternatively, you can order European Camping Cheques from Alan Rogers (Tel 0870 405 4055) and the Caravan Club.

ALSO IN THE MAG:
Full version of each report above
Practicalities of winter caravanning
Contact info on attractions named
Sites that stay open all year

See the December 2005 issue of the magazine for this feature article in full, with details of the major clubs.
Back issues can be ordered by telephone on 08456 777812