Most people can’t get their heads around the fact that I have a caravan rather than a campervan. I’m a millennial, and it seems there must be some unwritten rule that I engage only with the #vanlife movement that has taken off on social media, rather than the more practical lifestyle of caravanning.
I constantly correct people: “ca-ra-van” I say as clearly as possible when they ask how it’s going in my camper. “I tow it with a car,” I explain, to paint the picture for those struggling to keep up.
It begs the question: is caravanning really only for the over 60s? I believe not. But society certainly seems to think I’m too young for it. Practical Caravan’s most recent Owner Satisfaction Survey found the average age of caravanners to be 62.5 years old, so I really am something of an anomaly in this market.
Freewheeling
I’ve chosen this way of travelling for the extra freedom it offers – the ability to zip about in the car to research my dog-friendly travel books, the use of facilities at the best caravan sites rather than constantly battling the washing-up in my tiny sink. In fact, I’ve previously said, “I pity those who don’t know the joy of camping in a caravan“.
I’m not alone, either. I know several millennial caravanners who have chosen this lifestyle over the all-in-one vehicle that a campervan or motorhome offers.
“We started six years ago,” Rachel Witek tells me, the woman behind the excellent @thecaravanningmummy account on Instagram. “We’d always done static caravans and had gone out to Spain with our first child.”
“My husband wandered off into the touring section of the site and came back and said ‘I think we should buy a motorhome’. I said no, ‘we need a caravan.’”
Rachel was in her 30s when they bought their first caravan and says they chose this over a ’van or motorhome because having a family caravan was better for the kids – having the car available for easy day trips meant entertaining two young children was much simpler.
She tells me she doesn’t feel out of place on campsites as a younger caravanner because she’s got plenty of friends with their own caravans and they often camp together. She admits, though, that there’s a perception that caravanning is something that’s always done in retirement.
A millennial caravanner on site
Due to my age – it’s rude to ask but I’ll tell you, I’m 34 – it sometimes feels like I’m the youngest caravanner on the site (save for the kids on holiday with their parents). While those my age frequent lay-bys and viewpoint park-ups instead of formal camping spots, I often find myself chatting away with people twice my years at the washing-up sinks, talking about the virtues of our little white boxes on towbars.
It’s the way I like it – solo caravanning can be an isolating experience sometimes, so the convenience of the campsite and the camaraderie between caravanners is a real comfort for me.
When I wrote this, I was parked up in the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Moreton-in-Marsh site, a dog-friendly caravan site, and already had a handful of positive chats with fellow campers. A couple with a much newer Eriba than mine parked opposite me came over to tell me how much they loved my retro van, and someone else commented on my new Glawning (a ‘glamorous’ awning shaped like a bell tent).
As I was coming out of the shower block, I walked back to my pitch with a lovely woman who offered all sorts of advice on the warmest clothing for autumnal camping (she rates a Dryrobe or an Oodie, apparently) and the best local walks for the dog. All of these campers are certainly older than me, but that doesn’t seem to matter to any of us at all – we’re all equals on the campsite.
For those of you who do enjoy off-season touring, don’t miss our tips on winter caravanning, either.
Just do it!
When I ask Rachel Witek whether she thinks more millennials should consider caravans, her reply is a resounding yes.
“We never anticipated the impact it would have on us. Our plan was to holiday for a couple of weeks during the school breaks, but it’s so much more.”
“It’s a lifestyle that has brought us together as a family and given us more holiday time than I thought was possible.”
I suspect many of us have memories of caravanning as kids, with parents or grandparents. Much like Rachel’s children, I was brought up on caravan holidays – mostly statics but occasionally touring – and I spent many an afternoon playing inside my grandparents’ caravan in the garden as a child while my grandad tinkered with it on weekends. Perhaps there’s a caravanner in all of us, but mine just came out sooner than most.
Follow Lottie on Instagram at @lottiegross
Something else that can have nostalgic appeal is opting for a vintage tow car. However, before you do, take a look at David Motton’s advice on the pros and cons of towing with a classic car.
Images: Lottie Gross
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