I’ve been towing caravans for around 20 years now. Over those two decades since I first started towing, I have travelled thousands of miles in hundreds of different tow cars – although I appreciate I’m still a relative newcomer compared with some of you reading this!
There are all sorts of things I’ve learned over those miles. Some of these lessons help me to stay safe, some make journeys more enjoyable. Here are six things that would have smoothed the furrowed brow of my 30-something self when I was new to caravanning and started towing.
1 Treat the trip as part of the holiday
Some caravanners hate towing. Some are indifferent. When I started towing, I found it rather alien to normal driving. It’s natural to feel uneasy when you’re new to towing, and to see the journey as something you have to complete without mishap before the holiday fun can really start.
Now that I’ve been towing for much longer, I treat the journey differently.
I still concentrate carefully and take the safety aspect of towing seriously. But if the first and last day of the holiday are being spent behind the wheel with a tourer filling your pair of the best caravan mirrors, it has to be worth enjoying, rather than enduring, the trip.
There’s satisfaction to be taken from towing well, but that’s not all there is to it. A favourite driving playlist on the stereo, the moment you pass the ‘Welcome to…’ sign and enter the final county on your travels, or when you see the sea while your passengers are still asleep – towing journeys can be truly enjoyable.
Don’t forget, if you really hate pulling a tourer, you could always consider a caravan towing course too.
2 If somebody waves, wave back
I was nervous when I started towing – most of us are. As my guide to the 10 things every caravanner should know about towing shows, there’s so much to remember, and lots of things that can go wrong.
They very rarely do, of course, but that’s all too easy for me to say now.
Back in my first summer of towing, I felt on edge during every trip, listening out for any unexpected noise and fretting about every strange sensation.
Sometimes a car and caravan would pass, heading the other way, and I would notice somebody waving from inside. “Why are they waving?” I would ask myself. “What’s wrong? What have they noticed?”
Senses heightened, even more on edge than before, I’d be convinced something was awry with the car or caravan.
Of course, it wasn’t. The caravanners heading the other way were waving and smiling, not waving and pointing. They were being friendly. So stop worrying. Smile and wave back.
3 Sporty cars can tow…
I was into cars before I was interested in caravans. I had posters of Ferraris on my wall when I was a teenager, and my early working years were on car magazines such as What Car?. Caravanners and car enthusiasts are two different tribes – or so I thought.
I was completely wrong. Not only do many caravanners take great pride in their tow cars, but plenty are also very keen drivers. What’s more, the best tow cars are often ones that are great to drive solo.
It might not fit with the image of towing and caravanning, but sporty cars are often really good at pulling a tourer when you’re looking at your options when matching a car to a caravan. I don’t mean hopelessly impractical sports cars, but high-performance, practical machines.
Think of a BMW 3 Series Touring, a Jaguar XF, or a Range Rover Sport. These cars are rewarding to drive, but also make extremely stable tugs.
4 … and so can classic cars
When I started towing, if you told me you could tow a caravan with a classic, I’d have pictured the sad sight of an old banger conked out on the hard shoulder, smoke pouring from the bonnet. There’s no way I would have volunteered to tow a caravan with a classic car.
But now, my all-time favourite towing experience is when I took a 1980s Elddis to the Peak District with a 1980 Vauxhall Cavalier, borrowed from the Vauxhall Heritage Collection.
The journey was slow, and the Cavalier was far from the most stable car I have driven. Even so, it was a memorable trip – and it didn’t end on the hard shoulder.
5 Take the scenic route
A good caravan towing tip – take your time! When we are young, we always hear the clock ticking. There’s a deadline to meet, somewhere to be, something important to do. Even on holiday, I was on a schedule, pressing on to fit in as much as possible.
Now I’m less convinced that Kipling was right about filling “the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds’ worth of distance run”. At least not while you’re on holiday.
You don’t need to stick to the motorway or travel the most direct route. It’s okay to take the winding road, or stop to admire the view. The destination will still be there when you’re ready. It’s not only distance run that can fill the unforgiving minute.
Some of the best caravan sat navs come with suggested spots to stop off at along the way too, allowing you to get the most from your drive to the campsite.
6 There’s always time for a brew
Motorway services are expensive. And more often than not, pretty crowded. They are places I only visit when I really have to.
One of the beauties of caravanning is that every layby is a potential pitstop.
Why queue for an overpriced cuppa when you can stop and make your own? Your home from home is always with you, and your next tea break is only ever as far away as the next place you can pull over.
Nothing beats stopping in a layby with a splendid view, putting the kettle on, then resting for a bit, enjoying that cuppa and anticipating the holiday to come.
Are you looking for a Christmas present for the caravanner in your life? We’ve got the perfect suggestions as we share 27 gifts for caravan owners that are bound to suit all criterias.
Future Publishing Limited, the publisher of Practical Caravan, provides the information in this article in good faith and makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions do so at their own risk and must exercise their independent judgement in determining the appropriateness of the advice to their circumstances and skill level. Individuals should take appropriate safety precautions and be aware of the risk of electrocution when dealing with electrical products. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Future nor its employees or agents shall have any liability in connection with the use of this information. You should check that any van warranty will not be affected before proceeding with DIY projects.
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