GMB: Caravan 'curfew' plans slammed by Sonia Evans

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Ed Bassett is an expert on all things caravanning and motorhoming. As the Head of Wanderlust at caravan and motorhome sharing economy platform Camptoo, he is full of information for Britons heading out on their first caravan or motorhome trip.

A caravanning trip may be on many people’s bucket list, but Ed said: “A lot of this stuff is managing expectations.”

It’s important for first timers to remember what the point of their trip is: “Are you a road trip kind of person and want to have several stops? I personally like staying in one place for a couple of days then moving on.”

Ed was aware that many Britons may feel a caravanning adventure should be spontaneous and carefree.

However, he said: “The first advice will always be, don’t just pick the vehicle up, drive off and see where you land.

“Just picking a van up and heading off to the M25 generally doesn’t lead to a good time.”

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A caravanning trip, like every other trip, requires a little bit of planning.

At the bare minimum, hopeful campers should “choose their destination and choose their campsite”.

With everyone heading on a staycation this year, many campsites are near capacity and it wouldn’t do to turn up and not find any space.

Ed said: “I personally would always advise people to look at websites like Pitchup, or you also have a number of apps that you can use to find campsites.”

To help Britons pick the type of campsites they would like to stay at, Ed recommended considering the facilities.

“Check out the facilities on the campsites, some are more family-friendly, some of them will have more electrical points, some will be more wild camping type of thing.

“You could end up in a field or in a very modern campsites with shower blocks, TV rooms and good Wifi.”

In general, Ed thought that planning was “more important in the UK, because you have to think about the weather and about what kind of stuff you want to do which is not swimming pool based”.

It’s all about being creative with the trip, and with the planning.

Ed explained: “Think about your activities and how you want to spend your time if it does rain. You really want to be in a place where you have options for the kids inside.”

Besides their destination and activities, Britons heading on a caravanning holiday should be mindful of what they pack.

Ed said: “Supplies are important. The right kit is useful. Don’t go there with a massive suitcase with loads of clothes in it.

“You really want to get down to one multipurpose coat, couple of tops, couple of trousers, casual sports gear, swimming kit, stuff that you can recycle and use on multiple occasions.

“You’ve got a small space.”

Ed’s top tips for a first timer’s caravanning holiday were: “I think it’s planning, type of activities, not over packing and pack for the weather.”

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