10 caravanning must-haves for beginners
If it’s your first time in a caravan or motorhome, you may not be sure exactly what you need to bring with you to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your holiday. From hitch locks to awnings, chemicals to containers, there are several items specific to caravanning that you might be unfamiliar with.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the top ten things you’ll need for your first caravanning adventure.
- Number plate
When you’re towing a caravan or trailer, it’s a legal requirement to have a number plate fitted that matches your towing vehicle. You’ll only need one for the rear of the caravan, since the front can’t be seen whilst you’re towing, but it’s essential to have an official, road-legal back plate that features the same registration number as your towing vehicle.
If you use multiple cars to tow your caravan or motorhome, then you’ll need to have a corresponding plate for both vehicles, and make sure to put the right one on your caravan each time.
Shop number plates - Hitch and wheel locks
Much like a house, car, or bike, you’ll want to invest in a security system to keep your caravan or motorhome safe. There are different types and styles of lock available, and we’d recommend having both a hitch lock and a wheel lock for double the protection.
In the same way you’d secure a car’s wheel, a wheel clamp on a caravan or motorhome locks the wheel in place, preventing it from turning and making it much harder for the van to be moved. It’s also a great deterrent, encouraging opportunistic thieves to find an easier target.
The hitch is the point where your caravan connects to a car’s tow bar, and so keeping this area secure means that thieves can’t tow it away. A hitch lock secures an object into the hitch head and stops the handle from being raised, preventing anyone from hitching your caravan or motorhome to their car. You should look to use a hitch lock whenever your van isn’t connected to your vehicle for maximum security and peace of mind.
Plus, notifying your insurers that you have a secure locking system can help to reduce your premium, so it’s worth investing in more than one good-quality lock.
Shop caravan locks - Wing mirrors
Navigating the roads with a caravan in tow can be tricky, especially if it’s your first time. We recommend you fit wing mirror extensions to allow to see clearly, and to comply with the law.
It’s a legal requirement to be able to see 4 metres either side of your caravan when towing, and since most are significantly wider than a car, it’s often difficult to comply unless you have extension mirrors.
Mirror extensions are quick and easy to fit, and can be removed whenever you’re not towing, so you won’t have to worry about them getting in the way when you don’t need them.
Shop towing mirrors - Leisure battery
This battery powers the lights, oven, television, and other small appliances in your caravan or motorhome, so it should be top of your list of things to remember.
While it may look similar to a car battery, the two are not interchangeable, and a leisure battery functions rather differently. Where a car battery provides a short burst of power to kickstart the engine, a leisure battery slowly releases energy in order to power your appliances long-term.
Most brand-new caravans and motorhomes won’t come with a leisure battery as standard, so it’s important make sure you have one before you set off for your first adventure.
Shop leisure batteries - Electric hook up lead
While a leisure battery can power your appliances on its own for a little while, it will need recharging quite quickly if you’re using it for multiple appliances. So, most caravan pitches will have the facilities for you to connect to the mains electrical supply. To do this, you’ll need an electric hook up lead.
This cable plugs into the designated connection point on the outside of your caravan or motorhome and will run to the hook-up point usually situated on or next to your pitch. The sockets will be 3-pin blue connectors – one a female end, and the other a male end – and cable itself is usually brightly coloured to help prevent you from tripping over it.
Shop caravan electricals - Awning
When you pull up to your caravan site, you might notice that many other holidaymakers have brought an awning, and we suggest you use one too.
An awning is essentially a three-sided tent, which attaches to the side of your caravan or motorhome to provide additional floor space outside of the van but within your pitch. They provide a handy area to leave clothes and shoes after a day of adventures and are perfect for getting some fresh air whilst still being protected from the rain or wind.
They also come in different shapes and sizes, from a porch canopy to provide shelter from the weather to a full awning large enough to double the floor space of your caravan or motorhome. So, there are plenty of options to suit your needs.
Shop awnings - Water & waste containers
Two things you’ll definitely need to remember are water and waste containers. It can be easy to take running water and modern plumbing for granted, but you’ll have to do without them on a caravan site.
You’ll need a water carrier to transfer clean water from the site’s taps back to your pitch for washing and drinking. You can hook most water carriers up to your caravan or motorhome with the connector provided, and many are rollable drum-like shapes for easy transportation across the site.
As for waste, you’ll need a container to collect the water once you’ve used it. You can attach this container to the caravan’s waste pipe, meaning that the water from the kitchen drain and washroom sink drain will collect there. You can then take the container to the site’s dedicated waste drain and empty it.
We recommend making sure that your water and waste containers are different colours and shapes, to help prevent any unfortunate mix-ups
Shop water and waste carriers - Toilet chemicals
Most caravans and motorhomes will have a chemical - or cassette - toilet, which is a type of portable camping toilet that stores waste in a cassette which can be removed and emptied. It uses two chambers to flush and store waste, and you’ll need the right chemicals to help it work properly.
The flush tank holds the water that flushes the toilet, and you’ll need to add a chemical to it to keep the toilet smelling fresh and clean. This liquid is typically bright pink.
The cassette stores the waste from the toilet, and this will need a different chemical to break down any solid waste and neutralise odours. This liquid is typically blue or green.
Shop toilet chemicals - Caravan steps
If you’re more used to getting in and out of a tent or holiday home, then you may not realise that most caravan and motorhome entrances are a fair distance from the ground. You’ll likely need some assistance to get in and out of them, so caravan steps are a handy tool to bring along.
You’ll be getting a lot of use out of your steps, so make sure to find a set that works best for you – they come in plastic or metal, and with one or two steps, so it’s worth considering your needs and the height of your caravan or motorhome before you commit to a set.
Shop caravan steps - First aid kit
Much like any holiday or adventure, you’ll want to be prepared in case things go wrong. A compact and portable first aid kit is a necessity, to patch up any scrapes and keep your holiday on track.
Be sure to include a burn kit for any cooking accidents, sanitisers and wipes for cleaning, and more bandages and dressings than you think you’ll need – you never know what can happen, and since many caravan sites are in rural areas, it may take longer to get help if you have an accident, so it’s best to be prepared.
Shop first aid kits