Tag: Caravanning

Campsite with caravans

Caravanning in Dumfries & Galloway!

The sun has got his hat on so it’s time to start thinking about taking your caravan or motorhome out of storage after its winter hibernation, and there are plenty of places to go caravanning in Dumfries & Galloway!

And don’t forget, Dumfries Self Storage at Heathhall Business Centre is a Silver Award CaSSOA Approved Storage facility.

Caravanning in Dumfries & Galloway

Tour sandy beaches, saunter along the Southern Upland Way – all from these cherry-picked Dumfries and Galloway caravan parks.  Our beautiful region is also home to the Galloway Forest Park and a stunning stretch of coastline, so it’s the ideal setting for happy caravanning in 2023!

Auchenlarie Holiday Park, Castle Douglas

Choose between grass and hardstanding pitches, all serviced with 16-Amp electric hook-ups and space for an awning, against the backdrop of Wigtown Bay.

As well as the views, you have access to a beach and private cove, with fantastic facilities including a bistro, bar, heated indoor pool, and gym.

Sea fishing is available nearby too!

Ewes Water Caravan and Camping Park, Langholm

A mini army of local volunteers cares for the dog-friendly Ewes Water Caravan and Camping Park – a haven of tranquility surrounded by nature.

There are 25 pitches with electric hook-up, suitable for campers and tourers, in this family-friendly campsite, situated on the outskirts of Langholm, surrounded by woodland, and the lovely Ewes Water of course.

Sat at the base of the community-owned Tarras Valley Nature Reserve, just seven miles from the English border and less than a half hour’s drive from Northumberland’s National Park, this is a great destination or stop-off point for exploring Dumfries & Galloway or the north of England.

Balloch O Dee, Newton Stewart

Five hardstanding pitches offer the luxury of electric in this welcoming site that includes free-range ponies and ducks, plus there are plenty of purpose-built stone fire pits in the main field and you are welcome to have a campfire whenever you choose!

There’s pony grooming, mucking out, and feeding the animals for the kids too.

The site boasts an outdoor covered stage for live music events, and communal covered shelters for campers to gather in to cook, blether, and enjoy a campfire.

Moffat Camping and Caravanning Club Site

Moffat town and neighbouring Devil’s Beeftub are on the Robert the Bruce Trail that snakes through Dumfries and Galloway.

You can fish at the Hammerlands Centre, boat on the pond, play on the putting green or watch birds at the Community Nature Reserve.

Moffat boasts plenty of pubs and places to eat out.

Criffel View Caravan Site, New Abbey

Criffel View Caravan Site is a working farm caravan site with fabulous facilities for walking, mountain biking, and golfing.

On the farm are cheeky goats and a mini-museum of vintage tractors and implements, while there are many quiet walks from the site too, plus a designated dog walk and dog wash.

Beaches and coastal villages are within easy reach, as is Dumfries, while the historic village of New Abbey is a fifteen-minute walk with its Abbey, shop, pub and tea room.

Bird-friendly hedges and borders enhance wildlife and privacy, and the last word must of course go to that fabulous view of the mighty Criffel Hill!

 

Further reading:

Quality Assured at Dumfries Self Storage

 

Caravan Storage At Heathhall Dumfries - caravans stored

Cleaning your caravan for the season

The predicted post-lockdown summer staycation boom is the shot in the arm the UK needs and it’s time to start thinking about cleaning your caravan for the season after a spell in storage perhaps. Grabbing car cleaning products or the first thing that comes to hand is a big no-no – cleaning your caravan requires specialist know-how, the right products, plenty of care and attention…

Cleaning the outside of your caravan

Make sure you have enough room around your caravan to clean every last bit of the beast and unless you’re incredibly tall or have arms like Mr. Tickle you’ll need a stepladder too. Pitching the caravan at a slight angle also helps the water trickle off quicker, protecting the seals from damage. 

Mild weather is the best for caravan cleaning because too much sunshine dries it too quickly leaving unsightly watermarks.

Jet wash or high-pressure washers or car or motorhome shampoo can be too abrasive for cleaning the outside of your caravan because they can scratch the bodywork and give the seals a really hard time. 

A hose or bucket of water paired with a sponge or long-handled brush and some specialist caravan shampoo/cleaner and caravan window cleaner is what you’ll need.  You might also want to lay your hands on a long bottlebrush and microfibre cloth.

Start at the top and work your way down

Start by giving your caravan an all-over rinse to loosen algae, dirt, moss, dead leaves, and all the other little nasties getting a free ride. Then work from the roof down using the sponge or long-handled brush to clean your caravan with horizontal strokes. You’ll need to give it just the right amount of welly to loosen every bit of dirt and it’s a good idea to have someone steady the ladders for safety’s sake. Rinse each area as you go.

Windows and skylights

Skylights can either be opened and cleaned using a long bottlebrush or dismantled and cleaned more forensically.  Windows will sparkle after a good going over with a specialist product always taking extra care not to leave any scratches. Acrylic windows demand their own type of product and will also benefit from a microfibre cloth buff-up.

Polish and wax

Let your caravan dry in the air or use a drying cloth so that you can then apply the polish for which there are plenty of products to choose from and during which you should avoid touching rubber seals and textured plastics. You’ll need to use some elbow grease here and apply in a circular motion with greater pressure to obliterate stubborn marks or scratches.

A wax completes the process and is your caravan’s protective barrier keeping all the bad stuff out and good stuff in. Then after about half an hour, it’s ready for a big old final buff.

Oh, and don’t forget the alloy wheels. A quick spray and polish here will set off all your other hard work a treat.

Cleaning the inside of your caravan

A whistle round with the vacuum cleaner should suffice unless you had a wild party before it went into storage. Likewise giving all the surfaces a good wipe down using an anti-bacterial spray or mild cleaning products that you’d use at home should do the trick. 

Freshen things up

Air fresheners will help banish any storage mustiness while you can use the same product you used for the outside of the windows for the insides.  One final tip for cleaning the inside of your caravan: a little bit of bicarbonate of soda diluted with warm water down the sinks can help neutralise any nasty whiffs.

And voila, your caravan is ready for the season!

 

https://www.caravanguard.co.uk

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/

https://www.practicalcaravan.com/