Winter camping in Beach - practicalities and ideas

[Kathrynandpaul]

Hi
We love our T6 Beach - we are a family of four, two kids aged 6 and 10. As the kids are off until 8th Jan I am thinking about a trip up to Scotland for at least few nights to make the 6 hr drive worth it - but the practicalities of the Beach are making me ponder whether it will be fun or a bit miserable in the cold. We love the space in the Beach for warmer temperatures but the lack of comforts inside with sink and kitchen makes me wonder whether in super cold weather with the 4 of use it won't work so well. I'd love to hear any experiences other families have had in the depths of winter - what essentials make it work for you? How do you do your set up? We usually have a Decathlon day tent with us to pop our kitchen and other gear in but I'm not sure how trustworthy it would be in winter extremes if we get really bad weather. I'm really keen to get out and explore over winter with the kids but I need some good ideas from experienced Beach folks of what makes winter camping work well.
Any thoughts and ideas would be much appreciated!
Thanks

 

[Kayleigh]

I would say some kind of poptop insulation is needed to keep it cozy inside at night. Also, you could look for a small kitchen pod. I saw this one advertised on here recently:

Accessories For Sale - Van Gear Nano Pod For Sale

Van Gear Nano Pod For Sale, £195. or nearest offer. A Very useful Pod, easily removed when not in use. Collection from Taunton, Somerset.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[RockinNRollin]

Has it got a heater? If not, I'd probably say think twice. Anywhere in the UK can be cool at this time of year, Scotland even more so. Even with EHU and some sort of space heater, the practicalities are challenging. Being warm in bed is less of an issue and can be fairly easily addressed, but it's how you cope when you're whiling away the hours of darkness before (and immediately after) bedtime.

It's possible to not use heating of course, I have winter camped in a tent (and many do) but you have to accept minimal lounging around unless you're prepared to live in your (very warm) sleeping bag or have lots highly insulating clothes on. Or go to the pub all night.

 

[Perfectos]

Diesel Heater is a must have in winter if you want a level of comfort.

The problem with winter camping can be that it gets dark so early and it can feel quite depressing.

BBQ on a mild night , that can be used after for a focal point and some warmth.
find a campsite within 15minutes walk of or near Pub(s) / entertainment etc.
arrive at the Pub early eve , couple of Drinks, play some board /card / games, eat at the pub, more games, read a book etc etc. (The kids will thank you)

pre set the Diesel heater to come on so the van is toasty when you get back From the Pub.

Have several two litre bottle of Tap water in the van so you have plenty of water etc and are not reliant on the campsite taps (which can freeze).

Take additional coats, socks and shoes. ( in case they get wet and need changing).

Cover for the roof keeps it warmer up top And the bellows dry.
Insulation to the bellows would help IMO (some have made their own insulated bellows from Bubble insulation )

Insulated screen /side window covers. (Internal)

Drive Away Awning or a simple Hub tent can add some much needed additional space to the Van set up, for a family, it can be used as the kitchen hub and a night time seating area (& additional storage) and keep the worst of any inclement weather away from the Slider.
the Gap between the van and tent can be used for dry storage)

IKEA Dimpa bags for bedding, simply stuff the bedding into the water resistant bag, fling it in the DAA.

Light it well , I use Luci solar string (white version) which has three setting to vary the brightness , they work really well and take up minimal space and recharge from Solar, you can read a book by the light no problem.
get a small fan heater from the DA awning if on hook up, use it when in the DAA, they the worst of the cold out & keep the tent surprisingly warm with very little running.

keep a bucket by the van to avoid a cold trek to the toilet at night.

Additional blankets etc. (See BBQ & DAA)

All weather pitches are less Mucky !

Get a large Garden Matt (Moroccan matting co. Do some nice ones) position it outside the slider to help keep the crud out of the van And give an area to take off shoes / coats etc before getting in.

Dry bag for wet stuff , plastic bags to wrap mucky gear in

heres a photo of a winter set up Cheddar Gorge -4c overnight



not many on-site ! And it gets Dark early!



Van & DAA on hook up, Fan heater, Kitchen set up & Kettle in DAA



additional dry area ! Not left up In Rain / wind

 

[Kathrynandpaul]

Diesel Heater is a must have in winter if you want a level of comfort.

The problem with winter camping can be that it gets dark so early and it can feel quite depressing.

BBQ on a mild night , that can be used after for a focal point and some warmth.
find a campsite within 15minutes walk of or near Pub(s) / entertainment etc.
arrive at the Pub early eve , couple of Drinks, play some board /card / games, eat at the pub, more games, read a book etc etc. (The kids will thank you)

pre set the Diesel heater to come on so the van is toasty when you get back From the Pub.

Have several two litre bottle of Tap water in the van so you have plenty of water etc and are not reliant on the campsite taps (which can freeze).

Take additional coats, socks and shoes. ( in case they get wet and need changing).

Cover for the roof keeps it warmer up top And the bellows dry.
Insulation to the bellows would help IMO (some have made their own insulated bellows from Bubble insulation )

Insulated screen /side window covers. (Internal)

Drive Away Awning or a simple Hub tent can add some much needed additional space to the Van set up, for a family, it can be used as the kitchen hub and a night time seating area (& additional storage) and keep the worst of any inclement weather away from the Slider.
the Gap between the van and tent can be used for dry storage)

IKEA Dimpa bags for bedding, simply stuff the bedding into the water resistant bag, fling it in the DAA.

Light it well , I use Luci solar string (white version) which has three setting to vary the brightness , they work really well and take up minimal space and recharge from Solar, you can read a book by the light no problem.
get a small fan heater from the DA awning if on hook up, use it when in the DAA, they the worst of the cold out & keep the tent surprisingly warm with very little running.

keep a bucket by the van to avoid a cold trek to the toilet at night.

Additional blankets etc. (See BBQ & DAA)

All weather pitches are less Mucky !

Get a large Garden Matt (Moroccan matting co. Do some nice ones) position it outside the slider to help keep the crud out of the van And give an area to take off shoes / coats etc before getting in.

Dry bag for wet stuff , plastic bags to wrap mucky gear in

heres a photo of a winter set up Cheddar Gorge -4c overnight

View attachment 116392

not many on-site ! And it gets Dark early!

View attachment 116393

Van & DAA on hook up, Fan heater, Kitchen set up & Kettle in DAA

View attachment 116394

additional dry area ! Not left up In Rain / wind

View attachment 116395

Amazing list of tips thanks!

 

[Kathrynandpaul]

Has it got a heater? If not, I'd probably say think twice. Anywhere in the UK can be cool at this time of year, Scotland even more so. Even with EHU and some sort of space heater, the practicalities are challenging. Being warm in bed is less of an issue and can be fairly easily addressed, but it's how you cope when you're whiling away the hours of darkness before (and immediately after) bedtime.

It's possible to not use heating of course, I have winter camped in a tent (and many do) but you have to accept minimal lounging around unless you're prepared to live in your (very warm) sleeping bag or have lots highly insulating clothes on. Or go to the pub all night.

No heater we usually just use EHU and small heater but thats when its been just the two of us, but I'm thinking about the kids and maybe we need to get a heater sorted first and think about next year instead.

 

[Camperfamily]

Personally I wouldn’t do it until you get a diesel heater fitted. Ideally a topper too (we use Pucer and think it’s great) to balance the temp between upstairs and down. It’s a long drive for you to end up being cold, particularly if it’s also wet during your stay.

 

[bungiebananahead]

We camp all year round you need a diesel heater.

 

[Perfectos]

No heater we usually just use EHU and small heater but thats when its been just the two of us, but I'm thinking about the kids and maybe we need to get a heater sorted first and think about next year instead.

On hook up you can use an electric heater in the van , plugged In To the 240v socket. It will keep the van toasty all night if set on low to maintain a temp, get one that will thermostatically control the heat , (Higher power fan heater , set to a lower temperature will cause less Wattage draw on start up )
(you’ll be surprised how warm it gets in the van !

trial run with a small electric fan heater, (on the Drive) , the kids will love it.

something like this set to low heat, heat set to 1 and low on the dial scale will cut in and out as the temperature is raised when the fan comes on the thermostat will turn it off anf then back on when the temp drops below the setting limit, fairly quite and highly efficient on hook up

Upright Fan Heater

A quick and easy way to warm up smaller spaces. The compact and lightweight design of this 2kW fan heater means you can use it anywhere around the home or office - it has two heat settings and an adjustable thermostat, plus a fan-only mode to improve airflow.• Two heat settings - 1000W or 2000W•...

www.toolstation.com

 

[Kathrynandpaul]

On hook up you can use an electric heater in the van , plugged In To the 240v socket. It will keep the van toasty all night if set on low to maintain a temp, get one that will thermostatically control the heat , (Higher power fan heater , set to a lower temperature will cause less Wattage draw on start up )
(you’ll be surprised how warm it gets in the van !

trial run with a small electric fan heater, (on the Drive) , the kids will love it.

something like this set to low heat, heat set to 1 and low on the dial scale will cut in and out as the temperature is raised when the fan comes on the thermostat will turn it off anf then back on when the temp drops below the setting limit, fairly quite and highly efficient on hook up

Upright Fan Heater

A quick and easy way to warm up smaller spaces. The compact and lightweight design of this 2kW fan heater means you can use it anywhere around the home or office - it has two heat settings and an adjustable thermostat, plus a fan-only mode to improve airflow.• Two heat settings - 1000W or 2000W•...

www.toolstation.com

View attachment 116475

Thanks so much for that yes we do have a Kampa Diddy on EHU which is great and kicks out some heat.

 

[T2-Haz]

Hi,
We have a T6 beach too, our kids are 8 and 6, we and had the same thoughts in the early days. We changed from a T5 SE which had the kitchen etc.

We live in Scotland and tend to go away every other week for at least 1 night, and only recently have we got our perfect set up. In winter we rely on campsites and having EHU.

Rainbow screen roof topper - game changer, can be a bit of a faff but 100% worth it, both our kids sleep upstairs with their sleeping bags and no longer complain of being cold.

Small oil heater on EHU - as mentioned earlier in the thread. We put ours on low and leave it in the walk through between the two front seats, just helps keeps the chill out and send heat up to the upper deck.

Occasionally I’ll run the diesel heater as a little top up as I do like it tropical at times.

Van Gear Kombi kitchen pod. Ideal for a cuppa / storage / ridge-monkey toasties - no set up required as its all in one neat place.

Rear window bags, I only keep one in full time, this is used to keep wash kits, and a small amount of clothing.

And probably my favourite and simplest, the head rest coat hooks. We don’t swivel the passenger seat as the kitchen unit is behind it, I find but sliding the seat forward the coats can hang from the headrest and not get in the way. Winter coats are bulky and them been thrown around is a real bug bear of mine haha.

We keep ourselves self contained in the van, I removed the sun canopy, but this would be useful in the rain as a shelter if you wanted some outside space.

I keep the 3 seat bench in the right place so it can just drop down and we can roll the pre-made bed out, all these simple things just help make the overall experience more enjoyable and less messing around.

Food wise we just use Pubs, takeaways. Save the BBQ / cooking for the summer months. The kombi pod is always full of snacks for the kids who always seem to be hungry…

Good luck and trust me you can do it!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kayleigh]

Van Gear Kombi kitchen pod. Ideal for a cuppa / storage / ridge-monkey toasties - no set up required as it’s all in one neat place.

Some really good advice in your post
Regarding kitchen pods, I purchased one of these second hand but unused. Also a good option as it can store a fridge in the drawer. It’s called a Maxxcamp Willy

 

[T2-Haz]

Some really good advice in your post
Regarding kitchen pods, I purchased one of these second hand but unused. Also a good option as it can store a fridge in the drawer. It’s called a Maxxcamp Willy

View attachment 116531

Thank you!

I searched high & low for one off the Maxxcamp units but couldn’t find one in the UK, and didn’t want to ship one over. They are a clever & well designed unit and having the fridge within the unit is perfect.

That is a great bit of kit!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kayleigh]

Thank you!

I searched high & low for one off the Maxxcamp units but couldn’t find one in the UK, and didn’t want to ship one over. They are a clever & well designed unit and having the fridge within the unit is perfect.

That is a great bit of kit!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes it is a nice bit of kit! I think you have to import them yourself and brand new they are not cheap either. They are extremely well made though. I set up an eBay watch and waited. It is designed to use a specific fridge but my Indel B TB15 just about fits. I use the cooker drawer to store my camping pans and a smaller cooker.

If you can find one, they are well worth it

 

[Borris]

WINTER CAMPING IN BEACH - PRACTICALITIES AND IDEAS​

This heading implies being confined within a freezing cold van with your teeth chattering and your ears ringing from all the "moaning and I told you so" comments. Well if you don't go prepared then it could well end up like that. However, that should be very much the worst case scenario. Whilst any unheated vehicle is effectively a potential death trap if stuck in severe winter conditions that is much less likely if you pay close attention to what the weather is doing and the traffic announcements. So the first thing is to go prepared. If your vehicle doesn't have a diesel heater then get one fitted. One of these will turn your Beach into a 365 day a year camper. Yes, you could use a small electric heater from the site EHU but you wouldn't be self contained and would be reliant on that power not failing. With a diesel heater you have no worries.

Regardless of what type of Cali you own, much of the warmth disappears through the pop top bellows. To mitigate this I would recommend either or both of the following options:
1. Permanently fitting an internal bellows liner.
Internal liners are brilliant by not only keeping the upper deck more draught free but they help to stop the ingress of damp in heavy rain conditions. They also keep the upper bed area darker but most importantly warmer.
2. Utilising an insulated external bellows wrap.
An External wrap can easily be fitted when you reach your destinanation. One of these will add an extra layer of insulation as well as protecting the exposed bellows from driving rain.
We have had both internal bellows liners and external bellows wraps with each of our three vans to date and can highly recommend them. The internal device is a fit once a forget device but the wrap needs to be fitted when required. The club shop sell both and can give advice. You should also consider an insulated windscreen wrap.

Bedding is also an important issue when winter camping but this doesn't need to be all technical and expensive. Just take a suitable number of the winter tog duvets and something warm and comfortable to sleep on you'll be just fine. The bigger the duvets the better so there are no gaps. It's not like you will be sleeping on the ground in some damp tent. We have had one SE and two Beaches to date and have spent some pretty cold nights inside our vans. Not that cold by potential Scottish standards perhaps, but one night involved a minus 10 degrees haw frost. On none of those occasions have we required the diesel heater on throughout the night and I usually sleep pretty much as nature intended! Take a few blankets as well if you are worried. Mind you that's been our experience and you and yours may be colder mortals.

The right clothes are also important but I shouldn't need to mention that.

"the lack of comforts inside with sink and kitchen makes me wonder whether in super cold weather with the 4 of use it won't work so well".

For sink read collapsible washing up bowl. For kitchen read any number of very compact table top cooking stoves, single or double. You may require a fridge/freezer though and if that's so, don't mess about, go for a compressor fridge that will run on 12v or 240v. We keep ours in the boot which brings me onto something else. As there will be four of you on your winter escapade, not having the sink and kitchen, etc will translate into a lot more space inside the van. As you may end up inside the van more in winter your crew will appreciate that extra space.

Regardless of what vehicle you are in, good simple rib sticking high energy comfort food is essential when winter camping, so leave the rabbit food in the hutch where it belongs. Best to take enough simple ready meals plus a healthy reserve incase you get stuck somewhere. There is no reason why you cannot prepare, cook, serve, eat and wash up after a simple meal in a Beach. However, there is often option 2: the pub.

Portapotti. No one likes them but at three oclock in the morning in a force 8 with driving rain hammering the side of your van, it's amazing how opinions can change.

Games, lots of them and not the electronic type. It gets dark just after tea n tiffin time so you'll have a lot of time to kill before beddy-byes time. You only have one leisure battery and in the wilds of Scotland you should eke out its charge between site EHUs just in case you get stuck somewhere. The enterior lights are all LEDs so no problem using them.

So I would suggest you have a diesel heater fitted as an essential item and look into my pop top insulation recommendations as well. Apart from those the rest are easy peasy.

Just one final note. What ever vehicle you use when venturing north of the border in winter, you should make sure that it will be fit for purpose. Winter tyres, properly serviced, properly equipped with shovel, blankets, hot drinks, high energy snacks etc etc.

Good luck.

 

[gandalfthegrey]

I was up in Cumbria recently in my van and actually found I could stay in Youth Hostels for less than a campsite. Maybe think about mixing up your accommodation so you can get dry and washed and have a cool hang out every other day.

 

[Myplacecalifornia]

Many good advices. Thanks

 

[Stow]

All the best kit and ideal set up can't solve the difficulty of it being dark at 3pm, when you're then stuck with two small kids in a confined space. Sure, go to the pub etc for 6 hours, but it's not exactly the camping/van experience. Having learned the hard way...

 

[ThomasHJ]

Hi
We love our T6 Beach - we are a family of four, two kids aged 6 and 10. As the kids are off until 8th Jan I am thinking about a trip up to Scotland for at least few nights to make the 6 hr drive worth it - but the practicalities of the Beach are making me ponder whether it will be fun or a bit miserable in the cold. We love the space in the Beach for warmer temperatures but the lack of comforts inside with sink and kitchen makes me wonder whether in super cold weather with the 4 of use it won't work so well. I'd love to hear any experiences other families have had in the depths of winter - what essentials make it work for you? How do you do your set up? We usually have a Decathlon day tent with us to pop our kitchen and other gear in but I'm not sure how trustworthy it would be in winter extremes if we get really bad weather. I'm really keen to get out and explore over winter with the kids but I need some good ideas from experienced Beach folks of what makes winter camping work well.
Any thoughts and ideas would be much appreciated!
Thanks

We have some experience camping in our SE/OCEAN in winter (with kids), but we have an auxillary heater and I'm not sure the (or your) beach has one. I'd say go for it, it's fun, but no fun without the heater.

 

[Perfectos]

All the best kit and ideal set up can't solve the difficulty of it being dark at 3pm, when you're then stuck with two small kids in a confined space. Sure, go to the pub etc for 6 hours, but it's not exactly the camping/van experience. Having learned the hard way...

not wanting to split hairs ! I understand your comment .
Shortest day sunset Scotland 3.30 ! (One day)
London +30 mins south coast +40 mins
planning is the key , all kids love a bit of screen time ; DVD, Phone, Ipad, switch, etc, it is doable, I wouldn’t suggest two weeks but short trips work well.

Board games, books etc (back to basics ) work well it depends on the kids and how the issues are approached.

Pub was an example , we have done evening Karting, bowling etc to occupy the dark hours. you are limited by your imagination and those taking part, along with choice of location.

 

[kp64zl]

I was up in Cumbria recently in my van and actually found I could stay in Youth Hostels for less than a campsite. Maybe think about mixing up your accommodation so you can get dry and washed and have a cool hang out every other day.

And sometimes a premier inn or travel lodge is cheaper than a hostel!