What is a touring caravan?

As many of us face the hard reality that we won’t be holidaying abroad anytime soon, a staycation in the UK seems like the next best thing.

Staycations within the UK have been expected to boom with lockdown restrictions continuing to ease. For some, a staycation might mean a few nights in a self-catering cottage, a cabin or even a tent. But for many caravan owners in the UK, a getaway in a touring caravan is the number one choice.

So, what is a touring caravan?

A touring caravan is a separate mobile home on wheels, that is designed to be lightweight so it can be towed by vehicles. Caravans contain no motor engine or driveshaft, so therefore are not a functional vehicle. Touring caravans come in all shapes and sizes, and usually contain a small kitchenette and sleeping quarters for anywhere between two, to four plus people. Most modern caravans will have built in heating, a shower, toilet and working appliances, but these must be connected to the mains or gas in order to work.

Why would you want a touring caravan?

For many, owning a touring caravan means freedom. The ability to hitch-up a caravan to your vehicle and travel anywhere the road may take you, and pulling up to different caravan sites, provides flexibility and choice. Touring caravans are usually cheaper than a motorhome, as caravans are essentially trailers that are towed, while motorhomes include a lot more such as an engine, transmission, and other complicated internal components. Once your touring caravan is parked at its designated location, your caravan can be un-hooked from your vehicle, allowing holiday makers to drive about, without having to tow the caravan as well.

Is it hard to tow a caravan?

Towing a caravan from your vehicle does take a bit of practice. Because a caravan is a separate component to your car, you can often feel the affect the caravan has on your vehicle e.g. going over a bumpy road, steering in and out of sharp corners. The weight of your caravan can also affect the speed of your vehicle.

To check if your vehicle can tow your caravan, the towing capacity for your vehicle, can be found on your vehicles VIN Plate (Vehicle Identification Number Plate) which is either stamped into the chassis, found in the engine bay, bottom of the windscreen or on the inside trim of the driver or passengers’ door.

Remember, when towing a caravan, take a little more time and caution than usual, give yourself plenty of space and vision. With plenty of practice, you could be towing your touring caravan all over the UK!

At Tourer Select, our range of caravan insurance policies provide the protection to either hit the open road and enjoy the freedom that caravanning offers, or to put your feet up and relax, knowing that your towing caravan is covered.

Views expressed in our articles do not necessarily reflect the views of Guardcover Tourer Select.