Top tips for first time touring in a campervan

Top tips for first time touring in a campervan

Scotland is a magical place to explore in a campervan and there is an abundance of places to go and see.  There are so many places to park with some of the most incredible views. This coupled with the magic of being self contained whilst having all your home comforts to hand makes for a really special holiday. Effectively being a hotel on wheels and not having to pack up and move from hotel to hotel can reduce the stress and your  in charge of your own agenda. 

• Campsites or Wild Camping, this will depend on the experience you have however we love wild camping and the enjoyment of being able to go anywhere and enjoy the peace and tranquillity that the countryside has to offer. However we have found sometimes our customers like to have the security and knowledge that they have a campsite night booked coming up and they enjoy being able to top up your batteries, water and empty the toilets. It also gives you an opportunity to ask others who are campervaning alongside you. 

• Know where to find everything, being organised is key and so important. We provide a really detailed handover to all customers when they come in to go on their holiday with Scottish Tourer and we also provide a folder with detailed information on where everything is and how it works. We are of course available to phone if required and we can give information over the phone. Being organised and getting things put away so you are not falling over loads of things on your holiday and packing as lightly as you can. No one wants to open a cupboard and have something fall out on top of them or to break something in the campervan. 
• Where to fill your gas, water and empty toilets. This just takes the stress out of your trip and encourages you to plan ahead. There is a handy map in the campervan if required to help guide you where to fill and empty. Please do not empty toilets anywhere other than a designated place. This is not only damaging to the environment and wildlife but also affects any future campers that come after you and the perception of campervans to locals. 
• The golden rule of reversing, always have someone standing behind you who can direct you. Yes this will add a few minutes on but the alternative is that you miss something and damage the campervan, your holiday and your confidence. It is difficult to see the height of terrain with a camera so please do not go on the cameras alone. Most accidents we see on the campervans are from reversing.
• Take your time, don’t rush the trips. Take time at each spot before moving on, it can be so tempting to move every day and just do one night in each place. And whilst this may be great for some people it can cause extra stress to others and sometimes its nice to have some time to relax, unwind and feel settled for a few nights. This also give you plenty time to explore around you and not miss key points that you want to see on your trip. 
   

• Mirrors, mirrors, mirrors going on from reversing, please use your mirrors constantly. The campervans are wide and the narrow roads in Scotland can prove problematic and challenging to even the most experienced of drivers. So go slow round those corners and in unseen bends, bridges and narrow gaps. Other than reversing , hitting mirrors are really common and we always advice people if your not sure stop , get out and assess or get someone to guide you through the space. Its to late if you’ve already hit the mirror to put it back together again. 
• Make friends with those you meet, as the saying goes “it’s nice to be nice”. It can also be really helpful if your struggling with where to go. Often others will have advice if they have been somewhere of what they liked and didn’t like about a place. Often it’s the little hidden gems that are really worth visiting and sometimes they are hard to find or know about. You are more likely to interact with campervans once you are parked up at a campsite, or even in car parks when you stop to top up your supplies. You never know who you might meet and it can make or break future camper van interactions particularly with the locals. Respect where you are and leave nothing but footprints behind. This helps to preserve and maintain the relationships with locals.
• Be prepared for everything and think about what activities you will be doing. This enables you to be organised and prepared with what equipment you may need. Ive found that this really helps and that this ensures you pack the right things. There is no point in taking for example a paddleboard if your not going near any water! But to take it just encase is more hassle than it is worth. The benefits to having some plans is that you can pack accordingly and this can make you holiday hassle free.

These are just a few of the many tips we offer to customers who come and campervan with Scottish Tourer.  There are so many little tips and tricks that can really help make your trip as hassle free as possible so visit or blog page for more ideas. www.scottishtourer.co.uk