Seasoned caravanner Sammy Faircloth offers expert advice for those who are new to foreign travel with their caravan
WHEN WE BOUGHT our Bailey Orion 460-5 in 2013, the first thing I said to my husband was, “Let’s go to Spain!”
When I was growing up, my family spent long, hot summers on the beautiful Costa Brava, lapping up the warmth of the Spanish sun and swimming in the crystal-clear waters.
For some, touring abroad might seem a bit daunting – towing on the right-hand side, tolls, foreign languages, different road regulations and so forth. But don’t let this dampen your wanderlust. Here are some top tips to help you get ready for your big adventure.
Prepare to travel
The main gateways to Europe are via the ferry ports, including Bilbao, Calais, Caen, St Malo and Santander, to name but a few. But for those who dislike travelling by sea, there is also the option of the Eurotunnel (eurotunnel.com), from Folkestone to Calais.
The bonus here is that it will only take you 30 minutes to get across to France under the English Channel, as opposed to voyages of one hour and 30 minutes by ferry from Dover to Calais.
Once you drive off the ferry or train to continue your journey by road, you must remember to drive on the right-hand side of the road (except for Ireland, Malta and Cyprus). Driving regulations vary from country to country, so it is also advisable to check up on the latest legal requirements before you travel (p80), and identify what you will need for your various destinations.
Plan your itinerary before leaving home and invest in some up-to-date maps, because sat nav can sometimes lead you astray. We had a particularly scary moment using Google Maps to navigate around Paris!
This particular map took no account of the height of the caravan and tried to direct us through a road tunnel that was too low for our van. Luckily, with a bit of quick thinking and reverting to a good old paper map, we were able to find an alternative route.
Remember to switch off the function on your sat nav that warns you about fixed speed cameras, because this is illegal in places such as France.
Bear in mind, too, that for driving at night, it is mandatory in most countries to adjust the headlamp pattern of your car, to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic (only if driving on the right-hand side). Alternatively, buy headlight deflectors, available from outlets such as Halfords and Amazon, or at the ferry terminal.
It is also obligatory to display a UK sticker, and some countries will impose
