Winter Motorhoming in Devon

Winter may not seem the best time to go on a camping holiday in the UK, but that depends entirely on what you’re interested in. I know that winter trips to the Alps for skiing or heading further South to make use of the better weather seems sensible, but staying in the UK for December or January offers much more to happy campers than on first inspection. There’s a reason that the majority of the campsites in Britain close for winter, and very few people want to use them at that time of year, which is exactly why we wanted to go.

Of course, winter can offer some spectacular weather, and a walk on a clear, crisp, frosty day along the seaside is an attractive proposition, but, as we all know, meteorology cannot be relied upon, even in summer. You’re more likely to be faced with wet, windy days, where the Maritime views are obscured by fog, and you’re battling against the elements. These are the exact conditions we experienced during our recent trip to the South Devonshire Coast.

After schools closed for Christmas and before the period of Christmas parties, visits from friends and year rituals began, we thought we’d reset and take a few days away in our Adamo 75-4DL motorhome. The four days away would provide an opportunity to have a change of scenery and a little enforced rest, peace and quiet.

When choosing a destination, we opted for a full-services pitch. We knew the weather would be stormy, so being plugged in meant we could run the central heating and keep the motorhome toasty warm throughout the day and night (significantly cosier than our old Victorian house has proved to be this year). Having a direct water source meant we did not need to conserve water, allowing for plenty of cups of warming teas.

The next thing to consider was activities while away. We’d planned on a lazy few days, but the boys would need something to do between snuggling up with board games, books or telly. The site we used had closed down its outdoor pool, children’s play area and entertainment facilities for the season. In fact, the only activity open was the indoor pool and spa, which was all we needed in the end.

Our daily routine was simple: A lazy morning followed by an hour or two of swimming. The boys would play happily in the pool, and Bex and I would tag team under their supervision, swapping every 15 minutes. This allowed one of us to make the most of the sauna, jacuzzi or steam room. Then we would head back to the Adamo, after a 3-minute race against the weather from the pool-house to our pitch, for snacks, soup and some downtime. The same pattern was followed in the afternoon and once a third time in the evening. The boys would be in bed by 7 pm, and the grown-ups not much after. As the wind, gusted up to 70mph one night, we were cosy and cocooned. We found the electric-central heating more than adequate for the relatively mild weather but have found if the temperature drops below zero, we heat the motorhome using gas and electricity and maintain that on just the electricity. Conveniently, this is all controllable via our Truma control.

So, the moral of this blog is that before you discount a short, British winter break, why not consider some of the advantages it may bring?