The Trudgians - Advice from Adventurers
As part of our 'Advice from Adventurers' series, we asked Dan and Angela to share their personal caravanning tips and travel recommendations to try to inspire you on where next to Go Bailey!
Back in 2014, I hadn’t had a holiday in about five years. The industry I worked in made taking time off difficult, and even on short city breaks, I couldn’t fully relax. I’d distract myself with something else. It reached a point where we planned a two-week holiday in Egypt, but on the way to the airport, I got called to handle a serious incident at work, and our holiday was cancelled yet again.
As a child, I always went caravanning with my mum and dad, so I suggested we try it. This way, we could go on impromptu breaks. In no time, we could be in Devon, enjoying a ginger beer while the kids played on the beach, like a scene from an Enid Blyton book: ‘Five Go Caravanning’.
OK, it didn’t quite happen like that, but once we got our first caravan, we were hooked.
Even though we have grand plans of venturing to far-flung corners of the earth, we enjoy touring around England and Wales. Next year, we are heading to Scotland, but so far, we have explored England and Wales quite a bit. There are still many areas of the UK we want to visit, so there is plenty to take in.
We plan to head east towards the Norfolk Broads, then north to discover what the Yorkshire Dales have to offer. These are areas where we have spent very little time, so a holiday of exploration is on the cards.
We start with an evening or afternoon of looking at suggestions from our friends. First, we choose destinations and then hunt for appropriate campsites. Once we have a list (which is ever-growing), we start planning annual leave, dates, and destinations. After our leave is approved, we spend a couple of hours booking the camping grounds, marking them on our family calendar, and then start thinking about the attractions we want to visit while we are in the area.
It’s not a grand experience of seeing the northern lights or watching the sun rise over an ancient monument. No, mine is far more humble, but one that I recall regularly. For me, the most memorable moment was a midsummer evening. The family sat outside the caravan as the sun slowly set over the Exe Valley. A photographer would call this the golden hour. I looked at my wife’s and children’s faces, each one glowing in the golden light—no arguing, no phones, just relaxed, calm, and content.
Our little caravan had brought us to this place and allowed each of us to unwind. I pondered for a moment why, in our house, the children always argue, yet in the caravan, where space is at a premium, no one argues or shouts. It re-established bonds between us, providing me with a truly unforgettable moment. A singular moment in time when everything was perfect. It was a setting that had never been equalled.
Having recently returned from the Brecon Beacons, I must say that it has become a new highlight for me. Up until now, North Wales has always been my absolute favourite location, but the Beacons have it all. Great food, warm welcomes, and incredible vistas wherever you look! Our trip even provided us with four seasons of weather in eight hours! Hopefully, when we return, we can enjoy just the summer as our season.
How about the time we forgot the food, leaving it on the kitchen table and only remembering once we arrived? Or the time I forgot the caravan keys? Yes, I’m often reminded of that! As for unexpected moments, I recall coming back to the caravan after a day out to find a box of chocolates and a bottle of wine on our step with a card saying thank you for our videos. To this day, I have no clue who left them!
The caravan is a base that you can take anywhere. With that in mind, no matter your desire, passion, or interest, you can do anything. Walking, cycling, and visiting local attractions are the bread-and-butter activities wherever you go, but sometimes the best thing you can do is nothing at all. Simply relaxing, chilling in the sun, or taking shade under a tree is the best holiday tonic.
As a family, we always strived to do at least one thing a day, and this doesn’t even need to break the bank. We found that visiting the beach, strolling through a local town, or even just popping out for an ice cream was a perfect way to get to know the surroundings.
I love to cook, so having a Cadac is the perfect accessory for outdoor cooking. Sure, it’s a BBQ, but it’s easy to use, quick to clean, and has amazing accessories. Outdoor furniture is a must for us as well. Being able to sit outside in comfort is very important, so we have chairs and a small table to create our outdoor setting.
Of all the things associated with caravanning, towing is the topic that fills many with anxiety and dread. So, before your first trip, invest in some towing training to help calm your nerves. Once on the road, as long as you are safe and legal, just take your time. There is no rush.
I recall our very first time setting up the caravan took around four hours. Nowadays, it takes about 25 minutes. The point is to take it slowly, understand what you are doing, and enjoy the experience.
The simplest meal is. Cube some chicken and marinate it in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Leave this in the fridge for a few hours. When it’s time for dinner, slice some red, green, yellow pepper, courgette, and red onion. Throw this mix straight onto an oiled Cadac pan or saucepan and cook slowly until the peppers start to char. Towards the end, sprinkle some dried oregano and lemon juice – this is perfect as a part of a salad. With a clean pan, cook the marinated chicken until golden brown. You can swap the chicken out for chunky mushrooms as well – they work well.
Once the chicken is cooked, add pita bread with garlic mayo, sweet chilli sauce, thin slices of red onion, tomato, and cucumber, and serve with the roasted veg we prepared before. It’s messy but delicious.
