Days out in the campervan in February 2026

I'm aiming to camp out in the campervan every month this year and so far I've camped in January and I've camped in February and I've got 2 camping trips booked for March and 1 booked in April. The only thing that's going to stop me completing the challenge is not having enough days in the year for all the commitments I have lined up.

I visited child 2 and camped on his drive. Now they've had a 2nd child there is no room in the house other than an air bed and the bed in the van is far more comfortable plus I have my own space and I'm more than happy in the van. I just pop in first thing for the toilet and make a cup of tea and if they're till sleeping I go back out, stick the heating on and I'm lovely and cosy.

It's annoying being last vehicle on the boat as your'e exposed to the sea water for the full 7 hour crossing.

We've got a convertor so we can plug into the mains and not have to rely on the leisure battery and can use the plug sockets in the van.

There was one morning it was so cold outside that I couldn't open the sliding door and had to run the diesel heater and wait until the door defrosted.

Dry robes were made for days like these.

As there was only me in the van and I wasn't using it for cooking I was able to spread out and I kept my shower bag in the house.

When I travel alone I just pack straight into the wardrobe.

I didn't use the van during the day for the week so I could leave everything set up which made life so much easier, it's not often this happens, in fact I don't think we've ever done this before.

The last night I packed the roof up as it was dry after raining all week, which meant everything inside had to be put away so I could get the lower bed out. it took me about an hour to do.

I had to remember to open a window when I put the diesel heating on for ventilation.

I didn't have a table to work from and I had to keep moving things around so I could move around.

I also lost my head space and kept forgetting when I tried to stand up.

The best thing we like about the Ford Nugget Westfalia conversion and our reason for choosing it over the Volkswagen Campervan is that when the lower bed is is use we can still use the kitchen fully as it is located in the back of the vehicle and although this isn't the best photo we can access the back through the vehicle and not have to go outside to do so as you have to in the VW. The space in the first photo is where the kitchen would be in the VW and you only get one sliding door. In our vehicle you get access on both sides which makes parking a lot easier. Also when the roof is popped up, it pops above the kitchen and not above the drivers seat, giving you full height access above the kitchen.

I think I've camped in the coldest of the weather so far so the rest of the year should be a breeze. I've got a 2 week stay in August which will be my longest stay and challenge as I'm not sure about toilet blocks and shower facilities and I may have to move around to charge the leisure battery if I don't get enough sun light and to fill the water tanks but I do have a portable toilet and and outdoor shower will just need to buy a shower/toilet tent and find a disposable waste point. It'll be annoying setting up and packing away every few days to fetch supplies etc but initial camp site prices for where I'm going are extortinate due to the event I'll be attending.

Days out in the campervan in December

Yes, I managed a nights camping in the van in December. I was cold and actually snowing when I pulled up in the Cotswolds and set up after work on a Friday night.

A little bit of benga takes place while I set up the van, much easier when there is only one of you.

My work stuff gets packed into this bag and placed onto the front seat out the way.

When I camp on my own I just pack my clothes straight into the wardrobe.

Whilst I waited for my friend Chrissie to join me, I cooked some soup for my dinner.

Directions given were 'turn right at the toilet block and drive straight on till you see the Christmas tree, I'm the pitch just after that'

Thankfully the shower block was heated and as always spotless.

The dry robe and yellow welly crocs are shared by all van users for bathroom runs, you don't mind going outside when you're properly wrapped up.

Filling the van with water and plugging the electricity in seems a big effort for just one night, but is so worth it as it saves going out in the cold and wet to wash up and it means we could run the heating all night.

There were a few house chores to be done after the trip, cleaning the fridge and replacing all the towels.

Removing everything that is likely to go out of date and restocking tea, coffee and sugar for day trips.

And making sure the water tanks both fresh and waste have been emptied correctly to ensure nothing freezes over the coldest months and valves have been properly closed.

I'm not sure there will be any camping in January as we have a weekend away booked in a hotel, but I may try and sneak in a trip the last weekend for a parkrun.

The good bits of June 2025 - From Paris to Porthcawl.

June has been hot, wet, busy and quiet with lots of days out and trips away and lots of time just sitting in the garden, chilling. 

Not much has been done around the home other than Peter fixing a couple of cracked tiles in the kitchen.

I visited a friend in Paris for a long weekend.

Our granddaughter came to stay and we visited Witley Court.

The Three Counties with grandchildren.

Picnics at Nags Head (Forest of Dean) and Castlemorton Common near Malvern.

Coffee shop visits, together and on my own.

We had Olive for the weekend.

Celebrating my birthday.

Despite the weather we still paddled in the sea at Porthcawl.

A stop at Westbury Upon Severn on our way home.

We've had a bit going on already in July and I think all our weekends are booked up already.

June 2025 - Days out in the camper van

Occasionally I take the van to work, it just depends what is parked where the night before.

I'm careful about where I park and use the staff car park at work.

I'm also cautious about where I park when I go shopping as there are numerous scratch marks on the van, I suspect from trollies and car doors. it's annoying.

We've had a couple of days pout in the van this month, with a picnic on Castlemorton common and I took our granddaughter home and visited Nags Head Nature Reserve for a cup of tea and another picnic.

I've put a stool in the back so I can sit and make hot drinks without breaking my back bending over when we don't pop the roof up if it's raining or we're not staying long.

We also went away for a weekend to Porthcawl, camping in a pub car park on the beach. The views weren't the best and the weather was awful. Back home it was 30c, less than 2 hours away, but we had rain most of the day Saturday, but that did mean it was much cooler and we were able to sleep.

We're happy with the set up we've got and we do have a drive away awning for longer trips.

We have to play Tetris with going to bed, the washing up has to be done straight away and everything put away.

We do have a portable toilet, but prefer to use the ones on the camp site. Peter will use the showers but I tend to just wash in the van and we do have running hot and cold water.

There have been a few housekeeping issues. Peter fitted a new water pump. We bought a new washing up bowl that collapses so we can empty the grey water without having to drive home with the extra weight. And we finally found the source of the rattle. Table legs, simple fix with a cloth shopping bag.

There are a few trips planned for July and August, need to get sites booked with the school holidays. We're lucky we can go off grid which gives us more options.