Good Advise for those essential Accessories if you are new to Caravaning.

Caravan Accessories divide themselves neatly into two camps: essential and desirable.

The initial group are those that you simply can’t leave home without. For example, gas cylinders, a battery and water containers. The desirables are those you realize would make your life so much easier when you are actually spending time in your caravan. Awnings top that list, they will give you somewhere to store your wet coats and walking boots, or even the dog if it is wet! You will find a good selection of awnings here. Then there are chairs and tables if the sun comes out. Look at the Loweswater table for an easy to use foldable table. There is a huge selection of chairs ranging from a canvas chair with arms to the more comfortable Royal Navigator Chair. Groundsheets will help the carpets in your van as you will not be traipsing in all the mud - you can leave it in the awning! These come in various sizes. The 14 x 8ft groundsheet is a reasonable size but other sizes are available.

Accessories 1 - what you need:

Checklist

Spare wheel: Check there’s one with all the caravan. Otherwise get one. It’s probably the most essential item of equipment on your list.

Waste and freshwater containers: The wheeled type 's best. One of the most popular water carriers is the Aquaroll. If you decide on containers without wheels, get a water container trolley, too.

A step: Many new caravans come with steps but it's not always the case if you buy a second hand caravan. These again come in many styles and a wide range of prices. a plastic caravan step is a basic cheaper option that will serve its purpose.

Gas cylinders: Butane or propane? Choose propane gas if you ar planning to make use of your caravan during the cold months; butane ceases to vaporize at temperatures below zero. Best advise is to buy two cylinders so that you’ll never run out. It is fairly expensive to buy the gas bottles, but once you have the bottles you can you exchange the empty cylinder for full ones, just paying for the gas. Caravan dealers and a lot good campsites sell gas.

A battery: Deep-charge leisure batteries are definitely the favorite; all large caravan accessory shops sell them.

A set of wheel chocks: If you site your caravan on a slope anytime you’ll appreciate the additional security of chocks to ensure the caravan can’t move when you’re unhitching it. The fiamma chock level will level your van and hold in position.

Towing mirrors: There is a good choice of extension mirrors that mount on your cars door mirror and enable you to see further down the side of the caravan than with your cars mirrors. Pretty much essential unless your tow car is especially wide and its mirrors have extreme convex edge-sections. Golden rule: try before you buy - make sure the mirrors you choose fit onto your cars door mirrors firmly and securely. The Milenco Aero Convex Twinpack is a popular choice.

A corner steady winder: Many new caravans include one; check if there is one with a used caravan.

A long-handled soft brush: such as the heavy duty extending wash brush will allow you to clean the parts of the caravan you can’t reach using a sponge.

Toilet chemicals: Blue, such as Thetford aquakem blue or green for the more eco friendly among you for the waste tank, pink for the top tank, Thetford aquarinse

If you have all the above you will be well equipped for your first caravan experience and should not have any calamities!