3 Essential Tips for Autumn Camping and Vanlife Preparation
As summer fades and the nights grow longer, the idea of camping in the cooler months might seem less appealing, but with a few tweaks to your gear, autumn camping can turn into an unforgettable adventure. Imagine waking up to misty mornings in a forest blanketed with vibrant colours, or spending cosy nights under the stars with crisp air all around you. The cold doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker - in fact, it can enhance the magic of the season. After all, "There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing." So, embrace the season with these essential autumn camping tips!
Feeling a bit overwhelmed as a newbie to campervanning? Or maybe you've taken your first trip, only to spend most of your time packing and repacking the van? If so, don’t worry - you are not alone! There’s no need to panic. For helpful advice and practical tips, check out my Beginner’s Guide to Vanlife right here.
If you’re ready to start planning your first adventure and need some inspiration, simply click here for ideas and guidance to get you started. Or if you are looking ahead towards winter, check out 10 of the Best Campsites Open all Year for Winter Camping and 10 of the Best Campsites for the Christmas Markets in the UK.
1: What do I need to pack for camping in the autumn? Autumn camping essentials:
Autumn weather in the UK is notoriously changeable so pack layers - thermals, woolly hats, fleeces etc - these can be added or removed as the weather changes. Remember to pack warm pjs, bed socks and hot water bottles for those chilly evenings, torches for the darker nights and waterproofs for the inevitable wet days. Insulating the pop-up roof definitely makes a notable difference. This can be done using a more expensive external cover or simply by using some double foil insulation internally. You can see a video of this here. Make sure you have good quality bedding sleeping bags. We recommend Duvalay. If you have a pop-top roof on your campervan, be sure to give it some extra care before the colder months set in. A little TLC goes a long way, and we highly recommend using Fabsil to keep it in top condition!
If you have a campervan with a pop-up roof, you may notice that a lot of heat escapes through it during the colder months. An easy and budget-friendly solution is to make your own thermal pop-top wrap. This simple DIY project involves insulating the pop-top with thermal material, helping to keep your campervan warmer by preventing heat loss. Not only will this make your van cozier, but it will also help you conserve energy - perfect for autumn and winter adventures!
2: How do I keep the van clean in the autumn?
Vanlife can be considerably messier once the weather turns, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible. You can find out more about my TOP TIPS for packing here, but ensuring mess is kept outside the van as much as possible is going to be really useful. We have a large non-slip, washable mat that provides some insulation from the cold flooring, whilst also helping keep dirt contained. We all remove our shoes and leave them on the mat, so that I can simply remove it from the van and give it a good shake when it’s dirty (sometimes I need to do this several times a day.) To clean the floor, I use a small dust pan and brush which I find has a variety of uses - from dusting off a dirty dog, to wiping sand off muddy clothes etc. I sweep all the dirt into a pile and then hoover it up. My hoover is one of the most used items in the campervan! If you don’t have an awning, or prefer not to travel with one on every trip, then we would recommend a small pop-up storage tent. For more Autumn campervan essentials click here.
We love our handmade welly rack that lives outside the campervan during the autumn and winter months.
If you take just one *top tip* from this blog post, make it this: *ventilation is key during the colder months!** When the chilly air outside meets the warmth inside your campervan, condensation forms overnight. To avoid waking up to damp windows, keep a window slightly open and the vents in your pop-up open. It’s also a good idea to have a microfibre cloth, or alternatively a Karcher handy to wipe away any excess moisture that does build up. Ventilation is crucial for a more comfortable and dry camping experience!
3: What else do I need to know about camping in the autumn?
As the autumn evenings grow darker and cooler much quicker, it is a good idea to plan where you'll camp each night. You can check out this Google Map of campsites open year-round, or use apps like Park4night or Search4sites to find free wild camping spots, or pub stopovers. If your van doesn’t have a diesel heater, consider booking an electric pitch so you can plug in an electric fan heater. Also, with the typically wet autumn and winter weather, it’s smart to choose hard standing pitches over grass to avoid getting stuck.
With shorter days, lighting becomes essential - especially outside your van. There’s nothing worse than heading to the amenities block and fumbling in the dark to find your way back. Solar-powered, motion sensor lights are a great solution and paired with double-sided magnetic tape, they can easily stick to the outside of your campervan wherever you need them!
For a list of useful things in your campervan that you might not have thought about, click here.
For a full list of Autumn Essentials click here.
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